Book description:
New
Year: 2018
Language: English/Polish
Binding: Paperback
136 pages
format: 23.5 x 16.2 cm
182 color photos
30 drawings
4 maps
ISBN 978-83-950241-0-8

How to Grow Lithops

and Other Living Stone Plants

by Piotr Dzieduszyński

is an exciting new succulents book on the plants that are able to accumulate water during the dry season. These African succulent plants are strikingly similar to the stones among which they grow and that is the reason why they are called flowering stones or living stone plants. Such a phenomenon of convergence of living organisms into the environment for protective purposes is called mimicry. According to current taxonomy, these plants belong to the family of Aizoaceae, but they have become commonly known as mesembs.

This publication is intended for both beginner plant lovers and intermediate-level readers who already have some experience, e.g. in cactus care. Upon reading this book, they will definitely achieve success in growing the plants both on the windowsill and in the greenhouse.

Apart from the most popular representatives of this family – lithops and conophytums, other mesembs are also discussed. These include Aloinopsis, Argyroderma, Dinteranthus, Faucaria, Fenestraria, Gibbaeum, Glottiphyllum, Lapidaria, Pleiospilos, Rhombophyllum, Tanquana, Titanopsis.


The book consists of three parts:

Part I - Characteristics of living stones which contains a botanical description of the family as well as answers to the question of where and under what conditions these plants occur naturally.

Part II – Principles of growing mesembs which is composed of guidelines on, i.a., location of the collection, providing suitable temperature, appropriate watering and proper replanting.
A separate section is devoted to identifying and controlling pest. Much space is devoted to plant reproduction both by sowing seeds and seedlings growing. Cultivation tips also apply to plants that, although are grown in Europe or the United States, still live in the rhythm of the southern hemisphere.
The book concludes with the calendar of growing for lithops and other mesembs and it contains concise guidance on cultivation over the following months of the year.

Part III - Overview of selected genera of mesembs is made up of short characteristics of the Aizoaceae family representatives and principles of their cultivation. It also illustrates cultivars and aberrations among lithops.
The final section explains the most common myths about growing those plants.

The book is richly illustrated with high-quality photographs taken both in the collection by Mirosław Dzieduszyński and in nature – by Jaromír Chvastek.
The latter runs the page www.cactuspoint.cz, where you can purchase plants and succulent seeds..
















One of
the best books
about succulent plants
in 2018!
Read and share your opinion at lithops.book@gmail.com