Stone cactus: a plant that appears to be what it is not

Lithops flower

Among all the succulent plants that we can find in nature, there is one that is especially striking. We know her by the name of stone cactus, although in reality it is a crass. The thing about "stone" comes because, in its natural habitat, it grows on land where there are small stones of different colors, which constitutes a fairly safe haven for our protagonists. What is not known is how a plant can adopt the colors of a stone in such a way that it appears to be one of them. That is probably one of the most interesting mysteries that botany must solve.

The stone cactus is very curious: a small plant that does not measure more than 5cm in height by about the same width, which has two only fleshy leaves that are like windows, allowing sunlight to pass through and thus allowing it to photosynthesize and grow.

Lithops verruculosa

The stone cactus is a succulent of the botanical genus Lithops, and is native to South Africa. It comprises 109 species, including the Lithops karasmontana or Lithops pseudotruncatella., which are some of the easiest to get in nurseries. They are characterized, not only by having two modified leaves, but also by having really beautiful white or yellow flowers, which are quite reminiscent of those of Aster plants (similar to daisies). Are sprout in late summer or early fall, depending on the weather.

The growth rate is slow, so we can have it in the same pot for, at least, 10 years.

Lithops

If we talk about its cultivation, we must bear in mind that it lives in a very dry region, and that the land where it grows is sandy. So, so that it can grow smoothly it is important that it is planted in a pot with a very porous substrateEither washed river sand, pumice with a -very- little peat, or even akadama. In this way, it will be difficult for the roots to rot.

But of course, there will also be water little. During the summer it will be watered once a week, and the rest of the year every 15-20 days (in winter water once a month). In the warm months it can be used to fertilize with a compost for cacti, or with liquid organic fertilizers.

And, by the way, it supports very mild frosts, up to -1ºC if it is for a short time. If you live in an area where the frosts are more intense, you can always have it at home, in a room where a lot of natural light enters.

What did you think of this curious plant?


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