Lithops hookeri
| Light | Very bright light; several hours of direct sun, especially in the growing season |
|---|---|
| Water | Minimal; water only during active growth in autumn and spring, keep bone dry in summer and winter |
| Soil | Very gritty, fast-draining mineral mix (see Soil and potting mix) |
| Temperature | Keep above freezing; USDA zones 9b–11 |
| Propagation | Seed (primary); division of established clumps |
| Toxicity | Non-toxic to cats and dogs |
Lithops hookeri is a robust, medium-to-large living stone from the arid interior of South Africa, easily recognised by its deeply furrowed, wrinkled top in warm shades of brown, orange-brown and rusty grey. It is one of the more variable species in the genus, encompassing a great many named forms and varieties that differ in face colour and pattern, and it bears yellow flowers in autumn.
Description
Lithops hookeri consists of a pair of thick, fused succulent leaves forming a single obconical (inverted-cone) body, usually 2–4 cm across at the top. The flat-to-slightly-convex upper face is split by a central fissure, and its surface is strongly marked with sunken, branching wrinkles and islands — the "furrowed" look that gives the species its character. Face colours run through brown, orange-brown, reddish and grey-brown, often with a darker, netted or channelled pattern, and vary widely between the many forms.
Like all Lithops, the plant grows almost flush with the ground, presenting only the flat top to the sky while the bulk of the body sits buried. Daisy-like yellow flowers emerge from the central fissure in autumn, opening in the afternoon and often nearly covering the plant. Well-established plants slowly divide to form small clumps of several heads.
Distribution and habitat
The species is native to the semi-desert interior of South Africa, chiefly the Northern Cape and adjoining arid regions, where it grows among quartz, ironstone and other rocky ground. Plants sit wedged among pebbles of similar colour, a camouflage that makes them very hard to spot until they flower. Rainfall is low and seasonal, and the living stones survive long dry periods by shrinking down and drawing on water stored in their swollen bodies.
Cultivation
Lithops hookeri is grown much like the rest of the genus and rewards a grower who resists the urge to water. Use a very gritty, mostly mineral mix in a pot deep enough for the long taproot, and give the plant the brightest position available — insufficient light causes it to grow tall and lose its low, stony form.
The watering rhythm follows the plant's natural cycle rather than the calendar. Water during active growth in autumn and again in spring, always letting the mix dry completely in between. Withhold water almost entirely through the heat of summer and through winter, when the old leaf pair is being reabsorbed. Overwatering — especially during the summer rest or while the plant is renewing its leaves — is by far the most common cause of loss. See Watering and Repotting for general technique.
Propagation
Seed is the usual and most reliable method. Sow the fine seed on the surface of a gritty mix, keep it warm and lightly humid until germination, then grow the seedlings on hard and bright; young plants are slow but forgiving once past their first year. Established clumps can also be divided, though many growers prefer to leave them to bulk up naturally. See Propagation - seed for a full walkthrough.
Leaf renewal
Each year Lithops hookeri replaces its leaf pair: a new body forms inside the old one, drawing on it for moisture until the outer leaves shrivel to a papery husk. This renewal typically happens over winter and into spring. The single most important rule during this period is to keep the plant dry, allowing the old leaves to be fully absorbed rather than rotting or, worse, being kept plump alongside the new pair.
Common problems
- Rot — nearly always from watering during the summer or winter rest, or from a mix that holds too much moisture; the body goes soft, translucent and collapses.
- Etiolation — too little light makes the body grow tall and pale, losing its flat, pebble-like shape and camouflage pattern.
- Stacked leaves — watering during leaf renewal can leave the plant with two pairs of leaves at once, weakening it over successive seasons.
- Pests — mealybugs (white fluff around the fissure and roots) and spider mites are the usual culprits; see Pests and diseases.
See also
- Lithops — the genus overview
- Soil and potting mix · Watering · Repotting · Propagation - seed · Pests and diseases