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Post by hwinpp on Aug 27, 2009 7:44:32 GMT
Post your pics here. I'll start. This cactus is an orphan. He stands on the wall neighbouring an empty house. I've never watered him and he hasn't changed much since I moved in but he's slowly winning my sympathy for standing there all alone without being tended too. Maybe I'll just take him down and let him interact with my other plants. Please join in, I know T63 has a whole collection
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Post by bixaorellana on Aug 27, 2009 7:49:20 GMT
What a happy, prolific cactus!
I am SO happy you started this thread. This group of plants is dear to my heart. I think I can identify your cactus for you if you'll give a little time.
HW, you can take off any of those pups and turn them into new cactus plants. Since you have lots of rain in your climate, set the pup aside in a bright but not sunny spot and let it form a dry callous at the place with was attached to the parent plant. Then simply set it in a pot of gritty dirt and let it make roots, thrive, and eventually turn into something that looks like the picture above.
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Post by hwinpp on Aug 27, 2009 10:49:19 GMT
So no need to steal this one? Just chop of one of those cancer- like mutations and clone a new one exactly like him? I'll try.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2009 11:43:18 GMT
Beautiful hw! I'm amazed that the plant (and the pot it is in) survived the night here sitting right above Bixa's lustful eyes and clutches!! I admire looking at the cacti,don't have but one or two small. The succulents on the other hand I'm mad for although I ,don't have many,many.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2009 11:52:47 GMT
Oh boy, the little cactus babies are getting a new home!
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Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2009 15:12:53 GMT
I really like Cacti plants, (bit of a novelty around here ;D). I bought one last year and it died over the winter, unfortunately. In B.C. (being the only pocket desert in Canada), they grew in the wild. I'm always amazed at just how many kinds there are. I like this one:
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Post by bixaorellana on Aug 27, 2009 15:55:06 GMT
You don't need to chop, HW. Just push at the babies with something like a pencil eraser, and they should fall off. Once you get them in the dirt, don't water them until they've made roots.
(and I haven't forgotten that I said I'd try to identify it)
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Post by bixaorellana on Aug 30, 2009 2:53:41 GMT
HW, my best guess on your cactus is that it's a Parodia herteri, aka Notocactus herteri (old term).
If you google and google image the two terms above, you can compare the descriptions and pictures with your little spiny friend.
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Post by hwinpp on Aug 31, 2009 4:50:30 GMT
Where is it from? Are all cacti from Mexico or from the New World?
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Post by bixaorellana on Aug 31, 2009 4:59:05 GMT
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Post by hwinpp on Sept 4, 2009 7:46:08 GMT
You think that's mine? There is some similarity, both are spiky... To be sure I'll wait for it to bloom. That flower in your link looks sensational. Probably it will only start blooming in December when the sun comes out.
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Post by bixaorellana on Sept 4, 2009 14:53:37 GMT
I am guessing, HW, based on your picture. Take your cactus off the wall and compare it to the photo on the far right in the link in Reply #9.
If you can see that it's not the cactus in the photo, you'll have to start comparing your cactus with photos and descriptions from books &/or the internet. You could also phone the botanical garden and the universities to see if someone there would be willing to look at it for you. And you're right about the bloom being a major clue.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 8, 2009 21:06:43 GMT
Are we talking about HW's stolen cactus?
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Post by bixaorellana on Sept 8, 2009 21:56:13 GMT
Adopted, Kerouac, adopted.
I don't know. Do you think he showed the proper respect and gratitude for my tentative identification. Good thing I am too mature of a person to say something like I hope he pricks the hell out of himself with his ill-gotten prickly prize.
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Post by hwinpp on Sept 16, 2009 7:47:56 GMT
I've not moved in on it yet. But it's still up there, unwatched. I'll bide my time a bit, get a spare pot then steal the shoots and stick them in the ground.
No, I won't of course, I'll do exactly as Bixa has advised, except I won't go to the botanical institute, probably nobody is there except the care taker.
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Post by bixaorellana on Sept 24, 2009 7:10:27 GMT
I'm excited about this year's crop of buds on this cactus. It is @ 47 in/120 cm tall. Last year it started blooming towards the end of October: Yellow crown of thorns. I really like the dwarf varieties of this plant. A red one and its tall companion
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Post by bixaorellana on Sept 25, 2009 5:58:48 GMT
Look what the well-budded cactus is doing! This is the same one shown above in the photos taken day before yesterday. These photos were taken this afternoon. Close-up of the base -->
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Post by bixaorellana on Sept 25, 2009 6:50:18 GMT
Such excitement! There were evil alien dogs on the property, but fierce brave Ginger chased them away. When I went out to see what all the ruckus was, I was amazed to see the cactus buds had opened. I took a bunch of pictures, but there's not enough light. Will see if I can get a good pic tomorrow. In the meantime ...............
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Post by Deleted on Sept 25, 2009 11:09:57 GMT
Wow Bixa,this has me excited about growing cactus in a way I've never experienced before. There's something about seeing a lushly budded plant and the resulting bloom. Those look spectacular! Cacti do however ,tend to not only look out of place here with all our humidity but ,act that way as well. I think I would have to rig up something to protect them from all our rains and still allow enough sunlight. My mother's technique for watering cacti is hysterical. She says she looks to see if it rained in the desert and then waters. She may have been pulling my leg but has always had beautiful cacti plants.
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Post by bixaorellana on Sept 25, 2009 14:39:17 GMT
I think your mother has absolutely got it right. Most cacti -- all of which are new world plants -- come from places with distinct wet and dry seasons. A few years ago we had a rainy season that was pretty excessive, and everyone's cacti, both potted and in the ground, thrived. Remember that we get no rain for six months here. Most doting plant owners can't restrain themselves from giving water for that long, so lovingly drown their spiny friends. If you want to grow cacti, seek out varieties that don't want full sun. That will allow you to keep them under cover and still afford them enough light. The first one that comes to mind is Gymnocalycium. Although this particular cactus (Stenocereus beneckei) is shown inside the porch, I only moved it the other day so I'd have a better view of the flowers. Ordinarily it's on the porch ledge. It's very gray out today, and the flowers have semi closed and don't seem to want to open back up. This photo is blurry, because I didn't feel like hauling the chair back out so I could stand on it to get the picture. ----->
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Post by bixaorellana on Oct 1, 2009 2:52:08 GMT
These pictures were taken today:
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Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2009 0:03:37 GMT
Again gorgeous. Unfortunately,I don't know many people around here I could get divisions or cuttings from. Not many cacti gardeners here. Here's my meager little cacti/succulent collection:
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Post by bixaorellana on Oct 9, 2009 0:30:58 GMT
Oh ~~ you have some beauties! I have to laugh at the pots. Mine will definitely never get the mossy patina in this climate.
Is that the trunk of a Jatropha behind the Graptopetalum paraguayense? And is that a Queen of the Night leaning towards the camera, or something else?
I love those monstrose forms of euhorbia. I see the greener of the two has thrown out a couple of branches that reverted to the true form. You can cut those off & pot them up separately, as they will never get the cristate shape.
I really like the way you have them displayed.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2009 4:45:03 GMT
I admire the patience that people have with cacti, because I have always needed to see plants that grow or 'do things' relatively quickly. I know it is super rewarding when a cactus finally blooms, but I couldn't stand the months and months of it sitting there with nothing ever happening. Yes, I'm fickle and flighty in terms of gardening.
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Post by bixaorellana on Oct 9, 2009 6:51:59 GMT
Actually, except for a few with high drama, like the queen of the night, I don't grow succulents for the flowers. They have so much interest in texture, tint, and form that flowers are not necessary, although a pleasant bonus. I do like to post pictures of succulents in flower, though, as it's a way of drawing attention to these chubby, low-maintenance beauties. Tell me these need flowers to be interesting! The play of light and shadow caused by the strong architectural forms is endlessly fascinating, and sunlight shining through the subtle colors of cactus spines is a beautiful sight.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2009 21:10:29 GMT
I confess I don't know all the names of those B. and the display is Luke's handiwork. I am attracted to the foliage as well. The "Queen of the Night" blooms though, are stupendous.
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Post by bixaorellana on Oct 9, 2009 21:49:36 GMT
I can't do it right this minute (shouldn't even be on the computer right now ), but will identify as many as I can & get back to you.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2009 23:07:34 GMT
I can look them up,thanks though. My energies have not gone too much in this direction plant wise.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 8, 2010 5:31:35 GMT
Even though I had a few cacti in Texas, I never knew much about them, concentrating my gardening efforts on "normal" plants. When I finally started growing succulents here, I was really worried about how they'd react to the seasonal rains. Now I know -- they love it! Others have reported the same burgeoning of growth and health in their little fat darlings. They grow, bloom, and glory in the wet weather of summer.
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Post by mickthecactus on Aug 6, 2010 13:23:08 GMT
I have Stenocactus beneckei too (you don't see it that often) about 3' tall but no flowers for me yet.
Maybe our weather isn't conducive..........
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