Lithops
Lithops spp.
Succulents & Cacti Difficulty: Hard
📖 About this plant
Often called Living Stones, these remarkable succulents have evolved to mimic the appearance of pebbles and small rocks as a camouflage defense against herbivores. Each plant consists of a pair of thick, fleshy leaves fused at the top with a slit or window that allows light penetration. An extraordinary example of convergent evolution and botanical mimicry.
🧑🌾 Care requirements
☀️
Light
Full sun (4-6 hrs)
💧
Water
Every 3-4 weeks
💨
Humidity
Low (20-30%)
🌡️
Temperature
18-28°C
🪴
Soil
Very gritty, mineral-rich mix; 80% inorganic (coarse sand, grit, decomposed granite, pumice) with 20% organic
🧪
Fertilizer
Very light — quarter-strength balanced fertilizer once in spring and once in fall; over-fertilizing is harmful
🌐 Common Names
HI
Hindi
लिथोप्स
BN
Bengali
লিথপস
MR
Marathi
लिथोप्स
TE
Telugu
లిథోప్స్
TA
Tamil
லிதாப்ஸ்
GU
Gujarati
લિથોપ્સ
UR
Urdu
لیتھوپس
KN
Kannada
ಲಿಥೋಪ್ಸ್
OR
Odia
ଲିଥୋପସ
ML
Malayalam
ലിതോപ്സ്
PA
Punjabi
ਲਿਥੋਪਸ
AS
Assamese
লিথোপস
📋 Plant facts
- 🌍 Origin
- Southern Africa — Namibia, Botswana, South Africa; arid rocky regions
- 📏 Max height
- 2-5 cm
- 📐 Spread
- 5-10 cm
- 🕰️ Bloom time
- Fall
- 🎨 Bloom color
- White, Yellow
- 🍃 Foliage color
- Gray, Brown, Tan
- ⏳ Lifespan
- Perennial
- 📈 Growth rate
- Very Slow
- ☠️ Toxicity
- Non-toxic to pets and humans
- 🌱 Propagation
- Division of mature clumps; seed sowing in autumn (slow but rewarding)
🛡️ Health & Safety
🐾 Pet safe
✅ Non-toxic
Non-toxic to pets and humans
Common issues
- Root rot from overwatering (fatal)
- Sunburn if moved outdoors abruptly
- Wrinkling from underwatering confusion
- Spider mites rarely
💡 Care tips
- Living stones that mimic pebbles in their native habitat
- Never water during dormant period when old leaves shrivel
- Overwatering is the most common cause of death
- Provide excellent drainage with gritty cactus soil
🪴 Add to My Plants
One click — added instantly. Watering every 25 days, fertilizing every 30 days.
