Lithops dorotheae
| Light | Very bright light; several hours of direct sun, especially in winter growth |
|---|---|
| Water | Very sparingly; water only during active growth, keep bone-dry in summer dormancy and after flowering |
| Soil | Extremely gritty, mostly mineral mix (see Soil and potting mix) |
| Temperature | Keep above freezing; USDA zones 9b–11, best kept frost-free and dry in winter |
| Propagation | Seed (primary); division of clumps |
| Toxicity | Non-toxic to cats and dogs |
Lithops dorotheae is a small, mimicry succulent from South Africa, one of the most colourful of the living stones. Each plant is a pair of fused, kidney-shaped leaves whose flat top (the "window" or face) is a warm cream to yellow-green, boldly marked with fine red lines and rusty-red flecks, so the whole plant reads like a patterned pebble tucked among quartz gravel. In autumn it produces bright yellow, daisy-like flowers.
Description
Lithops dorotheae is a tiny, stemless succulent whose entire above-ground body is a single pair of swollen leaves fused into a rounded cone, split across the top by a shallow fissure. Individual heads are only about 2 cm across, and plants stay solitary for a long time before slowly forming small clumps of a few heads.
The face is the plant's most striking feature: a cream to pale yellow-green ground crossed by a network of dark red to reddish-brown lines (the "islands" and "channels" of the Lithops pattern), with scattered rusty flecks and often a few translucent dots. This contrast of pale window and red markings makes L. dorotheae a favourite among collectors. The flowers appear from the fissure in autumn — yellow, many-petalled, opening in the afternoon over several days and largely covering the plant when fully out.
Distribution and habitat
The species is native to a very small area of the Northern Cape in South Africa, in Bushmanland near Pofadder, where it grows in quartz gravel and rocky ground under a dry, hot climate. Like other living stones it is a master of camouflage, sitting almost flush with the soil and blending into the surrounding pebbles so effectively that it is hard to spot until it flowers. Its natural range is extremely restricted, and it is assessed as Endangered on the SANBI Red List of South African Plants, with populations declining owing to illegal collection and habitat loss from mining.[1] Wild plants are best left undisturbed; nursery- and seed-grown material is widely available and is the responsible way to grow it.
Cultivation
Lithops dorotheae rewards patience and, above all, restraint with water — overwatering is by far the commonest way to lose one. Grow it in a very free-draining, almost entirely mineral mix in a pot deep enough for its long taproot, and give it the brightest light you can, including several hours of direct sun; too little light causes the body to stretch and lose its markings.
Watering must follow the plant's cycle rather than the calendar. Water during active growth in autumn and (lightly) spring, let the mix dry completely between drinks, and keep the plant essentially dry through its summer rest and again in the depths of winter. As the old leaf pair shrivels and a new one emerges from within it in late winter and spring, withhold water entirely and let the plant draw down the old leaves — watering during this changeover is a frequent cause of rot and of stacked, doubled heads. See Watering and Repotting for general technique.
Propagation
Seed is the standard and most reliable method. Fresh seed sown on a gritty, mineral surface and kept warm and lightly moist germinates well, though seedlings are slow and must be nursed through their first summers with great care over watering. Established clumps can also be divided, but division is fiddly because of the deep taproot and is best done as the plant enters growth. Cuttings are not practical for a two-leaved body. See Propagation - seed and, for clumps, Propagation - offsets.
Common problems
- Rot — nearly always from watering during dormancy or the leaf-change, or from a mix that holds moisture; the body goes soft, translucent and collapses.
- Etiolation — too little light makes heads tall, pale and loosely marked instead of flat and patterned.
- Stacked / doubled heads — watering during the leaf-renewal so the old pair fails to be reabsorbed, leaving an unnatural tower of leaves.
- Pests — mealybugs (white fluff in the fissure and at the roots) and, in dry stale conditions, root mealybugs and the odd sap-sucker. See Pests and diseases.
See also
- Lithops — the genus overview and cultivation cycle
- Soil and potting mix · Watering · Propagation - seed · Repotting · Pests and diseases
References
- ↑ Red List of South African Plants (SANBI): Lithops dorotheae Nel — Endangered.