Lithops helmutii C271

|5,5-cm-Topf|Lithops helmutii, affectionately known as Helmuts Living Stones, are fascinating dwarf succulents from the Northern Cape of South Africa. In contrast to the normal L. helmutii, the body of this collection by Desmond Cole is described as Coke-bottle-green rather than gray. Since Coca-Cola is now mostly sold in transparent bottles, the color classification may not be entirely clear in the future. However, this plant also forms clusters of thick, greenish-gray, club-shaped pairs of leaves, whose semi- to fully transparent leaf tips camouflage them perfectly in the rocky substrate. This transparency is a characteristic feature that distinguishes them from many other Lithops species and helps them channel light into the underground parts of the plant. They typically grow in clusters and only reach about 3 cm in height, but can also form larger cushions. In spring, a single, impressive golden-yellow flower, sometimes with a white center, unfolds from the gap between the leaves, often as large as the plant itself. Lithops helmutii thrives in well-drained soil with sparing watering during the winter growth period and a dry summer dormancy. They require bright, indirect light and moderate temperatures.