What is a Pebble Plant?

Pebble plant is a bulbous succulent that originates from deserts in Southern Africa. It belongs to the ice plant family, Aizoaceae, and the Lithops genus. True to its name, pebble plant looks like a coloured pebble. In its native habitat, pebble plant’s unique appearance allows it to camouflage itself and hide in plain sight. Pebble plants of different sub-species will adopt various colour schemes to better blend themselves with their surrounding gravels and pebbles (Crisan, Stoie, & Cantor, 2015).

​Pebble Plant’s Anatomy

Pebble plant features two thick, fleshy leaves on a short stem. The leaves fuse at the bottom and form a distinctive cone-like shape. The top of a pebble plant has a visible fissure that separates the two leaves (Albanese, Sajeva, & Bellini, 1989). Pebble plant’s flat top serves as a leaf-window that allows sunlight to enter the plant body for photosynthesis. The leaf-window ensures the plant receives sufficient sunlight despite having most of its leaves buried underground. The surface of the leaf-window can feature various patterns and colours (Oliver, 2005). Over time, a new pair of leaves may grow from the middle of the pebble plant. The old leaves will wilt and the new leaves will absorb the nutrients and water in the old leaves. 

How to Take Care of A Pebble Plant

The hot and humid weather in Malaysia offers both benefits and challenges to the caring of pebble plants. Pebble plant requires only a very small amount of water and may burst if over-watered - overwatering is the main reason why most pet pebble plants perish! For young pebble plants (below 1.5cm), it is fine to water them once or twice a week. For matured pebble plants, we recommend watering them only when wrinkles appeared on the plant (usually around twice a month, depending on the climate/weather). Make sure that the substrates of the pebble plant dry within 15 minutes after watering because waterlogging will cause rot rotting or plant bursting. 

Avoid keeping pebble plants outdoor as rainwater may over-hydrate them, causing them to burst and wilt. However, it is important to ensure that pebble plants receive sufficient sunlight. Hence, we recommend keeping them at window sides or areas with rain shelter. Keep in mind that soft morning sunlight is preferable over hot afternoon sunlight. 

Pebble plant's root can easily rot if water accumulates inside the pot, hence the substrates used to keep it must be able to drain water quickly. Suitable substrates for pebble plant's potting mix are pumice, perlite and shale. Due to the root's tendency to root, it is recommended that the substrates used to keep matured pebble plant should have as little organic materials as possible. Therefore, do avoid using standard cactus mix to keep your matured pebble plant. However, for young pebble plants, it is fine to increase the proportion of organics materials in your potting mix. To further reduce waterlogging in your pot, it is advisable to use terracotta pots instead of plastic pots or glass pots. Terracotta pots will allow water to evaporate at a faster rate.

Avoid watering when new leaves emerge from the center of the pebble plant, the new leaves will subsist solely on the water inside the old leaves. Watering during this period will cause the new leaves to burst. 

Common Q&A

​1. What is the growth rate and life span of pebble plants?

The general consensus is that pebble plants matured after two to three years and have a lifespan of 40 to 50 years. Flowering will only occur on matured pebble plants.  

​​2. How often should pebble plants be watered?

For young pebble plants (below 1.5cm), it is fine to water them once or twice a week. For matured pebble plants, we recommend watering them only when wrinkles appeared on the plant (usually around twice a month, depending on the climate/weather). ​​Pebble plant requires only a very small amount of water and may burst if over-watered - overwatering is the main reason why most pet pebble plants perish!

​​3. What kind of substrates/potting mix should I use to keep pebble plant?

The substrates used to keep pebble plant must be able to drain water quickly. Suitable substrates for pebble plant's potting mix are pumice, perlite and shale. Due to the root's tendency to root, it is recommended that the substrates used to keep matured pebble plant should have as little organic materials as possible. Therefore, do avoid using standard cactus mix to keep your matured pebble plant.

4. What type of pot should I use to keep pebble plant?

It is advisable to use terracotta pots instead of plastic pots or glass pots. Terracotta pots will allow water to evaporate at a faster rate.

5. Should I water my pebble plant when new pair of leaves emerge from the center of the plant? 

Avoid watering when new leaves emerge from the center of the pebble plant, the new leaves will subsist solely on the water inside the old leaves. Watering during this period will cause the new leaves to burst. ​

6. Is it possible to propagate the pebble plant?

It is possible to propagate the pebble plant when it starts flowering. However, you will need a pair of flowering pebble plants because a pebble plant needs to be pollinated before it starts producing seeds. Self-pollination can be done manually.   

​Bibliography

Crisan, Loana; Stoie, Andrei; and Cantor, Maria. (2015). “A Review: Species of the Genus Lithops as Indoor Ornamental Plants.” Proenvironment, Vol.8, pp. 65-72.

Albanese, Santina; Sajeva, Maurizio; and Bellini, Enrico. (1989). “Anatomical structure of Lithops.” Plant Biosystems, Vol.123, pp. 190-191.

Oliver, Ian. (2005). “Lithops.” South African National Biodiversity Institute. Retrieved from http://pza.sanbi.org/lithops as at 24th April 2020.