There are two varieties of H. truncata in nature and cultivation, one with flat, distichous leaves (var. truncata) and one with round leaves in a spiral (var. maughanii). Both are variable. Both have flat (abruptly truncate), windowed tips which typically sit just above ground level and parallel to it in habitat. Both have been used in hybridization. There are also variations with somewhat round leaves in a distichous arrangement (forma crassa, which resembles a hybrid between the two) or hairy leaf tips (var. minor, aka H. papillaris, the hairs perhaps more like bumps).

H. maughanii is slow growing and prolific in cultivation. It may be propagated from seed, leaves, or offsets and makes a fascinating subject for macro photography.

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