I usually grow just cacti and euphoria, but expanding my interest purchased what I believe to be a Haworthia truncata (labelled Echeveria ) from a well known garden centre back in late October.
I kept it isolated indoors from my other plants where it seemed to thrive. Two weeks ago I decided to remove it from its pot of peat and discovered unsurprisingly it had many root mealybugs, the roots however looked fleshy and quite healthy.
I followed my usual procedure, removed all the compost and soaked the roots in BCU vine weevil killer allowing two days to dry out before repotting in a mix of about 60% grit.
It now looks as if it's going downhill fast, leaves are dying and the roots are shrivelled.
Any advice from experienced Haworthia growers on how to bring this back would be much appreciated - I am keen on expanding into this genus.
Haworthia first aid advice required.
- EdMcKenna
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Re: Haworthia first aid advice required.
I would de-pot it again, cut off all the shrivelled roots, dust it with flowers of sulfur, and leave it for a week. Pot it up again, water sparingly, then more as the spring progresses and it should grow new fresh, chunky roots. This species, just like Gasteria batesiana, likes to replenish its root system on a regular basis, in my experience.
Tony Roberts
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(Gasteria, Mammillaria, small Opuntia, Cleistocactus and Sempervivum are my current special interests)
Treasurer, Haworthia Society
Chairman, Tephrocactus Study Group
Moderator, BCSS Forum
Kent
(Gasteria, Mammillaria, small Opuntia, Cleistocactus and Sempervivum are my current special interests)
- Diane
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Re: Haworthia first aid advice required.
I suspect it is a truncata hybrid, rather than the true species which doesn’t usually offset as prolifically, and Tony’s advice is good. I find that Haworthias root very readily in moler clay granules, so if you have that to hand maybe give it a go.
Diane - member of Kingston branch
Growing cacti - balm to the soul!
Growing cacti - balm to the soul!
- MatDz
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Re: Haworthia first aid advice required.
I'd just add that it's not a species H. truncata, there's certainly someone else in the mix, perhaps H. cymbiformis (cf. https://www.llifle.com/Encyclopedia/SUC ... Lime_Green, it's not this, but leaning towards for sure).
Mat
Re: Haworthia first aid advice required.
Thanks for the replies and advice, I was unsure about leaving or trimming the roots as thee root loss over the last two weeks was alarming.
I will trim and dust with sulfur and as suggested repot it into a mineral substrate.
I had suspected it was a hybrid of some kind, the leaves didn't look quite as flat and truncated as images of the H truncata look. They are a bit rounder, the lighter green colour has only appeared as a result of it's downhill slide as it was a consistent dark green before. If it picks up I'll label it as a variety.
I will trim and dust with sulfur and as suggested repot it into a mineral substrate.
I had suspected it was a hybrid of some kind, the leaves didn't look quite as flat and truncated as images of the H truncata look. They are a bit rounder, the lighter green colour has only appeared as a result of it's downhill slide as it was a consistent dark green before. If it picks up I'll label it as a variety.
- MatDz
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Re: Haworthia first aid advice required.
Noted Mat, Haworthia truncata hybrid