ADULTPLANTS

Zebra haworthia

Haworthiopsis attenuata

Family Asphodelaceae Native to Eastern Cape, South Africa Habitat arid Also sold as Haworthia attenuata

Zebra haworthia wants bright indirect light and water every 14 to 24 days, once the soil is dry all the way through. Non-toxic to cats and dogs.

Zebra haworthia (Haworthiopsis attenuata)
Haworthiopsis attenuata. Photograph by Wikimedia Commons contributor, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Light
Bright indirect
LowMediumBright indirectDirect
An east window, or two feet back from a south one. Unlike most succulents it burns in full afternoon sun through glass.
Water
Every 14–24 days
Baseline for a 6-inch pot indoors. Check first: water when the soil is dry all the way through, not on a schedule.
Humidity
20% and up
Fine in normal household air. Prefers 40%.
Temperature
55–80°F
Keep away from winter window glass and heating vents.
Difficulty
Easy
Scores 1 of 5: Scores 1 of 5: small, slow, and needs water roughly monthly. It stays the size of its pot, which suits a desk indefinitely.
Habit
Rosette
Grows to 4–8 inches. No support needed.
Non-toxic to cats and dogs

Eating a large amount of any plant can still cause mild stomach upset.

Detail for cats → Detail for dogs →

What each authority says
ASPCA
No record page found under any name tested.
NC State Extension
Entry exists and records no poison data.

Light

Bright indirect light. An east window, or two feet back from a south one. Unlike most succulents it burns in full afternoon sun through glass.

Water

Every 14 to 24 days in a 6-inch pot, when the soil is dry all the way through.

Treat the interval as a starting point and the test as the actual instruction. Pot size, light level and season all move the number.

Methodsoak and dry
Test before wateringthe soil is dry all the way through

Soil and potting

One part cactus mix, one part pumice.

Repot roughly every 3 years, or when roots come through the drainage holes and water runs straight through without absorbing.

Common problems

Ranked by how often each turns out to be the cause for this species. Each links to a diagnosis page with the causes ranked for this species.

Pests

Recorded for this species. Each links to identification and treatment.

Propagation

Division in soil. Roots in 21 to 42 days.

Preferred methoddivision
Mediumsoil
Time to root21–42 days
Node requiredNo
Best seasonSpring and summer

Full propagation guide for this species →

Sources

  1. North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — Haworthiopsis attenuata (consulted; entry exists and records no poison data.) Checked 2026-09-11.
  2. Wikidata entity Q64524505 — taxonomy and entity identity.
  3. Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Plants of the World Online — Haworthiopsis attenuata Accepted name; family Asphodelaceae. Checked 2026-09-11.
  4. Photograph: Wikimedia Commons contributor, Wikimedia Commons , CC BY-SA 3.0.

Compiled and edited by Tony Valcarcel · 2026-09-02
Tony Valcarcel is the editor and publisher of this database, not a horticulturist or a veterinarian. Every fact above is drawn from the sources listed, and toxicity severity is reported only where one of them stated it. How this is sourced.
Last updated 2026-09-02