Zebra plant

Sun

Bright indirect light or partial shade; gentle morning sun is suitable. Protect from strong afternoon sun, especially behind glass.

Water

Let the potting mix dry between thorough waterings. Water much less in winter and during very hot spells when growth slows; never leave the pot standing in water.

Soil

A gritty, fast-draining succulent mix in a pot with drainage holes. Outdoors, use sharply drained sandy or gravelly soil, sheltered from prolonged winter rain.

Height

0.3-0.7 ft (0.1-0.2 m), excluding flower stems

Spread

0.5-1 ft (0.15-0.3 m) as an established clump

Flowers

Small white to pale pink, tubular flowers on slender stems, usually in spring or summer; flowering indoors is variable.

Foliage

Evergreen. Firm, pointed, dark green leaves arranged in rosettes, with raised white bumps forming bands across the outer surfaces; the inner surfaces also have white bumps.

Growth

Slow; gradually produces offsets around the parent rosette.

Care needed

Low

• Drought tolerant
• Heat tolerant
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Very tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   0.5 ft (0.15 m)

   full size

About 10 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Growth rate

Slow

• Water the soil thoroughly when dry, then let excess water drain away.
• Keep water from sitting in the centre of the rosette, especially in cool conditions.
• Feed once or twice during active spring or early-summer growth with a dilute succulent fertiliser.
• Repot in spring only when crowded, using a slightly larger pot and fresh, gritty mix.
• Move outdoor pots under cover before frost; acclimatise plants gradually when returning them outdoors.

Pruning. No shaping is needed. Remove fully dry basal leaves gently and cut spent flower stems close to their base with clean scissors.

Spring

Check roots and repot crowded plants; separate well-rooted offsets if wanted.

Spring

Increase watering as growth resumes and give a dilute feed.

Late spring

Once frost risk has passed, gradually acclimatise indoor plants to a sheltered outdoor position.

Summer

Protect from harsh afternoon sun and avoid watering an already moist pot during hot, slow-growth periods.

Autumn

Bring pots indoors before frost and reduce watering as light levels fall.

Winter

Keep in bright light, protect from cold draughts and water sparingly.

• Use a single rosette in a small, plain pot to show off its striped leaves.
• Combine with other small, shade-tolerant succulents in a shallow bowl with drainage holes.
• Place pots on a bright windowsill or sheltered courtyard shelf for year-round foliage.
• Plant among rocks in a partly shaded, frost-free succulent garden, keeping the crown above wet soil.

Garden styles it suits: Contemporary minimal, Architectural minimal, Modern courtyard, Small-space, Desert modern and Low-maintenance.

Plant it with: Ox tongue, Fairy washboard, Window haworthia and Cooper's haworthia.

Wildlife: Flowers may attract small insect visitors outdoors, but this plant offers limited wildlife value in most gardens.

• Root or crown rot: soft, translucent leaves and a collapsing base usually indicate excess moisture. Remove rotten tissue, allow healthy offsets to dry at the cut, and replant in fresh, dry, gritty mix.
• Mealybugs: inspect leaf bases for white cottony deposits. Isolate the plant, remove visible insects and use a labelled treatment suitable for indoor succulents if needed.
• Sun scorch: pale or brown, dry patches follow sudden exposure to strong sun. Move to filtered light; damaged tissue will not turn green again.
• Stretched growth: widely spaced, leaning leaves indicate insufficient light. Move gradually to a brighter position without exposing it abruptly to hot sun.

Not known to be toxic to cats, dogs or people; no part is recognised as poisonous. Specific safety information for horses is limited. Chewing any houseplant can still cause mild digestive upset.

• Zebra haworthia (Haworthiopsis fasciata)

  Its inner leaf surfaces are generally smooth, whereas Haworthiopsis attenuata has raised white bumps on both inner and outer surfaces. Nursery labels often confuse the two.

• Fairy washboard (Haworthiopsis limifolia)

  Has broader leaves with continuous transverse ridges, rather than the distinct white bumps and bands of zebra plant.

• Zebra plant (Aphelandra squarrosa)

  An unrelated tropical shrub with broad, soft leaves marked by white veins and conspicuous yellow flower bracts, not a succulent rosette.

The common name refers to the white zebra-like leaf bands, while attenuata means narrowed or tapering, referring to the pointed leaves.

Propagation. Separate offsets in spring once they have their own roots. Let any cut surfaces dry for a few days, then pot into a small container of gritty succulent mix and water cautiously. Seed is possible but slower.

Accepted botanical name

Haworthiopsis attenuata

Native range

Cape Provinces.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0) and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.