Why people love it
Living rock looks like a stone that has cracked in two. Each pair of leaves is thick, rough and speckled, so it blends in with the rocks where it grows. Once a year, a new pair of leaves grows out of the crack. When it’s happy, large yellow, daisy-like flowers can open between the leaves, often as wide as the plant itself.
It isn’t a cactus, even though the ASPCA calls it a “living rock cactus”. It belongs to the same family as living stones and the ice plant.
Care in a nutshell
- Sun, and lots of it. Give it your brightest window or a grow light.
- Water rarely, and only while it’s growing. In spring and autumn, water deeply when the leaves feel a little soft. Then wait until the soil is completely dry.
- Leave it alone while the leaves change. The new pair grows from the stored water in the old pair. Extra water now often makes the old leaves swell, split or rot.
- A deep pot with a drainage hole. It has a long root and hates wet soil.
The yearly leaf change
- In winter, a new pair of leaves appears in the crack between the old ones.
- Over the next months, the old pair slowly shrinks and wrinkles as the new pair uses up its water.
- By summer, the old leaves are dry and papery. Leave them on until they pull away easily.
A healthy plant usually has one or two pairs of leaves. Three or more pairs, or old leaves that stay plump, are a sign of too much water.
Watch out for
- Split, cracked or mushy leaves: too much water, especially during the leaf change. Let it dry out completely.
- Tall, pale or floppy leaves: not enough light.
- Deep wrinkles in the growing season: it’s thirsty. Water deeply once, then let it dry again. Some wrinkling during the leaf change is normal.
Fun fact: Pleiospilos comes from Greek words meaning “many spots”. Look closely and you’ll see the leaves are covered in tiny dark dots.
