Living Stones

Living Stones Care

Lithops Helmutii

What is the plant

Lithops helmutii, also called Helmut living stone, is a species of flowering plants in the genus Lithops. This species was described by Harriet Margaret Louisa Bolus in 1933. It was named after Helmut Meyer. Lithops helmutii is native to Southern Africa. It grows in the shelter of rocks in an essentially winter rainfall climate. It was found between Steinkopf and Arrabies, Namaqualand by G. Meyer in June 1933. It is a a stemless, perennial succulent with pair of plump leaves that looks like stones when it is not in flower which reaching up to 25mm long and 15mm wide at the very deep fissure with the leaves gaping, that forms large clumps with 17 or more heads. They are greyish green in side and light olive green in top. The window are large with many small islands. The flowers are yellow, 5-merous.

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Humidity

Dry

Lighting

Full Sun

Temperature

10°C - 25°C

Hardiness zone

9a - 11

Difficulty

Medium

How to Care for the Plant

Water
Helmut living stone have a yearly cycle of growth, and it is essential to water only during certain stages and to keep the soil dry at other stages of their growth. Over-watering is the chief cause of early demise. Too much water and they rot or produce new bodies at the wrong time of year. Too little water and they become stunted. How often you water depends on how quickly the potting medium dries out. In general, drench the plant and leave it to dry out completely (probably 1-2 weeks). Then wait a couple more days before watering again.
Fertilizer
Lithops helmutii grow in poor habitats in nutrients, therefore it is not necessary to fertilize them. In order to prevent unhealthy growth, fertilizers should be applied cautiously and must be of a low nitrogen type. If you are in a soil-less medium, you should consider a very small, diluted amount of fertilizer yearly. If your Lithops pseudotruncatella failed to flower the last year
Sunlight
Full sunshine is preferred and encourages flower production. A green house is preferred through Lithops helmutii can be grown successful on a sunny windowsill where they receive about 4 to 5 hours of direct sunlight during the early part of the day, and partial shade during the afternoon.

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Soil
Lithops helmutii require coarse, well-drained substrate. Any soil that retains too much water will cause the plants to burst their skins as they over-expand. Add sharp sand, perlite, decomposed granite or other gritty material that will help improve drainage to regular houseplant potting mix, or use special cactus potting mix.
Temperature
An ideal summer daytime temperature is around 25-30ºC; At night, a temperature of 15-20 ° C is sufficient. If the temperature is more than 35 ° C in a continuous way, this lithops can enter into a lethargy state that is prolonged until the average temperatures drop again. Helmut living stone can withstand high temperatures in summer, although adequate ventilation should be given in the hottest weather to prevent the risk of scorching. For safety, the minimum winter temperature should be in range of 4 - 8 ° C. Never allow the plants to freeze.
Popularity
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