Shared planter and individual succulents
Plant 38 / 45
Shared planter and individual succulents
Plant 38 / 45
Pleiospilos nelii; no cultivar supplied
Split rock
Species reference · Krzysztof Golik · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Photo Source ↗
Collection Record- Succulent-16
Permanent Label#10
Identification
Status
Acquired From- Home Depot, Howell, Michigan; nursery label identifies Altman Plants as grower
Acquired On- 2026-09-21
Google Sheets ID- P36 ↗
Photo History- Photos in collection notes ↓
Measurements and Care History
Measurements and Care HistoryWeights, watering, events, and charts for P36.
Spot it
Spot itWhat it looks like
One visible pair of rounded grey-green, densely speckled leaves with a deep central cleft and pale inner faces, photographed in the speckled-brown pot on September 23, 2026. No extra old pair is visible.
One curious thing
One curious thingDid you know?
Split-rock seed capsules open when wet and close again as they dry, letting raindrops scatter some seeds while others remain protected for another shower.
Explore This Plant
A closer look
How this plant works
How this plant worksRounded, speckled leaves form the stone-like body, with a deep cleft above a long taproot.
Habitat and origins
Habitat and originsPleiospilos nelii grows in sparse Karoo vegetation near the boundary of South Africa’s Western and Eastern Cape. Its rounded body and dark spots blend into the stony ground, where plants occur singly or in small populations.
Habitat sources: [1]
What growth can look like
What growth can look like- Stage 1
Established pair
Two rounded leaves make the compact visible body.
- Stage 2
New leaves emerge
A replacement pair develops between the older leaves.
- Stage 3
Older pair absorbed
Old leaves supply moisture to the new growth and eventually shrivel.
Follow the visible leaf cycle indoors, letting old leaves supply the developing pair.
Growth sources: [1]
Flowers
The fragrant flowers open in mid-afternoon and can reach about 60 mm across. SANBI describes salmon or pinkish-yellow blooms that turn orange as they wither, so a single flower can change color as it ages.
Sources: [1]
As it matures
The mature form stays dwarf and nearly stemless, with fleshy leaf pairs rather than a leafy branch system. Its long taproot makes usable pot depth relevant even when the visible plant looks small.
Sources: [1]
Behind the name
Pleiospilos refers to its many spots, while nelii honors botanist G. C. Nel.
Sources: [1]
Similar plants, useful clues
Royal Flush split rock ↗
The collection's purple-leaved cultivar has a separate pot and history; this new green plant has no cultivar on its label.
Lithops ↗
Lithops have flatter windowed tops; their similar stone disguise does not make their leaf-cycle care interchangeable.
This plant in the collection
Its story so far
Home Depot arrival
Purchased in Howell, Michigan; the Altman label names Pleiospilos nelii without a cultivar.
Collection record ↗Speckled-pot repot
Moved into setup 2 with 80% Molly's Succulent Mix and 20% perlite; the single visible pair was firm.
Collection record ↗
See the acquisition and repot photographs in the collection notes.
Explore the sources
Explore the sourcesNames and identity
| Kind | Record |
|---|---|
| Species | Pleiospilos nelii, identified on the Altman Plants nursery label |
| Cultivar | No cultivar supplied |
| Common name | Split rock |
| Native origin | South Africa's Cape Provinces |
Kew accepts Pleiospilos nelii Schwantes, published in 1930.
Species identification and cultivar
The rounded grey-green leaves distinguish this plant visually from the collection's purple-leaved Royal Flush.
This is a separate plant and container from Royal Flush / G3 / P28. Each pot has its own watering and weight history.
Nursery and repot evidence
The September 23 label photographs show Split Rock / Pleiospilos nelii,
grown by Altman Plants, with assortment text S 2.5" .ASST MIMICRY, code
487712, and UPC 092852023689. No cultivar is printed. The former nursery pot was described by the owner as 2.25 inches; the label
gives a nominal 2.5-inch assortment size. This plant was purchased at
Home Depot in Howell, Michigan, on September 21, 2026, together with
the two Lithops nursery pots.
Owner photograph, September 23, 2026: Altman Plants Split Rock / Pleiospilos nelii label.
At 02:30 EDT on September 23, the plant was repotted into
the Thirtypot speckled-brown pot, setup 2, logged as 4 in round. The
recorded recipe is 80% Molly's Succulent Mix + 20% perlite. The seller's selected 4.5-inch variant
(B0GGSNQG27) remains in the
equipment inventory, separate from the logged
size and any still-unmeasured internal depth.
The complete pot weighed 713.5 g, with Dry medium and firm leaves with only a single pair. The owner described a very well-rooted plant, almost root-bound in its former 2.25-inch nursery pot. Photographs show that single grey-green pair without an obvious additional old pair.
No watering was recorded with the repot. The 713.5 g reading is an initial pot weight, not a calibrated dry or freshly watered reference.
Owner photograph, September 23, 2026: completed P36 / #10 repot in the chosen speckled-brown pot.
Owner photograph, September 23, 2026: speckled leaf surfaces and central cleft.
September 25 condition update
The owner reported this plant firm, with no new leaf pair emerging on September 25, 2026. This is the separate nursery-labelled Pleiospilos nelii with no cultivar supplied, not G3 / P28 Royal Flush. No new medium-moisture, root, weight, watering, or feeding observation accompanied the update; the September 23 Dry record does not establish September 25 moisture.
Care in this collection
| Topic | Practical starting approach |
|---|---|
| Light | Acclimate gradually to a bright position. Record its final placement and leaf-height exposure. |
| Water | Assess root disturbance after the repot, then use the live leaf cycle, firmness, base, and actual medium dryness. A firm single pair does not need an automatic post-repot drink. Weight or a plateau alone cannot establish readiness. |
| Pot and mix | The recorded recipe is 80% Molly's Succulent Mix plus 20% added perlite, not a measured mineral percentage. SANBI describes a relatively long taproot and well-drained soil. Confirm usable depth and drainage; a seller diameter does not establish either. |
| Tracking | Use the complete P36 assembly and setup-2 history only. P28's weights and nursery history do not transfer; the first Routine weight is not a calibrated reference. |
Watch points
SANBI notes that persistent old leaves can accompany excess watering. Record leaf stage before acting: softening, translucence, a compromised base, or unexpectedly prolonged wet medium calls for inspection. When replacement is visible, do not water merely to plump an old outer pair being reabsorbed. Only one visible pair was documented on September 23.
Use the visible leaf stage to guide indoor care, and observe this pot separately from the Lithops planter.
Sources
-
Owner condition report received September 25, 2026, about 5:09 p.m. EDT: firm, no new leaf pair emerging; exact hands-on observation time not supplied.
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Owner acquisition record: Home Depot, Howell, Michigan, September 21, 2026.
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Owner reports, September 21–23, 2026, and Google Photos originals inspected September 23: separate non-Royal Flush acquisition, pot choice, nursery label, and completed repot photographs.
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Owner care record, September 23, 2026: repot at 02:30 EDT, recorded 02:40:36 EDT; setup 2, recipe, weight, firm single pair, and root observations.
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Equipment inventory — exact ordered pot identity and seller variant, kept separate from the logged dimensions.
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Kew Plants of the World Online: Pleiospilos nelii — accepted species name, publication, and range.
-
SANBI PlantZAfrica: Pleiospilos nelii — leaf renewal, appearance, taproot, drainage, and excess-water cautions.
Through the seasons
Plant Photo History
Botanical reference photos
Reference Gallery
Form and growth
Look closer
Flowers and buds
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