Saturday, December 31, 2011

Echinocereus adustus

'Adustus' translates from Latin as 'scorched, burned by the sun'. Many cacti plants would deserve this name if encountered after the prolonged drought. E. adustus looks nothing like that in culture. It is a small plant with tight spines protecting it's stem, and nice pink blooms.


Monday, December 26, 2011

Rebutia pseudominuscula

Rebutia pseudominuscula was well-known and popular plant some time  ago, but almost forgotten now. It is easy blooming plant, growing well on full sun. With time it forms dense clump of small dark heads, in times completely obscured by small red flowers.


Sunday, December 25, 2011

Stenocactus multicostatus

Stenocactus multicostatus is another 'classic' for any collector. Stenocactus genus is known for plants with unique appearance - stems are forming multiple thin waving ribs, often hundreds on a plant. Flowers not too large but often bright in color. The blooming plant makes you think of a celebration of some sort, or at least of a cake.


Saturday, December 24, 2011

Sulcorebutia HS125a

Sulcorebutias known and loved for their flowers, ans HS125a shows why. Plants I have display very dark-cherry petals with yellow center, darker than many pictures of this form I've seen.


Monday, December 19, 2011

Acanthocalycium spiniflorum 'violacium'

Acanthocalycium spiniflorum is a nice free-flowering species from Argentina mountains. I my greenhouse it repeatedly blooms all summer long, often with more than 10 flowers open per time.
This species is easy in culture and usually recommended for beginners.


Sunday, December 18, 2011

Echinocereus stoloniferus tayopensis

Echinocereus tayopensis flowers are remarkably similar to blooms of E. subinermus, a much more common species in culture. E. tayopensis is not so well known, but also nice and easy plant, a bit faster growing.

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Echinocereus dasiacanthus

Echinocereus dasiacanthus is native to Texas ans New Mexico, and adjacent Mexico states. It is variable species, the plant on picture has short white spines. Large yellow flowers are always a fest.


Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Thelocactus macdowellii

Thelocactus macdowellii is another nice species from Mexico. White-spinned ball with large bright pink flowers makes a very attractive plant. It responds nicely to common cactus care, and does well in mineral substrate. Lots of sun is very suitable for it.


Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Tephrocactus geometricus

In recent times name Tephrocactus was used to refer all small growing opuntoides from South America with more or less ovoid or round shaped segments. Now days it is a small genus of only 6 species. T. geometricus is by some reason is the most desirable species in the genus. It easily grown from seed, though it takes time to see the first bloom. Flowers are always white, often with pink tint.


Sunday, December 4, 2011

Austrocylindropuntia subulata

Austrocylindropuntia subulata is moderately cold-hardy plant that grows in the ground here in bay area. The plants in Stanford Arizona Garden develop very distinct sprouts with thick long lives, very attractive by themselves.
Bi-colored flowers if that species is a nice icing in a cake. Gentle pink with yellow center is unusual combo among cacti.