Late late Lithops

[iann]

Quite a few Lithops are still flowering, and some haven't even started, but the weak sun puts a damper on the display. I don't think this is the best colour combination, but it's certainly different. Now if the little thirsty one would just open its flowers too ...

[Ivan]

They certainly do look thirsty. But the flowers are not anywhere as elongated as mine are/were. I suppose putting them under artificial light won't do it? Or, will they finally open even in spring when the sunlight comes along? It's been an unusual season.

[iann]

I don't normally water Lithops this late, and I don't check on them much either. Water just makes them reach for the stars, plus they'll take weeks longer to shed their skins in the spring. They can look pretty horrible in the middle of winter but all in a good cause.

L. optica 'Rubra' runs to a late schedule though. The plant is in no danger, but a little water might help those flowers. Right, watered, we'll see if the sun comes out.

[RICHAUD]

optica rubra has white flowers
are these plants a new form ? or olivacea nebrownii ? Or another specy ?

the best way to water at this time of the year is to put 1 cm of water in a container and soak the pot 1 minute: just the bottom of the pot will be wet and the plant will absorb what it needs to rehydrate

[Terry S.]

Presumably these are the resynthesized 'Rubragold' that were on the MSG seed list a couple of years ago? These had been produced by Steve Hammer from L. optica 'Rubra' and L. herrei. The 2018 list should have seeds that are derived from the original accidental 'Rubragold' that you can grow for comparison.

[Mafate79]

Hello all, hello Terry,

Could you please explain me what you mean when you say "accidental 'Rubragold'"?

Sincerely,

Sylvain

[rodsmith]

It's been an unusual season.

Yes, we've had a distinct lack of sun here this year and several of my "reliably flowering" lithops haven't done so. It's too late now as the sun isn't reaching my conservatory.

[iann]

Yes, these are hybrids. Yellow flowers on a fairly authentic-looking Rubra body. I have a suspicion that the smaller plant may have white flowers though, so now I'm keen to get it flowering.

[Terry S.]

As far as I can remember, 'Rubragold' originally appeared in a batch of 'Rubra' grown in South Africa, although the cultivar name was later established by Shimada. The question then arises as to whether the first 'Rubragold' arose as a spontaneous mutation or whether it had originated from a dalliance with a yellow-flowered Lithops?

[pvdw]

I love the dry look of lithops in general. It reminds my of where they are from.