Greetings from the Lithops colony! We may look like small, colorful stones, but we are living, breathing plants. Moving to a new home is incredibly stressful for us. Our entire world is our pot, and a sudden change in environment can be a shock to our system. To help us thrive—and not just survive—please follow this guide from our perspective.
Upon arrival, we beg you, do not repot us immediately! We are already dealing with the shock of travel, changes in light, temperature, and humidity. Our roots are delicate and need time to settle. Place us in a bright, airy spot with indirect light for at least one to two weeks. This gives us a chance to stabilize and allows you to check for any unseen pests that might have hitched a ride. During this time, do not water us under any circumstances. Our old roots are likely damaged and need to callous over; water now would only lead to rot.
Our native environment is harsh, rocky, and incredibly well-draining. To be happy, we need a home that mimics this. Please plant us in a specialized succulent or cactus mix that is heavily amended with inorganic materials like perlite, pumice, or coarse sand (aim for a 80-90% mineral to 10-20% organic soil ratio). Choose a pot that is deep enough to accommodate our long taproot and has excellent drainage holes. Terracotta pots are ideal as they breathe and help wick away excess moisture. Gently remove us from our nursery pot, carefully brush away the old soil, and inspect our roots. Trim any completely dry or mushy roots before placing us in our new, dry home.
After repotting, wait another week before even thinking about water. This allows any minor root damage from repotting to heal. When you do water for the first time, give us a light sip around the base, just enough to encourage new root growth toward the moisture. Do not drench us. Our most critical need is for proper light. We require several hours of direct sunlight daily to maintain our compact form and vibrant colors. However, we must be acclimated to strong sun gradually to prevent fatal sunburn. Start us in bright, indirect light and slowly move us to a sunnier location over 2-3 weeks.
To truly acclimate us, you must understand our cycle. We have distinct growth (autumn), flowering (late autumn), and dormant (summer) periods. We absorb water in autumn and spring. In summer, we are dormant; please withhold water entirely as we are using the moisture stored in our leaves. Most importantly, when we are splitting (typically in spring or after flowering), you must not water. The new plant body is drawing moisture from the old leaves. Watering during this split can cause rot and kill both the old and new body.
