We all know that the genus Lithops is colloquially known as "Living Stones"- but it's fun to review once in a while why they have that name....
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| Nobody here but us stones.... |
This is a section of my outdoor succulent garden. Desert plants are rarities, and many creatures want to munch them to obtain nutrition and precious water. The cactus at top left uses spines very effectively to ward off famished critters.
Lithops use camouflage as their primary defense. Each species and subspecies lives in a uniquely colored and textured environment in southern Africa. I could not hope to duplicate the exquisite camouflage ability of Lithops in the wild, but I can manage to hint at it:
And here are some examples from my indoor Lithops garden:
And now for something completely different...a Mammillaria gracilis, trying not to be seen.
Spines and camouflage, awesome!
