Lithops

Animal bustin' OUT 26 Apr 2019 #lithops #livingstones #succulents #lithops-aucampiae-darkredwine

Animal! You're enormous! 19 Apr 2019 #lithops #livingstones #succulents #lithops-aucampiae-darkredwine

Animal's wide open mouth -- LI-THOPS! LI-THOPS! 12 Apr 2019 #lithops #livingstones #succulents #lithops-aucampiae-darkredwine

31 Mar 2019 #lithops #livingstones #succulents #lithops-aucampiae

28 Mar 2019 #lithops #livingstones #succulents #lithops-aucampiae

26 Mar 2019 #lithops #livingstones #succulents #lithops-aucampiae-darkredwine

little bit wider today 16 Mar 2019 #lithops #livingstones #succulents #lithops-aucampiae-darkredwine

Animal is about to go nuts 15 Mar 2019 #lithops #livingstones #succulents #lithops-aucampiae-darkredwine

Dr. Bunsen Honeydew dried up his outer leaves so i gave him a few squirts. 25 Feb 2019 #lithops #livingstones #succulents #lithops-aucampiae-cv-firebrandt

Are these rock plants available at regular stores like Lowe's, or do you have to go to a nursery?

@joanny Yvonne, I've found two varieties of lithops at Home Depot: aucampiae and salicola. These are pretty common species and easy to grow (e.g. not as finicky as optica rubra for example). For other varieties, I've ordered from nurseries in Arizona & New Mexico.

@joanny also, last year in March/April lots of folks in Texas, Florida, the Carolinas, and other warmer climate states started finding lithops at their Lowe's/HD, but lithops & other mesembs didn't arrive in New Jersey until May. So depending on where you live you might run across them sooner or later.

@joanny Nurseries might also have them occasionally.

Thank you!! These are so cool, I'll definitely be ordering one :)

@joanny They take a while to figure out, so don't be too disappointed if you kill a few at first. My husband bought me 13 of them as a gift a year ago, and only 6 are still alive today. They're tricky but worth it. Just dive in, make mistakes, and keep learning.

Great advice for anything really, thanks! I'll make sure to buy a decent amount of them :)

@joanny another good thing about starting out with lithops from Lowe's/HD is that the plants tend to be pretty big & of uniform size/age. The wholesalers fatten them up for sale fast, which means that they can go without water for longer than smaller plants can. I lost most of mine to UNDER watering, because I was afraid of overwatering them. Small (1/2 inch or less) lithops need more water than adult plants so it's hard to learn their water needs when you have lots of different size plants.

22 Feb 2019 #lithops #livingstones #succulents #lithops-aucampiae-cv-firebrandt

20 Feb 2019 #lithops #livingstones #succulents #lithops-aucampiae-cv-firebrandt #alltheredlithops #lithopssplitting

Still werkin' 18 Feb 2019 #lithops #livingstones #succulents #lithops-aucampiae-cv-firebrandt #alltheredlithops

Dr. Bunsen Honeydew is making progress! He's going to blow something up in his lab any day now. 13 Feb 2019 #lithops #livingstones #succulents #lithops-aucampiae-cv-firebrandt #alltheredlithops

This is beautiful!

4 Feb 2019 #lithops-aucampiae-cv-firebrandt #lithopssplitting #alltheredlithops #lithops #livingstones #succulents

26 Jan 2019 #lithops #livingstones #succulents #lithops-aucampiae-cv-firebrandt #alltheredlithops

😍

26 Jan 2019 #lithops #livingstones #succulents #lithops-aucampiae-darkredwine

Dr Bunsen Honeydew had a close call last year. Gotta keep an eye on him during this split because I almost starved him of water last time 😮 #lithops #livingstones #succulents #grittymix #lithops-aucampiae-cv-firebrandt #alltheredlithops

😯

Animal is looking kinda like the eye of Sauron. #lithops #livingstones #succulents #grittymix #lithops-aucampiae-darkredwine 30 Dec 2018

Love the color!

#lithops-aucampiae-cv-firebrandt #lithops #livingstones #succulents #grittymix 30 Dec 2018 #alltheredlithops

Love this color!

#lithops #livingstones #succulents 23 Dec 2018 #lithops-aucampiae-cv-firebrandt

#lithops #livingstones #succulents 23 Dec 2018 #lithops-aucampiae-darkredwine

Animal (9 o'clock) and Dr. Bunsen Honeydew (7 o'clock) are both starting their winter splits! No more water for you two! Appearances by #lithopshalliivhallii and #lithops-pseudo-dendritica-pulmo-c071 22 Dec 2018 #lithops #livingstones #succulents #grittymix

Dr. Bunsen Honeydew plumping back up -- whew! #lithops-aucampiae-cv-firebrandt #lithops #livingstones #succulents

Animal is pretty much normal looking now. :-D :-D :-D #lithops #lithops-aucampiae-darkredwine #livingstones #succulents

Wow you have a beautiful collection of living stone's 😍👍

Dr. Bunsen Honeydew is officially out of the woods! You're doin' so much better sweetheart 💛 #lithops #livingstones #succulents #afternoonsun #lithops-aucampiae-cv-firebrandt

👏👏👏

I was SO EXCITED this morning to see how much fuller and fatter Animal has gotten just since yesterday! Disaster averted! I'm so relieved! I'm so glad l didn't kill you! #lithops-aucampiae-darkredwine #lithops #livingstones #succulents

Animal filling out after being watered yesterday. 5 Aug 2018 #lithops #livingstones #succulents #succulentsunday #lithops-aucampiae-darkredwine

Dr. Bunsen Honeydew is filling out after being watered. Improvement! #lithops-aucampiae-cv-firebrandt #lithops #succulents #succulentsunday #livingstones

This is Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and because he's in shadow it's hard to tell if he's recovering from the nail-shapedness that results from underwatering. I think I see a little improvement. Maybe. #lithops #lithops-aucampiae-cv-firebrandt #livingstones #succulents

I let Animal get way too thirsty and he started getting nail-shaped and I worried I'd killed him. But he got a big drench last weekend and another one today, and he looks like he's starting to fill back out again. I won't always water him and his roommates weekly, but this is an emergency. #lithops #livingstones #succulents #lithops-aucampiae-darkredwine

This is Animal, a #lithops-aucampiae-darkredwine who is also exhibiting the nail shape. #lithops #roots 16 July 2018

Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and his nail shape prior to repotting tonight. Hope I've finally gotten the soil right. We can't keep doing this!!! #lithops-aucampiae-cv-firebrandt #lithops #roots 16 July 2018

Dr. Bunsen Honeydew in the background is developing a "nail shape" vs the normal lithops cone shape. Animal in the foreground has the same issue but you can't tell in this shot. Gave them both a good drenching after taking this shot. #lithops #livingstones #succulents #lithops-aucampiae

Animal (right) really needs some water, but I just stressed him out by repotting him yesterday. I know I should wait about a week or so, but I don't want to lose him to underwatering... what to do... #lithops-aucampiae-darkredwine #lithops #livingstones #succulents #succulentsunday

Would a drop 💧help?

@kimguy I think so. I'll give him a little squirt after the sun goes down.

How did Animal do, Ruth? @sushiwaitress

Still super wrinkled on the sides. I gave him another squirt just now. @kimguy This is one of those situations where if I water him he might rot and if I don't he might die of thirst. 😕 I'll just keep hoping.

Dr. Bunsen Honeydew is looking a bit wrinkly. I gave him 4 squirts of water yesterday and 3 today (because I forgot I watered him yesterday) so I hope he'll be able to take up some of this water in the next few days. #lithops #livingstones #pumice #succulents #lithops-aucampiae-cv-firebrandt

Dr. Bunsen Honeydew has dried up his outer leaves... now it remains to be seen if he will continue to thrive. #lithops #livingstones #pumice #succulents #lithops-aucampiae-cv-firebrandt

I've been wondering what species Dr Bunsen Honeydew might be. I saw a picture on facebook the other day of a #lithops-aucampiae-cv-firebrandt that looked a lot like DBH, so maaaaaybe that's what he is. #lithops are kind of like purebred dogs -- to know anything for sure you have to know their parentage. #lithops #livingstones #pumice #succulents

Animal (left) resembles what this website calls #lithops-aucampiae-darkredwine but I have no idea how accurate this site is. http://seedscactus.com/en/lithops/1366-lithops-aucampiae-dark-red-wine.html

It's amazing how difficult they are to id, Ruth @sushiwaitress

Animal is 15mm wide now. Dr. BH is a respectable 10. #lithops #livingstones #pumice #succulents #lithops-aucampiae That means each one has grown by 2mm. For Dr. BH, that was adding another 25% of his diameter, because he used to be only 8mm wide. #proudayou

The Teenies, enjoying some #afternoonsun #lithops #livingstones #pumice #succulents #lithopskarasmontanacvlateritia #lithops-pseudo-dendritica-pulmo-c071 #orangetictac #whoareyou #lithops-id

Trying not to get too excited about Dr BH #lithops #livingstones #pumice #succulents #afternoonsun #lithops-aucampiae

I love this shot!💕 @sushiwaitress

Maybe Dr. BH will be ok..... still gotta wait... jury is still out on those side-roots #lithops-aucampiae #lithops #livingstones #pumice #succulents

It's so hard to wait!😒

Animal (left) now measures 13mm wide. Dr. Bunsen Honeydew (right) is 8mm. I should have given them more water than I did... still getting the hang of when to water these guys. DBH was 13mm when he first arrived in the mail, which means he didn't have enough water and energy to recover his roots AND grow his new leaves. #lithops-aucampiae #lithops #livingstones #pumice #succulents #liveandlearn #learning

I just noticed Dr BH has a purplish edge that the red is dripping over. Super adorbs. Will continue to observe.

Well well well, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew shows us that lithops can be unpredictable. One day has passed since the last photo, and he has COMPLETELY popped out of his old leaves. I haven't given any water since the bottom-watering on Saturday (3 days ago), so hopefully Dr. BH won't burst himself. I still.do think he might have disconnected roots, so if he's still alive in a year -- that's the only way to know if he has a chance of making it long term. #lithops-aucampiae

I gave this pot some bottom-watering over the weekend. This morning, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew (right), looked quite a bit plumper and had started to split. It had split even more by the time I had a chance to snap a photo around lunch. And by this evening -- wow! Sometimes lithops can get in a real big hurry. #lithops #lithops-aucampiae #livingstones #pumice

Dr. BH is not looking good. 😓 #lithops-aucampiae #lithops #livingstones #pumice #succulents

😨😫 @sushiwaitress

I think Dr. Bunsen Honeydew is going to make it. Finally spied a hint of new leaves under all those wrinkles. #lithops #lithops-aucampiae #livingstones #pumice #succulents

Yay!!!

I really hope you pull through, Dr. Honeydew. #lithops #livingstones #pumice #succulents #afternoonsun #lithops-aucampiae

Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and his buddy Animal are #cutiepatooties #smallisbeautiful #lithops #livingstones #pumice #succulents #lithops-aucampiae

Dear Dr. Bunsen Honeydew (left) is looking a bit ill.... I hope this is just his normal leaves changing and that he'll be all right underneath. #worried #lithops #livingstones #pumice #succulents

Dr. Bunsen Honeydew is looking a little wrinkly. I hope he's ok. I hope his roots are established enough so that he doesn't rot or die of thirst. Guess time will tell. #lithops #livingstones #pumice #succulents #lithops-aucampiae

Dr. Bunsen Honeydew is finally getting the courage to speak! I've been wondering if I just imagined seeing a tiny crack. #lithops #lithops-aucampiae #livingstones #pumice #succulents

Do my eyes deceive me? Is Dr. Bunsen Honeydew starting to think about maybe opening his mouth? Am I just making it up? I can't decide. I gave him one spray of rainwater the other day and I think maaaaaybe he looks a wee bit less creased? #lithopsaucampiae

I knocked these guys over today by accident, so I took the opportunity to examine their roots. Not much change from when I'd gotten them, which is a bit concerning. I gave their roots a spritz of rainwater and then repotted them, and gave the surface of their pumice a couple sprays as well. Also took the chance to peel off Animal's old leaves which were dried up and thin and papery. 1 Mar 2018 #lithops #livingstones #succulents #pumice #droplets #lithops-aucampiae

Dr. Bunsen Honeydew looking a little less round than before... (Time to water??) Animal appears to have calmed down a tad. #lithops #livingstones #succulents #pumice #sunshine #lithops-aucampiae #afternoonsun

So wrinkly. #lithops #lithops-aucampiae #livingstones #succulents #windowsill #apartmentgarden #indoor #closeup

I love these beautiful guys. #lithops #lithopsaucampiae #livingstones #windowsill #apartmentgarden #succulents #indoors

Just learned that "Animal" most likely is a Lithops aucampiae ssp. aucampiae v. aucampiae (dark wine-red) Rudesheim L2-77. So glad you finally learn his name. No ideas on Dr. Bunsen Honeydew though yet.

#lithops-aucampiae #lithops #livingstones #windowsill #apartmentgarden #succulents #indoors

My beautiful #lithopsaucampiae #lithops #livingstones #windowsill #apartmentgarden

Animal is yelling and tearing his jacket apart and Dr. Bunsen Honeydew just sits and observes serenely. #muppets #lithops #windowsill #succulents #apartmentgarden #livingstones

Dialed up the exposure on this so you can see how far down the side the tear goes. It wasn't this far down yesterday. #lithops #livingstones #windowsill #apartmentgarden

Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and Animal #lithops #livingstones #succulents #apartmentgarden #windowsill #indoors #muppets

Cracks widening... #lithops #livingstones #succulent

5 days later, and a much sharper shot this time. #lithops #lithops-id #livingstones

Looks Great. Seems like an eye opening up 😊

Or maybe a beak. They're so funny. The one next to it looks like it has a tiny mouth.

Two new ruby babies arrived last weekend. No idea what species of #lithops they are. #livingstones 13mm and 13.5mm wide #lithops-id