Tag Archives: Gasteria sp.

10-24-23 Cactus & Succulent Update Part 3

Hello everyone! I hope this post finds you well. I went outside this morning and it is definitely getting colder…  The leaves are almost completely gone from the maple trees now. We always know it will happen sooner or later. Prepared? Not exactly but it doesn’t take long since I have been through it many times. I prefer the plants being outside, and I’m sure they do too, but it is kind of nice to have plants inside over the winter months. I neglect them outside, now I can neglect them inside with them watching. 🙂

I messed up! I was working on this post very late one night and clicked on “save draft” and went to bed. The next morning there were 3 comments. I guess I accidentally clicked publish instead. So, I clicked on draft so I could finish… GEEZ!!!

Agave ‘Inkblot’ at 9 1/2″ tall x 30″ wide on 10-24-23, #968-1.

So, I was at Muddy Creek Greenhouse in June and found this Agave  (x Mangave) ‘Inkblot’… I looked at the price and it was OK at the time because I had a little extra cash. I always liked Agave and have grown a few, but some can get QUITE large. I really liked this one, so without reading the label, I put it on the counter. I put it on the side porch and it did quite well and kept growing… To a whopping 9 1/2″ tall x 30″ wide! I measured it three times to be sure. It has at least one pup…

Ummm… I don’t have a page for this one yet…

I checked Plants of the World Online to make sure xMangave and Manfreda are still synonyms of Agave. So far, the name change has stuck… There were other genera involved in this change as well. Many Manfreda species were originally species of Agave. I also noticed many of the species names of Manfreda had to be changed when the move occurred because there was already Agave with the same name. Hmmm…

OK, I promised my wife I wouldn’t talk about taxonomy. OH, wait a minute… I don’t have a wife.

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Aloe ‘Cha Cha’ at 4 1/4″ tall x 8 1/4″ wide on 10-24-23, #968-3.

Aloe ‘Cha Cha’ has done great and the tallest plant is 4 1/4″ tall and the entire clump measured 8 1/4″ wide at the widest point. This is the only plant from Succulent Market that was shipped in 2020 that has survived. This one never had mealybugs while the others succumbed to them. I’m not going to accuse Succulent Market because the plants they shipped were AWESOME so they deserve the benefit of the doubt.

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Aloe juvenna (Tiger Tooth Aloe) on 10-24-23, #968-4.

WHEW! The Aloe juvenna (Tiger Tooth Aloe) had a close call. It was much bigger but it started having a weird issue in 2021 and and darn near died. Fortunately, it has survived and is now growing new offsets. This Aloe has been a steady grower (until its near demise). One stem still looks a little iffy…

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x Alworthia ‘Black Gem’ on 10-24-23, #968-5.

I have had the x Alworthia ‘Black Gem’ since 2019 and it was perfectly fine until last year. It started getting infested with scale. I think it is OK now and I haven’t noticed any scale lately. The plant has done much better over the summer. It is isolated from the other plants and I will keep an eye on it.

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Epiphyllum oxypetalum (Queen of the Night) on 10-24-23, #968-6.

Tony Tomeo sent several Epiphyllum oxypetalum (Queen of the Night) in December 2020 and two have grown by leaps and bounds. The others did well for a while, but eventually died for some reason. There are several common names like Dutchman’s Pipe Cactus, Princess of the Night, Queen of the Night, etc. The official name from iNaturalist is Queen of the Night which it shares with other night-blooming cactus. This plant grows several types of branches. Cactus-like branches grow from main branches that are round with odd spines. As they get older, they flatten out. Strange but true…

Epiphyllum oxypetalum (Queen of the Night) on 10-24-23, #968-7.

I really don’t know much about this species except that they grow in trees in their native habitat. During the summer, I have been keeping the bigger plant in the previous photo next to the Stapelia gigantea on a table under the roof of the back porch. In 2021, the one in the above photo was on a shelf on the back porch, but in 2022 I put it on the front porch. This past summer it was back on the plant shelf on the back porch. On the 23rd I had to move the shelf to my bedroom, so I thought I would temporarily put the plant next to the other one… Well, it had grown a branch that was all the way to the ceiling…

Epiphyllum oxypetalum (Queen of the Night) on 10-24-23, #968-8.

I laid the tall branch along the wall next to a 2 x 4 so it wouldn’t fall over… It had started growing aerial roots…

I need to repot these two and put them in more suitable pots, something that will allow them to hang. I have watched several videos on YouTube about how to grow them… They are definitely interesting and it will be exciting when they bloom. Thanks, Tony! I have a page for this species, but it isn’t finished…

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Euphorbia mammillaris (Indian Corn Cob) on 10-24-23, #968-9.

Hmmm… The Euphorbia mammillaris (Indian Corn Cob) is an oddball of sorts. The main stem and its branches keep getting longer. They don’t want to grow like I want them to, so I have to keep a brick next to the pot to keep it from falling over… Yeah, it has an intruder…

Euphorbia mammillaris (Indian Corn Cob) on 10-24-23, #968-10.

I like its small leaves that grow during the summer…

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x Gasteraloe ‘Flow’ at 6 1/2″ tall x 6 3/4″ wide on 10-24-23, #968-11.

This is my second x Gasteraloe ‘Flow’. I brought home the first one in 2016 and threw it out the back door in January 2021. I could not get rid of its mealy bugs and realized it would die anyway and the bugs could spread to more plants. It looked GREAT before its ordeal which you will see if you go to its page. Fortunately, I found this one in 2022 at the Kuntry Store in 2022. Although they had larger ones, they were all in combination planters. I settled on one 3″ tall x 3 3/4″ wide. I told the owner I wanted one of the larger plants, but not all that came with it. He just smiled… GEEZ! The plant has grown well and looks great at 6 1/2″ tall x 6 3/4″ wide. It has a faster growth rate than the old one. Now, I should mention I bought both plants unlabeled so I am just guessing at the name… There are so many to choose from that look alike, but I am sticking with this one. It is pretty well known.

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Gasteria sp. ? on 10-24-23, #968-12.

The Gasteria sp. ‘?’ survived a bout with mealy bugs two winters in a row… This plant is so tough-skinned you wouldn’t think it would have an issue. The bugs get way down where the leaves emerge and it is hard to get to them. It has been sprayed, cleaned, washed, and repotted multiple times… I have had this plant for six summers and I would hate to have to throw it out the door…  It looked very iffy when I photographed it already needs a going over. I keep it isolated or around plants that are not susceptible to unwanted critters. It grew A LOT of offsets this summer.

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Haworthiopsis limifolia (Fairy Washboard/Swati Haworthia) at 5 3/4″ tall x 7″ wide on 10-24-23, #968-23.

The Haworthiopsis limifolia (Fairy Washboard/Swati Haworthia) is one neat plant! I really like its dark green color and the raised tubercles. Common names include File-Leaved Haworthia, Fairy Washboard, and Fairies Washboard. The iNaturalist website lists the common name as Swati Haworthia… I brought it home in 2019 and it has grown to 5 3/4″ tall x 7″ wide with absolutely no issues.

Haworthiopsis limifolia and kids on 10-24-23, #968-15.

This genus is fairly new, being named in 2013 by George Douglas Rowley. There are currently 19 species in the genus, 15 of which were transferred by Mr. Rowley. There are FIVE accepted varieties of this species including the type specimen. I have no idea which this one is…

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Huernia schneideriana (Red Dragon Flower) on 10-24-23, #968-16.

The Huernia schneideriana (Red Dragon Flower) just keeps growing longer and growing more offsets. It has grown A LOT since I brought it home in 2015. It produces a lot of small maroon flowers with black centers at several different times of the year. This is a carrion flower, but the flowers are so small you don’t notice the smell. I have repotted this plant a few times and it isn’t easy…

Like the Stapelia gigantea (farther down), it is a member of the plant family Apocynaceae, the Milkweeds…

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Kalanchoe daigremontiana (Alligator Plant) at 43″ tall on 10-24-23, #968-17.

OK, I seem to be at a loss for words… I really like Kalanchoe and for the most part, they are easy to grow. The first one I brought home from Wagler’s Greenhouse in 2014. She said it was a Mother of Thousands. Some information online said that the plant was a Kalanchoe daigremontiana, while Llifle (Encyclopedia of Living Forms) showed a completely different plant… After having it misnamed for several years, I put a photo on a Facebook Group and was told it was a Kalanchoe laetivirens (or x laetivirens)… Then finally on May 7 in 2022, Wagler’s had several really nice Kalanchoe daigremontiana… The real deal! Well, I was very excited so I brought one home that was 13 1/2″ tall and it just kept on growing… It was 27 1/2″ tall by the time I moved the plants inside on October 16. It kept growing… I had to rearrange the shelves just for this plant! Well, it started growing buds…

The above photo shows a bent-over stem where the flowers were…

Kalanchoe daigremontiana (Alligator Plant) on 11-6-22, #920-1.

The above photo shows the buds touching the bottom of the shelf on November 6 in 2022… I took it outside for a photo and measurement on November 11 and it was 40 1/2″ tall!

Kalanchoe daigremontiana (Alligator Plant) on 10-24-23, #968-18.

On the 24th, the plant has grown, without the old flower stem, to 43″ tall! I wonder if it will bloom again. Fortunately, it doesn’t have as many kids as the K. laetivirens. Let me rephrase that… Not as many per leaf, which aren’t leaves… What we think of as leaves on these birthing machines, are actually phylloclades which are flattened branches modified for photosynthesis. The Kalanchoe daigremontiana has MANY MORE phylloclades, so in reality, it produces more plantlets. I remove them before I bring them inside or they would be growing in every pot around it…

I thought this species was monocarpic, which means they die after flowering… Guess again! It didn’t die!

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Kalanchoe delagoensis (Mother of Thousands) at 16 1/2″ tall on 10-24-23, #968-20.

I found this Kalanchoe delagoensis (Mother of Thousands) at Mast’s Greenhouse in May this year. It has grown to 16 1/2″ tall and is another one that produces plantlets along its phylloclades.

Kalanchoe delagoensis (Mother of Thousands) on 10-24-23, #968-21.

This one definitely doesn’t produce as many kids…

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Kalanchoe laetivirens (Mother of Thousands) on 10-24-23, #968-22.

The Kalanchoe laetivirens (Mother of Thousands) is the one I had confused with Kalanchoe daigremontiana. I have learned a lot about Kalanchoe with this species, and we have had our ups and downs. This species is actually a hybrid between Kalanchoe daigremontiana and Kalanchoe laxiflora which many list as  Kalanchoe x laetivirens. It really doesn’t matter at this point. Like all members of the Kalanchoe genus with phylloclades, it has been in and out of the Bryophyllum genus multiple times, which is currently listed as a synonym on “most” databases.

I have often said that a well-grown Kalanchoe laetivirens is a beautiful plant and I have experienced that several times. If you don’t have time to cut the stem in half on occasion, they can get tall and just plain weird… Ummm… Like mine are now.

The common names Alligator Plant, Mother of Thousands, Mother of Millions, and so on are shared by other members of the genus that produce plantlets along their phylloclades…

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Kalanchoe luciae (Paddle Plant) group on 10-24-23, #968-23.

GEEZ! The Kalanchoe luciae (Paddle Plant)… I brought home the first plant in 2016 and it has multiplied. They grow plenty of offsets that can lead to more plants. Their stems can grow fairly long if not in full sun which mine, for the most part, haven’t been in full sun. I repotted a few of them this spring since I promised them I would. I became busy and didn’t finish. The odd thing is, the plants I didn’t repot still look better than the ones I did. Some of their stems still need cut and replanted and a couple have bent over the edge of the pot and cut themselves. GEEZ! Once I get situated, I will take care of them better over the winter. Ummm… Kalanchoe luciae are monocarpic and are supposed to die after flowering. Well, as you can see, the plant in the back bloomed last year and didn’t die… Well, not yet anyway.

There is another similar species called Kalanchoe thyrsiflora. It is so similar that most of the K. thyrsiflora being sold are actually K. luciae. Last year, I was at Mast’s Greenhouse and found a few unlabeled plants that were growing in better light and really looked good, “OH WOW! Could it be a K. thyrsiflora?” One thing different about the two species is their flowers… Well, I brought one home and it grew and grew and I knew it was going to flower. I thought it was definitely going to be a K. thyrsiflora so I wrote a page about it. Once it was inside, it started budding and bloomed. Hmmm… It was a Kalanchoe luciae… Click HERE to go to the page about this plant. I suppose being grown in a greenhouse with plenty of light, it was growing the way it was supposed to… Now I have to do something about the page… When I go plant shopping I sometimes forget what I have learned when there is a prospect of bringing home a new species.

Apparently, K. thrysiflora is fairly rare so if you find a plant labeled as such, it may very well be a K. luciae…

I intended to put a few K. luciae on the back this summer after I repotted them, but I didn’t. Possibly, if they are in more light, they will grow differently and produce flowers. I have had a few growing in the sun before and they stayed fairly compact and the leaves turned an orangy red. You can see in the above photo one of the plants has orangy leaves from being in more sun.

Hmmm… I should have written a separate post about the Kalanchoe…

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Kleinia stapeliiformis (Pickle Plant) on 10-24-23. #968-26.

I found this plant at Mast’s Greenhouse in May 2023 and just had to bring it home. It was unlabeled, and although I said no more unlabeled plants, I couldn’t help myself AGAIN. So, I brought it home and did a little research and found out it was a Kleinia stapeliiformis (Pickle Plant). Then the thought, “OH NO! I brought home a Senecio!” Sure enough, Senecio stapeliiformis is a synonym. I have had issues with other Senecio species before… This one, however, has done quite well… It has grown more offsets and there are two smaller ones on the other side of the pot.

Kleinia stapeliiformis (Pickle Plant) on 10-24-23, #968-27.

Likely, Mast’s stuck the above stem in the pot and it grew offsets… I think it is pretty neat even though it is a Senecio… I will be even more surprised if it survives the winter… Maybe changing the name gave it confidence. 🙂

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Sedum adolphi (Golden Sedum/Coppertone Stonecrop) on 10-24-23, #968-28.

I first brought a Sedum adolphi (Golden Sedum. Coppertone Stonecrop) home in 2012 and brought it with me when I homed back to the family farm in 2013. The second one almost died in 2017, but it managed to survive. To be honest, I think it would be much better on the back deck in more light so it won’t grow so spindly. You should also take leaf cuttings and put them in their own pot (s) just in case something happens. Sedum adolphi is the only Sedum species I have successfully grown in a pot inside over the winter.

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Sedum adolphi ‘Firestorm’ on 10-24-23.

I brought this Sedum adolphi ‘Firestorm’ home from Lowe’s in 2018. It, like the other Sedum adolphii, probably would do better in more sun than the front porch has to offer. GEEZ! There are certainly plenty of leaves to experiment with. This one has produced flowers inside over the winter.

Sedum adolphi ‘Firestorm’ on 10-24-23, #968-30.

It gets its name ‘Firestorm’ from the orangy margins of the leaves. They get brighter with more light.

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Soehrensia huascha (Desert’s Blooming Jewel) on 10-24-23, #968-31.

This pot of Soehrensia huascha (Desert’s Blooming Jewel) used to be a pot of Echinopsis huascha until the name was changed. For the past couple of winters inside, it has had a few mealy bugs. I think it was because it got them from the Echinopsis ‘Rainbow Bursts’. It looked pretty rough in the spring, but I put it on the side porch over the summer and it now looks GREAT again. Yeah, it has a few blemishes, but that is quite normal. I think this is the subspecies grandiflorus with 39 synonyms… It has been in MANY other genera so no wonder it looks a little rough. It keeps getting passed around. I am almost impatiently waiting for it to bloom… The center plant now measures 7 1/2″ tall.

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Stapelia gigantea (Zulu Giant) on 10-24-23, #968-32.

Last but certainly not the least is the Stapelia gigantea (Zulu Giant) from the back porch. I purchased several cutting from a seller on Ebay in 2018 and have been amazed. It produced but while on the fromt porch in 2019 and 2020 but they fell off when I moved the plant inside for the winter. In 2021, I decided to put in on a table under the roof on the back porch. I figured I could move it inside in front of the sliding door when the time came without that much of a change in light. Well, it bloomed before I had to move it inside. It did the same last year as well. This year, it started blooming in September instead of October. I’m not sure how many flowers have opened, but there have been more than before.

Normally, its leaves are green, but the intense heat of the summer must have turned them a reddish color. It has been in the same spot for three years and it never happened before this year.

Stapelia gigantea (Zulu Giant) on 10-24-23, #968-33.

There are still two buds (one behind my hand) and now this plant is in my bedroom! I had to put it in the bedroom because my son’s cats will play with this plant… Once they go, I will put it in the dining room where it belongs. It is supposed to warm up again, so I may be able to put this plant (at least) back outside after Thursday.

I took a few more photos on the 25th so I will probably be posting about them next.

If you missed update #1, you can view it HERE, and number 2 HERE.

Until next time, take care, be safe, and always be thankful!

Cactus & Succulent Update 2022

Cereus repandus f. montruosus ‘Rojo’ on 10-16-22, #919-6.

Hello everyone! I hope this post finds you well. The dreaded time of the year has arrived and I had to move the potted plants inside on January 16. I was still working on one last new wildflower ID and still needed a few leaf and stem photos. I had already taken photos, but the leaf and stem photos were blurry. I’m not sure if I can still take any since the “F”, and since then the wind has been blowing. Of course, it warmed back up…

As always, I take photos and measure the cactus and some of the succulents as I bring them back inside. Most of the plants were on the front porch this summer because the heat and the intense sun seemed a little too much for some of them last summer. Yeah, I know they are cacti, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they like intense sun. Many smaller species grow in the shade of taller plants.

Last winter was not too good… My son and his friend were still here so they used the back bedroom. I usually kept the back bedroom cooler with a plant shelf in the south-facing window for the succulents and part of the cacti. but the shelf was placed in front of the east-facing sliding door in the dining room. Instead of the cactus being on a table in front of the sliding door, they were on another shelf in my bedroom. I couldn’t very well keep the temperature cooler in either place. They are gone now, thank goodness, so the plants are basically where they should be.

As a result of more heat, for one thing, I lost a few plants over last winter from mealybugs… GEEZ! I think the worst was losing both Mammillaria pringlei and rhodantha… I also lost the Aloe ‘Lizard Lips’. I had all three of those for MANY YEARS.

Anyway, here we go in alphabetical order… You can click on the plant’s name under the photo to go to their own pages.

<<<<Aloe ‘Cha Cha’>>>>

Aloe ‘Cha Cha’ on 10-16-22, #919-1.

Aloe ‘Cha Cha’ is the last survivor of the five plants I received from Succulent Market in 2020. Ummm… I am trying not to mention… No, I’m not going to do it! I did mention A. ‘Lizard Lips’ contacted mealybugs, but not from A. ‘Cha Cha’. Somehow it never had them and has done weirdly well… Of course, as you may be able to tell, it is a miniature.

<<<<Aloe maculata>>>>

Aloe maculata on 10-16-22, #919-2.

Hmmm… I just discovered a problem with starting at the beginning of the alphabet. Maybe I should have started at the end. Although the Aloe maculata are all doing GREAT as always, I have been promising it I would divide their pot for a couple of years. Maybe three. I had one in another pot that “somehow” contacted mealy bugs last winter and they kept coming back. So, I did a terrible thing and threw it out the back door. The big pot was in my bedroom and it would get an occasional bug but nothing serious. Isolating this plant would be a problem, so I decided to put it in the basement in front of a window. I remember I kept a lot of plants in the basement during the winter before and they always did fine. Well, the bugs didn’t like the conditions and they left and the Aloe came through with flying colors like it had been in perfect conditions. These plants are descendants of the Aloe maculata I called ‘Kyle’s Grandma’ that was given to me by a good friend, Kyle, when I was living in Mississippi. The plant, actually I think there were two, were from his grandma, Brenda, in 2009.

I was just thinking maybe I should use the basement as a quarantine station. 🙂 Well, if the plants are halfway dormant…

<<<<Austrocylindropuntia subulata (Eve’s Needle)>>>>

Austrocylindropuntia subulata (Eve’s Needle) at 7″ tall on 10-16-22, #919-3.

Another hmmm… As I looked at this plant, it started tapping its feet. It asked, “Do you notice something?” I said, “Ummm…” Last fall I told this Austrocylindropuntia subulata that I would move it back to the center of the pot in the spring. As you can see, it is still not in the center. Maybe, in the back of my mind, I was thinking it would move by itself. I know the original plant was in the center when I brought it home from Wagler’s Greenhouse in 2019 when it was just a single stub at only 4 1/2″ tall. Now, it has grown appendages and its offset is 7″ tall…

<<<<Cereus repandus f. montruosus ‘Rojo’>>>>

Cereus repandus f. montruosus ‘Rojo’ at 10″ tall x 4 1/4″ wide on 10-16-22, #919-5.

At least the Cereus repandus f. montruosus ‘Rojo’ didn’t give me any dirty looks and seemed to be quite content on the front porch. It grew another 1/4″ and is now 10″ tall. The top photo is the upper portion of this plant. I brought this plant home in 2018 when it was only 5 1/2″ tall. I really like monstrous forms of cacti.

<<<<Crassula ovata ‘Gollum’>>>>

Crassula ovata ‘Gollum’ at 10 1/2 tall x 10″ wide on 10-16-22, #919-7.

The Crassula ovata ‘Gollum’ did very well in its usual spot over the summer on the front porch. I brought this plant home in 2018 when it was 7″ tall and it is now 10 1/2″ tall. I always like the tree-like appearance of older Crassula ovata. I had a fairly large Crassula ovata and a nice C. ovata ‘Lady Fingers’ that were AWESOME!

Crassula ovata ‘Gollum’ on 10-16-22, #919-8.

They can attract brown scale (from somewhere) which are easily removed with your fingernail. If you don’t keep an eye on them, the scale can spread to all the leaves and become a pain… Especially when you have a bigger plant with A LOT of leaves

<<<<Echinopsis ‘Rainbow Bursts’>>>>

Echinopsis ‘Rainbow Bursts’ at 4 1/4″ tall x 7 1/4″ wide on 10-16-22, #919-9.

The Echinopsis ‘Rainbow Bursts”…GEEZ! I lost my train of thought. I have thought about removing her kids, but then I think about what she would look like all naked. No doubt, her trunk would be all brown and terribly unsightly so I just keep the family together. Someday, I hope to see flowers. After all, I have had this pot since 2016 and who knows how old it was before I brought it home. The main plant was only 2 1/4″ tall x 3 1/2″ wide when I brought it home, and the offsets were growing along its ribs. Now it is 4 1/4″ tall and the whole cluster is 7 1/4″ wide. This plant was originally x Echinobivia ‘Rainbow Bursts’ and was described as an intergeneric cross between Echinopsis and Lobivia. Lobivia is now a synonym of Echinopsis, so I guess it wasn’t an intergeneric cross after all. 🙂 It was named “Rainbow Bursts” because of their “spectacular colors” (so the label said) over the spring and summer. STILL WAITING…

I was watching a YouTube video from Morris Park in the Ozarks a couple of pots that looked similar. With all the offsets and everything.

I still have the big pot of Echinopsis huascha, but they are looking very weird…

<<<<Espostoa melanostele subsp. nana>>>>

Espostoa melanostele subsp. nana (Peruvian Old Lady)at 9″ tall on 10-16-22, #919-10.

The Espostoa melanostele subsp. nana (Peruvian Old Lady) always seems happy no matter where she is sitting. She may have been happier on the front porch out of the wind so her hair doesn’t get messed up. She has grown another 1/2″ over the summer to 9″ tall. Hard to imagine she was only 2 3/4″ tall when I brought her home in 2016.

<<<<Euphorbia trigona ‘Rubra’>>>>

Euphorbia trigona ‘Rubra’ (African Milk Tree) at 19 1/2″ tall on 10-16-22, #919-11.

To say this Euphorbia trigona ‘Rubra’ has grown would be an understatement. I brought it home from Mast’s Greenhouse in June of 2021 when it was 6 1/4″ tall. By the time I moved the plants inside in October, it had grown to 10 3/4″. Every time I looked at the plants over the summer, I noticed this plant was growing and even had an offset. Well, lately, I had been busy and hadn’t paid much attention to the plants on the front porch. So, when I started moving the plants inside in 2022 I was SHOCKED! This plant had grown to 19 1/2″ tall!

Euphorbia trigona ‘Rubra’ on 10-16-22, #919-12.

Euphorbia trigona was named and described as such by Philip Miller in the eighth edition of The Gardener’s Dictionary in 1768. I don’t know where he found it exactly, but it wasn’t in the wild… You see, there are no known plants of this species in the wild, and it is possibly of hybrid origin. Information also says this species does not produce flowers. Hmmm… As with all Euphorbia, it does produce a milky latex sap.

<<<<Ferocactus wislizeni>>>>

Ferocactus wislizeni (Fishhook Barrel Cactus) at 3 1/8″ tall x 3″ wide on 10-16-22, #919-13.

The Ferocactus wislizeni (Fishhook Barrel Cactus) has done quite well on the front porch and has now reached 3 1/8″ tall. This guy always got a little sunburned on the back porch, but it has had no problems on the front porch. It was only 1 5/8″ tall when I brought it home in 2019, so it has done well.

<<<<x Gasteraloe ‘Flow’>>>

x Gasteraloe ‘Flow’ at 4″ tall x 4″ wide on 10-16-22, #919-14.

I had to throw out my older x Gasteraloe ‘Flow’ in January because of mealybugs. I had sprayed, washed them off, etc. and I finally had to give up. Repeatedly working the plant over seemed to make the plant suffer more (especially during its rest period). I was happy to find a new one at the Kuntry Store in July that was 3″ tall x 3 3/4″ wide. There were some really nice larger plants in combination planters, but I only wanted ‘Flow’. GEEZ, I hate it when that happens. It has grown to 4″ tall x 4″ wide since I brought it home. The plant didn’t have any sort of label, but I am assuming it is x Gasteraloe ‘Flow’.

<<<<Gasteria ‘Little Warty’>>>>

Gasteria ‘Little Warty’ at 6 7/8″ tall x 7 1/8″ wide on 10-16-22, #919-16.

The Gasteria ‘Little Warty’ continued to do well and is now 6 7/8″ tall x 7 1/8″ wide. I really like this little guy. It was only 2″ tall x 2 13/16″ wide when I brought it home in 2019. The mealy bugs tried to infect this plant but had no luck.

<<<<Gasteria sp. ?>>>>

Gasteria sp. at 5 1/4″ tall x 7 1/8″ wide on 10-19-22, #919-16.

I thought I was going to lose this Gasteria last winter because of its issues with mealybugs. It still isn’t quite back to normal but it is OK. It even grew to 5 1/4″ tall x 7 1/8″ wide. I think I may put it in the cool front bedroom with plants that aren’t bothered by critters and keep an eye on it. Maybe I should put it in the basement… I would hate to lose it after almost 5 years. I was kind of surprised it had mealy bug issues since its leaves are so hard, but they attacked way down where the leaves attach. A very hard spot to get to.

<<<<Gymnocalycium saglionis>>>>

Gymnocalycium saglionis (Giant Chin Cactus) at 2 3/4″ tall x 3 3/4″ wide on 10-16-22, #919-17.

The Gymnocalycium saglionis (Giant Chin Cactus) had never had one single issue. No rust spots, sunburn, bugs, or anything. It has grown from 1 1/8″ tall x 2 5/8″ wide in 2019 to 2 3/4″ tall x 3 3/4″ wide. It had its biggest growth spurt in the first 7 months after I brought it home, and since then it has just grown slow and steady. At least it is still alive and well.

<<<<Haworthiopsis limifolia>>>>

Haworthiopsis limifolia (File-Leaved Haworthia) at 5 1/8″ tall x 6″ wide on 10-16-22, #919-18.

Formerly Haworthia limifolia, the Haworthiopsis limifolia continues to do remarkably well without a hitch. These plants are normally sold under the name Haworthia limifolia ‘Fairy Washboard’, but that is actually a common name along with File-Leaved Haworthia, Fairies Washboard, Swaiti Haworthia, and possibly others. The last name is possibly what it is called in Southeast Africa where the species grows in the wild. There are five varieties of the species… This plant has now grown to 5 1/8″ tall x 6″ wide from 2 3/8″ tall x 3″ wide when I brought it home in May of 2019. Who wouldn’t like its dark green color with all those ridges on the leaves?

<<<<Kalanchoe daigremontiana>>>>

Kalanchoe daigremontiana (Alligator Plant) at 27 3/4″ tall x 7 1/2″ wide on 10-16-22, #919-19.

I finally found a nice Kalanchoe daigremontiana (Alligator Plant). You may remember the “other” Kalanchoe daigremontiana (Mother Of Thousands) I have… I always thought something was a little whacky with the name, and then I finally figured out it was a Kalanchoe laetivirens. Anyway, when I was plant shopping at Wagler’s Greenhouse this summer, I saw they had quite a few of real Kalanchoe daigremontiana. Of course, I had to bring one home… It was 13 1/4″ tall x 13 1/2″ wide when I brought it home in May and now it is a shocking 27 3/4″ tall. Some of the lower leaves have fallen off, so the width has shrunk to 7 1/2″ wide.

Normally, I would have repotted this plant, but since I was a bad parent in 2022 it is STILL in its 4 1/2″ pot I brought it home in. GEEZ! Luckily, it performs a balancing act quite well. It was between two bricks on the plant table, which most of the plants were (or tucked in pot-to-pot) so the wind would blow them around. Right now, it is standing next to the kitchen sink. I am trying to figure out where to put it for the winter…

Kalanchoe daigremontiana (Alligator Plant) on 10-16-22, #919-20.

Like the Kalanchoe laetivirens (or x laetivirens since it is a cross between two species), this one also gives birth to plantlets along its leaves (which aren’t really leaves). I removed them before I brought it into the house. I learned a lesson from before…

Kalanchoe daigremontiana (Alligator Plant) on 10-16-22, #919-21.

This species has the purplish marking on its, umm… You know what I mean. A spider decided this plant’s “leaves” made a good home and it was COVERED in webs. I should have taken a photo, but that would have proved my neglect… I guess I could have said it was decorated for Halloween. 🙂 I don’t have a page for this plant yet.

<<<<Kalanchoe thyrsiflora>>>>

Kalanchoe thyrsiflora (Paddle Plant) at 14 1/4 ” tall on 10-16-22, #919-22.

I found several awesome Kalanchoe thyrsiflora (Paddle Plant) at Mast’s Greenhouse in May and thought I needed to bring one home. I was surprised with buds when I was bringing the plants inside since they weren’t there the week before (unless I wasn’t paying attention). It was 6″ tall x 7 3/4″ wide when I brought it home, and now it is 14 1/4″ tall including the buds. Won’t this be interesting? Ummm… I have no page for this plant yet either.

The Kalanchoe beharensis ‘Fang’, K. laetivirens, all the K. luciae, and K.orgyalis (Copper Spoons) are still alive but need some work… Sadly, the K. gastonis-bonnieri (Donky Ears) and K. beharensis didn’t survive last winter. The K. marmorata (Penwiper Plant) also finally gave it up. We had our ups and downs since 2018.

<<<<Kroenleinia grusonii>>>>

Kroenleinia grusonii (Golden Barrel Cactus)… Greater (green pot) at 3 1/2″ tall x 3 1/4″ wide, and Lessor (orange pot) at 3 3/4″ tall x 3 1/4″ wide on 10-16-22, #919-23.

These two comedians of the group are still alive and well. The Kroenleinia grusonii (Golden Barrel Cactus) both continue growing head to head. I named them Greater and Lessor in 2016 because the one in the green pot has always been a little taller than the other. Lessor, in the orange or red pot (I can’t decide what color it is), has always been a little shorter and wider. Well, this year they are both 3 1/4″ wide, but Lessor is 1/4″ taller than Greater. Of course, they tried their best to convince me they traded pots. Crazy guys! Measuring them is tricky enough with them jiggling around and standing on their toes.

Apparently, the orange spots on these two guys was rust. Rust can be treated if you know what it is in the first place. Well, the rust issue has gone away, and the orange spots have turned white. Now that I know what it was, I will keep an eye on them.

<<<<Mammillaria hahniana>>>>

Mammillaria hahniana (Old Lady Cactus) at 5 1/2″ tall x 3 3/8″ wide on 10-16-22, #919-24.

This Mammillaria hahniana (Old Lady Cactus) is now the oldest Mammillaria in my collection since M. pringlei and M. rhodantha died. This awesome cactus has now grown to 5 1/2″ tall x 3 3/8″ wide from 1 7/8″ tall x 2 3/8″ wide in 2016. It has been a great cactus and is a free bloomer when it gets in the mood. Old Woman Cactus is the common name iNaturalist gives this species…

<<<<Mammillaria karwinskiana>>>>

Mammillaria karwinskiana (Silver Arrows) at 4 1/2″ tall x 3 1/2″ wide on 10-16-22, #919-25.

When I was measuring Mammillaria karwinskiana (Silver Arrows) it told me it had an itch and asked me to give it a scratch. I was kind of speechless. It has barely ever spoken to me and now it wants a scratch. GEEZ! It just as well ask for a massage. Anyway… This cactus has done very well and has grown another 1/2″ taller and is about the same width as last year. It now stands at 4 1/2″ tall and is 3 1/2″ wide. To think it was just 1 7/8″ tall x 2 3/16″ when I brought it home in 2019. I really like its wool, hairiness, and those long, straight, white spines. But a scratch is out of the question.

<<<<Mammillaria muehlenpfordtii>>>>

Mammillaria muehlenpfordtii (Golden Pincushion) at 5 1/4″ tall x 3″ wide on 10-16-22, #919-26.

The Mammillaria muehlenpfordtii (Golden Pincushion) has been a great plant since I brought it home from Lowe’s in September in 2019. Its pot was lying on the plant shelf with the plant not even in the pot. I am sure it appreciates being brought home. I have always admired its blue-green color and all those golden spines, but the long central spines and short radial spines are also neat. It has grown to 5 1/4″ tall x 3″ wide and was 3 1/4″ tall x 2 1/8″ wide when I brought it home.

<<<<Mammillaria mystax>>>>

Mammillaria mystax at 2 3/4″ tall x 3 1/8″ wide on 10-16-22, #919-27.

Very funny… The Mammillaria mystax shrunk! The measurement from last year was 3 1/4″ tall x 3 1/4″ wide and now it is 2 3/4″ tall x 3 1/8″ wide. Heck, it was 2 3/4″ tall in 2020. It has grown quite a bit, though, since it was just 1 3/4″ tall x 2 1/4″ wide when I brought it home in 2018. Sometimes that happens with cacti when they don’t have enough water. That is likely the case since they were under the roof of the front porch and most of the time just received rain as it blew in on them. I am not complaining that it shrunk especially since it is partly my fault. OK, it was likely all my fault. But, it was safe from the scorching sun on the front porch which I know it appreciated. How do I know? Well, it was smiling at me when I measured it and took its photo.

<<<<Mammillaria plumosa>>>>

Mammillaria plumosa (Feather Cactus) at 2″ tall x 4 1/4″ wide on 10-16-22, #919-28.

It is certainly a good thing this Mammillaria plumosa (Feather Cactus) hasn’t had any problems with mealybugs. How would you tell? I bought this cactus from a seller on Ebay in 2018 and it has been great. In fact, it is the only cactus I bought from Ebay that has survived. Even though it was very small at 3/4″ tall x 2 1/4″ wide it has done very well. The main plant has grown to 2″ tall and the whole cluster is now 4 1/2″ wide. This one you can pet if you so desire…

I lost several Mammillaria since last winter including M. decipiens (Bird’s Nest Cactus) that did very well since 2018, M. elongata (Lady Finger Cactus) that I brought home in 2018, M. pringlei and M. rhodantha I already mentioned, M. senilis (the one with the hooked spines I could never tell if it was alive or dead) since 2020, both M. vetula including ‘Arizona Snowcap’, and M. compressa from 2020. The M. spinosissima ‘Un Pico’ is still alive but looks terrible with A LOT of rust or something… One of the plants in the pot of 3 already died… I have learned that even though many species of Mammillaria are some of the best cacti to grow, when you bring home very small plants you are taking a risk. Also, many species on the market haven’t been in cultivation that long and may not be good choices. Big growers plant seeds by the thousands and don’t necessarily care if they are good choices for pot culture. These days some companies aren’t even putting the names on the pots because they have no clue.

<<<<Opuntia monacantha var. variegata>>>>

Opuntia monacantha var. variegata (Joseph’s Coat) at 12 3/8″ tall x 4 1/2″ wide on 10-16-22, #919-29.

You know, I really haven’t been into variegated cacti, but this Opuntia monacantha var. variegata (Joseph’s Coat) I saw at Wagler’s Greenhouse in 2020 caught my eye. It was only 4 3/4″ tall when I brought it home, and it has grown to 12 3/8″. It is very interesting…

Opuntia monacantha var. variegata (Joseph’s Coat) on 10-16-22, #919-30.

Actually, Llifle (Encyclopedia of Living Forms) has it listed as Opuntia monacantha f. monstruosa variegata (syn. Opuntia monacantha var. variegata cv. Maverick variegata). Which is a synonym of Opuntia monacantha… You know, someone always has to give it a cultivar name when it isn’t necessarily a cultivar. It is one of very few naturally occurring variegated cacti and it is a monstrose form. It is a dwarf, teratological variant of the larger Opuntia monacantha. Anyway, something weird is going on with its main stem… What are those protruberances? Could they be buds? I checked out photos on iNaturalist for the species and that could be very possible… Time will tell and keep your fingers crossed they don’t fall off if they are buds. You never know since I moved it into the house in a different light.

<<<<Parodia lenninghausii>>>>

Parodia lenninghausii, the orange pot on the right is 6 1/2″ tall x 2 3/4″ wide, and the green pot on the left is 7″ tall x 2 1/8″ wide on 10-16-22, #919-31.

The two Parodia lenninghausii (Golden Ball or Lemon Ball Cactus) are more serious than the two Kroenleinia grusonii, but they do have their moments. Sometimes these two agree with each other, and at other times they seem to have had a disagreement and won’t even look at each other. I kind of screwed up and named them Greater and Lessor as well, so I may have to change that. They have also done the switch… Lessor, in the green pot, is now taller than Greater… Lessor is now 7″ tall x 2 1/8″ wide, and Greater is 6 1/2″ tall x 2 1/8″ wide. Hmmm… I have been enjoying these two since 2-1-16. That was when I bought several cacti from Walmart and didn’t notice I bought two Parodia lenninghausii and two Kroenleinia grusonii until I was home… I am glad I brought two of each home to compare with each other as they grow.

<<<<Parodia magnifica>>>>

Parodia magnifica (Ball or Balloon Cactus) at 2 7/8″ tall x 3 1/8″ wide on 10-16-22, #919-32.

The Parodia magnifica (Ball or Balloon Cactus) has done very well and has grown to 2 7/8″ tall but has shrunk 1/8″ to 3 1/8″ wide. It has a few brown spots that I am not sure what the cause is. I was watching a video on YouTube from Morris Park in the Ozarks where he talked about several issues with his cactus. This could be scarring from getting cold or perhaps from stretching as it grows… Apparently, it isn’t hurting it since it is growing and seems healthy otherwise. The marks are smooth without any sign of any kind of infection, past or present.

Parodia magnifica from the top on 10-16-22, #919-33.

I really like the top view with its wool along the tips of the ridges and golden spines.

<<<<Polaskia chichipe>>>>

Polaskia chichipe (Chichipe), the taller plant on the right was 3 7/8″ tall x 1 1/2″ wide, and the one on the right was 3 1/4″ tall x 2 5/8″ wide on 10-16-22, #919-34.

The Polaskia chichipe (Chichipe, ETC.) has done pretty well considering they don’t look that great. I’m not sure what happened to the one on the left, but the one on the right had straw flower damage. You know, those silly fake flowers they stick on with some kind of glue. Perhaps the other marks are naturally occurring as the plants grow. The big scar on the one on the right is likely from the straw flower. There were three plants in the pot, but one died last winter. The plant on the right now measures 3 7/8″ tall x 1 1/2″ wide, while the one on the left is 3 1/4″ tall x 2 5/8″ wide.

<<<<Stenocereus pruinosus>>>>

Stenocereus pruinosus (Gray Ghost, ETC.) at 6 1/4″ tall x 3 1/8″ wide on 10-16-22, #919-35.

The Stenocereus pruinosus (Gray Ghost, Organ Pipe, ETC.) is still alive and well. This has been a great cactus. It now measures 6 1/4″ tall x 3 1/8″ wide from 2 7/8″ tall x 2 3/4″ wide when I brought it home in 2016. I always liked the V-shaped pattern on its trunk. This seems to be an easy-to-grow species, so if you find one…

<<<<Tephrocactus articulatus var. papyracanthus>>>>

Tephrocactus articulatus var. papyracanthus (Paper Spine Cactus) on 10-16-22, #919-36.

The Tephrocactus articulatus var. papyracanthus is always the last on the list but is usually one of the first to be photographed. This Paper Spine Cactus caught my eye when I was plant shopping at Walmart on February 9 in 2016 because of its unusual spines. I was about to put it in my cart when I found a segment lying on the shelf. I decided to take the segment and put the pot back on the shelf. It has been very interesting to watch grow to say the least.

Tephrocactus articulatus var. papyracanthus (Paper Spine Cactus) on 919-37.

In the wild, their segments fall off and take root wherever they land. If an animal passes by, they also hitch a ride on its fur and do a little traveling. When I notice a segment has fallen off I just face it upward in the pot and it takes root. It has done well for the last couple of years and none of the segments have fallen off. The tallest has made it to 4″ tall without falling apart. The pot is getting crowded, so I should give it more space. Ummm… It has been in this pot since 2018. I did put a segment that had fallen off into another pot and it is doing well. I may give it to Mrs. Wagler of Wagler’s Greenhouse since we share plants. I haven’t seen any of these for sale at Wal-Mart or Lowe’s since 2016, so I am very glad I brought the stub home.

Overwintering “desert” cactus isn’t that hard as long as you don’t water them. If you do, just a little no more than once a month )or so) is sufficient. Tropical cacti, like Christmas Cactus and Epiphyllum, need a comfortable temperature and pretty much regular watering. I still have the three Epiphyllum that Tony Tomeo sent and they are doing well. They are quite interesting and somewhat entertaining. One was on the front porch and two on the back porch over the summer with the Stapelia gigantea. The Schlumbergera have had their ups and downs over the summer because they didn’t get enough water (bad parenting). One has buds already and it was outside!

Anyway, there are many websites online about overwintering cacti inside. Reading one is sufficient because if you read several you might be confused. The care they suggest is somewhat controversial especially as far as the temperature. Once temps outside cools off and the day length decreases, they go into dormancy mode. I always put them somewhere the temperature will be about the same when I bring them in. You don’t really want to bring them in from 40° F outside temp to 70° inside. Typically, I water them pretty well a week or so before I bring them inside so I won’t have to water them for a while. Well, I didn’t do that this time because I simply screwed up then evening temps started getting too cool. The debate right now is do I put the cactus in the south-facing window in a cool bedroom, or the west-facing window in the front bedroom, also kept cool. Cool temps do help control parasites, but the light really doesn’t matter because the cactus are sort of dormant. Then again, the cactus did fine with no parasite issues until last winter, and only a few at that. Cactus don’t like to be bothered with sprays over the winter. At least that is my opinion.

Anyway, I will close for now. I have two posts in the making. One about Euphorbia (wildflowers) and the other about the Symphyotrichum species on the farm. I am waiting for the Euphorbia dentata and E. davidii seeds to dry which will determine the species. At least I hope. Both genera have been quite entertaining.

Until next time, be safe, stay positive, and always be thankful!

 

Fall 2020 Update Part 3: Cactus & Succulents Part 3

Cylindropuntia imbricata (Tree Cholla) on 10-28-20, #753-1.

Hello everyone! I hope this post finds you well. I don’t want to talk about the weather except to say the “S” is all gone and it is supposed to get up to 42° F today.

The above photo is the Cylindropuntia imbricata (Tree Cholla). I always forget about it, the three Sedums, and the Sempervivum ‘Killer’ that are outside in the bed in the “other yard”. They stay outside, of course, and I suppose the cactus and succulent updates are about the plants I bring inside. But still, I shouldn’t exclude the plants that go through the winter outside… As I was taking the above photo, I started to pick off some grass clippings and leaves that had got stuck in its spines. It said, “Leave it there”, and gave me a little poke to let me know he was serious. Well, it is always serious…

If you want to go to the plant’s own page for more information, click on its name under the photo in green.

<<<<Espostoa melanostele subsp. nana>>>>

Espostoa melanostele subsp. nana (Peruvian Old Lady) at 9″ tall x 2 1/2″ wide on 10-15-20, #747-30.

The Espostoa melanostele subsp. nana (Peruvian Old Lady) is quite interesting. It has grown A LOT since I bought it home from Wal-Mart on February 1, 2016. It was only 2 3/4″ tall x 1 3/4″ wide at the time and now has grown to 9″ tall x 2 1/2″ wide. It would definitely be top-heavy so keeping the pots side-by-side keeps it from falling over. The subspecies name is accepted for this plant and the species is not as hairy.

Espostoa melanostele subsp. nana on 10-15-20, #747-31.

Of course, the most interesting feature of the Peruvian Old Lady Cactus is its hair. This plant may look soft and cuddly, but under the hair are a lot of spines. So you still have to handle it with care.

<<<<Euphorbia mammillaris>>>>

Euphorbia mammillaris (Indian Corn Cob) at 8″ tall on 10-15-20, #747-32.

The Euphorbia mammillaris (Indian Corn Cob, ETC.) is a very interesting plant. I brought this plant home as a cutting on March 29, 2019 when it was quite small. The cutting had a main stem with four side branches on one side which kind of makes it look a little lop-sided. I thought about removing the side branches and letting them grow into four separate plants but so far I haven’t done that. Last October 11 when I moved the plants inside, the main stem measured  5 3/4″ tall and this year it has grown to 8″ tall. Information online says it is a fast grower and it will reach as high as the ceiling. Well, that may take some time.

Euphorbia is one of the most diverse of all genera and includes species of cactus, succulents, perennials, wildflowers, trees, and shrubs… I probably missed something.

Euphorbia mammillaris (Indian Corn Cob) on 10-15-20, #747-33.

I really like the combination of leaves, thorns, and the geometric shapes of the tubercles. I have had a few other Euphorbia species that have been a lot more delicate. You never know when you try a species if it will work out or not.

<<<<Ferocactus wislizeni>>>>

Ferocactus wislizeni at 2 3/8″ tall x 2 3/8″ wide on 10-15-20, #747-34.

The Ferocactus wislizeni is a neat cactus that gets a reddish glow in the sun. It has prominent ribs and long enough spines to keep any cat from sticking its nose where it shouldn’t be. I brought this cactus home from Lowe’s on 3-19-20 when it was just 1 5/8″ tall x 2 1/8″ wide. It has now grown to 2 3/8″ tall x 2 3/8″ wide.

This species was first put in the Echinocactus genus in 1848 then moved to Ferocactus in 1922. Several other species were determined to be synonymous with Ferocactus wislizeni. It is believed that the spines of this species were once used as fish hooks which led to one of its common names, Fishhook Barrel Cactus. I had a similar species of fish hook cactus with much more curved spines but for some reason, it didn’t live long. I haven’t found a replacement yet…

Top view of the Ferocactus wislizeni on 10-15-20, #747-35.

New spines are reddish with a lot of wool on the areoles. Quite neat, I think…

<<<<x Gasteraloe ‘Flow’>>>>

x Gasteraloe ‘Flow’ at 5 1/4″ tall x 10″ wide on 10-15-20, #747-36.

I think x Gasteraloe are great plants and x Gasteraloe ‘Flow’ is no exception. ‘Flow’ is my fourth x Gasteraloe and the only one I have now, but not because the others died… This is one of the first plants I brought home when I “started over” in 2016 but I can’t remember where I got it. Lowe’s or Wal-Mart probably. I don’t have any measurements for it until October 17, 2017, when it measured 4″ tall x 6″wide. It is currently 5 1/4″ tall x 10″ wide which is a little smaller than last year. Hmmm… Well, leaves die and new ones grow so that isn’t uncommon when a plant has reached maturity. This plant flowered last year but not this year. I could have missed it since I was busy, but that is unlikely…

I haven’t really figured out the exact lineage of this plant and there isn’t a lot about that online. Most websites say it is an intergeneric hybrid between Gasteria carinata var. verrucosa and an unknown Aloe species. Others say it is a cross between Gasteria and Aristaloe aristata… The leaf coloration certainly resembles Gasteria carinata var. verrucosa but of course, it grows much more like the Aristaloe aristata (which was previously Aloe aristata).

x Gasteraloe ‘Flow’ with new offsets on 10-15-20, #747-37.

This plant had four nice, good-sized offsets but when I repotted it in September 2018 I gave the offsets their own pots. Well, that didn’t work so well because the offsets aren’t doing so well. In fact, they are now MUCH smaller and barely surviving. ‘Flow’ now has a few more offsets which I will NOT be removing…

<<<<Gasteria ‘Little Warty’>>>>

Gasteria ‘Little Warty’ at 5 1/4″ tall x 5 1/4″ wide on 10-15-20, #747-38.

The Gasteria ‘Little Warty’ did very well over the summer and is now 5 1/4″ tall x 5 1/4″ wide. I removed an offset when I reported it last year and it is doing very well, too. I forgot to take its photo but it is now 2 1/4″ tall x 2 3/4″ wide. I brought this plant home unlabeled from Wildwood Greenhouse on May 8 in 2019 when it was 2″ tall x 3 1/2″ wide. Gasteria ‘Little Warty’ is a result of a cross between Gasteria batesiana x Gasteria ‘Old Man Silver’ from Australian hybridizer David Cumming. It has neat rough leaves…

The family that owned Wildwood Greenhouse relocated to another Amish community and I was sorry to see him go. His greenhouse wasn’t as large as the other three, but he had great plants and quite a selection.

<<<<Gasteria sp. ?>>>>

Gasteria sp. at 4 3/4″ tall x 6 3/4″ wide on 10-15-20, #747-39.

This is my first Gasteria sp. that I brought home from Wal-Mart on March 19 in 2018. I thought it was AWESOME and I still do. Some Gasteria species have smooth leaves and some are bumpy. This one has smooth leaves but I have never figured out the species or possible cultivar. Believe me, I tried. I was told by an expert it is possibly an unnamed hybrid. It is plain and simply a mystery. So, I stopped trying to figure out its name and am just enjoying its companionship. I repotted it last year when it had two offsets in the center. It must have approved because now there are SEVEN. This plant has smooth leaves that are kind of a silvery-green on top and speckled on the bottom. The edges of the leaves feel like a closed zipper, kind of smooth but rough at the same time. The tallest plant in the pot measured 2 3/4″tall x 3 3/4″ wide when I bought them home and it now measures 3 7/8″ tall x 6 3/4″ wide. NICE!!!

<<<<x Graptosedum ‘California Sunset’>>>>

x Graptosedum ‘California Sunset’ on 10-15-20, #747-40.

The x Graptosedum ‘California Sunset’ from my friend Walley Morse of Greenville, Mississippi is still doing very well. He sent it to me, along with another succulent and cuttings from Tradescantia pallida (Purple Heart) in 2018. The other succulent didn’t survive nor did I figure out what its name was. Of course, the Purple Heart is doing very well… Walley goes to a lot of plant shows in the spring and brings home a lot of plants. He has an AWESOME yard and we traded plants quite a lot. He wound up with two carloads of my plants when I moved back to Missouri in February 2013. He didn’t know the name of this plant so I put photos on a couple of Facebook groups specializing in succulents, It was suggested it was an x Graptosedum ‘California Sunset’. Close enough. 🙂 It will definitely need to be regrown next spring… Ummm… I don’t have a page for this plant yet.

x Graptosedum ‘California Sunset’ on 10-15-20, #747-41.

There are A LOT of x Graptosedum cultivars and they are very popular. They are very easy to grow and propagate very easily from stem and leaf cuttings. This particular cultivar is the result of crossing Graptopetalum paraguayense and Sedum adolphii. Information online says they grow in a rosette form like an Echeveria… Hmmm… If you know anything about succulents, that is a very vague statement. Many succulents may start out growing in a “rosette form” but then start growing stems that can get quite long. Many Echeveria species do that. Both of the parents of this cultivar do that as well… They do OK in part shade, but more light brings out the color the best. Not enough light will also cause them to stretch, especially during the winter months inside. I keep most of the succulents in the south-facing in the back bedroom where it is cool over the winter for that reason.

<<<<Gymnocalycium saglionis>>>>

Gymnocalycium saglionis (Giant Chin Cactus at 2″ tall x 3 3/8″ wide on 10-15-20, #747-42.

I really like the Gymnocalycium saglionis (Giant Chin Cactus). It is one cactus that you definitely have to measure to see if it is growing because it seems to just sit there. It doesn’t talk much or move around. It is always right where I saw it before so I never have to look for it. It was 1 1/8″ tall x 2 5/8″ wide when I brought it home from Lowe’s on March 29, 2019. It has grown to 2″ tall x 3 3/8″ (not including the spines).

This cactus is “possibly” the subspecies Gymnocalycium saglionis subsp. tilcarense which has longer spines than the species. Like so many other species and varieties of legitimately published names, the subspecies is considered a synonym of the species even though uniquely different. The subspecies, in this case, have longer spines and the flowers have shorter floral tubes. The species is found throughout much of Argentina whereas the subspecies is only found near Tilcara. I hope someday those in charge will recognize more subspecies and varieties once again…

Gymnocalycium saglionis (Giant Chin Cactus) from the top on 10-15-20, #747-43.

With spines like it has, he really doesn’t get much lip from anyone. With such large recurved spines, if it were to fall off the table it would roll. Its large tubercles with a little wool make this cactus even more appealing. Did I mention I like this cactus? I always like finding unusual cacti to bring home.

<<<<Haworthiopsis limifolia>>> 

Haworthiopsis limifolia (Fairies Washboard, ETC.) at 4″ tall x 5 1/4″ wide on 10-15-20, #747-44.

The Haworthiopsis limifolia is a very neat all-around species. It gets its common names Fairies Washboard, Fairy Washboard, and File Leaved Haworthia from its raised transverse ridges. I brought this plant home from Wildwood Greenhouse on May 19 in 2020 when it measured just 2 3/8″ tall x 3″ wide. It is now 4″ tall x 5 1/4″wide.

Haworthiopsis limifolia (Fairies Washboard, ETC.) on 10-15-20, #747-45.

It is hard to get a good photo of the ridges to really show the detail. It is very neat!

<<<Huernia schneideriana>>>>

Huernia schneideriana on 10-15-20, #747-26.

HMMM… Every time I walked by the Huernia schneideriana (Carrion Plant, Red Dragon Flower)) on the front porch all I could say was, “GEEZ!” This plant is something else! It flowers almost non-stop. I think the only time it doesn’t have flowers is for a short period in the winter when it is inside. The rest of the time it is LOADED. Mrs. Wagler, at Wagler’s Greenhouse, has a HUGE pot of these and I brought home my first start from her in 2014. After giving up most of my plants later that summer, I brought home my second one in 2015. It was unlabeled but Kate of talltalesfromchiconia, said it was a Carrion Plant. I had to wait until it flowered in October 2015 to confirm the species. I was excited when it flowered but somewhat disappointed that it wasn’t one of the more colorful species with larger blooms. But, I am over that now…

Huernia schneideriana on 10-15-20, #747-47.

The flowers of this species of Huernia are fairly small compared to most and are not as colorful. Some species would make you drool… The good thing about this one’s flowers being small is that you don’t notice the foul odor. It is a Carrion Flower… Later in the updates, I will be posting about the Stapelia gigantea, which has not bloomed… But there is a bud.

Well, that’s it for this post… The next update will be about the Kalanchoe and Ledebouria.

Until next time, be safe and stay positive. I hope you are doing well and coping with the virus issues. We have a lot to be thankful for otherwise. Thanks for reading this post and I always appreciate your comments. I am sorry I haven’t been keeping up with your posts but I will try. I get busy doing this and that then get tired and don’t want to read anything. I hope you understand and accept my apology.

 

Bed & Plant Update Part 5: Cactus & Succulents Part 2

Cotyledon orbiculata ‘Silver Storm’ on 8-28-18, #499-17.

Hello AGAIN! I hope all is well with everyone. This is part 2 of the cactus and succulent update. I did go to Wagler’s Greenhouse last week and I took them several small Alocasia ‘Mayan Mask’, most of the smaller Amorphophallus, and a good sized Alocasia ‘Calidora’. Although there were a few plants I wouldn’t have minded to bring home, I resisted this time. One of their greenhouses had a lot of really nice HUGE hanging baskets, Begonias, and a few Coleus. I took her a few Talinum paniculatum (Jewels of Opar) a few years ago, and I saw a hanging basket in their greenhouse with a few of these in it. LOADED with flowers! I never thought they would make a good hanging basket plant and it was indeed unusual. You just never know what creative minds will come up with.

When I was getting ready to leave, she was talking about some of her plants in the flower beds and mentioned her Mexican Petunia. Well, I had brought Mexican Petunia with me from Mississippi that didn’t come back up in 2015. She asked me if I wanted some so I asked her if they were pink or blue (mine were pink). She said hers were blue so how could I refuse. She went inside and brought out a shovel. Well, she is Amish so she was bare-footed… She stuck the tip of the blade of the shovel in the ground and, with her bare foot, pushed it into the ground. The offsets were pretty deep but she managed to get 4-5. They don’t have many roots yet but maybe they will make it. It always amazed me how the Amish kids and women run around bare-footed. I have seen them running on gravel roads bare-footed. GEEZ!!!

She also gave me enough larger pots so I can now separate the Alocasia ‘Portora’.

The above photo is of the Cotyledon orbiculata ‘Silver Storm’ cuttings I had taken. In part one of the cactus and succulent update, I had taken the cuttings and was waiting for them to scab over. I put them in individual pots on August 11 and gave them a good spraying of GardenSafe 3 in 1 to see if it will help with the scale. We shall see…

By the time the above photo was taken on August 26, the offsets have started rooting and the old plant is growing new leaves. Something tromped on the offset in the right rear pot and broke a few of its leaves off. Darn cats…

It has taken a long time to get this post ready because of other things to do or other distractions. In the evening when I normally work on the blog, I have been stuck watching episodes of Person of Interest on Netflix. It seems some programs leave you wondering what will happen next so you have to find out…

While many cactus and succulents just sit there, other plants are growing and changing constantly. Photos I took a few weeks ago are out of date so I have to take new ones. Then the post gets outdated and I have to update it before I can finish. 🙂 I started this post on August 16 and I have taken well over 100 photos since.

 

Gasteria sp. on…

The Gasteria sp. (Ox Tongue, Cow Tongue, Lawyers Tongue) is happy living on the front porch. At least it seems to be happy because since it is still alive and firm in the pot. I still haven’t figured out the species name, though.

 

Huernia schneideriana…

The Huernia schneideriana (Dragon Flower, Carrion Plant) is just as wild-looking as ever. I think I need to put it in a new pot because it seems to be getting a little crowded. It has several flowers but you have to look for them. There are several genera of Carrion Plant that look so much alike. I wondered why they aren’t in the same genus… Of all of them, I think the Huernia schneideriana has the smallest flowers. Sometimes one of the stems jump out of the pot and I have to stick it back in. Maybe it is trying to tell me it needs a bigger pot, huh?

 

Kalanchoe x laetivirens, the big one…

Words cannot express how I feel about the Kalanchoe x laetivirens (Mother of Thousands). If you have one or have had one, you know exactly how I feel. You only have one once, and after that you have MANY. I will admit they are nice plants and easy to grow. In fact, a nice looking Kalanchoe x laetivirens can be a very dramatic plant. But, like a lot of other succulents, once they start getting taller and lose their bigger lower leaves they don’t look so good. Just cut it off several inches below where it looks good, remove a few of the leaves that don’t look good, let the stem scab over for about a week then stick it in potting soil. Your plant will look good once again. If you go to this plants page, you will see a lot of photos of a terrible looking plant… I take photos and post about the plants whether they look good or not because we all have similar experiences. Sometimes they look good and sometimes they don’t. Usually, as in this case, they don’t look good because of our neglect. But when we take care of our plants, they respond.

 

Kalanchoe x laetivirens plantlets…

Unfortunately, this Kalanchoe responds a little too well, leaving us with a lot of grandchildren… I think the weirdest thing about this Kalanchoe is that botanists or scientists have decided the leaves of this plant aren’t leaves at all… Ummm… Which is why they grow plantlets along the edge of their leaves, I mean…

What appears to be leaves on several species of Kalanchoe are actually phylloclades which are flattened branches modified for photosynthesis. Ummm… Flattened stems are called cladodes. Interesting that phylloclades still have a petiole that attaches to the stem. I wonder if a plant with a cladode that produces a phylloclade is attached to a petiole?

 

Four Kalanchoe x laetivirens teenagers…

When my sister and her husband and I were out plant shopping, she came back home with one of these plants. I asked her why she bought one of those because I had plenty. I guess I should have paid more attention. Not only did I miss the chance to adopt one out, she will have a lot of them, too.

A few months ago when I updated this plants page, Plants of the World Online said the name had changed “back” to Bryophyllum x laetivirens. It was named Kalanchoe x laetivirens in 1997 then the name changed to Bryophyllum x laetivirens in 2008. Somewhere along the line, the name changed back because it was a Kalanchoe when I started blogging (according to The Plant List and every other plant database). Well, actually, for a long time, both names were used. Then, POWO said it changed again. Now, when I checked, the name is back to Kalanchoe x laetivirens AGAIN! So, I had to change the name and all the captions AGAIN! That makes the third time! 🙂

Maybe the reason they made a completely different genus in the first place was for the species that have phylloclades instead of leaves and produce the offsets in a weird place. (?)

 

Kalanchoe marmorata…

The Kalanchoe marmorata (Penwiper Plant, ETC.) is doing very good now. I bought this plant from a member of a Facebook group and it arrived on April 13. It was AWESOME and in very, very good condition and its leaves were very thick and rubbery. This was the first time I had bought any plants from anyone from the Facebook group. Normally I just drool… I also bought a Sedum spathufolium ‘Cape Blanco’ from the same lady. Both plants arrived bare root, well wrapped, and in great condition. Within a month, only the top four leaves remained. But, interestingly, it produced an offset. The main plant now has 3 sets of leaves (12 leaves in all) and is doing remarkably well. I will possibly need to cut the stem off a few inches below the leaves so it will re-root and look much better. Maybe I will wait until next spring and also remove the offset. As long as it is happy, maybe I should leave it alone for now.

 

Kalanchoe orgyalis (Copper Spoons)…

The Kalanchoe orgyalis (Copper Spoons) is continuing to do well and is currently 9 1/2″ tall and has 13 leaves. I really like this plant! I like the velvety leaves and the way they change color.

 

Mammillaria elongata…

Ummm… The Mammillaria elongata (Ladyfinger Cactus, etc.)… Every time I look at her she seems to be giving me the birdie. We did get off to a bad start in March when I brought her but we have moved past that. I accidentally knocked her pot off the table and onto the floor. Most of the offsets fell off so I just kind of put them back around her in the overly stuffed pot although it was a tight fit. I told her I would give her a bigger pot later. She seemed patient, though, and never complained. I gave her and her family a larger pot on May 25 and all is well.

 

Mammillaria elongata on 8-18-18, #498-3.

Now, she is having more kids all the way around her! Since I took the first photo on July 29, she has decided to start leaning over. So, I took the above photo on August 18. Well, that’s what this species does. You can put them in hanging baskets and allow them to trail over the sides but that may take some time…

The LLIFLE (Encyclopedia of Living Forms) website says, “Mammillaria elongata is a succulent ground cover, forming with time tight clumps of erect, ascending, prostrate or recumbent stems. This may be the most common Mammillaria to be found and occurs in more variations than any other Mammillaria species. It commonly comes in many color and spine variations.” Information also says they need the highest light level possible (without burning) to encourage heavy spine formation… Well, it is definitely getting plenty of sun on the back porch. 🙂

 

Mammillaria decipiens…

The Mammillaria decipiens (Bird’s Nest Pincushion) is still blooming and doing well. It enjoys being on the back porch is says it is glad there are no more leaves from the elm tree getting stuck on its spines. I am glad of that, too. I am also glad its flowers aren’t pink… 🙂 Information online says this species tolerates lower light levels than most species but it has certainly done well in full sun. It is not a complainer, either… It definitely has my five gold star rating. 🙂 Well, I suppose all my cactus have a five gold star rating.

 

Mammillaria hahniana…

The Mammillaria hahniana (Old Lady Cactus, Old Lady Pincushion) is just as fuzzy as ever. It looks like she has been rolling around in cotton. She will start to flower in a few months and of course, its flowers are pink…

 

Mammillaria pringlei…

The Mammillaria pringlei (Lemon Ball Cactus) is also still flowering. This cactus is either budding or flowering most of the time it seems. It has grown quite a bit since I brought it home in April of 2017 and it also likes to lean. I straightened it up before then it wound up leaning again. I like things straight and level so this cactus and I have had a few words. Now, it is pointing at Mammillaria elongata and smiling… 🙂

Plants of the World Online by Kew and Tropicos is standing firm that Mammillaria pringlei is the correct and accepted name for this cactus. There are other databases that have changed the name to Mammillaria rhodantha subsp. pringlei. Maybe they aren’t updated. Maybe they didn’t get the memo. 🙂

There are many similarities between the species, but if that were any reason to change the name… Well, out of 162 current accepted species of Mammillaria listed on Plants of the World Online, how many look nearly identical? Version 1.1 (in 2013) of The Plant List named 185 accepted species of Mammillaria plus another 93 infraspecific names, a total of 519 synonyms, and another 448 names that were still unresolved… Most species of cacti are quite variable and that’s one reason getting their true names sorted out is very difficult. Until POWO and Tropicos say different, I am sticking with Mammillaria pringlei.

 

Mammillaria rhodantha…

The Mammillaria rhodantha (Rainbow Pincushion) is always ablaze. It is doing very well on the back porch and I noticed it has a few buds forming. It wasn’t much of a bloomer last year but maybe it will have more this time. It takes a very long time from the time the buds appear until the flowers open…

 

Mammillaria rhodantha on 8-26-18, #499-27.

In an updated photo taken on August 26, you can see a couple of the buds on the Mammillaria rhodantha are getting larger…

 

Mammillaria vetula subsp. gracilis now on the back porch on August 26.

I bought this Mammillaria vetula subsp. gracilis ‘Arizona Snowcap (Thimble Cactus) from Lowe’s on July 8 when I went to Lowe’s to buy potting soil. The label said it was a Mammillaria gracilis fragilis monstrose. Hmmm… Mammillaria gracilis is a synonym of Mammillaria vetula now. Before when I had one of these, the name was Mammillaria gracilis subsp. fragilis (or var. fragilis). Anyway, when I was at Lowe’s they had one like I had before and this one. This one was different with a multitude of very small white spines where the other had fewer and longer spines. When I checked on the LLIFLE website, it gave a description (with photos) of Mammillaria vetula subsp. gracilis ‘Arizona Snowcap’. Looks like a match to me! 🙂 The individual plants are also a little larger than the one I had before. I had a long debate about whether to buy both of the plants and now I wish I had. 😦  Llilfle also says they do their best and look their best in full sun but are rarely grown that way in cultivation. Since it is now on the back porch maybe it will become more white. We shall see…

You can read about my previous Mammillaria vetula subsp. gracilis by clicking on the name…

 

Oscularia deltoides…

The Oscularia deltoides (Deltoid Leaved Dew Plant) has done very well, but lately, its leaves seem to have shrunk somewhat. Maybe it is in a dormacy period… Anyway, I decided to move it to the front porch for a while because information online does say they need light to part shade during the heat of the summer.

 

Parodia lenninghausii (Golden Ball Cactus)…

The pair of Parodia lenninghausii (Golden Ball Cactus) are still all aglow with their golden hair. I have named them “Greater” and “Lesser” because one is a little taller than the other. They sometimes try to confuse me and tell me one had a growth spurt and one shrunk… So, when I call them by name they point to each other. Then their neighbors all start laughing so I know what is going on. Parodia lenninghausii can be pranksters because they were brought up not really knowing the correct spelling of their name or even which HAAGE actually named them. They seem to like making others laugh, even with their strange hairdo. Not only that, they will eventually have yellow flowers but tell me I have to wait for several years… I remind them at their rate of growth they will still be short. I asked them how old they were already, and they told me it was a secret. GEEZ!!! Then, of course, the other cactus kid them about me accidentally buying two of them. Well, this isn’t the only pair I accidentally bought two of…

 

Sedum adolphii…

The Sedum adolphii (Golden Sedum) has been very happy since I put him in a new pot. I decided to name him Adolf… And Adolph is really glowing…

 

Sedum adolphii ‘Firestorm’…

The Sedum adolphii ‘Firestorm’™ is doing very well in its larger pot on the front porch. I have heard of this plant for several years and found this one at Lowe’s on July 10 this year. Its leaves are a nice greenish-gold color like the species with much more prominent bronze-orange edges (depends a lot on the light, too) than the species. Its leaves appear a little more slender and more pointed that the species as well. The color comes out much better in both the species and ‘Firestorm’ in brighter light.  There is very little online about this plant specifically except for online merchants, and even on their sites, there is very little about it. Usually, when Dave’s Garden has a listing about a plant there is some growing information, but not with this one. Nothing was filled in but there are a couple of photos. So, I added my photos and filled in the information. The information I added is visible, but it will take a while for the photos to show up.

Sedum adolphii ‘Firestorm’ is a 2014 introduction from the Huntington Botanic Garden. To see their introductions, click on Gardens, then click on Botanical Resources, then click on International Succulent Introductions. I spent a few hours clicking on each year from 2018 down to 2002. NICE! 🙂

 

Sedum kamtschaticum ‘Variegatum’…

The Sedum kamtschaticum ‘Variegata’ is doing amazing this year. To think it was down to a few tiny stems and now it looks like this. It’s a good thing I moved it to the cast iron planter, huh? I had intended to take the stem whos leaves were more yellow and see if I could get its own clump growing but… I only seem to remember when I am taking photos. 🙂 I think it is to late to do it now because cooler temps and decreasing day length could be a problem. I will just have to wait until next spring to see if it returns like this. I am also glad it flowered this year for the first time since 2012 when we were in Mississippi. There are a lot of photos on this plants page.

 

Sedum kamtschaticum…

Although the Sedum kamtschaticum (Orange or Russian Stonecrop) has done well this summer, it has also been weird. Normally it is growing more upright, but this year it has sprawled leaving a hole in the center. The taller growing Sedum species, like ‘Autumn Joy’, that produce LARGE clusters of flowers do this but this is the first summer this plant has done this. It is growing on the second level in the raised bed behind the old foundation in “the other yard”. Usually, there is A LOT of Celosia argentea var. spicata ‘Cramer’s’ Amazon’ growing around it and Marigold ‘Brocade’ in the first level but this year I didn’t let that happen. So, this plant has been in full sun without the shade of the other plants and it has had room to spread out somewhat.

Sedum kamtschaticum is one of the species continually in debate the past several years. Since the Sedum genus is a very large and diverse group of plants, many believe it should be divided into many other genera according to plant type (etc.). This species was named Phedimus kamtschaticus, and although many databases used that name for a while, most have gone back to Sedum. In a recent reply from Raphael Goverts (Senior Content Editor at Kew) concerning the Sedum genus, he said: “As to Sedum, POWO (Plants of the World Online) still takes a wide view of the genus because there is not yet an agreed system to deal with it. Most of the research has been done in Europe on European species for which a number of genera have been made but it is unclear how they relate to the Asian and American species. So until this is settled we will retain a large Sedum.”

Missouri Botanical Garden (and Tropicos) is still going with the genus Phedimus. The USDA Plants Database has changed the plant names that were moved other genera back to Sedum. It will be very interesting to see how this all pans out in the future…

 

Sedum spurium ‘John Creech’…

The Sedum spurium ‘John Creech’ is still doing awesomely well stuck in its little corner. It wants to spread out more so it can strut its stuff and is trying desperately to move into other territories. Friedrich August Marschall von Bieberstein named and described this species in Flora Taurico-Caucasica in 1808 but it is also one of the species in the debate. Henk ’t Hart described it as Phedimus spurius in Evolution and Systematics of the Crassulaceae in 1995.

 

Sedum spurium ‘?’…

This Sedum spurium ‘?’ has done very well this summer and FINALLY had a few flowers. I brought the start home from Wagler’s Greenhouse in 2015 and there was no label. I decided it was a Sedum spurium but the cultivar name is still up for debate. I believe it is probably a Sedum spurium ‘Dragon’s Blood’. I waited for 3 years before it flowered and hoped they would help me give it a positive ID. At some point, I am going to have to decide because it really doesn’t like being called “unknown” or “?”. I probably have more photos of this clump than any other plant here. As far as I can tell, there are no other Sedum spurium cultivars that have this coloration on the leaves and stems over a 12 month period. The stems are a reddish color, the leaves are maroon over the winter, then during the summer, the green leaves have a reddish margin. The flowers, of course, are bright reddish-pink. That all says Sedum spurium ‘Dragon’s Blood’.

 

Sempervivum ‘Oddity’…

The Sempervivum ‘Oddity’ is doing awesomely well. I need a new photo already because the stems and offsets are now touching the side of the pot. The Sempervivum ‘Oddity’ I had before did not grow such long stems. Information says the leaves are folded lengthwise, upsidedown and backward… When the leaves get a little larger on the main plant I will be able to take some good close-ups showing the seam along the leaf.

 

Sempervivum ‘Killer’ on 8-26-18, #499-38.

The clump of Sempervivum x ‘Killer’ is one of the succulents that has been continually changing this summer. This is the first year it has flowered which has brought both joy and sadness. Joy because this is the first Sempervivum I have grown that has flowered. It brings a little sadness because, after the larger rosettes flower, they will die… Of course, there are plenty of offsets. A few of the larger rosettes died last summer but it wasn’t because they flowered. At first, I thought maybe they flowered and I just hadn’t noticed, but now I know that wasn’t the case. As long as these have lasted I definitely would have noticed. It has been flowering since the end of July… It is like the cycle of life unfolding right before my eyes.

 

Sempervivum x ‘Killer’ flowers on August 11…

The above photo of the Sempervivum x ‘Killer’ flowers was taken on August 11.  Pretty neat, huh?

 

Stenocereus pruinosus on 7-29-18, #487-97.

The Stenocereus pruinosus (Gray Ghost, Organ Pipe) has been spending its summer soaking in the sun on the back porch. Every time I ask him how he is doing he just smiles and says, “Life is good…”

 

Tephrocactus articulatus var. papyracanthus on 8-18-18, #498-7.

What would life be like without the Tephrocactus articulatus var. papyracanthus (Paper Spine Cactus)? Well, I am sure life would be fine without it, but not as interesting. Sharing our life with interesting plants is a great reward and this cactus is definitely interesting… It has done very well since I put it in a larger pot on May 25 and it also likes it on the front porch. This is one cactus you have to be able to communicate with. While it likes bright light, It seems to prefer a little shade and burns pretty easily in too much sun. It will definitely let you know when it is too much. If they aren’t in enough light their segments will be smaller.

 

Walley’s Unknown Succulent #1 on 8-29-18.

My very good friend and fellow plant collector, Walley Morse, from Mississippi sent me a couple of very interesting succulents. I was hoping he still had the Lenophyllum acutifolium that was in the pot with the Lemon Eucalyptus I left with him when I moved from Mississippi. Well, you know, time has passed and maybe he didn’t even take it. I don’t remember… Anyway, he also sent me several stem cuttings of his Purple Heart (Tradescantia pallida) which I was very glad to receive.

I was very glad he sent me the two succulents as well but so far haven’t been able to properly identify them yet. They are going good in pots on the front porch. I should have cut their main stems off closer to the lower set of leaves, but since they already had roots attached, I thought I better just get them in some soil right away. #1 had buds but they seem to have disappeared…

 

Walley’s Unknown Succulent #2 on 8-29-18.

Several leaves had fallen off #2 during shipping which didn’t take root. The top of the stem had also broken off, so I put them both in their own pots. I am not sure, but this could possibly be a species of Echeveria (or a similar genus)… One of 184 species and HUNDREDS of cultivars… I posted photos of both these succulents on a Facebook to see if a member could identify. Usually, that works pretty well, but not this time. I guess I will have to post their photos on a few more… There are several other places I can also post their photos. I am almost 100% sure they are both members of the Crassulaceae family (especially #2).

 

Cactus on the back porch on 8-26-18.

This is the most recent photo of the cactus on the back porch. I had switched places with the Mammillaria vetula subsp. gracilis and the Oscularia deltoides.

 

Plants on the front porch on 8-26-18.

I checked, and triple checked, to make sure I didn’t leave any of the Cactus and succulents out. I took several new photos and updated this post several times in the, umm, two weeks it took me to publish it. So, I thought I better get finished before I decide to take more photos.

Now that the cactus and succulent update is finished… I have more posts to add. But first, I need to catch up on YOUR posts to see what YOU have been up to! 🙂

Until next time, stay well, positive, amazing, safe, and…

GET DIRTY!!!