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Walk into any garden center's houseplant section, and you will see a variety of leafy foliage plants. Perhaps not as commonly known, there are a host of succulents that can live indoors year round. One of the more interesting types is the South African genus haworthia.

Consisting of more than 100 species and subspecies, this hardy, small succulent boasts an impressive range of forms and a devoted following in the world of horticulture. For us novices, what makes haworthias such an attractive houseplant is that they are easy to care for and can take some direct morning sun but can also handle lower light conditions. And once you begin searching them out, it quickly becomes apparent why they have a devoted following - they are some of the coolest-looking succulents out there.

Start with low-growing "translucent" species such as H. cymbiformis and H. turgida. The latter forms small rosettes of glassy green leaves, each with "crystalline" textures. Leaves are recurved at the tips, which are translucent and marked with green lines. It offsets freely and may add a bit of color if given some direct sun.

H. cymbiformis offers similarly fleshy leaves but highlights lighter, almost lime colors that show off the darker markings eloquently. H. venosa's translucent foliage is "milky," giving it an otherworldly quality. H. tessellata is very similar to venosa, only with lighter green tones and more pronounced geometric markings.

By contrast, the taller, more aloe-like grouping, which includes H. fasciata and H. attenuata, sends up curving columns of stiff, narrowly triangular leaves that can reach more than a foot tall. Rows of white tubercles on the undersides of the leaves create a dramatic and distinctive cross banding, earning these plants the common name Zebra haworthia.

For variety, check out the white-speckled, silvery-blue foliage of H. marginata. It also features white-toothed leaf margins. Or how about the gasteria-like H. truncata, with its oblong, stubby bluish gray leaves? It has rough, warty surfaces whose tips are initially translucent. In the wild, the plant body is below soil level, with only the window-like tip of each "stone" exposed.

There are many ways to display haworthias. You can feature varieties in their own pot in a kitchen or sun room window. Species such as H. cymbiformis, H. tessellata and H. turgida will easily form offsets, meaning you can delight in watching them fill out a container. Of course, with their modest size, haworthias are excellent additions to succulent bowls. The upright, spiky species make excellent "stand-ins" for aloes or agaves in a larger succulent collection.

Although it seems hard to fathom at first glance, haworthias belong to the liliaceae family. Further research leads to some helpful clues. The large aloe genus also belongs to this family, and the similarity to haworthia species such as H. fasciata and H. attenuata is quite apparent.

Grow in fast-draining soils, with prominent use of pumice or sand, in part sun to bright indirect light. Haworthias are cold sensitive, so if you are growing them outdoors, it is best to bring them indoors if there's a chance of a freeze. Water sparingly. Offsets can be used to start new plants.

Mealybugs and root rot may be problems. Careful watering and, if kept indoors, air circulation will help maintain good health.

Check your local nursery for sizes ranging from 2- to 6-inch pots or larger.

Erle Nickel is a nurseryman, gardening writer and photographer who cares for a sprawling Oakland garden. E-mail him at home@sfchronicle.com and check out his blog at normsnursery.blogspot.com.

Erle Nickel is an Oakland nurseryman, gardening writer and photographer.