Translated from Greek, the name of a unique succulent plant is translated as "like a stone." Indeed, the plant looks very exotic and outwardly resembles a rounded pebble; it is not for nothing that the people call the lithops "living stones". At home, several types are common: beautiful lithops, divided, falsely truncated, and others. Plant care and maintenance are similar.
Under natural conditions, lithops grow in arid and rocky places, and outwardly the leaves are very similar to stones. The plant thus tries to protect itself from being eaten by animals (in biology, this way of adapting to the environment is called mimicry). In the wild, growing under the scorching African sun, living stones can withstand air temperatures in excess of 50 degrees and drought.
Humidity, light and other conditions for keeping lithops
Lithops are very light-loving plants, so at home the pot with live stones is best placed on the south window. The place should be constant, since many species of lithops react very badly to a change in location, it is not even recommended to turn the pot.
The temperature of the lithops content depends on the season. During the period of active growth, which lasts from March to November, living stones require normal room temperature, and in the winter months, plants need a cool content at a temperature of 10-12 degrees.
Bright lighting is recommended. During the day, they need 5 hours of direct sunlight, and in the second half of the day, the plants need partial shade (during this period, their flowers open). In autumn and winter, when there is not enough light, flower growers recommend installing fluorescent lamps over lithops (the distance from plants to the lamp should be at least 10 cm).
After the winter months, it is necessary to gradually accustom the living stones to the bright spring sun. It takes several days to cover the lithops with a curtain. Otherwise, the plants may get burned.
An unusual flower perfectly tolerates dry air in an apartment. Additional moisture is not required for living stones, but during the transition from hibernation to active growth in spring, experienced flower growers advise to spray the air around the plants for several days. This technique will stimulate the growth of lithops.
The choice of pot, substrate and features of planting lithops
To plant live stones, you will need a medium-sized container, since they have a rather large root system. The shape can be any, but the best option would be a wide bowl or a special pot for cacti. Several specimens will need to be planted in one container, since Lithops grows best in a company. One potted plant has been observed to grow and develop slowly.
For the substrate, take:
- light turf soil (1 part);
- coarse sand or fine gravel (1 part).
Mix soil with sand (s) and pour into a pot on top of the drainage layer. Then position the lithops so that the taproot is fully extended. Cover the roots with the substrate so that the leaves are above the surface of the substrate. Then cover the soil with small pebbles (5-7 mm in size) so that they cover the leaves by a quarter.
The nuances of watering and feeding
Like all succulents, living stones are afraid of excess moisture, from which they can die. Lithops need very moderate watering to prevent root rot. Plants are watered once a week in spring and summer. In winter, the moisture is completely stopped. During watering, you need to ensure that water does not get into the gap between the leaves. Fertilizing the plant is not required at all if lithops are transplanted every spring into a fresh substrate.
Interestingly, during active growth, living stones change leaves. The old shell cracks, and a new pair of fleshy leaves appears inside it. Please note that you cannot try to speed up this process, as this can seriously damage the flower.
