Repotting guide

When & how to repot Herre's Living Stone (Lithops herrei)

Also called Herre's Mimicry Plant, Pebble Plant.

More about herre's living stone

About Herre's Living Stone

Lithops herrei · also called Herre's Mimicry Plant, Pebble Plant · houseplant

Lithops herrei is a South African stone-plant from the Richtersveld and Namib Desert, featuring olive-green to brownish lobes with distinctive sunken windows and fine surface markings. It produces white flowers in autumn. Non-toxic to pets. This is one of the more heat-tolerant Lithops species, but like all living stones it is fatally susceptible to summer overwatering.

Mature size: 2-4 cm tall, lobe pairs up to 4 cm wide in mature specimens

How to tell herre's living stone needs repotting

Repotting on a calendar is less reliable than reading the plant. For herre's living stone, watch for these signs:

Roots growing out of the drainage holes, or the rootball lifting the plant proud of the rim.
Soil that has shrunk away from the pot sides and no longer holds water.
The pot is unstable because the plant has grown top-heavy.
Old, compacted, broken-down mix that stays wet too long — for a succulent that is a rot risk, so refresh it even if the pot size is fine.

For the underlying biology of a pot-bound root system and why it stalls a plant, see our guide to spotting and fixing a root-bound plant.

How often to repot herre's living stone

Every 2–3 years, into bone-dry mix. Herre's Living Stone's growth habit — stemless clump-forming succulent with relatively large lobe pairs — sets the pace. Lithops herrei is a South African stone-plant from the Richtersveld and Namib Desert, featuring olive-green to brownish lobes with distinctive sunken windows and fine surface markings. It produces white flowers in autumn. Non-toxic to pets. This is one of the more heat-tolerant Lithops species, but like all living stones it is fatally susceptible to summer overwatering.

What size pot to step herre's living stone up to

Use a pot only one size up — or even the same pot with fresh gritty mix if the roots have room. Herre's Living Stone stores water and rots in a large pot of slow-drying soil. A tight terracotta pot that dries fast is far safer than a generous plastic one. Never up-pot a succulent by several sizes.

Not sure of the exact diameter? Our pot size calculator takes the current pot and root spread and tells you the right next size — it deliberately recommends a single step up, never a big jump.

The best time of year to repot herre's living stone

Spring or summer, while herre's living stone is in active growth and warm, is best — roots recover fastest then, and the plant is not sitting in cool damp soil. Avoid repotting a succulent in winter dormancy.

Step-by-step: repotting herre's living stone

Repot dry. Do not water herre's living stone for several days first. Working with dry roots and dry mix dramatically lowers the rot risk for a succulent.
Pick a snug, fast-draining pot. Choose terracotta one size up at most, with a drainage hole. Have gritty mineral-heavy cactus and grit mix (50% cactus compost, 50% coarse perlite or crushed pumice) ready.
Tip it out and clean the roots. Slide the plant out, crumble off the old soil, and trim any black, mushy or dead roots with clean snips.
Pot into dry mix. Set herre's living stone at its original depth in dry gritty mix, firming gently. Do not bury the stem deeper than it was.
Wait a week before watering. Leave it completely dry and out of harsh sun for about 7 days so any damaged roots callus. Only then water lightly.

Aftercare

Keep herre's living stone completely dry and out of fierce sun for about a week so any nicked roots callus before they meet moisture; watering a freshly repotted succulent is the classic way to rot it. Then resume the normal lean, dry rhythm. Do not fertilise for about 3 weeks — fresh mix already carries nutrients and feeding freshly disturbed roots scorches them.

The right soil mix for herre's living stone

Herre's Living Stone wants mineral-heavy cactus and grit mix (50% cactus compost, 50% coarse perlite or crushed pumice). Replicating the poor, stony, almost soil-free substrate of the Richtersveld is the goal. Use an ultra-draining mix with minimal organic matter. Terracotta pots are highly preferable to plastic as they allow moisture to escape through the walls. Top-dress with quartz grit or fine gravel. Always use fresh mix when you repot — reusing old, broken-down soil reintroduces the compaction and poor drainage you are repotting to fix.

Repotting herre's living stone — frequently asked questions

How often should you repot herre's living stone?

Every 2–3 years, into bone-dry mix for herre's living stone. Repot herre's living stone every 2–3 years into a snug pot of mineral-heavy cactus and grit mix (50% cactus compost, 50% coarse perlite or crushed pumice), ideally in spring or summer. Let it sit in dry soil and do not water for about a week afterwards so any nicked roots can callus. Over-potting and watering straight away is what rots succulents.

What size pot does herre's living stone need?

When is the best time of year to repot herre's living stone?

Should you water herre's living stone after repotting?

No — not straight away. Repot herre's living stone into dry mix and wait about a week before the first watering so any damaged roots callus over. Watering a freshly repotted succulent is the single most common way to rot one.

Should you fertilise herre's living stone after repotting?

Not immediately. Wait about 3 weeks after repotting herre's living stone. Fresh mix already contains nutrients, and feeding freshly cut or disturbed roots burns them. Resume your normal feeding routine once you see new growth.