The succulent plant Lithops, popularly called “living stone,” is a member of the Aizaceae family. In nature, it prefers to grow on limestone, granite and rocky dehydrated soil. This exotic plant has a very unusual appearance: it has only a couple of massive leaf plates, the height and width of which do not exceed 50 mm.
Lithops foliage looks very similar to small pebbles. During the flowering period, which occurs from late August to mid-October, a peduncle forms between these leaves, after which the flower opens. When the bush fades, a seed fruit is formed, the opening of which is observed when it rains. This perennial plant comes from the southern regions of South Africa, more precisely, from the deserts of Botswana and Namibia.
The petals of the flowers are similar in appearance to chamomile. Most often, fragrant flowers are yellow or white. The bush is characterized by extremely slow growth. Over ten years of life, it reaches a size of about 50 mm, while its life expectancy is a maximum of 15 years. Lithops is undemanding to care and growing conditions. It is perfect for all gardeners, even beginners.
Brief description of cultivation
- Temperature . In the warm season, the plant is not afraid of even extreme heat. In winter, the temperature in the room should not fall below 15–20 degrees.
- Air humidity . Feels best in a room with low air humidity.
- Illumination . The windows are south oriented and require plenty of bright sunlight.
- Watering . In summer, water the succulent infrequently, namely, once every 4-6 weeks. During the winter months, the substrate in the pot is not moistened at all.
- Soil mixture . A ready-made universal soil mixture for cacti is suitable. You can take a mixture of sand and clay, to which you add a little garden soil.
- Fertilizer . Fertilizing is carried out only in the summer; fertilizer for cacti is used for this.
- Transplant . Carry out only if necessary, when the bush grows excessively. Lithops are usually replanted once every few years.
- Reproduction . By seed method. A less popular method is dividing the leaf plate.
- Features of care . The succulent reacts negatively to rain, so provide it with protection from excessive humidity. When the bush fades, its leaf blades wrinkle. However, after very little time, new leaves form. This process is called “molting”. To increase the effectiveness of lithops and accelerate its development, it is recommended to plant several bushes in one container.
LITHOPS. Care and cultivation at home
Reproduction
Lithops are propagated by lateral shoots and seeds. Seeds remain viable for 10 years, but those that have been stored for 3 years germinate best.
The first method is easier. It is enough to separate the shoot from the mother plant and plant it in permanent soil.
The seed method will require significantly more time and labor. To obtain seeds, flowers are pollinated by hand. The resulting seeds (they look like fruits) should be thoroughly dried. To do this, they are placed in a warm (22–25⁰С), dry and dark place for 4–6 months. Then they are filled with water for 3–6 hours and sown. The container is covered with glass or film. Water with a spray bottle. After the sprouts appear (after 7–10 days), the container is opened. The seedlings must be kept at a temperature of 25–28 degrees, regularly sprayed and ventilated. Picking is done every other year, in the spring.
It is enough to pay a minimum of attention to the “living stones” so that they constantly delight you with their exotic beauty.
Caring for lithops at home
Temperature
In the warm season, lithops is not afraid of heat and drought. At the same time, he can stay in the heat for a long time and nothing will happen to him. In connection with this summer, you can not pay much attention to the air temperature in the room: it can vary from 23 degrees and above. In winter, when the plant’s development slows down, the flower is transferred to a cooler room, where the air temperature should be between 12–20 degrees.
Interestingly, this plant responds well to temperature changes. That is why experienced flower growers advise removing the pot with succulent from the windowsill to the floor at night, where the air temperature is slightly lower.
Spraying
It is recommended to moisten homemade lithops from a spray bottle only in the following cases:
- during the molting period, only if wrinkling of the body of the bush is observed;
- shortly before the start of the dormant period, when a new young body is formed;
- in the first weeks of August, spraying is carried out in the mornings, trying to imitate dew.
Remember that when moistening the bush you must use a fine spray. In this case, there should be enough moisture so that the lithops can dry quickly (in less than 1 hour).
Illumination
This succulent plant is very light-loving. If he lacks sunlight even a little, this will lead to slower growth. A balcony, an open sunny window, or a terrace are perfect for lithops, and the bushes should be covered for a short time from the scorching rays of the midday sun.
In winter, the bush is provided with additional lighting. To do this, it is recommended to use phytolamps installed at a distance of 100 mm from the succulent. If we are talking about recently emerged seedlings, then this distance should be approximately 50 mm.
In the store, lithops are usually kept in slight shade. Therefore, after you buy it, you will need to gradually accustom it to direct sunlight. If you immediately place it on a sunny windowsill, this may cause burns on the surface of the foliage.
Watering
An important rule when moistening and watering a bush is to ensure that there is no stagnation of water in the section of the leaf plates. Try not to let the liquid fall on the plant when watering, and also use such an amount of moisture so that it has time to quickly absorb into the substrate, and does not stand on its surface for several hours.
When watering, try to ensure that water only falls on the surface of the substrate between the bushes. If you do not adhere to this rule, this may cause rot on the living stone or the formation of burns (only if the bush is in direct sunlight). Even despite the wrinkling of the leaf plates, the succulent plant is watered with a small amount of water, and the substrate should be wet to a depth of approximately 10 mm.
Experienced gardeners recommend using a small syringe for children for watering. Thanks to it, the substrate can be moistened by drops and very carefully, without causing harm to the succulent.
Choosing a pot
A pot suitable for lithops should be such that its roots are neither too cramped nor too spacious. A wide, low pot is perfect for the plant, in which you can plant several bushes at once. This planting will speed up the development of lithops.
soil mixture
To plant and replant home lithops, you can take a purchased ready-made universal substrate for cacti. You can also use another ready-made soil mixture, the main thing is that it does not contain peat.
You can prepare the substrate yourself by combining gravel chips (or sand), brick chips, leaf soil, charcoal and clay in a ratio of 4:2:2:1:1. Before planting, it is recommended to disinfect the substrate. To do this, it is placed in a heated oven and calcined for 30 minutes. Don’t forget to place a layer of expanded clay drainage at the bottom of the pot. If desired, after planting, you can sprinkle with a layer of small pebbles 10 mm thick.
Fertilizer
Lithops does not need frequent feeding, especially if it is replanted every year. Fertilizer is added to the substrate only if the succulent has not been replanted for more than one year and the soil mixture has begun to deplete. For feeding, a special fertilizer for cacti is best suited. For live stone, ½ part of the dose recommended by the manufacturer is enough (look on the packaging).
Replanting after purchase
A living stone purchased in a specialized store needs to be transplanted as soon as possible with a complete replacement of the substrate. The fact is that lithops intended for sale are most often planted in a moist peat soil mixture. Since this substrate does not have very high drainage properties, the plant can suffer greatly and even die because of this.
After you remove the bush from the substrate, using a hard brush or toothpick, very carefully remove all the old soil mixture from the roots. If the soil mixture in the pot was wet, then the root system will need to be thoroughly dried before planting. Plant the bush in a new pot with a suitable substrate, while its roots should be straightened during planting. Pour the substrate into the container without compacting it, and the root collar of the bush should not be closed. To avoid the plant falling on its side, it can be “propped up” with a small stone. Remember that it is forbidden to water a planted bush for several days.
Planting LARGE LITHOPS. I answer your questions
Lithops transplantation
Such a succulent plant should be replanted only when its overgrown roots become too crowded in the container. During transplantation, some of the roots can be cut off if desired. However, if the roots are not injured and completely healthy, then it is better not to cut them off at all.
Experts advise planting several bushes in one pot at once, and the distance between them should be at least 10–15 mm. All gaps are filled with soil mixture, which is not compacted. However, try not to leave any voids. Transplanted succulents are not watered for several days. Such bushes will bloom after about 1 year, in the next cycle.
LITHOPS. Transplantation and useful tips for caring for Lithops
Trimming
There is no need to carry out formative or sanitary pruning of indoor lithops. The bush is able to independently get rid of leaf plates that have begun to fade, but it is highly undesirable to remove them with your own hands.
Wintering
In winter, it may seem that Lithops is at rest, but this is far from the case. A very important process takes place inside the plant during this period, namely, new young leaf plates are laid and formed. Their relatively rapid development and growth are possible thanks to the resources available from old, fading leaves.
In the wild, the end of the “molting” process occurs during the rainy season. Under the influence of precipitation, a wilted pair of leaf blades cracks, and new young leaves appear inside. In Lithops growing in indoor culture, you can see how young leaves grow strongly in a short time, while the old ones completely wither and become more like skin.
During the “molting” period, there is no need to take special care of the plant. However, until new leaves are fully formed, it is strictly forbidden to moisten the substrate in the pot.
Rest period
The real dormant period for such a succulent plant is observed in spring and summer. It begins immediately after the “slow” growing season, which is observed in the winter months, ends.
At this time, the growth of the bush becomes very slow, it accumulates strength to form flowers in the fall. There is no need to feed a dormant bush. You should also avoid any watering, as it can cause rot on the flower, which can destroy it. However, if the young leaves begin to wrinkle, then you need to water very sparingly and the plant will quickly return to normal.
Bloom
In order to fully understand all the characteristic features of the flowering period of such a succulent plant as lithops, you first need to understand the main phases of its growth and development:
- At the beginning of June, Lithops experiences a cessation of growth and development and begins a period of rest. At this time, fertilizers cannot be added to the soil mixture, and it is also prohibited to moisten it.
- The resumption of watering the succulent occurs in mid-August. This leads to the bush awakening and continuing its growth. At this time, you can notice that the cut between the two leaves has become larger and a peduncle has begun to form. In autumn you will be able to admire the flowers of this unusual plant.
- In winter, the plant experiences a third phase of the cycle, which is called forced. At this time, the bush begins to grow more slowly, and it also undergoes a change of leaf plates, or “molting.”
- At the beginning of March, the old leaf blades become translucent skin. After some time, it completely fades and young leaves can be seen under it.
The life cycle of this plant is unusual. However, this cycle may vary slightly among different species and varieties of lithops. For example, in mid-latitudes a bush may bloom not in autumn, but in the middle of summer. But this is only possible if the bush was provided with good additional lighting in winter, and also if its leaf plates were renewed ahead of schedule.
Lithops flowering lasts about 2 weeks. The bushes bloom at the age of 3–5 years, and their flowers are chamomile-shaped, yellow or white in color. The opening of the buds is observed closer to noon, and in the evening they close. In a faded bush, the old leaf plates move even further away from each other, and a new pair of relatively actively growing leaves appears between them. In this case, in place of the flower, the formation of a seed fruit is observed, which ripens over several months.
FLOWERING Lithops. Why Lithops don't bloom
Fertilizer
You can feed the plant 1-2 times a season. To do this, use special liquid mineral fertilizers for cacti. They are diluted with water and applied to moist soil after watering.
The fertilizer concentration is made 2 times less than indicated in the instructions. In autumn and during wintering, fertilizing is not carried out.
Lithops, being desert dwellers, are very hardy plants that can withstand the most unfavorable environmental conditions. Therefore, they, like most succulents, do not need feeding. The exception is when a flower grows in one pot without replanting for more than two years.
Similar articles:
- Growing Lithops from Seeds
Periodically, you can replace the top layer of soil in the pot with a new, freshly prepared substrate, and also loosen the soil.
Growing Lithops from Seeds
In indoor conditions, lithops is most often propagated by seeds. Sowing is carried out at the beginning of the spring period. Soak the seed material for a while, and then evenly distribute it over the surface of the moistened soil mixture, which must be pre-disinfected. Seeds should not be buried or covered with substrate on top. Cover the crops on top with glass or film and place them in a warm place (25 to 30 degrees). Don't forget to air them every day.
The first seedlings should appear after 1–4 weeks. After the size of the bushes is 10 mm, the surface of the substrate in the container is covered with a thin layer of expanded clay. When the plants survive the first winter and grow a little, they should be planted in permanent pots.
How to grow LITHOPS FROM SEEDS. Subtleties of growing lithops seedlings
Possible problems
When growing lithops at home, problems may arise such as:
- Shrinking of foliage . This is due to the fact that the process of changing fading leaves has gone wrong.
- Wrinkling of leaf plates . This indicates an acute lack of moisture, which can be observed during the dormant period. This problem may also be associated with the appearance of spider mites.
- The appearance of rot on the roots . The plant remains in a moist soil mixture containing peat for a long time.
- Leaf blades swell and rupture . Excessively frequent or excessive watering.
- Brown spots appeared on the foliage . Occurs when watering rules are violated.
- The pattern on the foliage becomes faded . The plant suffers from excessively poor lighting.
- Lack of flowering . There are too many nutrients in the substrate or the rules for maintaining the succulent during the dormant period were violated.
- Pests . Root scale insects, spider mites and fungus gnats can settle on the bush.
Diseases
Lithops are not susceptible to any diseases except fungal infections. Fungal infections occur only due to improper watering regime . Usually, a rotten plant cannot be saved, so you need to monitor the watering of the plant and under no circumstances overwater it.
Pests rarely attack these flowers. Only occasionally do mealybugs settle on them. This pest settles not only on the surface of the plant, but also in the soil.
To kill insects, you need to dig up the succulent and soak it along with the roots in an insecticidal solution. After this, the plant is wiped dry and planted in new soil.
Types of lithops with photos and names
There are more than 46 species of Lithops, which differ in the color and size of the inflorescences, as well as the shape of the leaves. Below we will describe those species that are popular in indoor culture.
Lithops aucampiae
The size of each sheet plate is approximately 30 mm. They have a bluish-gray color, while their upper part is colored greenish-brown. The bush has a deep cut. The yellow flowers have a very faint odor.
Bromfield's Lithops (lat. Lithops bromfieldii)
The cone-shaped leaf blades have a flat top and are colored pale red. The reddish-yellow flowers are small in size.
Compton's Lithops (lat. Lithops comptonii)
During flowering, large yellow flowers appear, with a white center. Unlike other species, the dormant period of this plant occurs in winter, and it blooms in the summer months.
Lithops dorotheae (lat. Lithops dorotheae)
This succulent plant reaches a height of no more than 10 mm, and it is considered the smallest. The leaves of the plant are similar in appearance to quartz. During flowering, rich yellow flowers appear, similar to daisies.
Franz's Lithops (lat. Lithops francisci)
The size of such a plant, which includes dense olive leaf plates, is about 40 mm. The flowers are light yellow.
Red-headed Lithops (lat. Lithops fulviceps)
This species has cylindrical leaves. The flowers have a weak aroma and are white in color.
Lithops karasmontana (lat. Lithops karasmontana)
The succulent leaf blades of this species are very similar to quartzite. The petals of the white flowers are pointed.
