Succulents that look like rocks can be quite a sight to behold. They share a striking resemblance to rocks, quite enough to confuse you.
This article will discuss everything you must learn about these rock-like succulents. How do succulents resemble rocks, are they all of the same color, do they bear flowers and how many heads can one succulent grow?
Contents
List of Succulents That Look Like Rocks
Lithops are called living stones because they look like pebbles and rocks while being succulents in nature. They are distinguished based on size, color, and appearance. You can add them to your plant collection without worrying about toxicity, as they are not toxic to humans and pets.
They do not need regular pruning except for removing dead or diseased parts. It takes a good three years for the lithops to flower. The lithops are also called mimicry plants as they take advantage of looking like rocks and protect themselves from potential enemies.
1. Lithops Julii
Lithops Juli is native to Southern Africa. It has no stems but a cone-shaped pair of leaves that sets it apart from the other rock-like succulents.
They are grayish-pink in color with brown markings, with the tops flat and slightly convex. The bodies are up to one inch in height, with the upper surface slightly more than 1 inch in height and a little less than 1 inch wide.
– Growing Season
The growing season for the species starts in mid-summer and continues till fall. It produces a single white flower, having a diameter of approximately 1 inch, and is as large as the fleshy leaves. The succulent takes almost three to four years to grow.
– Specific Needs
Lithops Jullli is adapted to the intense sunlight of the wild and, therefore, requires a good amount of sunlight, especially when grown indoors. Lack of sunlight will cause them to exhibit abnormal behavior, like growing different from their usual shape.
It thrives in any medium that drains quickly, and you can even use a commercial succulent soil mix for this purpose. The succulent has a very specific life cycle, and watering it during those stages is extremely important. Do not water it in its dormant state.
The species is easily propagated from seeds. But if you have a multi headed plant, propagate it through division. Repot the plant only when the growing season starts and only when there is no space left for the clusters to move. While there is no need to prune the plant, trimming the dead leaves will do your plant good.
Furthermore, the succulent does not need any fertilizer to thrive. However, you can add fertilizers with low nitrogen and potassium levels. High nitrogen content in fertilizers causes leaves to fall and root rot.
2. Lithops Hallii
Lithops hallii, scientifically known as Lithops Hallii DeBoer, is native to Southern Africa. It has two reddish-brown fleshy leaves. This species is mostly found in clumps of two or three. The leaves are flat and slightly convex with irregular margins. The upper portion of the hardy succulents is shaped like a kidney and is up to 2 inches long and 1 inch wide.
– Growing Season
The succulent’s growing season of interest starts in summer and lasts till fall and sometimes till winter. White daisy-like flowers, around 2 inches in diameter, emerged between the hardy succulents. The fruits are shaped like a boat and bear yellow-brown seeds.
– Specific Needs
Any windowsill that receives at least four to five hours of direct sunshine during the early part of the day and partial sun in the later half of the day is just the right spot for your succulent. You can place the plant on your balcony or garden in spring and fall.
The succulent does not have many soil requirements apart from being well-draining with an acidic to neutral pH, as they do not grow in alkaline soils. A commercially available soil mix is your plant’s most suitable soil option. If you have a multi headed plant, the best way to propagate succulents is through seeds or division.
It is important to water the plant during certain stages of its growth, while some growth stages need to be kept under observation to avoid the soil from completely drying out. The number of times your plant requires water depends upon how quickly the soil dries out.
Let the soil dry between watering and stop watering during the cool months to allow the leaf pair to dry out and a new leaf pair to establish. Furthermore, it does not have any fertilizing needs.
3. Lithops Optica
It is a small succulent with a club-shaped body. There are two grayish-green leaves arranged oppositely and have a smooth texture.
The stems are so small, approximately 1 inch, that they are not even visible beneath the hardy succulents. The leaves are a pretty shade between ruby red and pink, making the plant an attractive addition to your succulent garden.
– Growing Season
These succulents have a slow growth rate and show optimal growth starting mid-summer and lasting till fall. They enter the state of dormancy as soon as the weather gets cold and are better left untouched. Each of them produces daisy-like bright flowers that sometimes have pink tips and are up to 1 inch in length. New leaves emerge in the fall.
Once these flowers bloom, they brighten up the place, giving it a whole new makeover. Slow but steady, if the growth is healthy, you can see the wonderful sight it yields, a must-have for any home.
– Specific Needs
Placing a succulent plant that receives ample sunlight throughout the day will help the plant thrive. It does well in the partial sun, too, but only during the second half of the day. The soil can be well-draining and anything but alkaline.
When fresh flowers appear between the succulents, it is safe to water the plant. The leaves still grow in the winter but should not be watered then, even if the old leaves are beginning to fall.
Start watering the plant as soon as spring starts, and it starts to grow again before heading into its dormancy period in summer. Repot the plant only when it has outgrown the container, or the soil has become soggy.
4. Lithops Leslie
It is commonly known as Pebble Plant or Stone Plant. The stemless, hardy succulent has soft rootstocks that produce an inverted pair of leaves. The leaves can be pink, green, brown, orange, and gray to make this plant stand out. They are almost 2 inches long with dark-green markings.
– Growing Season
Leslie shows optimal growth in summer and may continue until fall or winter. It blooms a daisy-like yellow flower that can be almost up to 2 inches in diameter and appear in fall from between the leaves.
So once fall starts, you know well you are in for a treat when the flower blooms in all its yellow glory, adding to the room in a way that brightens everything up and gives it a more colorful, natural look that brings positivity and beauty to the place that is its home. A true masterpiece of nature, succulents are a game-changer for homes looking for a new look!
– Specific Needs
Since lithops are adapted to the wild, they require a good amount, almost five to six hours a day, of sunlight throughout the day when grown indoors.
The succulent plants do not have specific soil requirements except for their being well-draining and not alkaline. Using the readily available soil mixes does the job too. Propagate the plant through seeds or cuttings if it has more than one head.
Refrain from watering the plant deeply when it is in its dormant stage. It does not require watering throughout its growth – water it in its early stages of growth.
The succulent does not have any fertilizer needs but surely appreciates one with a high potassium content. Repotting the plant should only be considered when it is not looking its best; otherwise, it can remain in the same pot for decades and bloom.
5. Lithops Terricolor
It is a dwarf succulent, also known as Local Living Stone, and belongs to the Ruschioideae tribe. The hardy succulent has brownish-gray to green leaves and is more or less shaped like a kidney. It either grows alone or in a group of six to ten plants. The bodies are no more than one and a half inches tall. Leaves are smooth and slightly convex with dusky dots all over.
– Growing Season
It grows well in summer and shows its best behavior till fall. The flowers are yellow with a white center, and there is a rare chance they might ever be white like the rest of the lithops. These flowers are almost 1 inch in diameter, and the fruits are five lobular capsules.
– Specific Needs
To have the succulent blooming, place it near your windowsill or anywhere that receives a good amount of sunlight. It does not mind filtered sunlight during the second half of the day. Let it breathe outside from spring till fall. The soil needs to be well-draining with an acidic to neutral pH.
The plant can survive in hot and humid conditions as long as it is subjected to fresh air regularly. Best propagation results occur through seeds sown in summer. Water the plant once every few days to keep the soil damp but not soggy. Do not water it when it is dormant, allowing new leaves to replace the old ones.
It requires fertilizing but with a high potassium level and less nitrogen content. You do not need to repot the plant except when the pot is about to explode.
6. Lithops Dinteri
The small succulent produces stocky and fleshy leaves. It does not grow alone but rather in bodies of two to four. The leaves are small, measuring up to 1 inch in length and less than 1 inch wide, purple-green from the sides. Their upper surfaces are flat, have reddish dots, and may be red, brown, gray, and even cream.
– Growing Season
This succulent grows best in spring and summer, shows positive growth till spring, and enters its dormant state in fall. It blooms yellow flowers approximately 1 inch in length and sprouts between the leaves.
– Specific Needs
The succulent requires a good amount of time in full sunlight, so only place it where it receives infrequent sunlight. However, it does not mind partial shade during the second half of the day.
The pH of soil needs to be acidic to neutral and should be well-draining. These soil requirements can be easily found in the commercially available soil mix. Water the plant just as much to keep the soil moist and not soggy.
7. Lithops Salicola
The succulent is small in size, and two opposite leaves bear opposite flowers. The leaves are divided by a split rock resembling a crack that allows new leaves and flowers to appear. The leaves are fleshy and greenish-gray and 1 inch long and wide.
We have discussed lithops growing in a maximum of 10 clumps by this point, but this succulent surpasses them all and exists in clumps of 50 at a time!
– Growing Season
The succulents have a slow growth rate and show active growth in spring but grow fairly well in summer too, and you might see them growing well into fall. The flowers are 2 inches in diameter and bloom in fall, and the fruit appears in the form of five to six tubular capsules.
– Specific Needs
This litho needs a good amount of sunlight throughout the day. You can place it outside now and then to promote aeration. When it is cloudy, place the succulent under a light lamp to help achieve most of its daylight needs.
The plant grows a fresh set of leaves once every year, and you mustn’t water it then, as it is in its dormancy period. It is safe to water the plant after it has bloomed. You can get back to regular watering in spring, just enough to keep the soil moist.
The soil needs to be acidic and well-draining to help the plant thrive. Do not add fertilizer to it unless it has stopped growing or is housing signs of a disease, for which you need to add a potassium fertilizer. It does not require repotting as long as you prune it occasionally.
8. Lithops Hookeri
This plant is indigenous to the Northern Cape area in South Africa. They have two fleshy leaves with slightly convex to flat upper surfaces. They are small – only growing up to about 1.8 inches tall and 1.4 inches wide.
They come in a wide variety of hues – from gray to red to pink and orange. Flowers also appear from the fissure between the leaves in the fall season like many of these succulents.
– Growing Season
This succulent’s growth can be divided into two parts: The regeneration period when new leaf pairs are formed. During the growing season the plant will grow and a bud will develop from which the flower will form.
– Specific Needs
Their specific needs include a good amount of direct sunlight and a growing medium that drains quickly. This will replicate their natural surroundings closely.
Conclusion
People often need clarification when they hear that succulents can look like rocks. If you are a succulent lover but want to grow something different from the regular-looking succulents, there are rock-like succulents that you can grow while keeping your succulent needs satisfied.
Whichever lithops you want to grow, always remember the following points from the article above:
- All living-stone succulents need a good amount of sunlight all day. They can do with partial sunlight after half of the day has passed.
- If you are looking for a vibrant succulent, Leslie has pink leaves that can even be brown and orange.
- Salsola has up to fifty heads, meaning one succulent is enough to cover a large space.
- Add Dinner to your space if you want a typical green leaf succulent but with a unique appearance; it has striking red dots on top of the flat green leaves.
After discovering these rock-seeming succulents and their beautiful features, which plant would you like to grow?
References
- https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/living-stones-lithops/
- https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/150636/lithops-terricolor-peersii/details
- https://pza.sanbi.org/lithops-optica
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