Haworthia retusa is a small, rosette forming succulent perennial, up to 4 inches (10 cm) tall. The leaves are very thick, triangular, translucent, green in color, up to 3.1 inch (8 cm) long and up to 0.8 inch (2 cm) wide. Flowers are small, tubular and white in color, in racemes up to 20 inches (50 cm) tall, in late spring to summer.