Savanna Haworthia

Savanna haworthia (Haworthia 'Savanna') is the succulent for people who do not have a sunny windowsill. It forms a neat rosette of thick, dark, textured leaves about 15cm tall and 20cm across, and unlike most succulents it is perfectly happy in bright indirect light or part shade. Slow growing, almost impossible to overgrow its pot, and safe to keep around cats and dogs.

Why you'll love it

• It tolerates low light. Most succulents stretch and go pale away from a north facing window. This one holds its shape in shaded rooms, so it works as a desk or shelf plant.
• Not toxic to cats or dogs. Haworthias are not toxic to pets, so you can leave it on a low table without a second thought.
• It stays put. At 15cm tall and 20cm wide it will not outgrow a 100mm or 150mm pot for years, and is happiest a little root bound.
• Watering is a monthly job at most. Thick leaves store their own water, so a soak every three to four weeks in summer and less in winter is the whole routine.

Where it works best

Indoors. Desks, shelves, bathrooms and bedside tables anywhere in Australia. It only needs enough light to read comfortably by.

Pots, balconies and courtyards. Outdoors it belongs in a container under cover, where you control the water. A shaded balcony or covered courtyard suits it in subtropical, warm temperate, Mediterranean and arid gardens.

Rockeries and small gardens. In dry climates it works in a sharp draining rockery pocket or gravel bed, with shade through the hottest hours.

Growing Savanna haworthia in Australia

Position and climate. Bright indirect light to part shade is ideal, and full shade only slows growth. Keep it out of hot direct sun, which bronzes and scorches the leaves. It takes light frost only, and humid tropical gardens are the one climate to avoid, because wet air and downpours rot the crown.

Soil. A cactus and succulent mix, or potting mix cut half and half with coarse sand or pumice. A drainage hole is not optional: decorative pots without one kill more haworthias than anything else.

Water and feed. Soak the mix, let it drain right through, then leave it until completely dry: every three to four weeks from spring to autumn, every six to eight through winter. Feed once or twice over summer with a half strength liquid fertiliser.

Pruning. Nothing to prune. Pull shrivelled outer leaves away at the base, and remove offsets with a clean cut to pot them up separately.

What to expect when it arrives

It is sold in 100mm pots as a pack of ten rather than a single plant, so plan for a group: a row along a shelf, a shared trough, or a few as gifts. Each plant is an established rosette, already recognisable and well rooted.

Succulents are among the best travellers we send. Leave them dry for a week after they land, somewhere bright and indirect, then water normally. Growth is slow, so judge them on firm healthy leaves, not new ones. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the succulent range
• More plants that are safe around pets
• Indoor plants that cope with lower light
• Pots and planters with drainage holes

Common questions

Is it safe if my cat chews it?

Yes. Haworthias are not toxic to cats or dogs, which is unusual among popular indoor plants. A chewed leaf will not harm your pet, though it spoils the rosette.

How do I know when to water?

Only when the mix is bone dry all the way through, usually every three to four weeks in summer. Soft, translucent or yellowing leaves mean too much water, not too little.

Why is it sold as a pack of ten?

They are grown and shipped in 100mm pots in trays of ten, which keeps the price sensible on a slow growing plant. They suit group plantings or splitting between friends.