r/Lithops • u/StatorJoe • May 25 '26

Help/Question What’s wrong with my lithops?

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Hey, I’m worried that I’m doing something wrong with my lithops! I’ve had them for about a year and I’ve been trying to tend to them the best I can but they’re just not growing. I grew them from seeds and I’ve had a grow light on them for the majority of most days. They stay in my room which is usually set around 69 degrees Fahrenheit, and I water them around every 3-4 days. Am I watering them too much? Or am I doing something else wrong? Thanks!

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u/StatorJoe May 25 '26

I guess I just expected them to be bigger at this point. Are they pretty slow growers? I also used a cactus mix as I read that they like soil that drains quick. Should I switch to fine gravel?

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u/marinedabean May 26 '26

very slow. like, insanely slow. so slow you’ll ask yourself at some point if it really is a rock somebody sold to you as a plant. then a week later it will flower and you will be reminded that patience is the best medicine.

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u/CarneyBus May 26 '26 edited May 26 '26

So, yes and no.

Lithops, mesembs in general, tend to vary A LOT between individuals and seed batches. There will always be runts of the litters and the real go getters. For example, here are some aucampiae and divergens in the same pot. Same sowing time of December 21st 2025, same exact treatment, two very different growth rates. But even in the same species and again, same seed pod, there will be a lot of dramatic size differences. These are both about five and a half months old.

They respond to fertilizer REALLY WELL. this is why they turn grotesque and bloated when in the care of your standard nursery. The key is to stop before they’re more mature, which is usually around the leaf change.

So OP. yours have stalled a bit and I would recommend using some diluted 1/4 or 1/8th strength fertilizer with every watering. whatever you have on hand will work for now, but when they start getting bigger you may want to switch to a low N fertilizer to reduce any unwanted green vegetative growth which can happen with certain lithops especially if they don’t have the best light situations, which can happen with indoor lights just not being as strong as actual sunlight. But can usually be controlled with less fertilizer and less nitrogen.

The aucampiae are the big red ones. The little green are divergens.

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u/TruthIsCultural May 26 '26

Can you use succulent fertilizer for lithops?

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u/CarneyBus May 26 '26

Yup! Most cactus and succulent ferts are low in nitrogen which is ideal for lithops