Lithops julii
| Light | Very bright light, including several hours of direct sun; a sunny windowsill or bright greenhouse |
|---|---|
| Water | Minimal; water only during active growth in autumn and spring, and keep bone dry while resting |
| Soil | Extremely gritty, mostly mineral mix (see Soil and potting mix) |
| Temperature | Keep dry and above freezing; USDA zones 9b–11 |
| Propagation | Seed (primary); rarely division of clumps |
| Toxicity | Generally regarded as non-toxic to cats and dogs |
Lithops julii is a southern African living stone — a tiny, stemless succulent that mimics the pebbles around it — recognised by its pale grey to pinkish faces and the distinctive dark, lip-like markings that run along the central fissure. Like all members of the genus Lithops, it consists of a single pair of swollen leaves fused into a squat, cleft body, and it produces a solitary white daisy-like flower from the fissure in autumn.
Description
Lithops julii forms a compact body of two fleshy, fused leaves, typically 2–4 cm across, that sit almost flush with the soil surface. The flattened top (the "face" or window) is greyish, cream or softly pinkish, patterned with a network of translucent windows and fine dusky lines. Its most recognisable feature is the pair of dark, wavy markings framing the fissure, which often resemble a pair of lips — a trait that has made the species a favourite for selective breeding.
In autumn a single white flower, sometimes flushed pink or with a paler centre, emerges from the fissure and opens in the afternoon over several days. As with all Lithops, the plant renews itself each year: a fresh pair of leaves grows from within the old pair, which shrivels to a papery sheath and is gradually absorbed.
Distribution and habitat
The species is native to arid country straddling the border between southern Namibia and the Northern Cape of South Africa, where it grows in quartz and other rocky ground under a demanding, low-rainfall regime. Plants nestle among stones with only their windowed tops exposed, an adaptation that lets buried tissue photosynthesise while the camouflaged body escapes the notice of grazing animals. Rain falls mainly outside the hottest months, which is why cultivated plants follow a distinct seasonal rhythm.
Cultivation
Lithops julii is grown much like the rest of the genus, and getting the watering rhythm right is everything. Plant it in a very deep, extremely free-draining, mostly mineral mix and give it the brightest position you can — several hours of direct sun keeps the body compact and well-coloured, while too little light causes it to stretch and lose its markings.
The key is to water with the plant's cycle rather than the calendar. Water sparingly during active growth in autumn and again in spring, always letting the soil dry completely between drinks. Withhold water almost entirely while the old leaves are being reabsorbed in late winter and during summer dormancy, when a resting Lithops left wet will quickly rot. See Watering and Repotting for general technique.
Propagation
Seed is the standard and most reliable method. Sow the fine seed onto a gritty, mineral surface kept lightly moist and warm; germination is usually quick, but seedlings are small and grow slowly, taking a few years to reach flowering size. Established clumps can occasionally be divided, though L. julii is often solitary or only slowly clumping. See Propagation — seed for a full walkthrough.
Cultivars
L. julii has been selected for a number of striking forms, including pale, near-white bodies and lines with especially bold or reddish fissure markings. Colour and pattern vary considerably between plants even within a population, which is part of the species' appeal to collectors. See the Lithops genus page for an overview.
Common problems
- Rot — by far the commonest cause of loss, almost always from watering during dormancy or using a mix that holds moisture; the body turns soft and translucent.
- Etiolation — insufficient light makes the plant elongate, pale and lose its characteristic markings.
- Stacking — watering out of cycle can leave the plant with more than one pair of leaves at once, producing an untidy, weakened body.
- Pests — mealybugs (white fluff in the fissure) and root mealybugs 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