Transparent Succulents Exist, And Here’s Where You Can Get One

Simply adding indoor plants can change an apartment’s aesthetic, turning a drab, lifeless space into something else, like a tropical paradise or a bohemian garden. And, if you get one particular “see-through” succulent, you can even turn your room into an alien landscape.

The Haworthia cooperi is a rather surreal-looking succulent known for its transparent qualities. The plant is native to the Eastern Cape Province in South Africa, and features clumps of blue-green leaves which form a rosette shape. What makes it unique among flora is that it has “windows” on the margins of its leaves, allowing light to pass through for photosynthesis. In some varieties, the entire leaf tip could be transparent.

It’s an easy succulent to grow, too. If you’ve successfully taken care of Aloe, then the treatment is more or less the same for Haworthia. There are several sellers on Etsy that are shipping Haworthias, either as seeds or full plants.

In its natural environment, it loves growing under the shade of a tree or a shrub, so in your home or office, just leave it on a windowsill for three to four hours a day. If it’s getting too much sun exposure (it likes bright light, but never direct full sun), its leaves will turn yellow or white. 

As for watering, shower it generously during the summer season, allowing the soil to dry between waterings. During winter, you only have to water once a month. Like most succulents, make sure that it never sits in water, as it can cause root damage.