Plants are quite like humans. Some require plenty of care and attention, while others can take care of themselves and only require little care. For some who are not blessed with an outdoor garden, a green thumb, or just the time to cultivate plants, succulents and cactus are the perfect options since they don’t require much attention. Just place them somewhere in your home that has enough sunlight or under a grow light and water them every couple of weeks, and they’ll thrive.
Since there are so many succulent and cactus plants to choose from, why not take care of something that is not very common? Try taking care of lithops.
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Lithops are rock-looking succulents. Its name stems from lithos (rock) and opsis (similar to). They have a pair of leaves that resemble colorful pebbles with a fissure in the middle, making them resemble a butt, hence it being nicknamed the “pebble plants” and “butt plants.”
These plants are native to southern Africa, and they grow naturally in Namibia and other parts of Botswana and Angola. Lithops seeds take years to germinate and require carefully controlled conditions, making it hard to grow them from seeds. What makes them unique is that once they turn three, they grow daisy-like flowers that are just too irresistible during the summer months.
Because lithops are uncommon succulents and take time to germinate, they can be a bit pricey, especially if you’ll buy them once they’re matured. A 7x7 centimeter pot of young lithops may retail at PhP 400, while a bigger pot with maturing lithops starts at PhP 1,000. Other sellers even sell a piece of lithops for PhP 150 and up.
If you purchased lithops, you must be able to grow them so that you get your money’s worth and, of course, enjoy the sign of these colorful pebble butts in your home.
Here are some ways you can keep your lithops healthy and alive:
Water
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In the wild, lithops get water from the fog. You may water them once every two weeks or depending on the condition of their leaves. The best way to tell if your lithops need water is by observing them. If they’re already wrinkly, then that’s a sign that you can water them. When lithops grow a new pair of leaves, they also get nutrients from the old leaves, so there’s no need to water them once their flower has dried up and new growth is forming.
If your lithops are in a plastic pot with ample drainage holes, what you can do is submerge half of the pot in water for at least 10 minutes. Afterward, remove it from the water, then allow excess water to drain. If your lithops are yellowish or mushy, it is an indication that you have overwatered them.
Light
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Lithops need at least 3 to 5 hours of bright light. You can place your plant near the window so that it can get enough sunlight. Early morning direct sunlight is preferred instead of noon direct sunlight. If you don’t have a windowsill or a spot in your Urban Deca Homes Manila condo unit that is touched by sunlight, you can purchase grow lights and have your lithops bathe under these lights for 3 to 5 hours.
When lithops don’t get enough sunlight, they etiolate or grow taller. So if you see that your lithops grow taller, it means they’re not getting enough sunlight to photosynthesize.
Pots
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Lithops can grow long roots, sometimes up to six inches, so make sure that your pot is long enough to accommodate these long roots. You can use either clay or plastic pots with enough drainage holes to avoid excess water stuck on the soil that can cause root rotting. If your pot has few drainage holes, you should give your lithops less water.
Soil
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Lithops require well-drained soil similar to cactus and other succulents. The less organic matter, the better. It is best to combine perlite, coarse sand, gravel, pumice with little organic matter or soil. At times, they even thrive in a soilless medium.
Pets
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If you live in the pet-friendly Urban Deca Homes Manila condo unit with a pet, make sure that they won’t reach your lithops because they might munch on them, killing your lithops. Thankfully, lithops are not toxic to pets, so there’s no need to worry if your pet ingests them.
To summarize, your lithops will thrive if you plant them in well-drained soil in a tall pot. Give them enough sunlight and don’t overwater. If you follow these tips, your lithops will thrive, and you will be happily appreciating the beauty of these stone butt plants.
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