Another Living Stone, I presume?

Lithops aucampiae
Ireland
October 9, 2018 5:57am CST
Related to my last "living stone" - see link below - this is a Lithops (yes, that is singular - like cyclops!). The trick to keeping these guys alive is not to water them. Now, even for a succulent, this goes entirely against my grain, but I have disciplined myself, and so far, so good. I have this more than a year, and although it hasn't flowered for me yet, I regard the fact it's still alive as an accomplishment
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,...
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7 responses
Anna
@LadyDuck (502392)
• Italy
9 Oct 18
They are called "living stones" even in our country. To keep them alive, keep in mild temperate climates and keep them completely dry during winter. Water the plants only when the old leaves have dried up.
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Anna
@LadyDuck (502392)
• Italy
9 Oct 18
@JudyEv I had when we lived in Monte-Carlo, we kept the vases on a table under a window, they got sun almost all the day long.
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Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382019)
• Rockingham, Australia
9 Oct 18
Do you have any of these Anna?
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Norman Darlington
@NormanDarlo (1071)
• Ireland
9 Oct 18
@LadyDuck Thank you, Anna! I'm very happy to have advice from anyone with experience of these oddities. At the moment this one is in my greenhouse with a minimum of 5 degrees. It seemed happy enough last winter in that environment
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Inlemay
@Inlemay (17712)
• South Africa
10 Oct 18
we call them elephants feet in South Africa and most apt to your "Living stone" comment. As David Livingstone was an African explorer
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vanny
@vandana7 (102698)
• India
11 Oct 18
Oh wow Lany...that is very very pretty flower...
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The Horse
@TheHorse (238298)
• Walnut Creek, California
13 Oct 18
@vandana7 Agreed.
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Norman Darlington
@NormanDarlo (1071)
• Ireland
10 Oct 18
Thanks! Yes I thought of that connection The flowers are just fabulous, and so big in proportion to the plant. And 'elephants feet' is just perfect!
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pgn
@pgntwo (22405)
• Derry, Northern Ireland
9 Oct 18
That one looks like the ones I had some 25 years ago. Good pic!
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The Horse
@TheHorse (238298)
• Walnut Creek, California
13 Oct 18
I am learning more and more about these odd plants!
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Norman Darlington
@NormanDarlo (1071)
• Ireland
13 Oct 18
They are not just horse fodder!
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382019)
• Rockingham, Australia
9 Oct 18
This one looks like a fungi.
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Norman Darlington
@NormanDarlo (1071)
• Ireland
9 Oct 18
Yes, it does in a way. But it's a plant, honest!
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Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382019)
• Rockingham, Australia
9 Oct 18
@NormanDarlo I bet you tell everyone that!
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Anna
@LadyDuck (502392)
• Italy
9 Oct 18
@JudyEv They have a funny texture if you touch them.
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CarolDM
@CarolDM (203396)
• Nashville, Tennessee
9 Oct 18
I find it so hard not to water something in my garden. Thanks for this useful information.
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CarolDM
@CarolDM (203396)
• Nashville, Tennessee
12 Oct 18
@NormanDarlo Yes but I love it, very cool Norman.
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Norman Darlington
@NormanDarlo (1071)
• Ireland
9 Oct 18
Yeah I know. It goes against all your nurturing instincts!
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Jam
@montaun (256)
• Philippines
10 Oct 18
so cool. how do you restrain yourself to not water them?
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Norman Darlington
@NormanDarlo (1071)
• Ireland
10 Oct 18
With great difficulty!
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