Lithops Care

🌱 Lithops (Living Stones) Care Guide – Upon Arrival

Lithops are slow-growing succulents that follow a unique rhythm. They grow during cooler months (fall through spring) and enter dormancy in summer. Proper acclimation and seasonal care are key to their long-term health.

📦 When You Receive Your Lithops:

  1. Prepare the Soil Mix:
    Mix equal parts of pumice and potting mix (or cactus/succulent soil). Sift the mix to remove large particles or dust for better drainage. Moisten the mix lightly before use and fill it into a pot with drainage holes, leaving ½ inch from the top.

  2. Planting the Lithops:
    Use a pencil or pen to create holes deep enough to accommodate the roots without bending or breaking them.
    Gently insert the plant, leaving about ½ of its body above the soil surface.

  3. Understanding Root and Leaf Condition:
    It is completely normal for shipped seedlings to have dried, shortened, or slightly damaged roots or leaves. Lithops naturally regenerate both roots and leaves annually—this is part of their cycle.

  4. Acclimation Period (Very Important):
    Place the potted Lithops in a shaded spot with good airflow, away from direct sunlight.
    ❌ Do not water for 5–7 days to allow the plant to recover and settle.
    ✅ After this rest period, resume watering according to the seasonal guide below.

🌿 Growth Season Care (Fall to Spring):

Lithops begin growing in fall, through winter and early spring.

  • Provide bright indirect light, gradually introducing up to 5 hours of direct sunlight daily once acclimated.

  • Water sparingly only after the old leaf pair begins to noticeably wrinkle or dry up—there is no exact schedule, as watering depends on your local light, temperature, and humidity. Expect some trial and error to find the right balance for your environment.

  • For example, in USDA Hardiness Zone 7a, a recommended watering schedule is approximately every 10–15 days during the active growth season.
    ❗ Limit water while new leaves are forming or if the old pair still looks full.

  • Ideal temps: 65–75°F (18–24°C).

☀️ Dormancy Care (Late Spring to Late Summer):

Lithops enter dormancy as temperatures rise in late spring.

  • Control watering. The plant will survive on stored moisture.

  • During summer dormancy, monitor the plant’s appearance. While light wrinkling is normal, if the plant begins to shrink and pronounced horizontal wrinkle lines appear, it can indicate dehydration. In such cases, lightly mist the base of the plant to help maintain hydration—just enough to keep it plump without disrupting dormancy.

  • Keep them in a bright but cool area, ideally under filtered sunlight.

  • Resume watering only when new leaf growth appears in fall.