---
title: "How do I know that some of my plants notably retract and expand at…"
description: "How do I know that some of my plants notably retract and expand at night, and that the sound isn't a ghost rifling through calcinated clay? This happens every…"
url: "https://getplanta.com/community/JTKPVVVnTWq8RdIJ8lW6Rg/WOlpqNlIQi14MGOsjwNCVE"
community: "Lithops Lovers"
author: "Dave_opuntiaface"
published: "2025-05-18T17:36:55.727103Z"
language: "en"
image: "https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/gFKgBIDtQUSoNHyzAXA4pLM-wYI4yLGXFPAMGDtMt3o/L9YfW2WdSEWzfNabux4elA.webp?size=large"
---

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# How do I know that some of my plants notably retract and expand at…

_Posted by Dave\_opuntiaface on 2025-05-18_

How do I know that some of my plants notably retract and expand at night, and that the sound isn't a ghost rifling through calcinated clay? This happens every night around 11ish. TAP TAP TAP. This is around a week's worth of restless plant legs. Note that these are my latest and greatest Lithops. 🤞

![Attachment 1 of 3](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/gFKgBIDtQUSoNHyzAXA4pLM-wYI4yLGXFPAMGDtMt3o/L9YfW2WdSEWzfNabux4elA.webp?size=large)

![Attachment 2 of 3](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/gFKgBIDtQUSoNHyzAXA4pLM-wYI4yLGXFPAMGDtMt3o/6WUsNqZlRLi0pYMJs2OdIA.webp?size=large)

![Attachment 3 of 3](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/gFKgBIDtQUSoNHyzAXA4pLM-wYI4yLGXFPAMGDtMt3o/uoKDxFioTVONqt_KKszCXA.webp?size=large)

## 15 comments

### Kate commented on 2025-05-18

What?! That’s so cool. I didn’t realize this is a thing

#### Dave\_opuntiaface replied on 2025-05-19

Yah. I had read about roots of this plant contracting at night. After, I started paying attention to the noises lol.

![Attachment 1 of 1](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/gFKgBIDtQUSoNHyzAXA4pLM-wYI4yLGXFPAMGDtMt3o/8Xc2wZYTSqq5oixL9mwMGw.webp?size=large)

### Dave\_opuntiaface commented on 2025-05-22

Today. Last night was a party.

![Attachment 1 of 1](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/gFKgBIDtQUSoNHyzAXA4pLM-wYI4yLGXFPAMGDtMt3o/3u2KpfZfQhuyRxOP6pOM6A.webp?size=large)

### PrettyLittleThings commented on 2025-05-25

So far mine had been quiet and cleaning up after themselves lol. Very interesting!

#### Dave\_opuntiaface replied on 2025-05-25

Yeah, really odd and silly. They had another party last night.

![Attachment 1 of 1](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/gFKgBIDtQUSoNHyzAXA4pLM-wYI4yLGXFPAMGDtMt3o/5xD5K1pqQ4uvShtnSC26yA.webp?size=large)

#### PrettyLittleThings replied on 2025-05-25

LOL!

### SavagePotato commented on 2025-06-24

This is “off topic” but what is that media called!

#### Dave\_opuntiaface replied on 2025-06-25

No worries - everything is on topic here lol. It's calcinated clay pebbles.

![Attachment 1 of 1](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/gFKgBIDtQUSoNHyzAXA4pLM-wYI4yLGXFPAMGDtMt3o/6s8JlVbvQ1Ww-k3Hn2sqLA.webp?size=large)

#### Rhus replied on 2025-07-10

I am glad you asked, because I wanted to know too! The pebbles look so good

#### SavagePotato replied on 2025-07-10

Ohhhhh I’ve wanted to get into lithops— idk anything about them🥲and I’ve never took it upon myself to go research lo

#### Dave\_opuntiaface replied on 2025-07-15

I'll one day post about all the boutique, random mineral substrates I try. I do like this one a bunch, so far. Mostly, I'm trying to find one that lives up the the claim that pests hate it.

#### Dave\_opuntiaface replied on 2025-07-15

The thing about Lithops is that, six months in, they change. And you're like "this doesn't look right."

![Attachment 1 of 1](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/gFKgBIDtQUSoNHyzAXA4pLM-wYI4yLGXFPAMGDtMt3o/lfrND_BeS8KU1i489JRcjQ.webp?size=large)

### Rhus commented on 2025-07-10

Dude this is so amazing. I have loved seeing my calatheas close and open, and I very much enjoy watching aerial roots and vines "search" for an anchor, but this is just incredibly adorable.

#### Dave\_opuntiaface replied on 2025-07-15

Those are my cutest, followed by these two. Sadly, the little "feet" seem to be food.

![Attachment 1 of 1](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/gFKgBIDtQUSoNHyzAXA4pLM-wYI4yLGXFPAMGDtMt3o/fplZkeX7SU27t_D7WCu5Aw.webp?size=large)

### Rhus commented on 2025-07-15

I, too, grow spare parts (well, parts of parts I guess?) to store energy 😅

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