Living Stones
Lithops spp.
Extraordinary pebble-like succulents that mimic stones in their native South African habitat. Each plant is a pair of fused leaves with intricate patterns on top. Produces a single daisy-like flower from the central fissure in autumn.
Best rooms for living stones
Light requirements
Thrives on a sunny windowsill with several hours of direct sunlight.
How to care for living stones
Full direct sunlight is non-negotiable. Water very sparingly in summer and autumn only — stop completely from November to April while the old leaf pair is absorbed. Use extremely gritty mineral compost with very little organic matter. Minimum 5°C. Overwatering is the number one killer.
Watering
Let the compost dry out completely between waterings. Roughly every 2–4 weeks.
Propagation
- Seed
- Division of multi-headed clumps
Toxicity
This plant is not known to be toxic to cats or dogs.
Common problems
- Splitting and rotting from overwatering
- Etiolation in insufficient light
- Failure to flower indoors
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