Methods for Cultivating the Haworthia 'Zhu Shou'
Let's take a look at the experience with Haworthia 'Zhu Shou', the cultivation methods of Haworthia 'Zhu Shou'!
Haworthia 'Zhu Shou' belongs to the Haworthia genus in the Liliaceae family, and is a perennial succulent herb native to South Africa. The plant is small and stemless. The leaves are short and thick, growing in a spiral pattern, arranged in a rosette formation, semi-cylindrical in shape, with a horizontally triangular tip, and the cross-section is flat and transparent, forming a characteristic 'window' structure with distinct veins. The scape is very long, with small white tubular flowers. There are many varieties of 'Zhu Shou', with most leaf shapes being triangular, leaf colors ranging from green to brown, and leaf margins vary depending on the variety, with some having spines and others not. Leaf size, vein patterns, window size, and transparency also vary by variety.
Due to the large number of horticultural, hybrid, and variant types of 'Zhu Shou', such as Kangping 'Zhu Shou', 'Zhu Bao Dian', 'Keli Kete', 'White Silver 'Zhu Shou', 'Green Crab 'Zhu Shou', etc., some variant types may have yellow spots on their leaves, like 'Zhu Jin' and 'Ban Jin', which are more beautiful than other varieties. With so many varieties, prices range from tens to thousands of yuan, but the varieties with a proper plant shape, thick leaves, and clearer patterns, especially those with higher window transparency, are even more expensive.
Most varieties in the 'Zhu Shou' series prefer warm, dry environments; they are drought-tolerant, but prolonged water shortage will cause leaf shrinkage; extreme heat will stop growth; direct sunlight can cause leaf burn with brown spots; excessive shading will cause leaf discoloration, especially brown-leaf varieties turning green; they have some cold tolerance, but below 10°C, growth will stop, and too low temperatures can cause the plant's water-rich cells to freeze and die due to frost damage, so winter insulation is necessary.
The growth temperature for the 'Zhu Shou' series is about 15-25°C, with the growing season from winter to early summer. They can be placed in a bright area without direct sunlight, and the potting soil can be a mixture of peat soil and good drainage media such as pearl stone, vermiculite, snake wood chips, or Tangshan stone. Watering should be done only when the soil is dry, and they don't require much fertilizer. Every 10-15 days or so, you can use diluted Huabao No. 2 at about 2,000 times as water. In the hot summer, the plant's growth may slow down or stop, so it should be placed in a ventilated, cool place to avoid heat and humidity that can cause rot, and avoid soil积水. When autumn comes, normal cultivation management can be resumed. In winter, move it to a warm, bright place, maintaining a temperature above 12°C to continue growth, and fertilizing can be considered depending on the situation; if temperatures drop below 5°C, frost damage should be prevented. For varieties that easily produce offsets, repotting should be done every 1-2 years during the growing season.
The 'Zhu Shou' series can be propagated by division, leaf insertion, or seeding. During the growing season, side shoots grown near the old plant can be taken and planted in well-drained potting soil. For young seedlings just repotted, do not water too much at the beginning, just keeping the soil slightly moist.
Leaf insertion involves taking healthy, full leaves, drying them in the shade for 2-3 days, and then inserting them into moist coarse sand or vermiculite after the wound has dried. The humidity should not be too high to avoid leaf rot, and it will take about 2-3 months to root. Depending on the variety, some will root first, while others will grow new buds first, and the growth rate of the new buds will also vary by variety. Once they have grown into seedlings, they can be moved into new potting soil.
Some enthusiasts will use artificial pollination to hybridize and produce seeds to obtain unique variants through seed propagation. The seeds are about 0.1 millimeters in size, with an optimal germination temperature of around 20°C. About 5-8 seeds can be sown together in a 3.5-inch pot, maintaining high humidity, and they will germinate in about 20-30 days. Growth is slow, and repotting can be done after the seedlings fill the pot (which can take about 3-5 years). For varieties with low propagation rates or variants, in order to maintain stable traits, tissue culture can be used in modern times, which not only allows for large-scale propagation but also reduces costs, making some high-priced varieties more accessible to the general public.
With numerous varieties, 'Zhu Shou' is small but exquisite, with richly varied unique leaves that resemble works of art crafted by nature. No wonder gardening enthusiasts compete to collect them. Placing a few pots on a tea table or by a windowsill can certainly add a different charm to the room.
The above shares the complete content of the cultivation methods of Haworthia 'Zhu Shou', hoping it can help you, and also hoping that everyone will come to see more green plant and flower experience knowledge!