Project Description
Haworthia fasciata
Zebra Plant or Zebra Haworthia
This succulent is great for your indoor succulent garden. It has thick, dark green leaves with white horizontal stripes on the outside of the leaves. The inside of the leaves are smooth.
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Quick Look:
Partial sun, shade
Typical water needs for a succulent
Plant grows up to 5″ (13 cm) tall
Rosettes grow up to 8″ (20 cm) wide
Zone 10 (Minimum 30° F | -1.1° C)
Not cold hardy
Propagation by offsets
Generally non-toxic to humans and animals
Summer Dormant
Also available from: Etsy and Leaf and Clay.
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Care and Propagation Information
General Care for Haworthia fasciata
Haworthia fasciata “Zebra Plant” is a common household succulent. It’s perfect for beginners, because it grows well indoors when taken care of properly. It also propagates easily, which makes it perfect for arrangements or gifts.
Watering
Haworthia fasciata “Zebra Plant” has typical watering needs for a succulent. It’s best to use the “soak and dry” method, and allow the soil to dry out completely between waterings.
Where to Plant
Haworthia fasciata is not cold hardy, so if you live in a zone that gets colder than 30° F (-1.1° C), it’s best to plant this succulent in a container that can be brought indoors.
It does best partial sun. Plant in an area of your garden that gets 4-6 hours of sunlight in the morning.
If given more sunlight it will turn a deep red color showing it is stressed. Too much sun will cause it to turn white and dry up.
If grown indoors, place in a window that gets plenty of sun.
Flowering Information
When grown outdoors, Haworthia fasciata flowers in the fall. It has small white or pink flowers that grow on a tall, thin stem.
How to Propagate Haworthia fasciata
Haworthia fasciata “Zebra Plant” is very easily propagated through offsets.
Offsets
“Zebra Plant” will produce small offsets, sprouting up around the base of the plant. Simply pull these up and allow the offsets to dry for one to two days before replanting in well-draining soil.
Commonly Mistaken For
Haworthia attenuate. The differences between the two are subtle, but there’s an easy way to tell.
The inner leaves of Haworthia fasciata “Zebra Plant” are smooth, where Haworthia attenuate has bumpier leaves. “Zebra Plant” also has fatter leaves than Haworthia attenuate.
“Zebra Plant” is also commonly mistaken for Aloe, which can also be dark to bright green, with chubby, tapered leaves.
Pairs Well With
Commonly Asked Questions
Question
I read some articles saying that Haworthia fasciata does not need that much water. I keep my plant on a normal watering schedule. When I see that the soil is dry, I wait a few days and then water it again. Am I doing it right, or will I over-water or under-water my plant?
Answer
It sounds to me like you’re on the right track with watering your new succulent. I recommend watering just like you mentioned — soaking the soil, letting it dry completely, waiting a day or two, and then watering again.
As long as the plant seems healthy, I’d continue with the watering schedule you’re using. Take a look at this post for signs your succulent is getting too much or too little water.
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One of my favorite succulents! Love this plant . I keep it in the shade outside and water once a week
Awesome! It’s one of our favorites, too! 🙂
I just purchased a little 2” zebra plant in a copper pot, no drainage planted in moss. Maybe spanish moss. The instructions say to water 1 oz once a month. I have looked everywhere on the internet and i cant find anyone that plants these in moss. Just wanted to read more about planting in a moss.
Planting it in sphagnum moss will work for a while. Just be aware that it will cause your succulent to hold onto water for longer, so be sure to water sparingly.
I have had my haworthia for 6 months and there is no off shoots. Infact it doesn’t seem to be growing.
Cld you advice how to make is grow off shoots. I’m leaving in Malaysia.
It used to be placed in door. Until this 3 weeks it was placed outdoor in shade
Hi Mae! Can you send us a picture?
I would like to dress up my office with a succulent such as this one, but my office has no window. If I took it home on the weekends for window sunlight, would that suffice or am I “out of luck” for any succulents?
You could try a grow light on your desk! There are a lot out there that are office appropriate, and would keep your succulent happy, like this one!
That I may do with my home office, thanks! At my day job they dont let us plug anything in without a long review and approval process (government…red tape *sigh*)
Oh bummer! Are the lights in your office fluorescent, or LED? Some succulents do fine in lower light conditions, and that may be a better solution for you. Check out this video for more options.
I am not sure. I do have a light under my cubicle cabinet that is pretty bright. Guessing florescent but will check.
I bought my zebra plant from a TJMaxx believe it or not… I saw that a couple of it’s “leaves” were broken off, and a couple of the tips had fallen off as well when I decided to rescue it. I have had mine for over a month now and am wondering if the tips will grow back or will stay broken? I’ve noticed a little new growth at the bottom but not much else.
Sadly, the tips won’t grow back, but any new leaf growth should develop normally.
My zebra looks good in the bottom but the top third…all new growth looks like it’s dieing. Did I do something wrong. I also have no shoots and I have had it for 8 months. It’s getting good sun.
We’d love to help more! It would be helpful to have a photo to diagnose this. You can post a photo to our Facebook Group to get feedback from the community, or join the Successfully Growing Succulents Course to get Cassidy’s 1-on-1 help. Thanks!
My Zebra plant has two flower stems with pretty flowers at the end. My question is regarding a small patch of Zebra leaves that match the plant have sprouted about 5 inches from the plant on one of the flower stems. The two flowers stems have to be nearly 2 feet in length. My Zebra plant is healthy and happy living on my lanai on O’ahu in Hawai’i. If Zebra plants propagate at the base, what are these zebra plant succulent leaves growing off one of the flower stems 5″ from the center of the plant? The “leaves” match the parent, with the green leaf with the white “icing.” Do Zebras every sprout babies on the flower stem?
Hi David! It’s hard to say without a picture – will you email us one?
Hi There! I have a few questions about my Zebra Succulent. I got 3 small ones as a gift and just today found out what it was. I let the soul dry out for a long time to where it is not wet at all and watered it today. The outside pieces are brown and dried up. Just wondering how I should re-plant these to make them healthy again?
You’ll want to be sure you have them in well-draining soil, and water using the “soak and dry” method. You won’t be able to turn the brown, dried-up pieces green again, however the new leaves will be healthy as they grow in. Good luck! 🙂
Hi,
I have a hawthoria with offset but the off sets are growing out of the mothers leaves not from the base. I want to seperate them but i can’t find anywhere online of this phenomenon so i dont know how to handle the mother or offsets. Any advise?
Interesting! Would you send us a picture so we can see and advise you better? 🙂 You could also post in our Facebook Group for some additional advice!
I have a Hawthoria that was my grandfathers. When he passed away in 1976, my mother took over the care of the plant. When my Mom passed in 1996, I took over the care of the plant. It has to be 50 years in the family. I repotted it 5 years ago and thought I lost it, but it came back. It flowers on a regular basis, but lately it is looking a little under the weather. Not sure if I overwatered, looks a little like the “Stressed Zebra” pictured above.
Has there been a change in sun or temperature? Over-watering can definitely cause color changes, so just be sure to let the soil dry out completely before watering again.
HI! My zebra has dried tips and i’ve been religiously doing the soak and dry kinda method but it still doesn’t go back to being deep green. Is it normal for that to happen? If so, do i just leave the dried parts there or do i cut it?
Once the tips of your leaves are damaged, they won’t return to normal. You can cut those parts off, and it won’t harm the plant. 🙂
My leaves are fading. I have had it over a month in my apartment should I place it on my window?
It might need more light, so moving it to a window could help. You’ll want to make sure and gradually introduce it to more light, so it doesn’t burn. Good luck!
I thought this little fella didn’t have to be in soil? Am I doing it wrong?
H. E. L. P.
Haworthia fasciata needs to be in well-draining soil.
I have just burned up two of these little guys, too much sun..thanks do much for the good info!!
Good luck! Learn more about sunburn in this post.
I received this plant from a family member and had no clue how to care for it. I thought it was a cactus, so I went over a month without watering it. After reading the guide on here, I’ve realized I’ve severely underwatered it. A lot of the plant is turning brown, except for a small part of the plant that just came up with small growth that is entirely green. Should I remove the half-dead big part or should I leave it be and water it according to your guide?
Great question! It’s generally easier to save an under-watered succulent than an over-watered one. This post will walk you through how to do that.
Hi, I have a zebra plant that has been going for many years. However, it has been severely neglected and so the main plant is pretty much dying now. But there are several off shoots growing in the pot. I gather I can take these out and dry them out before repotting them – do I need a special cactus soil? How can I make sure these don’t go the same way as their mum?! Thanks, Rachel
You’ll want a well-draining soil (learn about that in this post). After you remove the pups from the main plant, allow them to callous over for a day or two before replanting. Good luck!
Hi! So I bought my Zebra plant last year and it has done really well. Today when I was doing a couple of other things I noticed that it looks like something sat in it and all the leaves that were standing up are now flat. What happened???
It’s difficult to tell without seeing a picture of it, but it could be a lack of sunlight, trouble with watering, or (if you have a pet), something could have smashed it or fallen onto it.
If you’re concerned about your succulent dying, this post will offer some suggestions that will help you save it! If you’d like help to further identify the specific reason your succulent isn’t doing well, I’d to invite you to join our Succulent Lovers Club.
As a member of the club Cassidy can give you one on one help to get it diagnosed specifically and also help answer any other succulent care questions you have.
We also have some other great resources for helping your succulents in our Facebook Group.
I just moved to a new apartment with a west facing window, but I worry some of my Zebra pups aren’t getting enough continuous light. Some of the exterior growth is bending, has a washed-out lighter yellow color with some browning, and feels more flexible not as taut as the richer green leaves. Some of the deeper green, more established part of the plant is starting to get a reddish brown color towards the base. Will send pictures. What should I do? And can I use my Verilux happy light as opposed to buying a growth light to help supplement its growth on over cast days? It’s 10,000 lux and uses “full spectrum” light. I know plants prefer a certain frequency of color light that we can’t see.
You can definitely use a “happy light” for your succulents. This post will walk you through using a grow light.
What do you do with the flower that grows from the stem? It’s getting pretty tall. Do you just let it grow out? Or should I cut it off when it starts to sag? Thanks!
It’s up to you! It won’t hurt the plant to cut it back.
Hi! I’ve had my zebra plant for nearly half a year now, and it’s always been doing fine. But recently moved it to an area with lesser light (had a mealybug outbreak). 3 weeks later its lower leaves got yellow and mushy and started falling off. And the top part of the plant completely came off from the bottom. I’ve only watered it once in the last 3 weeks so I don’t think it’s overwatering. What seems to be the problem and how do I solve it. Thanks!
It does sound like a watering issue. Take a look at this post for help diagnosing what’s going on, and how to save it. If you’d like help to further identify the specific reason your succulent isn’t doing well, I’d like to invite you to join our Succulent Lovers Club.
As a member of the club Cassidy can give you one on one help to get it diagnosed specifically and also help answer any other succulent care questions you have.
We also have some other great resources for helping your succulents in our Facebook Group.
Hello! I’ve had a Haworthia fasciata for about a year now. It recently sprouted a stem and it’s grown QUITE a bit since I first saw the stem poking out from the center of the succulent. There have been about 8 flowers, 4 current flowers, 2 wilted, and 1 budding. The very first flower that was produced (number 8), has since fallen away, but in that spot, succulent leaves are starting to grow! Is this typical? Should I wait to take off and propogate? Will that affect the rest of the stem? There are about 4 pups around the base that I will need to seperate soon. What do you think? Thanks in advance!
That’s exciting! If the pups are growing, I’d recommend waiting to remove them until they’re a bit bigger. It shouldn’t affect the rest of your plant.
Mine is growing a tail…is this normal? I wish I could take a picture but it’s about 10 inches long and it has some kind of a sprout system on the top of it but it’s coming out of the very center of the plant. What is this?
It could be stretching, looking for more light. The “sprout” you’re describing sounds like it’s trying to flower.