Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Southern Africa
Southern Africa, South Africa
Types
Carissa bispinosa, Carissa carandas
Lithops karasmontana
Lithops pseudotruncatella
Lithops fulviceps
Number of Varieties
203
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Tropical regions
Barren waste areas, Desert, Dry areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-1112-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-10
Sunset Zone
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
Rosette/Stemless
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm250.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm2.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
White, Yellow, Pink, Lavender
Flower Color Modifier
-
-
Fruit Color
Light Red
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Green, Blue Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Elliptic and Ovate
-
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Very Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
-
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Shade areas
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Vegetative Reproduction
root cutting, Seedlings, Stem Cutting
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Requires regular watering, Water daily during growing season, Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
Does not require lot of watering, Drought Tolerant, Needs very little water
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
-
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
-
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
-
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
-
Pruning
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune to control growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Do not prune during shooting season
Fertilizers
fertilize in growing season, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
can go long without fertilizers, Does not require fertilizer once established
Pests and Diseases
Insects, Red blotch, Scale, Spider mites, Thripes, Whiteflies
-
Plant Tolerance
Shade areas
Drought, Dry Conditions, Dry soil, Rocky Soil, Sun
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
-
Allergy
Toxic
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Bonsai, Cottage Garden, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Decorating walls, Ornamental use
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Fruits
-
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Edible, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Alpine, Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
CARISSA macrocarpa
Conophytum
Common Name
Carissia
knopies
cone plants
In Hindi
Carissa
Living Stone
In German
carissa
lebendigen Stein
In French
carissa
Living Stone
In Spanish
carissa
Piedra viva
In Greek
carissa
Living Stone
In Portuguese
carissa
pedra viva
In Polish
carissa
pedra viva
In Latin
carissa
vivus lapis,
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Gentianales
Caryophyllales
Family
Apocynaceae
Aizoaceae
Genus
Carissa
Lithops
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Carisseae
Ruschiae
Subfamily
Rauvolfioideae
Ruschioideae
Number of Species
100120
1
27800
👆🏻