Haworthia retusa 'White Ghost'

Overview

Haworthia retusa ‘White Ghost’ is a rare, highly ornamental cultivar of Haworthia retusa, a South African succulent known for its star-shaped rosettes and translucent leaf tips. ‘White Ghost’ is distinguished by its pale, often creamy-white to ghostly green foliage, sometimes with translucent windows at the tips. Like other Haworthias, it is a slow-growing, compact plant valued by collectors for its unusual coloration and architectural form.

Distinguishing Features

• Rosettes up to 3–4 inches wide, with triangular, recurved leaves.

• Leaves often exhibit translucent “windows” that allow sunlight into the inner tissues for photosynthesis.

• ‘White Ghost’ coloration is much paler than the standard species, with tones ranging from silvery white to pale green.

• Slow growth rate, making it well-suited for small containers and windowsill collections.

Cultivation Notes

Light: Prefers bright gentle light to bright indirect sun. Too much direct sunlight can scorch the pale leaves, while too little light may reduce variegation.
Temperature: Ideal range is 60–85°F (16–29°C). Protect from frost.
Watering: Water sparingly, allowing the soil to dry almost completely between waterings. Reduce watering further in winter when growth slows.  
Soil: Requires a sharply draining succulent mix, ideally sandy or gritty to mimic natural rocky soils.
Container: Use pots with drainage holes; terra cotta is preferred for airflow.
Fertilizer: Very light feeding during the active growing season (spring–summer) with a diluted cactus fertilizer.

Repotting & Maintenance

• Repot infrequently, only when the plant outgrows its container.

• Offsets may be separated carefully and grown as new plants.

• Handle with care—pale leaves may scar easily.

Bloom Notes

Produces slender stalks with small, tubular, white flowers, typically in summer. The blooms are not showy but are characteristic of the genus.