Everything You Need To Know About - Lithop Plants

The word 'lithops' comes from the Greek language, which means stone-face. It is not difficult to understand how lithops get their name - look at lithops pictures, and you will find that the lithops plant looks like a typical stone. This is also why lithops are famously known as living stones, pebble plants, or even stone plants. Let's get to know the living rock plant better in this blog.

The Appearance of Lithops Succulent - What Does it Look Like?

Yes, the succulent looks like a stone. If you have seen cloven hooves, you will instantly find similarities between the two. Lithops are native to South African deserts. But, today, it is possible to buy lithops in the UK or get living stone seeds in the UK at nurseries and garden centers. If you have a succulent garden, you can order lithops plants wholesale online from specialized succulent stores like Planet Desert. It is not just in the UK; you can buy and order lithops for sale in Canada, South Africa, India, etc., at a lithops nursery near you, in the physical and the online world. You can order for a giant lithops plant, different lithops species, pumice for lithops, wholesale lithops, colorful lithops, and more. The stone succulent is also known as flowering stones, living stones, and lithops mimicry.

The ecosystem that is suitable for lithops growth

The prerequisites for growing these succulent living are:

• Sandy soil
• Minimal watering
• Extremely hot temperatures

Lithops Succulent Types

There are 140+ types of lithops plants. Here are the names of a few common and rare lithops:

1. Lithops karasmontana, also called the Karas Mountains living stone or Lithops bella.
2. Lithops lesliei is a medicinal plant and a threatened species.
3. Lithops optica rubra is a native of Namibia.
4. Lithops salicola or salt-dweller living stone.
5. Lithops amicorum is a succulent that bears white flowers.
6. Blue witchford lithops is one of the most vibrantly colored succulent stone plants.
7. Pleiospilos nelii v rubra or the split rock or living granite is a flowering lithops plant. Lithops photos show radiant pink and magenta flowers on the succulent.
8. Lithops lesliei albinica are common lithops used in patio gardens and lawns.

Lithops Care

Are you wondering about how to care for lithops? It is relatively easy to take care of this succulent. If you ensure the following conditions and living stone plant care tips, a living stone can survive for long in your garden. The lithops lifespan is anywhere between forty and fifty years. In fact, when planted, the lithops survive well for ten or twenty years at one place.

One unique adaptation of the plant is that it has window panes on its leaf surface that are transparent and are deposited with Calcium oxalate. This expedites the solar light penetration process. Lithops' life cycle is characterized by growth during the rainy season and dormancy for the rest of the year. Due to intense heat during the hot season, the plant uses water stored in its leaves.

Points to remember about Lithops plant care:

1. Lithops soil - Use a cactus potting mix for growing lithops. It should be well-drained. Add sand and gritty materials like perlite to make the best soil for lithops.
2. When to water lithops - The basic rule about lithops care watering is to stop watering during the dormant season. Living stones watering should be done during late summer and early fall.
3. Lithops light requirements - The plant loves direct sunlight. If kept in shaded areas, ensure that they receive abundant light at least four to five hours a day. If not, the plant gets elongated, which is called lithops etiolated. It is known that the plant starts to search for the sun and lengthen in size. Try to expose the plant to the sun in the morning or afternoon during summers. Another feature to take care of is that the place should have proper air ventilation.
4. Temperature - High temperatures are tolerable by the plant, but anything below 5° C is not considered ideal.
5. How to grow living stones from seeds? - The right time to grow Lithops from seeds is during spring or autumn. Use pots about 10 cm and plant about 20-80 seeds. Cover the soil with coarse sand after placing the seeds on the surface. Moisten the soil with a sprayer. Now, cover the pot with a transparent plastic sheet.

FAQs

1. What is a Lithop?

 The lithops are tiny plants growing not more than 2.5 cm or an inch. The plants usually bear two thickly-padded leaves clustered together, with hardly any stem. Most of the plant is underground, and only a small part - about an inch - shows above the soil.

2. How deep to plant lithops?

Lithops grow well in shallow containers. Any dish about 3 to 5 inches deep is best-suited for lithops. Remember, lithops and terrarium are poor because of the humidity aspect.

3. What is the best medium for lithops?

The right lithops soil mix consists of a strong combination of perlite, gravel, lithops pumice, coarse sand, and lava rocks. Ensure that the mix consists of one part of soil or organic matter and five minerals’ parts. Stone plants in South Africa grow well, even in a soilless medium.

4. How to save rotting lithops?

Rotting lithops means that the roots are over-watered. You need to unpot, remove the roots, and dry them. After drying, repot using a new potting mix.

5. How often to water lithops?

When the plant grows, you need to water it once every two weeks. But during the dormant season, reduce watering to a minimum.

6. What kind of lithops pot should be used?

The best is to use plastic or clay pots. Ensure that the pots have enough drainage holes.

7. How to plant lithops?

You need a cactus soil mix for planting lithops. Plant them in a pot containing free-draining cactus potting mix, compost, and grit. The seeds should be sprinkled on the soil and then covered with a thin layer of sand. Keep the soil moist till the seeds germinate. After this, reduce watering.

8. Baby lithops care tips

Not much care is required. Water them infrequently, give them bright direct sunlight for a few hours every day. During spring, when they are growing, water once in two weeks. When dormant, watering has to be negligible.

9. How big do lithops get?

Lithops are small and stemless. In fact, most of the plant is underground. Above the ground, they grow up to a height of about half an inch or one inch.

10. What is lithops splitting?

Splitting indicates the leaves are divided. This is the time when the new leaves are being formed. They absorb water from the old leaves. It is best not to water the plant now, as it can make the old leaves grow bigger, thereby choking the new ones.

Buy lithops flowers as they are beautiful with a daisy-like appearance of multiple colors ranging from white to yellow to pale orange. You can now order lithops seeds, colorful blooms, lithops rare species, and maifan stone for succulents from Planet Desert. Catering to all geographic regions - ​​lithops plants available for sale in Australia, South Africa, UK, or any other country, the most vivid varieties of lithops and succulents are here.