At the start of the year I planned to photograph plants in flower on a weekly basis. This patently never materialised (the same fate happened to many of my other projects!) – I will have another go next year so please bear with me!
Below are a few late flowers in the big greenhouse. These here are all members of the Mesembryanthemum family.
The name Lithops comes from the Greek word lithos which means stone-like or stone appearance. Hence, the common name for this fascinating plant: Living Stones.
Lithops originate from South Africa and are normally found in rocky terrain. They are a miniature favorite of succulent collectors and amateurs alike. They are somewhat easy to grow as long as they are watered lightly and very infrequently. Lithops are accustomed to growing in very dry conditions. Water only during their growing season, which is late winter to early summer. During the rest of the year, watering them so lightly as if you are ‘only taking the dust off their fleshy leaves’ is enough. In fact, Lithops have been known, in their natural habitat, to adapt to very long droughts by pulling themselves so far into the ground as to become nearly subterranean. This protects them from the harsh sun and winds.
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Potted Plant Society 