Lithops optica 'Rubra' - Living Stones [small]

Highlights

Lithops optica 'Rubra' or "Living Stones": A small, rare, magenta form of the species. This slow-growing mesemb from South Africa is accustomed to full sun, rocky soil, and droughts that last several months. Only the very tops of the leaf pairs are exposed aboveground. They have deep taproots and need very little water and a well-draining soil in order to prevent their fleshy leaves from exploding.

White to pale pink, diurnal flowers usually emerge in autumn followed by splitting to reveal a new, inner pair of leaves. The inner leaf pair get all the water they need from the older, outer pair. The soil must be kept dry to allow the outer leaf pair to wither and fall off. Lithops can be challenging plants to grow, but here are some pointers to help you along the way:

• Transplant into deep pots with drainage holes. We recommend looking for a pot that's narrow but 4" or deeper and only planting one Lithops per pot
• Use gritty, well-draining soil, such as 80% mineral grit and 20% organic matter
• Grow in full sun or on a very sunny window sill
• Water in the fall and spring growing seasons, waiting for deep wrinkling before watering again
• Do not water in winter or when a Lithops is splitting
• Begin spring watering only when the older, outer leaves have shriveled into paper-thin sheets
• Water very sparingly in summer ONLY if you notice severe wrinkling on the top; wrinkles on sides are a normal part of their annual cycle and not an indicator that they should be watered

For more information on this rare species, check out Lithops.info or our Guide to Cultivating Lithops.

Product Size

2.0" Pot

Current Primary Color

Purple / Black

All Seasonal Colors

Pink

Bloom Color

White Bloom

Grow Zone (Hardiness)

Zone 10 (30F)

Recommended Light Conditions

Bright Indoor Light, Full Sun

Maximum Height

Under 3"

Maximum Rosette Size

Under 3"

Growth Habit / Shape

Clumping / Mounding

Special Characteristic

Pet Safe, Slow Grower, Showy Blooms

THIS PLANT IS HARDY IN ZONES 10+

10

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Popular Questions

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3 years ago

Can I plant split rocks and lithops together, or might separate pots be better for a novice gardener? See answer

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3 years ago  •  Staff Answer

Yes, for a beginner we recommend planting each of these in its own pot. They have finicky, seasonal watering schedules and it can be difficult to keep them in a single pot when they're at different stages of needing water or needing to stay dry. That said, they both like VERY gritty soil (like this Bonsai Jack Gritty Mix) and lots of sunshine, so advanced growers do manage to grow them together in a single pot just fine. See full answer »

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3 years ago

Is it okay to plant multiple lithops living stones in one pot? See answer

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8 months ago  •  Staff Answer

For most growers, we recommend planting each Lithops in its own pot, because it makes them much easier to care for. They have finicky, seasonal watering schedules and it can be difficult to grow multiple in a single pot when they're at different stages of needing water or needing to stay dry. That said, it is possible to grow multiple Lithops in a single pot, especially if they are synced up or for advanced growers. See full answer »

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3 years ago

Can I use Bonsai Jack® Succulent & Cactus Soil - Jack's Gritty Mix #111 to plant my Pleiospilos nelii 'Royal Flush' See answer

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3 years ago  •  Staff Answer

Absolutely! Mesembs like Split Rocks (Pleiospilos) and Living Stones (Lithops) grow really well in this Bonsai Jack Gritty Mix. Be sure to also use a pot with a drainage hole and only water when the innermost leaf pair feels less firm. See full answer »

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3 years ago

Why does new split rock have 3 not 2 sets of leaves. Solid leaves See answer

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3 years ago  •  Staff Answer

This can occasionally happen to Pleiospilos. Fortunately, all you need to do is keep it in a dry, sunny spot with very gritty soil and the outer leaf pair will naturally dry and fall off. See full answer »

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1 year ago

What is the difference between the lithop and a split rock? See answer

Which one is easier to grow? What's the difference in their appearance? See more »

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1 year ago  •  Staff Answer

A Lithops and a Split Rock (Pleiospilos nelii) are different types of plants. Both grow by splitting open and revealing a new leaf pair, but Split Rocks are a bit larger and more rounded. You can follow those links to the product pages to see photos of each. They're from the same family of mesembs, and both need very minimal water, but Spilt Rocks are slightly more forgiving of imperfect watering. See full answer »

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1 year ago

how many split rocks can be together in the same pot See answer

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1 year ago  •  Staff Answer

We recommend planting just one Split Rock or Lithops per pot to make watering easier. Split Rocks and Lithops have strict watering schedules and should only be watered when their inner leaf pair is drying and feels less firm. Having multiple in a pot means sometimes one will need water at a time when another should not be watered. But if you're an experienced grower and your Split Rocks or Lithops have synced up, you might be able to manage multiple in a pot! See full answer »

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1 year ago

I just received my lithops today. Can I go ahead and repot them today? See answer

Do I water then the day I receive them? Or do I follow the no water since it is winter? First time lithops owner and really want to keep them alive. See more »

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1 year ago  •  Staff Answer

Definitely no water but yes you can replant them immediately. Succulents should not be watered just before or after transplanting, especially not the really finicky ones like Lithops. For a full breakdown of when it's okay to water these tricky plants, check out our Lithops Care Video at the link below.
Source: https://youtu.be/TvSARePRazQ?si=3upuB... See full answer »

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2 years ago

I read the splitting phase can take 2 months, won’t it die without water for that long? See answer

Watering while splitting See more »

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2 years ago  •  Staff Answer

Amazingly, a Lithops can survive months without water. They should not be watered at all while splitting because the new, inner leaf pair is getting all the water it needs from the older, outer leaf pair, which needs to dry to slough off. Watering a Lithops that is in the process of splitting can cause the leaves to rot or burst. See full answer »

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10 months ago

My lithops are getting smaller after splitting. Why is that happening? See answer

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10 months ago  •  Staff Answer

We can better diagnose this if you email us a photo and indicate which leaves are shrinking at info@mountaincrestgardens.com. Please include answers to the following questions as well:
Growing conditions (full sun, part sun, filtered sun, indoors, outdoors, etc.) Soil used for planting Watering schedule Does the container have a hole for drainage? See full answer »

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1 year ago

Can I use lithops in a succulent arrangement? See answer

Your suggestion is one lithops plant per pot, so what happens in a plant arrangement? See more »

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1 year ago  •  Staff Answer

We do not recommend planting a Lithops in a succulent arrangement. Lithops have very particular watering cycles that make it challenging to grow multiple in one pot, much less combine them with other types of plants. For more info on their watering cycles, check out our Lithops Video.
Source: https://youtu.be/TvSARePRazQ See full answer »

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