h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I love the way you captured the light in the picture of the lithops among the stones.

I think these plants are excellent - I had some success growing them from seed in pots quite a few years ago, but sadly they all shrivelled up completely in the end, as they pushed themselves out of the pot more and more each time new leaves formed. They did grow well for several years, though, and I think they are fascinatingly beautiful to look at with their distinctive and unique markings, and their texture is fascinating too..

Wow these are really , Willem. What lovely flowers too. It is a real pity that they are endangered.

Hello SashaQ and Elektra and thanks! SashaQ, you might have tried re-potting them ... but it's good that you had them for a few years though.

I did repot them a couple of times, but eventually they just disappeared.

Your botanical drawing of their structure was very educational, though - I think my lithops would have preferred to be in the ground, and the pots I had weren't deep enough for them to really dig themselves into when they got big, so that is almost certainly the problem.

Hmm - I think I might try again if I see some in a garden centre - I do like having them around as they aren't spiky like cacti and have a very pleasing texture

Great entry: I wonder if you'd consider submitting it to Peer Review? It would be a really good entry I'd think.

Hello SashaQ let me know if you give them another go!

Hi Woolly Mammoth and thanks very much! I shall have to slightly modify it to make it fit for Peer Review ... I'll see if I have time for it.

There is already an Edited Entry on Lithops A2654732 by Gosho, but an Entry on one of the other plants or animals that you have written about would be very welcome in Peer Review

Reading your article again, in particular about how the lithops are covered by the spikemoss for part of the year, I think my lithops must have been too hot when they disappeared, as they were in a conservatory that received a lot of solar heat all year round I shall make sure to put them in a less bright spot if I get some more