I love zebra succulents as they have, in my opinion, the most interesting coloration among succulents!
However, I have made some mistakes when it comes to watering them! When I first bought my zebra succulent, I watered it every 2 or 3 weeks, just like my other succulents. But what happened was the leaf tips turned brown! I did some research and did some of my own personal tests and discovered I need ed to adjust my watering if I am to prevent the leaves from turning brown…
In this article, I am going to share with you all the tips and secrets I gained from my first-hand experience watering my own zebra succulents so that you can avoid the common problems of root rot from overwatering and brown tips from underwatering…
To get straight to the point…
Zebra succulents should be watered when their potting soil has dried out. Typically, watering once every 1 to 2 weeks with a generous soak meets the zebra plant’s watering requirements whilst avoiding root rot. Check the soil has dried out before watering your zebra succulent.
We need to know how often to water zebra succulents at different times of the year (also known as zebra Haworthia, Haworthiopsis fasciata) as they are susceptible to root rot caused by watering too often and slow-draining soils.
Zebra succulents have different watering requirements at different times of the year as they can go into a state of dormancy in Summer in reaction to high temperatures as a strategy to cope with drought.
The optimal watering schedule should be in conjunction with gritty well-draining, succulent soil, and the right pot to prevent water stress and keep your zebra plant healthy.
Keep reading for more on how to establish how often and how much to water your zebra succulent in your climate and conditions at different times of the year…
How Often to Water Zebra Succulents
For us to water our zebra succulents, we need to undertsand how they grow in their native environment…
Zebra succulents have special adaptations to growing in hot and dry climates with infrequent rainfall and gritty soil, such as storing moisture in their leaves, which are also shaped to reduce water loss through transpiration.
As our zebra succulents are so well adapted to growing in drought, they prefer dryer conditions than most of our other houseplants and are more likely to suffer problems associated with watering too often than not often enough, such as the leaves turning brown or yellow and root rot.
For us to care for zebra succulents in our home, we need to emulate the watering conditions of their native environment.
We achieve this by only watering Zebra succulents when the soil dries out between bouts of watering. Typically, this means I water my zebra succulents with a good soak once every week to achieve the optimal balance of moisture.
It is important to consider that potting soil does not dry out at the same rate due to several factors, such as:
- Humidity and temperature range of your climate.
- The size of the pot and the type of pot (large pots dry out much slower than smaller pots).
- Whether the zebra succulent is in an air current or near a source of heat.
- The capacity of the potting soil to retain moisture.
Because there are so many variables, I developed a method for establishing how often you should water zebra succulents according to climate and conditions…
I feel the soil at the bottom of the pot through the drainage hole. If the soil feels moist, then I delay watering for a few days. If the soil feels dry, then this is the perfect time to water.
Once you know how long it usually takes for the potting soil to dry out from around your zebra succulent, you can establish a watering schedule according to your conditions that accurately replicate the watering and moisture conditions in their native environment.
Symptoms of Watering Zebra Plants Too Often
If you are watering zebra succulents more than once per week, then I must warn you that you are likely watering them far too frequently.
Watering zebra succulents too often turns the leaves yellow or brown with a mushy soft texture as a sign of stress. If the leaves turn black then this can indicate root rot due to over watering.
If the zebra succulent leaves turn brown or yellow with a soft texture then scale back your watering and let the potting soil dry out completely from around the roots so that the zebra succulent can recover.
(For more information, read my article on how to revive a dying zebra succulent).
Symptoms of Underwatering Zebra Succulents
Whilst our zebra plants are drought tolerant, they can still suffer from drought stress if they are neglected or watered too lightly.
The symptoms of an under watered zebra succulent are brown leaf tips and possibly the leaves at the bottom of the plant turn brown with a crispy, dry appearance.
The thick leaves that store moisture also appear thinner as the zebra succulent depletes its moisture reserves, although I find that this is less noticeable with zebra succulents as the leaves are typically thinner than some of the more fleshly leaves of succulents such as aloe vera.
Give the soil a good soak, and perhaps increase how often you water your zebra plant (as long as the soil dries out between bouts of watering).
Keep zebra succulents out of the way of air currents or draughts caused by air conditioning or forced air, as excessive airflow can dry out the tapered leaf tips.
(Read my article Zebra succulents with brown leaf tips to learn more).
With two or three cycles of watering with a generous soak, the zebra succulent should recover in the following weeks.
Top tip: To quickly assess whether your plant needs watering, I pick up my pot every few days. It feels heavy straight after watering and noticeably lighter as it dries out. This helps me decide when my zebra succulent needs watering.
It is also worth noting that zebra plants may require more or less watering at different times of the year…
How Often to Water Zebra Succulents in Winter
As we discussed, the zebra succulent’s demand for water can vary according to the time of year.
In Winter, zebra succulents require watering less often than in Spring or Fall (which are the more active growing seasons).
For our indoor zebra plants, we need to think about whether our plants are located near a source of heat in Winter, which can dry out the soil much quicker and turn the tips brown.
I had to move my succulent away from the window sill during winter as it was underneath a radiator, and I had to use a grow light to supplement the natural light.
Typically, I find watering once every 3 weeks in Winter is sufficient but this can vary so I recommend checking how quickly your potting soil dries out and adjusting the frequency of watering so that the soil around the roots can dry out to avoid root rot but also watering enough to avoid drought stress.
How Often to Water Zebra Succulents in Summer
Zebra plants prefer bright indirect light and grow actively in the cooler months of Spring and Fall.
Whilst zebra plants can grow during the summer they tend to enter a state of dormancy when the temperatures are particularly high to reduce demand for water so they can survive which can make them more susceptible to overwatering.
When day time temperatures are consistent above 80°F (27°C) water your zebra plant once every 2 or 3 weeks and place them in bright, indirect sunlight rather then any direct sunlight.
Be diligent during hot Summers and look for signs of drought stress (such as brown leaf tips and brown, dry lower leaves) and signs of overwatering (brown or yellow leaves that feel soft) and adjust your watering accordingly.
This summer dormancy is a survival strategy to cope with hot temperatures and dry conditions, which slows down active growth and reduces demand for water until there are more tolerable temperatures.
How Much to Water Zebra Succulents
Knowing how much water your zebra plant needs is important for maintaining a healthy plant.
Whilst climate, humidity, and temperature can all influence how often to water zebra succulents the amount of water should stay the same.
I always water zebra succulents with a generous soak so that excess water trickles from the base of the pot.
Watering so a trickle runs from the pot ensures that the water has infiltrated the soil properly so that the roots of the zebra can uptake the moisture they require.
Watering generously also encourages good root development.
A common mistake I encounter from beginners is watering too lightly, as then only the top inch or so of the soil is moist, and the water does not reach the roots where it is required. Watering too lightly is a common cause of drought stress with shriveled leaves.
(It should be noted succulent leaves sometimes shrivel when overwatered as well as underwatered so read my article for how to tell the difference).
Watering with a good soak and then allowing the soil to dry out emulates the watering conditions in the zebra plant’s natural habitat which ensures it stays healthy.
Even with the optimal watering frequency, I found I was still getting brown tips on the succulent leaves. After some investigation, I found that the potting soil was not evenly moist, and I felt some dry areas to the touch.
So I experimented with several different watering methods and found that if I water roughly and leave any remaining water in a tray underneath my pot, I found the potting soil usually draws up all the moisture, and the potting medium is much more evenly moist.
Since I implemented this tip, I haven’t gotten any more brown tips!
Well-Draining Soil to Avoid Overwatering
So, I can tell you from my first-hand experience that the right soil type is as important as watering your zebra succulent to avoid over-watering and root rot.
I must warn that regular potting soil retains too much moisture around the roots of the drought-adapted zebra plant, which causes the symptoms associated with water too often, such as leaves turning brown or yellow and mushy.
As we talked about earlier, zebra succulents grow naturally in sandy or gritty soils in their native South Africa, in soils that drain very quickly, do not hold moisture, and stay damp for too long.
To keep the zebra succulent healthy and avoid root rot, I plant zebra succulents in special succulent and cactus potting soil (available from garden centers and Amazon) as this soil emulates the specific, well-draining soil profile of the succulent’s native environment to avoid root rot.
With the right soil, it is much easier to maintain the optimal balance of moisture for my zebra succulents and it mitigates any effects from overwatering to keep the plant healthy.
With the right soil, it is much easier to maintain the perfect moisture balance for zebra succulent plants and prevent any effects of overwatering to keep your zebra plant healthy.
(To learn more, read my article on how to grow and care for zebra succulents).
Use a Pot With Drainage Holes in The Base
Zebra succulents do not tolerate being in saturated soil, so you must plant in pots with drainage holes in the base to allow excess water to escape freely.
As we talked about earlier, watering so that excess water trickles from the base of the pot is also the best way to ensure that your zebra succulent has been sufficiently watered.
Planting zebra succulents in pots without drainage holes in the base causes water to pool around the roots of your zebra succulent and can cause brown or yellow leaves or root rot.
Water can still pool around the roots of the plant in your pot if:
- The drainage hole is blocked with roots or compacted soil. If you notice your soil draining slowly, then check whether the drainage holes are clear enough to allow water to escape properly.
- Saucers and trays underneath pots. Using saucers or trays underneath the zebra succulent pot is very common to prevent water from spilling into your home, and I sometimes let water sit for half an hour in the tray after watering, but after 30 minutes, it is important to get rid of any excess water, pooling around the base.
- The use of decorative outer pots. Zebra succulents are sometimes sold in plastic pots with drainage holes but placed in a decorative outer pot that looks good and prevents water from spilling in your home. However the outer pot prevents water from escaping so that the soil is damp which causes root rot, so either empty the pot of water regularly or plant in a pot with drainage holes in the base.
Do you have any more questions or insights about watering zebra succulents? If so, I’d love to hear them, so leave a comment below!!
Key Takeaways:
- Zebra succulents are drought-resistant and should only be watered when the soil has dried out completely. Typically, watering once every 2 or 3 weeks meets the zebra plant’s water requirements while avoiding root rot due to overwatering.
- Plant zebra succulents in gritty, well-draining succulent and cacti soil, which emulates the drainage characteristics of the zebra succulent’s native environment.
- Zebra succulents should be planted in pots with drainage holes in the base to allow excess water to escape and prevent root rot.
- The symptoms of an overwatered zebra succulent are leaves turning brown or yellow with a mushy texture. The symptoms of an underwatered zebra succulent are brown leaf tips, and brown crispy leaves at the bottom of the plant. The leaves of zebra succulents should be dark green and plump. Water zebra succulents when the soil has dried between bouts of watering.