you: Haworthia mirabilis 'pilosa'

Monday, April 12, 2010

Haworthia mirabilis 'pilosa'

Haworthia mirabilis 'pilosa', Ballyfar

Haworthia mirabilis 'pilosa' M.B.Bayer

H. mirabilis 'pilosa' is species which belongs to the mirabilis group. It is characteristic by its leave shape and color. Some locality forms has beautiful short hairs on top of the leave, which is quite unique features in these group of Haworthias.

In nature it has only 4-6 leaves, its size is about 3-4 cm in diameter. It grows burried in the ground. It grows between small stones and grass, usually in open terrain. Pilosa remains solitairy.

Ingo Breuer in his new taxonomy use for this plant name H. bobii, which is not yet valid. I will wait till it will be described formaly and change the name here...

Map of distribution

H. mirabilis 'pilosa' grows W of Infanta on several localities along Breede River. I have observed plants in two localities. Near Ballyfar it was superb hairy form, which grows on stony very low hill overlooking Breede River, other place was more to the West, closer to Diepkloof, where it grows on gently slopes much further on from the river.

H. mirabilis 'pilosa' is one of the most attractive species - may be due it´s recently description. It is not easy to buy it somewhere, but in future I hope it will be accessible to more people. In cultivation it grows much bigger - I have seen plants 5-8 cm in diameter with numerous leaves.

Propagation should be done by seeds or leave cuttings. Conditions for growing are similar to those of mirabilis or picta group.