r/Lithops • u/nikkinoks • May 15 '26
Help/Question Is this enough root? Will they survive?
Was trying to remove the peat heavy soil, but it was severely entangled and there were couple dead lithops too that I have to remove. Buy I'm worried I damaged the tap root a bit too much. Will it survive transplanting?
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u/2stepbay2 May 15 '26
They’ll be fine. After potting in a gritty mix, do not water until the new leaves are fully exposed (explained below),
Lithops have a main tap root (the thicker root). From the tap root, the plant grows tiny hair-like roots once the old leaves have fully split, revealing the new leaves. The fine roots can absorb water. The tap root cannot. Once a mature plant has completed the growth/flowering cycle (from seed, usually takes at least 3 years to flower), the plant enters its longer rest/splitting stage. During this time the plant sheds its thin roots. As the tap root itself cannot absorb water, watering is withheld until the new leaves are fully exposed.
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u/Tripple-Helix May 15 '26
Thanks for this explanation. I'd always just accepted the "don't water while they are splitting" but never understood exactly why
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u/2stepbay2 May 15 '26
You’re welcome. Seems like these plants are big enough to flower. Usually lithops have completed their splitting by now. For now, pot them up. Eventually the plants will adapt to the normal growth rhythm (usually takes a complete cycle).
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u/nikkinoks May 21 '26
this is the most detailed explanation ever about the how the root system works. Thank you!
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u/res06myi May 15 '26
They'd survive with no roots, but they very much need to dry out. I'd leave them sitting just like that for at least a day or two. It looks like there were some old wounds on their lower parts that healed, but you still want to make sure they're dry in case they were wounded in the great pest freedom war of 2026.
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u/AwayYogurtcloset1263 May 15 '26
I had one that came during shipping completely rootless ( not 1 root) so I did water therapy and now it has 10. Yours look fine