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Lithops olivacea SB1998
Onder Namies,  South Africa

 
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 This Lithops has blue eyed windows.

Photo of conspecific taxa, varieties, forms and cultivars of Lithops olivacea


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Family: Mesebrianthemaceae (Aizoaceae)

Scientific name: Lithops olivacea L. Bol. 1929 var. olivacea

Common English Names include: Stone plant, Green stone plant, Living stone.

Origin: The two varieties of L. olivacea (var. olivacea and var. nebrownii) are restricted and occur sporadically in Bushmanland, and are found most abundantly however in the region of Aggeneys, Pofadder and Namies, although there are earlier collections far to the east from the Kakamas area, where it has not been seen in recent times.

Habitat and Ecology: L. olivacea is a quartz lover and will always be found growing either on big outcrops of quartz or more commonly on quartz plains where the quartz pebbles protect the plants from the blazing summer sun by reflecting a lot of the light and heat.  Its hard translucent gloss closely resembles the white quartz crystalline rubble of its habitat.  Another succulent plant that is almost always found growing with L. olivacea is Avonia papyracea, which loves quartz too. In times of drought the plants shrivel and are almost invisible, as they get covered with fine wind-blown sand.  After rain, however, they absorb water and become fat and turgid. There is a considerable correlation between the colour of different populations and the nature of their habitats. For example L. olivacea, which is more red-brown, green-brown in appearance in its westerly locations, becomes yellower in the dry season and more purplish-red-grey further north. The more widespread a taxa,  the more there is  variation within that taxa.

 

 


Cultivation:
Need an open mineral, fast draining mix and the maximum amount of light you are able to give them. The basic cultivation routine is: Stop watering after flowering. Start watering after the old leaves completely dry. (Usually late March or Early April) Water freely during the growing season, soak the compost fully but allow it to dry out between waterings
, no water when cold. Some growers fertilize frequently, some hardly ever. Keep them dry during the winter. Nearly all problems occur as a result of overwatering and poor ventilation especially when weather conditions are dull and cool or very humid. This plant is best for a well lit area (Bright shade to full sun).

 

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Home | E-mail | Plant files | Mail Sale Catalogue | Links | Information | Search

All the information and photos in cactus art files are now available also in the new the Encyclopaedia of Succulents. We hope you find this new site informative and useful.