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About
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Basic Care Guide
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Key Facts
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Types
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Living stones
Living stones
Living stones
Living stones

How to Care Living stones

How to Care Living stones, Growing Living stones, Caring for Living stones

Also known as : Pebble plants
Living stones (the genus name, Lithops, translates to "stone face") are easily recognizable for their bulbous, nearly fused leaf structure. Their uniquely rocklike appearance is likely a survival adaptation: herbivores are likely to confuse them for pebbles, so they won't attempt to consume them.
Watering Frequency
Watering Frequency
Every 3 weeks
Difficulty Rating
Difficulty Rating
Medium
genus_care_basic_guide

Basic Care Guide

How Often Should You Water Living stones?
How Often Should You Water Living stones?
Originating from arid regions, living stones has evolved to store water efficiently, thriving in environments with low humidity and infrequent rainfall. This succulent is highly drought-tolerant, requiring minimal watering—once every three weeks—to mimic its natural dry habitat. As an indoor plant often grown in containers, living stones benefits from a well-draining soil mix that prevents root rot due to excess moisture. During the growing season, it's crucial to monitor soil dryness before watering to maintain optimal health.
How Often Should You Water Living stones?
info

Key Facts About Living stones

Attributes of Living stones

Water
Drought-tolerant. Allow the soil to dry completely between watering.
Ideal Temperature
15 - 38 ℃
Propagation
Sowing

Scientific Classification of Living stones

More Info About Living stones
types

Types of Living Stones

Lithops pseudotruncatella subsp. archerae
Living stone
The living stone resembles small, colorful stones. With its flowers emerging from the narrow gaps between two leaves, many people also refer to it as the "living stone Flower". Distinguishing native living stone from gravel scattered on the ground can be a real challenge to many people, but this can be overcome by growing it in a container. With its unique shape and high ornamental value, the living stone has become a very popular potted plant in recent years.
Lithops optica
Optica stone plant
Optica stone plant is a hugely popular ornamental plant because of its unique appearance—it is a living stone plant, placed in this category because of its striking resemblance to pebbles. The epithet optica in its Latin name Lithops optica means "eye-like"; this relates to the plant's fleshy leaves that resemble an eye.
Lithops fulviceps
Lithops fulviceps
Lithops fulviceps, often resembling stones or pebbles, is a succulent adept at surviving in its arid environment. Its fleshy leaves, which merge at the surface, take on a grey-green hue with hints of orange, effectively camouflaging among rocks to evade predation. This remarkable mimicry allows lithops fulviceps to conserve moisture, thriving under harsh sunlight with minimal water.
Lithops pseudotruncatella
Truncate living stone
Truncate living stone (*Lithops pseudotruncatella*) is a succulent species native to Southern Africa. Truncate living stone is valued for its stone-like appearance and cultivated as a houseplant. This species was the first in its genus to be introduced in Europe. It is considered low-maintenance and easy to grow as a houseplant because it requires little watering.
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About
Basic Care Guide
Key Facts
Types
Similar Plants
Living stones
Living stones
Living stones
Living stones
Living stones
Living stones
Living stones
Lithops
Also known as: Pebble plants
Living stones (the genus name, Lithops, translates to "stone face") are easily recognizable for their bulbous, nearly fused leaf structure. Their uniquely rocklike appearance is likely a survival adaptation: herbivores are likely to confuse them for pebbles, so they won't attempt to consume them.
Watering Frequency
Watering Frequency
Every 3 weeks
Difficulty Rating
Difficulty Rating
Medium
genus_care_basic_guide

Basic Care Guide

How Often Should You Water Living stones?
How Often Should You Water Living stones?
How Often Should You Water Living stones?
Originating from arid regions, living stones has evolved to store water efficiently, thriving in environments with low humidity and infrequent rainfall. This succulent is highly drought-tolerant, requiring minimal watering—once every three weeks—to mimic its natural dry habitat. As an indoor plant often grown in containers, living stones benefits from a well-draining soil mix that prevents root rot due to excess moisture. During the growing season, it's crucial to monitor soil dryness before watering to maintain optimal health.
info

How to Grow and Care for Gardenia

Attributes of Living stones

Water
Drought-tolerant. Allow the soil to dry completely between watering.
Ideal Temperature
15 - 38 ℃
Propagation
Sowing

Scientific Classification of Living stones

types

Types of Living Stones

Lithops pseudotruncatella subsp. archerae
Living stone
The living stone resembles small, colorful stones. With its flowers emerging from the narrow gaps between two leaves, many people also refer to it as the "living stone Flower". Distinguishing native living stone from gravel scattered on the ground can be a real challenge to many people, but this can be overcome by growing it in a container. With its unique shape and high ornamental value, the living stone has become a very popular potted plant in recent years.
Lithops optica
Optica stone plant
Optica stone plant is a hugely popular ornamental plant because of its unique appearance—it is a living stone plant, placed in this category because of its striking resemblance to pebbles. The epithet optica in its Latin name Lithops optica means "eye-like"; this relates to the plant's fleshy leaves that resemble an eye.
Lithops fulviceps
Lithops fulviceps
Lithops fulviceps, often resembling stones or pebbles, is a succulent adept at surviving in its arid environment. Its fleshy leaves, which merge at the surface, take on a grey-green hue with hints of orange, effectively camouflaging among rocks to evade predation. This remarkable mimicry allows lithops fulviceps to conserve moisture, thriving under harsh sunlight with minimal water.
Lithops pseudotruncatella
Truncate living stone
Truncate living stone (*Lithops pseudotruncatella*) is a succulent species native to Southern Africa. Truncate living stone is valued for its stone-like appearance and cultivated as a houseplant. This species was the first in its genus to be introduced in Europe. It is considered low-maintenance and easy to grow as a houseplant because it requires little watering.
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Your Ultimate Guide to Plants
Identify grow and nurture the better way!
product icon
17,000 local species +400,000 global species studied
product icon
Nearly 5 years of research
product icon
80+ scholars in botany and gardening
ad
product icon close
Continue reading in our app - it's better
A database of 400000+ plants
unlimited guides at your fingertips...
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