Lithops

Popularly called "Living Stones", Lithops are some of the world's most fascinating plants! Since their discovery by John Burchell in 1811 when "on picking up from the stony ground what was supposed a curiously shaped pebble, it proved to be a plant", Lithops have been avidly sought by the collector of succulent plants. Resembling the pebbles and stones among which they grow in their African habitat, they have become favorites of the collector of strange and unusual plants. Their subtle colors of gray, brown, rust, green and pink, combined with their fantastically intricate markings, make them most desirable additions to any plant collection.

Being small plants, a representative collection can be grown on a patio table, a sunny windowsill, a shelf in the greenhouse, or under lights, as many apartment dwellers are now doing.

After flowering in the fall and extending through winter, when the new 'bodies' are forming within the old leaves, the latter become soft and flaccid and begin to shrivel. Some may split on the sides from the pressure of the new body inside, and often there will be dry or 'dead' spots on the old leaves at this stage. This is perfectly normal. Eventually the old leaves dry up, leaving the plant with a perfect set of new ones.

CARE: LITHOPS should be given a dry rest in winter when the new growth is drawing moisture from the old leaves. At this time, give very light watering, just enough to keep the root hairs alive. As the old leaves dry up in the spring, water is given until the long, hot summer days bring the growing period to a standstill. During this time only regular light watering is required to prevent the plants from shriveling and the soil from going bone dry. As flower buds appear in late summer and fall, another watering period begins, tapering off after flowering for the winter. Those growing plants under lights will probably need to water some during the winter when the plants show signs of shriveling.
We pot our lithops in our standard succulent medium. It's approximately 50% pumice (perlite works just as well for the plant, though it tends to float.) Two crucial factors in lithops cultivation are fast-draining soil and good air movement.

Nomenclature of Lithops in this catalog is based (mostly) on the book 'Lithops-Flowering Stones' by D. T. Cole.

After the species listed, you will find (Y) or (W) in parentheses indicating a Yellow or White flowering species; the flower color being the same for its varieties unless otherwise noted. Names listed between brackets are Lithops which have had varietal status in the past due to peculiar markings or coloration but have since been reduced to synonomy. However, these special features do exist and are sought after by Lithops collectors. We select these plants for the desired coloration and markings; e.g. the very dark open-windowed [Maraisii], form of Lithops lesliei v. venteri.

Raised from seeds, most of our Lithops are 2 years or older, many are 3-4 and are flowering size. When you buy individual lithops or a collection, you will receive one- to three-headed plants. Larger clumps are available below.

In the publication New Growing the Mesembs by Ed Storms there are twelve pages of full color photos of individual Lithops species. These photos are an excellent reference when deciding which Lithops species to try. (Go to Books for ordering information.)

Lithops Collections

We offer 10 different collections, #1, #2, #3, etc. Each collection contains 10 different adult Lithops, correctly labeled, and at the collection price (saving $5.00) $30.00

Living Stones Lithops Collection

100 different plants at a substantial savings over the individual plant price. Dive headlong into this collectable group of plants. $275.00

Lithops clumps (4 or more heads) available; see bottom of page.

	L. aucampiae (Y)		$3.50
	L. aucampiae v. fluminalis		$3.50
	L. aucampiae v. koelemanii		$3.50
	L. aucampiae [Kuruman form]		$3.50
	L. bromfieldii (Y )		$3.50
	L. bromfieldii v. glaudinae		$3.50
	L. bromfieldii v. insularis		$3.50
	L. bromfieldii v. mennellii		$3.50
	L. dinteri v. brevis (Y)		$3.50
	L. dinteri v. frederici		$3.50
	L. divergens v. amethystina (Y)		$3.50
	L. dorotheae (Y)		$3.50
	L.fulviceps (Y)		$3.50
	L. fulviceps v. lactinea		$3.50
	L. fulviceps [Lydiae]		$3.50
	L. gesinae (Y)		$3.50
	L. gesinae v. annae		$3.50
	L. geyeri [Hillii] (W)		$3.50
	L. hallii (W)		$3.50
	L. hallii v. ochracea		$3.50
	L. hallii [Brown form]		$3.50
	L. helmutii (Y)		$3.50
	L. hookeri (turbiniformis) (Y)		$3.50
	L. hookeri v. elephina		$3.50
	L. hookeri v. marginata		$3.50
	L. hookeri v. marginata [Red-brown form]		$3.50
	L. hookeri v. subfenestrata		$3.50
	L. hookeri v. subfenestrata [Brunneoviolacea]		$3.50
	L. hookeri v. susannae		$3.50
	L. hookeri [Vermiculate form]		$3.50
	L. julii (W)		$3.50
	L. julii v. brunnea		$3.50
	L. julii v. rouxii		$3.50
	L. julii [Chrysocephala]		$3.50
	L. julii [Littlewoodii]		$3.50
	L. julii [Reticulate form]		$3.50
	L. karasmontana(W)		$3.50
	L. karasmontana v. aiaisensis		$3.50
	L. karasmontana v. bella		$3.50
	L. karasmontana v. eberlanzii		$3.50
	L. karasmontana v. lericheana		$3.50
	L. karasmontana v. tischeri		$3.50
	L. karasmontana [Mickbergense]		$3.50
	L. karasmontana [Opalina]		$3.50
	L. karasmontana [Signalberg form]		$3.50
	L. lesliei (Y)		$3.50
	L. lesliei v. burchellii		$3.50
	L. lesliei v. hornii		$3.50
	L. lesliei v. mariae		$3.50
	L. lesliei v. minor		$3.50
	L. lesliei v. rubrobrunnea		$3.50
	L. lesliei v. venteri [Maraisii]		$3.50
	L. lesliei [Grey form]		$3.50
	L. lesliei [Kimberly form]		$3.50
	L. lesliei [Luteoviridis]		$3.50
	L. lesliei [Pietersburg form]		$3.50
	L. lesliei [Warrenton form]		$3.50
	L. marmorata(W)		$3.50
	L. marmorata [Framesii]		$3.50
	L. marmorata [Umdausensis]		$3.50
	L. meyeri (Y)		$3.50
	L. naureeniae (Y)		$3.50
	L. olivacea (Y)		$3.50
	L. olivacea [Rose-brown form]		$3.50
	L. otzeniana (Y)		$3.50
	L. pseudotruncatella (Y)		$3.50
	L. pseudotruncatella v. elisabethiae		$3.50
	L. pseudotruncatella v. volkii		$3.50
	L. salicola (W)		$3.50
	L. salicola [Maculate form]		$3.50
	L. schwantesii (Y)		$3.50
	L. schwantesii v. kunjasensis		$3.50
	L. schwantesii v. marthae		$3.50
	L. schwantesii v. rugosa		$3.50
	L. schwantesii v. urikosensis		$3.50
	L. schwantesii [Grey form]		$3.50
	L. schwantesii [Kuibisensis]		$3.50
	L. schwantesii [Triebneri]		$3.50
	L. terricolor (W)		$3.50
	L. terricolor [Peersii]		$3.50
	L. terricolor (green plants)		$5.00
	L. vallis-mariae v. groendraaiensis		$3.50
	L. vallis-mariae cv. Valley Girl		$5.00
	L. verruculosa(Y)		$3.50
	L. verruculosa [Inae]		$3.50
	L. villetii (W)		$3.50
	L. villetii v. deboeri		$3.50
	L. werneri (Y)		$3.50

	L. aucampiae cv. Storm's Snowcap	Red brown body of L. aucampiae with white flowers. Selected by Ed Storms.	$5.00
	L. bromfieldii v. insularis cv. sulphurea	Small green bodies with tiny markings. Fast clumper.	$5.00
	L. dinteri cv. Dintergreen	Small bodied variant with green leaves, with the normal yellow flowers. Fast grower.	$5.00
	L. fulviceps cv. Aurea (W)	Yellow-green form with white flowers. Large heads.	$5.00
	L. karasmontana [Summitatum]	Very attractive color form with orange top contrasting with gray border and sides	$5.00
	L. lesliei v. minor cv. Witblom	Tiny brown L. lesliei bodies with a white flower.	$5.00
	L. lesliei cv. Albiflora	Nice L. lesliei body with white flowers	$5.00
	L. lesliei cv.Albinica	Yellow/green body with pure white flowers	$5.00
	L. vallis-mariae cv. Valley Girl	Large, pearl-white body with white flowers.	$5.00
Lithops Collections We offer 10 different collections, #1, #2, #3, etc. Each collection contains 10 different adult Lithops, correctly labeled, and at the collection price (saving $5.00) $30.00 Living Stones Collection 100 different plants at a substantial savings over the individual plant price. Dive headlong into this collectable group of plants. $275.00

Lithops clusters: Get a head start on a specimen with a multi-headed plant.
The supply of clumps is limited; please list substitutes.

Species	Number of heads	Price
L. bromfieldii v. insularis	5	$7.50
	7	$12.50
	9	$12.50
	15	$25.00
L. bromfieldii v. menellii	4	$7.50
	5	$10.00
L. dinteri v. friedrichii	7	$10.00
	12	$25.00
L. dorotheae	6	$7.50
L. fulviceps var. aurea	4	$10.00
L. gesinae v. annae	6	$12.00
	8	$15.00
L. helmutii	4	$7.50
L. julii (littlewoodii)	4	$7.50
L. karasmontana v. bella	7	$15.00
	8	$17.50
	10	$25.00
L. karasmontana v. lericheana	20	$40.00
L. karasmontana (Opalina)	7	$12.50
L. lesliei cv. Albinica	4-5	$10.00
L. marmorata (umdausensis)	4	$7.50
L. olivacea	8	$12.50
	28	$47.50
L. salicola	5	$7.50
	24	$47.50
L. salicola (maculate form)	4	$7.50
	6-8	$10.00
L. ternicolor (localis)	4	$7.50
	18	$35.00