Question 1

True or false: Lithops are also known as living stones because they evolved to resemble pebbles in their native habitats.

Accepted Answer

True. True. Their camouflage against rocky terrain helps them avoid being eaten by herbivores in southern Africa.

Question 2

True or false: Lithops are actually a type of cactus native to the deserts of North America.

Accepted Answer

False. False. They are succulents in the Aizoaceae family, native to southern Africa, not cacti nor from North America.

Question 3

True or false: Lithops can survive for years without any water at all, even in complete darkness.

Accepted Answer

False. False. They need some water during their growth cycle and require bright light; total darkness kills them within months.

Question 4

True or false: Lithops flowers always open at night and close by morning, like many cacti.

Accepted Answer

False. False. Most Lithops flowers open in the afternoon and close at dusk; only a few species are night-blooming.

Question 5

True or false: Each Lithops leaf pair is actually a single fused leaf split by a crack where flowers and new leaves emerge.

Accepted Answer

True. True. The visible 'body' is two fused leaves; the crack is the growth point for flowers and replacement leaves.

Question 6

True or false: Some Lithops species produce flowers that smell like rotting meat to attract carrion flies for pollination.

Accepted Answer

True. True. A few species emit a fetid odor mimicking carrion, luring flies as pollinators in their arid environment.

Question 7

True or false: Lithops can change their color to match the surrounding soil within hours of being moved to a new spot.

Accepted Answer

False. False. They do not change color rapidly; their coloring is fixed by genetics and environment over many growth cycles.

Question 8

True or false: A single Lithops plant can live for over 50 years under ideal conditions in cultivation.

Accepted Answer

True. True. With proper care—sparse watering and bright light—some Lithops specimens have been known to live 50+ years.

Lithops Trivia Questions