A Living Stone?
@NormanDarlo (1071)
Ireland
October 8, 2018 4:52pm CST
Did you ever see such a thing in your life? This South African plant is a Pleiospilos, commonly known as a 'living stone'. The reason is that its very fleshy, grey-green leaves, with their rounded shape and pitted texture, resemble a pile of split pebbles, so that any animal that might want to eat the plant doesn't even notice it! This one lives in my greenhouse.
9 people like this
7 responses
@NormanDarlo (1071)
• Ireland
9 Oct 18
I really don't know. You're wondering if a horse could eat them, of course! :P
2 people like this
@TheHorse (205587)
• Walnut Creek, California
11 Oct 18
@NormanDarlo Hmm. Doesn't look that tempting to me.
1 person likes this
@pgntwo (22408)
• Derry, Northern Ireland
9 Oct 18
@NormanDarlo I think the type of heat mine experienced in thr 5 or 6 years i had them was never exactly right. The zoological gardens' hothouse was always good for comparing how truly healthy ones looked.
2 people like this
@NormanDarlo (1071)
• Ireland
9 Oct 18
Well I guess nothing lasts forever. But I hope to keep this one going for a bit, as it's quite a new acquisition!
3 people like this
@NormanDarlo (1071)
• Ireland
10 Oct 18
@pgntwo You mean the botanical gardens greenhouse, right?! Do they have mesembs there? I can't remember seeing them. The orchid house is a disaster there now, btw, after the summer's heat which afaik they have no means of combatting beyond opening the windows wider 
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@NormanDarlo (1071)
• Ireland
10 Oct 18
No I haven't, but my business partner (whom I've never met!) lives in George, and I have a strong interest in your country's flora in particular, and culture in general.
3 people like this
@NormanDarlo (1071)
• Ireland
11 Oct 18
@vandana7 You're just after blood - you vampire 
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@JudyEv (325594)
• Rockingham, Australia
9 Oct 18
@NormanDarlo So how did you come by them, if you don't mind me asking?
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@NormanDarlo (1071)
• Ireland
9 Oct 18
@JudyEv This one I found in Johnstown (a big garden centre near Dublin), but the lithops I can't remember. My wife would know but she's globetrotting at the moment. They are both originally from South Africa, and you have no shortage of South Africans in Australia, so I'd be surprised if you couldn't track them down! Here, check out Fickle Prickles (great name!)
Pack of 3 lithops. Slow growing collectables (10cm) with various colours and patterns. Perth grown succulents delivered to anywhere in Western Australia (WA).
@NormanDarlo (1071)
• Ireland
9 Oct 18
I certainly find it intriguing, Judy! It's the first one of its kind I've seen, but that doesn't necessarily mean much 
. It's closely related to another type of 'living stone', the Lithops, which is a bit less unusual. I've just made a post with a ;picture of my one here:
. It's closely related to another type of 'living stone', the Lithops, which is a bit less unusual. I've just made a post with a ;picture of my one here:
Related to my last 'living stone' - see http://www.mylot.com/post/3219807/a-living-stone - this is a Lithops (yes, that is singular - like cyclops!). The trick...
@NormanDarlo (1071)
• Ireland
13 Oct 18
Well it wouldn't last long in my garden, with all that rain and low temperatures, but so far so good in my kitchen! Yeah, I thought it was so cool when I saw it in the garden centre, I just had to have it
@NormanDarlo (1071)
• Ireland
15 Oct 18
@garysibi Sounds just like our chain Woodies. Plus they give 10% discount to over-60s on Thursdays. They started offering it to me when I was 56 and I almost complained
2 people like this
@garysibi (702)
• Chicago, Illinois
15 Oct 18
@NormanDarlo That's how I found the one I had. There's a chain of hardwear and home repair stores in the USA called Home Depot. They usually have a garden section that has house plants as well.
1 person likes this
@simplfred (20608)
• Philippines
8 Oct 18
My first time to see one. Quite like a stone birthing a stone.
1 person likes this
