About Haworthia cooperi Baker
Haworthia cooperi Baker grows in clumps of small rosettes made up of tiny, fleshy, light green leaves. It belongs to the soft green group of Haworthias, and is often confused with related species such as Haworthia cymbiformis, Haworthia mucronata, and Haworthia marumiana. A distinctive feature of most varieties is a slightly bristly awn on the leaf margins; some varieties have leaves that end in a long bristle or thread. Unlike "retuse" Haworthias such as Haworthia mirabilis or Haworthia retusa, its leaves are not recurved. Another identifying trait is that its leaves have transparent streaks around their tips, and some varieties have entirely transparent leaf tips. In its natural wild habitat with very bright sun, the plant usually grows mostly buried by sand, with only these transparent tips exposed above the ground.
This species is naturally distributed in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, where its range roughly extends between Port Elizabeth and East London in the eastern part of the province. Its natural range closely overlaps with that of its relative Haworthia cymbiformis. The two species interact: H. cymbiformis grows on cliffs, while H. cooperi grows on lowland plains. The two species intergrade in certain locations, and this region receives summer rainfall. Haworthia cooperi is a highly variable species with several distinct varieties.
