All you wanted to know about Haworthias, Gasterias and Astrolobas: Haworthia mutica

Haworthia mutica, Spitskop, De Hoop

Haworthia mutica Haw.

mutica: without a point.

H. mutica is non-proliferous species with leaves retused, brownish-green, in habitat developing purplish cloudiness with only several longitudinal lines. The name mutica is suggested by the leaf tips which are rounded. It is similar to H. retusa, but they do not meet each other in nature. H. mutica is generally more glaucous than H. retusa and has a characteristic bluish-brown colouration. Another similar species is H. pygmaea, in case of smooth forms the only difference is flower. H. mutica has purplish-veined flowers as opposed to greenish in H. pygmaea.

Distribution map

H. mutica is known from the area west of Breede River. It has a precarious existence in a intensively farmed area and survives only on rocky shale ridges. It shares its distribution area with H. maraisii and some others species like H. russouwii, H. modesta or H. heidelbergensis var. minor are growing nearby.

It was once collected and sold (before World War II) near Drew, but nowadays this locality is taken in by wheat fields. Only a single clone survives in the Karoo Botanic Garden collection - this what Haworthi Revisited book by Bruce Bayer tells. Recently Bayer found few surviving clones there. I explored the area at least 5 times and in 2012 we found a new poppulation with ca 100 plants.

Haworthia mutica, Grootvlakte, NEW PHOTO

I have visited locality near Napky, where on area not bigger than living room, on small rocky ridge is beautiful population of H. mutica and G. carinata surviving in rock crevices. Some of them were eaten by stock, others, well hidden are doing better.

H. mutica should be propagated by seeds or leave cuttings. It grows without any major problems in cultivation.

Haworthia mutica, Grootvlakte, NEW PHOTO

Locality of H. mutica, Grootvlakte, NEW PHOTO

Haworthia mutica, Middeldrift, NEW PHOTO

Haworthia mutica, NE of Tarentaals Rivier, NEW PHOTO

Locality of H. mutica, NE of Tarentaals Rivier, NEW PHOTO

Haworthia mutica, Ouplaas, NEW PHOTO

Locality of H. mutica, Ouplaas, NEW PHOTO

Haworthia mutica, S of Klipbankskloof, NEW PHOTO

Locality of H. mutica, S of Klipbankskloof, NEW PHOTO

Haworthia mutica, Dankbaar

Locality of H. mutica, Dankbaar

Haworthia mutica, Volmoed South

Locality of H. mutica, Volmoed South

Haworthia mutica, Rietfontein

Locality of H. mutica, Rietfontein

Haworthia mutica, Volmoed West

Locality of H. mutica, Volmoed West

Haworthia mutica, Klipbankskloof

Locality of H. mutica, Klipbankskloof

Haworthia mutica, Sandrift, Drew - old locality

These plants are from the original Bayers spot at Drew. He mentioned in his Haworthia Revisited, that nothing is left on this locality. But luckily he found few surviving plants there (plants above). After four attempts to locate them in the area, in 2012 we were finally successful and on top of that we found a new spot with more than a hundred of plants. None of them had this white clouds, but plants were beautiful - see below.