Need identification and care advice

[Sweyn]

Recently, someone gave me a plant that I am unfamiliar with. I have not seen this kind before and have no experience of it. I would like to know what it is called and the basics of how to keep it alive.

Here is a photo of it.

[rainbowgardener]

I'm not generally good on id'ing cactus or succulents, but that one is very distinctive: lithops, from the Greek lithos meaning stone.

Here's the wiki article about them and their care:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithops

with the name, you can google more info about taking care of it.

[Sweyn]

Thank you very much. I will look for more information, based on the name.

The strange thing is, when the plant was given to me, it had no kind of identification. No label, tag or even writing on the pot. I asked the person who gave it to me if there was any identification with it in the shop they got it from and they said no.

[purpleinopp]

Pleiopsis.

[Sweyn]

Pleiopsis.

Is that the particular type of lithops that it is?

[rainbowgardener]

OK perhaps I was wrong. It took me quite a bit of digging around to figure it out, because the true spelling is pleiospilos (even though there are many places where pictures are labelled as pleiopsis, so it seems to be a common error)

True lithops seems to have more flat face:



pleiospilos is rounder like yours:



except that sometimes I found flat faced ones labelled pleiopsis / pleiospilos and vice versa.

pleiospilos and lithops are both genus names, so one is not a species of the other, even though I have seen people say "pleiopsis" is "grouped under" lithops.

Lithops and pleiospilos are both genuses under the ice plant family Aizoaceae, so they share a lot of similarities and have similar culture requirements.

[Sweyn]

Thanks, rainbowgardener. That's helpful. It has only had one, light watering since I got it. The middle part is splitting, slowly. Not splitting as in damage but, two parts that are moving apart.

I might post another photo or two, as it progresses.

[rainbowgardener]

Moving apart may mean that it is getting ready to bloom.

Both the pleiospilos and the lithops are commonly known as living stone or split rock.

Do keep us posted on the progression of yours!

Sorry for the error the first time, but having been forced to look it up, I will never forget this now!

[baileysup]

So this whole time I thought I had a lithops, but I don't. Instead, I have a pleiospilos.

[rainbowgardener]

For some reason the pleiospilos picture I posted disappeared and it is too late to edit that post. So here's another one:


https://www.cactiguide.com/forum/userpix ... elii_1.jpg

[Sweyn]

That's a nice photo. Mine does not have a flower bud yet.

[Sweyn]

Recently I gave it just a little bit of water. Not very much. When I did, it immediately ran out the bottom of the pot. Everything was fine for a few days and then it started to develop a white mould in the split. This has grown slowly and is covering most of the split. In the last few days, the plant has started to become darker and shrivel.

What can I do to save it?

[baileysup]

Recently I gave it just a little bit of water. Not very much. When I did, it immediately ran out the bottom of the pot. Everything was fine for a few days and then it started to develop a white mould in the split. This has grown slowly and is covering most of the split. In the last few days, the plant has started to become darker and shrivel.

What can I do to save it?

I just had this happen to mine. I barely water it, yet it still went rotten on me. On mine, two out of the three sets of leaves had rot, so I removed them. This left only the center leaves, which seemed to be ok. I'm letting it dry and callous for a couple days, and then I'll plant it in some dry soil. I'm not sure if it will make it, but it's worth a try. I would say that if all the leaves on yours are mushy, it's probably a gonner. These plant's really don't like water lol. Good luck with it.

[purpleinopp]

Rainbow, TYVM for fixing the name. I'd seen the other name before, but encountered the wrong, shorter version so many times I thought they were 2 diff plants. Daggone it, one I'd committed to memory too - LOL! Excellent investigation and report!

I've managed to keep a Lithops alive for about a year by NEVER watering it. It's under the porch roof, so gets occasional mist if it's really windy while raining - AND I forget to put a sheet over that planter to keep it dry. It bloomed a few months ago and has survived sub-freezing temps outside under a sheet. The little P I got died from getting rained on before I could even get it out of the pot it came in last spring. I didn't know at the time neither are supposed to be moist at all if it's not summer-warm at night. In more dry climates, that might not be enough water, but it's extremely humid and dewy here, sometimes rains a LOT - sideways.

[Sweyn]

Thanks for the advice, baileysup and purpleinopp. I have removed the plant from its pot and most of its soil. I am letting it lie like that for a few days, so that the soil might have a chance to dry. After that. I'll try potting it in cactus soil with added, coarse sand.

The mould is confined to the middle of the split. The outer leaves are shrivelling and becoming darker but, don't have any mould yet. Should I cut off the middle leaves with the split?

[baileysup]

Sweyn: I don't know about yours, because mine didn't have any mold on it. All of the leaves, except the two in the middle, were turning mushy on mine. When things turn mushy, they are rotten and could possibly spread to healthy parts of the plant. Therefore, I removed all the leaves that had mushy parts on them, in order to try and save the plant. I got lucky in the fact that the two leaves in the center had no rot, because if they did, the plant would have probably been a gonner. Is there any way you can post a pic of the plant? I think more people could help you if they could see exactly what kind of shape it's in.

[baileysup]

This is what's left of mine. It used to have two other sets of leaves (6 total). Big leaves. Now all that remains are the two small center ones. Here's a pic. See if you can post a pic of yours.

[purpleinopp]

No idea what to tell you. Another pic?

[baileysup]

Ha, never mind. My plant didn't make it. I found out today that it had rot through the center stem. So it's a gonner. At least I'll know better if I get another one . They really don't like water, and I guess they need so very little, that regular watering methods do not apply. I will try a spray bottle next time, and just mist the soil once a year with it.........LOL. Just kidding, but I will use a spray bottle, so as not to soak the soil as much.

[Sweyn]

Sweyn: I don't know about yours, because mine didn't have any mold on it. All of the leaves, except the two in the middle, were turning mushy on mine. When things turn mushy, they are rotten and could possibly spread to healthy parts of the plant. Therefore, I removed all the leaves that had mushy parts on them, in order to try and save the plant. I got lucky in the fact that the two leaves in the center had no rot, because if they did, the plant would have probably been a gonner. Is there any way you can post a pic of the plant? I think more people could help you if they could see exactly what kind of shape it's in.

There is no point. It is dead.

It has not been a complete loss. I have learnt a lot more about these plants so, thanks to everyone who replied with advice, in this thread.

[Sweyn]

I will try a spray bottle next time, and just mist the soil once a year with it.........LOL. Just kidding, but I will use a spray bottle, so as not to soak the soil as much.

You could. I was going to try applying water by dripping it. With a sprinkler head on a watering can, water can be made to drip slowly by tipping the can only very slightly. The amount of water applied can be strictly controlled with this method.

It should have the same effect as a very light spraying from a bottle.

[Kats Eye]

to late to help, but next time you try this plant, mix the soil half with sand. and the idea about the spray bottle is right on. let the water feed through it, and not sit in it. indirect sunlight also.

[Sweyn]

to late to help, but next time you try this plant, mix the soil half with sand. and the idea about the spray bottle is right on. let the water feed through it, and not sit in it. indirect sunlight also.

Thanks for this. I'll remember that if I get another.

[Gary350]

That is a succulents called a Rock Plant. I bought a tiny one at Lowe's for 99 cents it was in a 2" pot. I put it in a 10" pot 50/50 sand/potting soil in the shade in the yard. I watered it every day and 9 months later it was the size of a Basketball. I moved it to full sun and it died in 1 day.

[Sweyn]

That's interesting, Gary350. It was in a position where it received full sun, next to some cacti. I did not think of that. I'll remember that. Thanks.

[Shade]

That is definitely a Lithops or also called living stones plant.

[Sweyn]

That is definitely a Lithops or also called living stones plant.

Since starting this, I've seen Lithops and Pleiospilos next to each other, for sale in a garden centre. Both had labels and based on that, I think that my plant was a Pleiospilos.

[david90531]

Hi, got your message
Some new pictures of your plant may help to identify the exact problem. But sounds like it could be rot, and definitely caused by too much watering or moisture in the soil caused by soil that's not fast-draining enough.
From what you've described it sounds like the old leaves are still being absorbed, which means at this point your plant doesn't need ANY water at all. Only when the side leaves are completely shriveled and absorbed, then you can start watering it lightly again.

[david90531]

I got mine about 2 months ago, never watered it once till now because:


This is how it looked 2 weeks ago before flowering, one side of the old leaf is completely gone, but one side is still being absorbed and quite plump (a little bit mushy on the old leaves is normal, by the way). After flowering, the old leaves are pretty much gone by now, so soon I might start watering, until it starts to split again.

Hope this helped, good luck!

[Sweyn]

Thank you very much, David. Mine is dead now but, I'll write that down, in case I get another one.