Lithops Schwantesi Grey Form
Living Stones 'Schwantesi Grey Form'
Original:Description: Lithops schwantesii is a tiny caespitose succulent that grows almost completely buried in the soil with only the upper truncated portion of leaves visible. Bodies usually forming small groups with 1-3 heads, but occasionally with more than 15 heads, up to 4 cm high. It is very variable, but conforms to the typical Lithops morphology: two thick, fleshy windowed leaves separated by a crack from which a yellow flower appears. The windowed part allows light into the inner portion of the leaf where the process of photosynthesis is carried out. As with many other species, several varieties or local forms have been described based on the variation of the colour of the tops of the leaves.Bodies (paired leaves): Truncate in profile, 20-40 mm long, 15-30 mm broad, tops of leaves flat to convex, fissure shallow, faces flush, mostly elliptic-reniform, top of lobe convex; in the young stage slightly rugulose which tends to disappear in the older stage, sides mauve-grey; window not evident or opaque; top of lobes grey-green, grey, yellowish-brown, yellow-reddish, all with a greenish tint or hue with broad darked lines and isolated red dots which are slightly sunk below the surface in depressions, the lines being the dominant feature, both with a slightly mauve-green border, giving the whole upper surface a suffused greenish tint. The whole top with a light-brown border on the inner and outer margin; no definite inner and outer margins. Old leaves persist for one year usually, often for two years. In ssp. schwantesii the windows and channels are often obscurely to pellucidly translucent grey-green.Flower: Yellow, often with longish pedicels, 20-36 mm in diameter.Blooming season: Autumn. Fruit: 5(-6) chambered, profile boat-shaped, top more or less flat, faces elliptic to broadly elliptic. New:A popular and sought after succulent. Lithops have paired leaves with smooth flat or rounded tops that are ridged or wrinkled, sometimes with transparent windows, and sometimes colorful markings. The flowers are white or yellow and emerge in autumn or winter. Lithops are relatively easy to grow if given sufficient sun and a suitable well-drained soil.
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Full sun to partial shade
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Very little water
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Not Frost hardy
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Light and free draining
Common name
Living Stones 'Schwantesi Grey Form'
Latin name
Lithops Schwantesi Grey Form
type
Succulent
family
Aizoaceae
ph
5.0 - 6.5 Acid - Neutral
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Light
Full sun to partial shade
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Frost
Not Frost hardy
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Soil
Light and free draining
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Water
Very little water
Plant & bloom calendar
-
Best time to plant
full grown dimensions
0.02 M
0.01 M
Lithops Schwantesi Grey Form
Original:Description: Lithops schwantesii is a tiny caespitose succulent that grows almost completely buried in the soil with only the upper truncated portion of leaves visible. Bodies usually forming small groups with 1-3 heads, but occasionally with more than 15 heads, up to 4 cm high. It is very variable, but conforms to the typical Lithops morphology: two thick, fleshy windowed leaves separated by a crack from which a yellow flower appears. The windowed part allows light into the inner portion of the leaf where the process of photosynthesis is carried out. As with many other species, several varieties or local forms have been described based on the variation of the colour of the tops of the leaves.Bodies (paired leaves): Truncate in profile, 20-40 mm long, 15-30 mm broad, tops of leaves flat to convex, fissure shallow, faces flush, mostly elliptic-reniform, top of lobe convex; in the young stage slightly rugulose which tends to disappear in the older stage, sides mauve-grey; window not evident or opaque; top of lobes grey-green, grey, yellowish-brown, yellow-reddish, all with a greenish tint or hue with broad darked lines and isolated red dots which are slightly sunk below the surface in depressions, the lines being the dominant feature, both with a slightly mauve-green border, giving the whole upper surface a suffused greenish tint. The whole top with a light-brown border on the inner and outer margin; no definite inner and outer margins. Old leaves persist for one year usually, often for two years. In ssp. schwantesii the windows and channels are often obscurely to pellucidly translucent grey-green.Flower: Yellow, often with longish pedicels, 20-36 mm in diameter.Blooming season: Autumn. Fruit: 5(-6) chambered, profile boat-shaped, top more or less flat, faces elliptic to broadly elliptic. New:A popular and sought after succulent. Lithops have paired leaves with smooth flat or rounded tops that are ridged or wrinkled, sometimes with transparent windows, and sometimes colorful markings. The flowers are white or yellow and emerge in autumn or winter. Lithops are relatively easy to grow if given sufficient sun and a suitable well-drained soil.
Planting
From Early Spring TO Early Spring
Lithops thrive best in a coarse, well-drained substrate. Any soil that retains too much water will cause the plants to burst their skins as they over-expand. Plants grown in strong light will develop hard strongly coloured skins which are resistant to damage and rot, although persistent overwatering will still be fatal. Excessive heat will kill potted plants as they cannot cool themselves by transpiration and rely on staying buried in cool soil below the surface.
Propagation
From Early Spring TO Early Spring
Propagation of Lithops is by seed or cuttings. Cuttings can only be used to produce new plants after a plant has naturally divided to form multiple heads, so most propagation is by seed. Lithops can readily be pollinated by hand if two separate clones of a species flower at the same time, and seed will be ripe about 9 months later. Seed is easy to germinate, but the seedlings are small and vulnerable for the first year or two, and will not flower until at least two or three years old.