Lithops - Care, Growing Conditions

Lithops are a fascinating small succulent plant from South Africa sometimes refered to as 'Living Stones'. They reall do live up to the name and could easily be mistaken for stones or maybe 'fridge magnets', they are however a living plant with fascinating patterns and pretty flowers in autumn to early winter. In the UK they are usually grown in pots or conatiners.

So why do these strange little plants look like stones?
Coming from an area of extreme temperatures and little rainfall Lithops have developed a means of survival where the leaves have become very short and have lost resemblance to normal foliage, all a matter of survival.

Can you grow these in the UK ?
Lithops can be grown in the UK and do well when grown indoors in a warm environment with plenty of air flow. Small terracotta pots seem to suit well and use a nice open potting mix so they drain freely.

Water in spring as the new foliage starts to show and allow the pot to dry out a fair bit before watering again, once every one or two weeks is usually adequate. In winter water can be withheld. If you are lucky they will flower in mid summer.

Lithops can be grown from seed or propagated by division.

At present we have no listed Lithops specialists listed.

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