Repotting guide

When & how to repot Living Stones (Lithops karasmontana)

Also called Karas Mountains Living Stone, Flowering Stones.

More about living stones

About Living Stones

Lithops karasmontana · also called Karas Mountains Living Stone, Flowering Stones · houseplant

Lithops karasmontana is a mimicry succulent from Namibia's Karas Mountains, its paired fused leaves disguised as patterned pebbles. Each plant is mostly a single pair of leaves with a fissure that splits to reveal a daisy-like white flower in autumn. It demands extremely sparing water on a strict seasonal cycle and the grittiest possible drainage to thrive.

Mature size: Each leaf pair is about 2.5-4 cm across and sits at soil level; clumps may spread to a few centimetres over many years.

How to tell living stones needs repotting

Repotting on a calendar is less reliable than reading the plant. For living stones, 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 living stones

Every 2–3 years, into bone-dry mix. Living Stones's growth habit — tiny stemless geophyte: usually one (sometimes several) pair of fused, truncate leaves flush with the soil, renewing each year as a new pair grows up through the old. clumps slowly with age into small colonies of pebble-like heads. — sets the pace. Lithops karasmontana is a mimicry succulent from Namibia's Karas Mountains, its paired fused leaves disguised as patterned pebbles. Each plant is mostly a single pair of leaves with a fissure that splits to reveal a daisy-like white flower in autumn. It demands extremely sparing water on a strict seasonal cycle and the grittiest possible drainage to thrive.

What size pot to step living stones up to

Use a pot only one size up — or even the same pot with fresh gritty mix if the roots have room. Living Stones 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 living stones

Spring or summer, while living stones 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 living stones

Repot dry. Do not water living stones 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, extremely free-draining gritty mix 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 living stones 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 living stones 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 living stones

Living Stones wants mineral, extremely free-draining gritty mix. Use a very lean mix of around 50-70% pumice, coarse grit or perlite with minimal organic compost. A deep pot suits its taproot. The medium must dry out fully and fast; rich, moisture-retentive soil is fatal. Always use fresh mix when you repot — reusing old, broken-down soil reintroduces the compaction and poor drainage you are repotting to fix.

Repotting living stones — frequently asked questions

How often should you repot living stones?

Every 2–3 years, into bone-dry mix for living stones. Repot living stones every 2–3 years into a snug pot of mineral, extremely free-draining gritty mix, 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 living stones need?

When is the best time of year to repot living stones?

Should you water living stones after repotting?

No — not straight away. Repot living stones 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 living stones after repotting?

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