Argyroderma delaetii aka Argyroderma Delaetii

Argyroderma delaetii is a small succulent, a plant with thick, fleshy leaves. It belongs to the Aizoaceae family. It comes from South Africa’s Western Cape. Its range takes in Knersvlakte in Little Namaqualand. Kew places it in desert or dry shrubland. People call it living stone, living rock, and silver stoneflower. These names refer to its round shape and stone-like skin. The RHS accepts the species name. It also lists other names for the same species. These include Argyroderma australe, Argyroderma lesliei, and Argyroderma reniforme.

Plants grow about 0.1 feet [0.03 metres] tall. Some stay single, while others form clumps over time. Short stems lie on the ground and bear leaf pairs. Each pair forms a plump, egg-shaped body with a deep split. The leaves range from silver-blue to blue-green. Each half is one thick, fleshy leaf. A V-shaped fissure, or split, lies between the two leaves. New leaves grow through this gap each year. The new pair sits at right angles to the old pair. This pattern gives the small plant its split-stone shape.

Large flowers rise from the gap between the leaves. They look like daisies, unlike the small, round leaf bodies. They bloom in late autumn, in a wide range of colours. These include purple, pink, violet, white, and yellow. Plants in one wild group can have blooms of different colours. Even young plants from one seed capsule may bloom in different colours. This range of forms has led to many published names. The source account notes seed capsules but gives no fruit details.

In the wild, the plant grows among white quartz stones. These stone fields cover plains and low hills near the coast. Rocky, salty ground lies beneath the stones. Winter rain and frequent fog bring water to this dry place. The plants blend with the pale stones round their leaf bodies. Their stone-like shape helps hide them from animals that might eat them.

Succulent growers prize the leaf shapes and range of flower colours. LLIFLE notes that few plants grow in collections. The species account notes split or scarred skins on wild plants. The supplied species sources give no firm frost limit. They give no detailed plan for care, either. They also give no evidence for food use or toxicity.