Can You Propagate Lithops? ( Here Is How )

Of all the plants, Lithops are the most colorful and beautiful type; and propagating your Lithops is one of the most exciting things to do.

As you watch them split, grow new leaves and blooming flowers you want to have more and more and make your home full of Lithops.

You can propagate Lithops and it can be done in two ways, using seeds which is the most common and easy way or with planting its cuttings. This method is also called division but it will need more time as most Lithops produce extra divisions after a few years.

In this post we will walk you through every step on propagating Lithops, in addition to some problems that prevent Lithops from growing and how to fix them.

Is Propagating Lithops Worth It ?

Yes, propagating plants in general not only Lithops will allow you to obtain additional plants and variations of it without spending extra money.

In addition, you will have the experience of observing the process of growing a plant from the start, which is amazing.

But the most valuable part is the experience and watching your Lithops thriving.

How to propagate Lithops?

Lithop propagation can occur in two methods as we mentioned above, seed or division, but the most common way is with seeds, as it is an easy and an efficient way to get new plants while waiting for the Lithop to produce new divisions.

Propagating with Seeds

Seeds are the fastest way to propagate new Lithop, and here is how to do it.

Make sure that you have a clean pot filled with potting mix and perlite. (Lithops prefer fast draining soil).

When you fill the pot with soil you can sprinkle the seed over the soil and then cover them with another layer of sanded soil and then place the pot in a warm and bright location, but not in direct sun.

You will need to keep the soil wet but not soggy until the seeds start to germinate, and then you can reduce watering them.

You can notice the small Lithop seeds start appearing and growing like in the image below.

Propagating with division or cuttings

You can grow Lithops from cuttings or divisions but, in order for Lithops to produce divisions it will need some time and even years.

But if you do have a division or a cutting on your Lithops you can propagate them, you can carefully remove the Lithop from the pot and separate the cutting from the plant, making sure that the taproots are not damaged.

Then you can plant each division separately in a new pot, the same one if there is enough space, and ensure that they are deep enough in order for the roots to grow.

What Prevents Lithops from growing?

When you propagate your Lithops there are some variables that will affect the process of its growing, here are some tips in order to tackle any problems while propagating your Lithops.

Over watering

Succulents can tolerate months in drought conditions without water, and over watering will cause them to slow their growth.

Most succulents store water in their leaves, and that allows them to live in hard environments, so it is better to water your Lithops when they need to drink.

1. Sluggish leaves: this is the first indicator that your Lithop is overwatered, the leaves or the outer part of the Lithop will tell you that it is getting too much water by feeling sluggish and tired.
2. Leaves splitting: Sometimes the leaves may burst open if they have too much water, but this does not occur too much.
3. Roots: You may not witness this because the roots are not visible but over watering will cause the root rot and will turn them brown and mushy, but when the soil is always wet and soggy it’s a sign that the roots do not consume more water.

If you notice one of these signs in your Lithop, ensure to act quickly to remove any damage while the plant is still salvageable, by draining the pot or even changing the soil, and examine the roots.

I water mine tablespoons at a time when they are not growing new leaves ….always check soil…I use a chopstick….you have to watch out for the roots drying out…I love them, but I don’t consider them a set forget type of plant… good luck

A Lithop owner said

Lack or Excessive light

Lack of excessive light plays a huge reason many plants do not thrive or grow. We have already covered how much sunlight you should give to your Lithops.

However Lithops growth will e affect by lack of light more than excessive light,

If it happens and the Lithops do not get enough light, they will pale and be drawn out due to a lack of light, so ensure to increase its exposure to a more open and well lighted place.

Pests & Disease

Lithops are a great meal for pests and mites like red spiders and flies because they are rich with water.

So overwatering is one of the main causes of attracting pests, especially Spider mites, and many other pests and insects that like water.

If you find any pests, you can kill them easily, or just wipe the plant carefully, on the other hand if there is an excessive amount of pests and mites, you will need to use insecticide for your plant, there are many effective types out there, especially on Amazon.

Neglect the plant

It may happen that people forget about their plants for some reason or they feel disappointed because their Lithops do not start splitting, but when you first propagate your Lithop it will take a while for them to grow, so never forget about it.

There will be times when any plant has a dormant period, but you still need to take care of it.

You can watch the video for more tips on how to propagate and care for your Lithops.

The Verdict

So can you propagate Lithops? Propagating will always need some time, and if you do it well, you will enjoy a whole new set of Lithops in your home.

So if you are planning to propagate your Lithops it is better to use seeds, as it is the easiest way, instead of waiting for your other plants to make divisions and cuttings.

We hope this helps if you found this article interesting, share it with your Lithops loving friends!