Lithops villetii
| Light | Very bright light, including several hours of direct sun; a sunny south-facing window or bright greenhouse |
|---|---|
| Water | Very sparingly, and only during active growth; keep bone-dry through the leaf-renewal period (see Watering) |
| Soil | Gritty, sharply draining mineral mix (see Soil and potting mix) |
| Temperature | Keep dry and above freezing; roughly USDA zones 9b–11 |
| Propagation | Seed (primary); division of established clumps |
| Toxicity | Non-toxic to cats and dogs |
Lithops villetii is a small, low-growing "living stone" from the arid interior of South Africa, forming pairs of fused leaves in pale grey to soft bluish tones marked with subtle, darker translucent lines. Like the rest of the genus Lithops, it is a superb mimic of the pebbly ground it grows among, and it produces cheerful white daisy-like flowers in autumn.
Description
Lithops villetii consists of a single pair of thick, fused leaves that together form a rounded, inverted-cone body, usually only a couple of centimetres across at the flattened top. The colouring is muted and pebble-like — pale grey to greyish-blue, sometimes with a faint pink or brownish cast — and the top surface (the "window") carries a network of finer dark lines and dots rather than bold markings. This restrained patterning is part of what makes the species so effective at blending into its stony habitat.
Plants stay solitary for many years before slowly clumping into small clusters of a few heads. In autumn a single white flower opens from the fissure between the leaves, broad and daisy-like, often nearly covering the plant. As with all Lithops, a new leaf pair develops inside the old one each year and gradually replaces it, so the plant renews rather than simply enlarging.
Distribution and habitat
The species is native to the dry western interior of South Africa, where it grows in open, sun-baked terrain on sandstone and calcrete. Rainfall is low and highly seasonal, and the plants endure long dry periods by shrinking down among the surrounding pebbles, all but invisible until they flower. The stony, mineral-poor ground and intense sunlight of this habitat are worth keeping in mind when growing the species — it is adapted to hardship, not abundance.
Cultivation
Lithops villetii is grown much like other Lithops, and the golden rule is restraint with water. Plant it in a deep, very free-draining, mostly mineral mix that lets excess moisture escape at once, 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 stony form.
Watering must follow the plant's yearly rhythm rather than a fixed schedule. Water sparingly during the active growth periods in spring and autumn, always letting the mix dry out completely between drinks. Crucially, withhold water entirely while the old leaf pair is drying up and the new one is forming, and keep the plant dry through its winter rest. Overwatering — especially during leaf renewal — 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, mineral medium kept warm and lightly humid until germination, then grow the tiny seedlings on cautiously, as they are prone to rot if kept too wet. Established clumps can also be divided, though Lithops resent root disturbance and are best split only when repotting a plant that has formed several heads. See Propagation — seed and Propagation — offsets for details.
Common problems
- Rot — almost always from overwatering or watering during the leaf-renewal period; the body goes soft, translucent and mushy.
- Etiolation — too little light makes the plant tall, pale and swollen, destroying its low, pebble-like shape.
- Stacked or doubled heads — watering while the new leaves are forming can leave the plant with old and new pairs at once; ease off water and let it renew naturally.
- Pests — mealybugs (white fluff, often at the base or 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 · Propagation — offsets · Pests and diseases