Scientific Name
Conophytum lithopoides L.Bolus
Scientific Classification
Family: Aizoaceae
Subfamily: Ruschioideae
Tribe: Ruschieae
Genus: Conophytum
Etymology
The specific epithet "lithopoides (lith-oh-PO-id-eez)" means "looks like a stone" and refers to the stone-like appearance of the plant.
Origin
Conophytum lithopoides is native to South Africa. It occurs on quartz cliffs, slopes, or rubble from Concordia to Kouberg, with a lost outlier near Kakamas in Bushmanland.
Description
Conophytum lithopoides is a dwarf succulent that forms a cluster of bodies consisting of two thick, fleshy, almost entirely fused leaves. It can grow up to 3.2 inches (8 cm) in diameter. The leaf pairs are cylindrical, convex to slightly bilobate, and windowed at the apex. They can reach up to 1 inch (2.5 cm) in height and up to 0.4 inches (1 cm) in diameter. The epidermis is purplish-brown to bright chartreuse, often with a mottled pattern of opaque brownish spots and sometimes with wart-like groups of prominent cells.
The diurnal flowers are long-tubed with basally white, magenta-colored petals and filaments forming a yellow to cinnabar ring.
How to Grow and Care for Conophytum lithopoides
Light: This succulent needs bright light but does not like too much direct sun. To avoid sunburn, place your C. lithopoides in a position to receive a few hours of full sun in cooler periods of the day. The plant stretches if it needs more light.
Soil: C. lithopoides thrives best in porous soil mixes that allow water to drain away quickly. Use a commercial potting mix specially designed for growing succulents, or make your own.
Temperature: High temperatures are not a problem, but the plant can be damaged when the temperature goes below freezing. C. lithopoides can withstand temperatures as low as 35 °F (1.7 °C). USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 10b to 11b, 35 to 50 °F (1.7 to 10 °C).
Watering: When it goes dormant in the spring, C. lithopoides requires little or no water. When it begins growing in the fall, it is safe to water deeply, allowing the soil to dry before watering again. If leaves start to wrinkle during active growth, your plant needs water.
Fertilizing: This small succulent is a light feeder and does not need fertilizer if repotted every two years.
Repotting: The best time to repot C. lithopoides is at the beginning of the active growth period, but repotting can be done at almost any time while the plant is actively growing.
Propagation: This species is usually grown from seeds. Like all Conophytums, it is also easily propagated by division. The best time to divide C. lithopoides is in late summer or early fall before it begins to break dormancy or after it has flowered. Sow the seeds in fall in a pot with a well-drained soil mix.
Learn more at How to Grow and Care for Conophytum.
Toxicity of Conophytum lithopoides
C. lithopoides is non-toxic and safe to grow around children and pets.
Links
- Back to genus Conophytum
- Succupedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
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