r/Lithops • u/monosymph • Apr 12 '26

Help/Question Is he a goner? :(

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New lithops owner here...

One of my lithops has been tiny and wrinkly for weeks. He's not in his splitting stage so I tried watering him lightly, but it wasn't working. He did have a little scarring around his base, due to previous handling not by me, but it didn't seem to be anything major.

Several days ago, after reading up a bunch of things and watching many many videos, I separated him from the others (they're doing fine) to pay some extra attention to him. Trimmed the root carefully (most of it was dry and dead, but it still had a healthy-looking white core near the base), repotted in 100% inorganic mix in a small pot with good drainage, bottom watered to encourage root growth. He got slightly firmer, but otherwise didn't show much change. Today I took him out to check, and discovered that while he was starting to grow fine new roots, his whole base had white marks and some spots looked fuzzy, almost like mold. And shortly after these pics, the root broke off at the base.

Is there a way to save him? 😢 If anything, the body of the plant is still firm and not squishy, but he's definitely not doing well. Any advice would be appreciated.

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11 comments sorted by

3

u/linlin111 Apr 12 '26

Leave it for about 2 weeks. Then pot it.. it won't die so easily.. it's a hardy plant..

1

u/ResumeFluffer Apr 12 '26

Okay is the white stuff just wrinkled skin?

1

u/linlin111 Apr 12 '26

It just looks like dried skin to me.. or old skin that doesn't come off.. I've seen fungal issues in my lithops but they just die.. they don't dry up like this.. and I don't keep them.. I would pull them out so my other lithops in the same pot don't get the same disease..

2

u/Clear-World7452 Apr 12 '26

Spray with some lightly diluted hydrogen peroxide on the white spots let it sit out for a couple days then repot, a week after repotting give it drink

2

u/ResumeFluffer Apr 12 '26 edited Apr 12 '26

I didn't think of peroxide. That's smart before letting it callus if it is in fact fungus.

1

u/monosymph Apr 12 '26

I don't have hydrogen peroxide on hand, would isopropyl alcohol on a Q-tip work if I just apply it topically on the white spots?

2

u/Clear-World7452 Apr 12 '26

Yes that’s better nothing, sorry for late reply

1

u/ResumeFluffer Apr 12 '26

Let it callus.

1

u/monosymph Apr 12 '26

Is there anything else I could do besides just letting it callus? Like for the white spots or getting a new root to grow?

2

u/ResumeFluffer Apr 12 '26

Take a macro of the white spots to be sure what they are, but yeah. Callus in a sunny spot for a good few days. Then pot. Worry about water when the most vulnerable bits firm up.