Mimicry Plants Archives - Good Living Guide

Lithops look exactly like stones until the day a delicate white, yellow or pink flower bursts through.

An unusual succulent plant, lithops are sometimes called “flowering stones,” “living stones” or “mimicry plants.” When you see a group of them lying on the ground together, they look just like a group of stones with colorful, pebbled surfaces. If you look closely, you can see what looks like a split in each stone. That’s where they will sprout a single flower in the spring and summer.

Lithops are Nature’s Mimics

If you want an unusual plant to add color and drama to your potting garden, try growing some lithops.

In nature, these beautiful succulents grow in the arid, hot plains of the South African desert. They have adapted to mimic the look of the stones surrounding them, but they also produce flowers that attract bees and other pollinators.

Some Special Care Required

It’s not difficult to take care of lithops, but you have to adopt a different mindset than the one you’re used to for most plants. They need special growing techniques to flourish.

Use a growing medium that offers high drainage. Don’t use dirt or potting soil.
Lithops need four hours of sunlight. Gentle morning sunlight is best for them.
You should regularly check their roots to make sure they’re all growing and thriving.
The main way people kill them is by overwatering them.

Lighten Up With Lithops

Lithops will add a lovely, unusual element to any garden. If you’re ready to try something new, give these plants a sunny spot in your yard.