Origin and Habitat: Western Cape Province (Cape Provinces, Southern Africa, Africa)
Type Locality: Van Wyksdorp.
Habitat: In nature it occurs on rocky quartz outcrops often among grasses.

• Haworthia pygmaea f. crystallina Pilbeam
• Haworthia crystallina (Pilbeam) M.Hayashi

• Haworthia pygmaea Poelln.
• Haworthia pygmaea f. crystallina Pilbeam
• Haworthia crystallina (Pilbeam) M.Hayashi
• Haworthia pygmaea f. major Pilbeam

• Haworthia pygmaea var. argenteomaculosa (G.G.Sm.) M.B.Bayer
• Haworthia dekenahii var. argenteomaculosa G.G.Sm.
• Haworthia retusa f. argenteomaculosa (G.G.Sm.) M.B.Bayer
• Haworthia silviae M.Hayashi

Description: Haworthia pygmaeaSN|26200]]SN|16750]] f. crystallina (best known in cultivation as Haworthia crystallinaSN|16750]]SN|26200]]) is one of the most beautifull species from pygmaea group. It is a slow growing form in which the leaves have heavily papillose end-areas. With some sun exposure this plant takes an exquisite rough sugar-crystalline appearance.
Remarks: Over years of selection, based on their preferences, some specialized Haworthia growers have selected the most crystalline plants from batches of normal seedlings, developing beautiful rough sugar-coated crystalline clones that far exceeded the original parents. The glassy transparency in some of such clones is very decorative.
Habit: It is a small proliferating species forming flattened groups about 6-10 cm in diameter (but often larger in cultivation).
Stem: Stemless.
Rosettes: Usually only 3 cm in diameter with about 10 to15 leaves.
Leaves: 2,5-3 cm long (or a little more in cultivation) and up to1, 8 cm wide, glossy dark green or olive green often shaded of pink with cold weather, retused, narrowly oval, the leaf-end areas are flattish and the leaf-tips rounded-triangular; leaf surfaces papillate with raised tubercles, occasionally very papillose with 4-5 pale longitudinal lines; margin smooth; keeled beneath.
Inflorescences: Up to 30 cm tall, robust.
Flowers: About 15 to 20 white with greenish veins.

Cultivation and Propagation: Haworthia pygmaeaSN|16750]]SN|16750]] f. crystallina is a slowly proliferous species.
Soil: Give the plant an airy growing medium which mainly consists of non organic material such us clay, pumice, lava grit, and only a little peat or leaf-mould. Needs a deep pot to accommodate the long, thick, contractile roots.
Watering needs: It needs regular water, but do not water again until dry. Also, it is a species that is dormant in the winter and requires very little water (maybe even none) during the cold months.
Frost Tolerance: Light frost protection required. Minimum of 5º C for safe growing (but hardy up to -5° C or less.)
Sun Exposure: Requires light shade to bright light (protect from strong midday sun). In shade the body colour will remain mostly green, while full sun will darken and give it a rich pink-red body colour. Can be sunburned if moved from shade/greenhouse into full sun too quickly. The amount of sunlight it can withstand without scorching depends upon the how hot it becomes in the summer in the location in which it is planted. It will have more colour if it receives more light. During the spring it may be able to take full sun until the heat arrives at the end of spring. In an area that has hot afternoon sun, it may be able to take full morning sun, but requires afternoon shade or afternoon light shade.
Propagation: It is easy to propagate by seed or by offsets that appear at the base between the leaves; leave the offsets attached to form a cluster, or wait until they are 1/3 the size of the parent and then detach and plant.