Lithops are widespread in the desert and semi-desert areas of South Africa and Namibia. Generally they grow in very sandy soil, practically devoid of organic matter.
Lithops, also called as Living stones, Pebble plants is a genus of flowering plants in the Aizoaceae family. This genus was described by Nicholas Edward Brown in 1922.
IDENTIFY LITHOPS - LIVING STONES
Lithops are widespread in the desert and semi-desert areas of South Africa and Namibia. Generally they grow in very sandy soil, practically devoid of organic matter. However, their range being quite wide - they can be found from sea level up to 2400 meters altitude - this includes desert ( Namib ), semi-desert ( Karoo , Namaqualand), scrub and grassy meadows. These plants are often found in areas where the ground is covered with stones and pebbles of various sizes, to which they resemble, which has the effect of making them almost invisible.
Living stones are perennial plants, succulent , stemless with the pairs of fleshy leaves, erect, frustoconical shape (the shape of a frustum of a cone, 30 to 50 mm in height, 15 to 50 mm in diameter), practically without stem, constitute a reserve of water. Their color is always quite dull, it varies from gray to greenish, yellowish or reddish.
In natural habitat, the leaves of Lithops are mostly buried below the surface of the soil, with a partially or completely translucent top surface known as a leaf window which allows light to enter the interior of the leaves for photosynthesis. During winter a new leaf pair, or occasionally more than one, grows inside the existing fused leaf pair. In spring the old leaf pair parts to reveal the new leaves and the old leaves will then dry up.
In late summer or early fall, the flowers emerge between the pairs of leaves, usually on very short peduncles; they are most often yellow or white, last several days, open in the afternoon, and close in the evening; their diameter varies from 25 to 50 mm , they have many narrow petals and are generally scented, many variations are possible, depending on the species. The fruit is a capsule that contains many seeds and opens at the time of the rains.
LITHOPS - LIVING STONES CARE AND CULTURE
Cultural information should only be used as a guide, and should be to be adapted to suit you. Your physical location; where you grow your plants, how much time you have to devote to their care, and many other factors, will need to be taken into account. Only then can you decide on the cultural methods that best suit you and your plants.
Light:
Like all succulents, full sunshine is preferred and encourages flower production. A green house is preferred through Lithops can be grown successful on a sunny windowsill where they receive about 4 to 5 hours of direct sunlight during the early part of the day, and partial shade during the afternoon.
Be cautious about introducing the new bought plant to bright light too quickly. Sun burn is a very real issue for them. Either use a shade cloth initially, or put them in an area with less direct sun. Plants grown in strong light will develop hard strongly coloured skins which are resistant to damage and rot. Low light levels will make the plants highly susceptible to rotting and fungal infection.
Proper lighting is important in maintaining the vibrant coloring of succulents. If the plant does not receive enough sunlight it will begin to grow slender and elongated, lean to one side to receive more light, lose coloration and turn greenish, and will eventually die if better conditions are not provided. A light reddish or orangey on the leaves indicates that they are already exposed to maximum sun exposure that they can tolerate.
Temperature:
An ideal summer daytime temperature is around 25-30ºC; At night, a temperature of 15-20 ° C is sufficient. If the temperature is more than 35 ° C in a continuous way, the lithops can enter into a lethargy state that is prolonged until the average temperatures drop again. Living stones can withstand high temperatures in summer, although adequate ventilation should be given in the hottest weather to prevent the risk of scorching. For safety, the minimum winter temperature should be in range of 4 - 8 ° C. Never allow the plants to freeze.
Substrate, growing media and repotting:
Lithops come from arid regions, they require coarse, well-drained substrate. Any soil that retains too much water will cause the plants to burst their skins as they over-expand. Add sharp sand, perlite, decomposed granite or other gritty material that will help improve drainage to regular houseplant potting mix, or use special cactus potting mix.
These plants have an extensive root system, which means they need a larger pot than the plant size would indicate. But remember to not use pots that are too big, because the plants could not absorb the water fast enough to avoid the risk of rot.
Repot should done during a growing season (spring or autumn). The best time to replant is right before you water them. Watering helps promote new root growth, and helps to stabilize succulents in a new pot. However, if you need to replant Lithops at a time when you shouldn’t be watering (summer or winter), just don’t water it.
Watering:
Lithops have a yearly cycle of growth, and it is essential to water only during certain stages and to keep the soil dry at other stages of their growth. Over-watering is the chief cause of early demise. Too much water and they rot or produce new bodies at the wrong time of year. Too little water and they become stunted. How often you water depends on how quickly the potting medium dries out. In general, drench the plant and leave it to dry out completely (probably 1-2 weeks). Then wait a couple more days before watering again.
The extensive geographical distribution to its natural environment of Lithops species is related to the sensible difference of irrigation needs and the water sensitivity of each one. Some species such as Lithops lesliei, native to northern highland regions, with a relatively high annual rainfall (between 400 and 1200 mm), are more tolerant of irrigation than others. While the species that grow in eastern areas (such as the Lithops francisci , Lithops hermetica , Lithops otzeniana or Lithops viridis), much drier with precipitation of less than 125 mm, are more sensitive to excess irrigation.
The cycle begins shortly before winter , which corresponds to the dry season and the lithops enter a state of rest, which should not be watered at all, as their metabolism goes down for short days and low temperatures. It is a period of active but apparent invisible growth of the plant. They are beginning to develop the new leaves inside. During this period light is essential, as it determines the correct development of the new leaves. The change of leaves is repeated with the arrival of spring, thus closing the annual cycle.
During spring, plants continue to reabsorb the water contained in their old leaves, to promote the growth of a new pair. At the end of the season, when the old leaves are fully dehydrated, the new ones are completely formed. The rhythm of the leaf regeneration process is closely linked to the prolongation of solar hours and the increase in temperatures, and is completed at the beginning or mid-season. During this period, we will only start to water when the old leaves are completely dry or if we notice that the new leaves wrinkle, in this case we will have to apply a very light night-time irrigation in the form of spraying to rehydrate them. We will keep in mind that if the regeneration process is longer than normal, the plant will experience a delayed growth during the summer and its body will be shorter than the previous year, which could affect both flowering as the regeneration of the following season.
In the end of spring and summer begin, irrigations are increased to favor the growth of the plant, a minimum of watering every two weeks is enough.
The fall is the flowering season for most species. Throughout the season, the flowers of yellow flower and after white flower bloom first: the first to flower are the Lithops pseudotruncatella, the last ones to do it are Lithops optic. Irrigation should be interrupted before winter or just after flowering: the growth season is over.
Normal treatment in mild temperate climates is to keep them completely dry during winter, watering only when the old leaves have dried up and been replaced by a new leaf pair. Watering continues through autumn when the plants flower and then stopped for winter. In hotter climates Lithops will have a summer dormancy when they should be kept mostly dry, and they may require some water in winter. In tropical climates, Lithops can be grown primarily in winter with a long summer dormancy. In all conditions, Lithops will be most active and need most water during autumn and each species will flower at approximately the same time.
During their dormant period the plant bodies will shrivel, eventually drying into a papery sheaths. This is quite normal, a new pair of leaves develop within the old ones. Watering must not commence until the old leaves have full dried out. If the water is given too soon, the old leaves will try to continue to grow and the plant will not develop properly. If the plant really shrivels, give just enough water to restore the firm appearance of the plant, but only water until about the top one-half inch of the soil is moistened.
Fertilizer:
Lithops grow in poor habitats in nutrients, therefore it is not necessary to fertilize them. In order to prevent unhealthy growth, fertilizers should be applied cautiously and must be of a low nitrogen type. If you are in a soil-less medium, you should consider a very small, diluted amount of fertilizer yearly. If your Living stones failed to flower the last year it might be because it’s too young. They generally begin flowering after about 3 years. Add a small amount of fertilizer in the spring to encourage flowering.
Propagation:
Living stones can be propagated by seed or cuttings. Cuttings can only be used to produce new plants after a plant has naturally divided to form multiple heads, so most propagation is by seed. The grow quickly from seed, and can be expected to flower in 3 to 4 years under optimal conditions. Sow the seeds during the summer in sandy medium, covering with a very thin layer of fi ne sand. Water the tiny seeds gently so they aren’t displaced. Place the container in a warm sunny spot, keeping them moist but not soggy. The first seeds should germinate in a few weeks (but germination may be spread out over a long period of time, with stragglers taking as long as a year). Once the seedlings are developing rapidly, reduce watering so that the top ¼” of medium dries out, but the lower medium stays moist. Don’t water too much, as excessive watering during this period may cause damping off of the seedlings. When the plants are 2-3 months old, start letting them dry out completely for a few days between waterings, and gradually increase the length of the drying time. The young plants can be transplanted when they are about a year old.
BUY LITHOPS - LIVING STONES AND RELATED PRODUCTS
SOME SPECIES AND VARIETIES OF LITHOPS WITH CARE TIPS AND CULTURE SHEET:
- Lithops aucampiae - Aucamp's living stone
- Lithops bromfieldii - Bromfield's living stone
- Lithops comptonii - Compton's living stone
- Lithops dinteri - Dinter's living stone
- Lithops dorotheae - Dorothea's living stone
- Lithops francisci - Frantz's living stone
- Lithops fulviceps - Tawny head living stone
- Lithops helmutii - Helmut living stone
- Lithops herrei - Herre's living stone
- Lithops julii - Julius's living stone
- Lithops karasmontana - Karas Mountains living stone
- Lithops lesliei - Leslie's living stone
- Lithops localis - Local living stone
- Lithops marmorata - Marbled living stone
- Lithops meyeri - Meyer's living stone
- Lithops olivacea - Olive-green living stone
- Lithops optica - Eye-like living stone
- Lithops otzeniana - Otzen's living stone
- Lithops pseudotruncatella - Truncate Living Stone
- Lithops ruschiorum - Rusch's living stone
- Lithops salicola - Salt-dweller living stone
- Lithops schwantesii - Schwantes's living stone
- Lithops vallis-mariae - Mariental living stone
- Lithops verruculosa - Warty living stone
- Lithops villetii - Villet's living stone
- Lithops werneri - Werner's living stone
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