The common name “Zebra Plant” refers to two distinctly different popular houseplants, creating frequent confusion for those seeking identification. One is a glossy, broad-leafed tropical species, and the other is a stiff, patterned succulent. Because their forms, textures, and defining features are completely unrelated, visual clarity is essential. We can accurately distinguish between these two plants and their close imitators by focusing on their unique anatomical structures.
Appearance of the Tropical Houseplant
The tropical Zebra Plant, Aphelandra squarrosa, is valued for its striking foliage and distinctive floral display. The leaves are large, typically growing up to nine inches long, with an ovate to elliptic shape and a notably glossy, deep green surface texture. This darkness provides a strong contrast for the plant’s defining feature: prominent, silvery-white or creamy-white veining that runs across the leaves in a pattern resembling zebra stripes.
This intricate vein pattern is slightly raised, giving the foliage a textured quality despite its overall smooth, waxy appearance. The leaves grow opposite each other on upright, often purple-tinged stems, contributing to the plant’s bushy, compact shrub form when grown indoors.
The most reliable visual identifier for the tropical Zebra Plant is its showy inflorescence, commonly referred to as the “saffron spike.” This feature consists of a dense, vertical spike of overlapping, brightly colored bracts, which are typically golden-yellow or sometimes orange. These bracts are long-lasting, persisting for several weeks and often mistakenly identified as the actual flowers. The true flowers are small and yellow, nestled within the bracts, but the vibrant, cone-like spike truly distinguishes this plant.
Appearance of the Succulent Variety
The succulent known as the Zebra Plant is Haworthiopsis attenuata, formerly classified under Haworthia. This plant presents a dramatically different look, characterized by a low-growing, stemless rosette form that rarely exceeds a few inches in diameter. Its leaves are stiff, pointed, and triangular, growing tightly packed and upward-curving from the center of the rosette.
The coloration is a deep, often brownish-green, and the texture is firm and fleshy, typical of water-storing succulents. The “zebra” striping comes from small, raised white bumps called tubercles, which are densely clustered and arranged in horizontal bands across the outer surface of the leaves.
It is important to note the distinction between Haworthiopsis attenuata and the much rarer Haworthiopsis fasciata, which is often mislabeled. The common H. attenuata has white tubercles on both the inner and outer surfaces of its leaves, giving the entire plant a rough feel. Conversely, the true H. fasciata features tubercles only on the outer surface, leaving the inner face of the leaf smooth. Unlike the tropical variety, the succulent’s flowers are visually insignificant, appearing as small, white, tubular structures on a long, slender stalk.
Distinguishing Look-Alikes
Several other popular houseplants have superficially similar striped patterns, requiring attention to specific details for accurate identification. The Calathea zebrina, for instance, is a common tropical look-alike that also features prominent striping on its leaves. However, the Calathea has large, velvety leaves with stripes that follow the lateral veins in a pattern that is painted-on rather than the raised, glossy venation of Aphelandra squarrosa. The Calathea also lacks the stiff, brightly colored bract spike that is the hallmark of the tropical Zebra Plant.
In the succulent category, species of Gasteria and other Haworthia relatives can cause confusion. Gasteria species, which also feature white markings, are often differentiated by their growth pattern. Their thick, tongue-shaped leaves are frequently arranged in two opposite rows rather than the tight, circular rosette of Haworthiopsis attenuata.
Another difference lies in the flowers; Gasteria blooms are typically orange-pink and have a characteristic swollen base, which is distinct from the small, star-like white flowers of the Haworthiopsis type.