Mammillaria polythele

Mammillaria polythele is a small cylindrical plant, well represented in cultivation. The spineless 'nude' form is especially common.

Eriosyce subgibbosa JA126

Winter i the prime flowering season for Eriosyce of subgibbusa group. Here is one of my JA126 plants, labeled as 'nigrihorrida'.

Ubelmannia pectinifera

Ubelmannias are native to  Brasil where they grow in rocky arid habitats, surrounded by grasslands and semi-dry forests. Older habitat plants often develop white stem color, similar to many Copiapoas, and like Copiapoas, cultivated Ubelmannias very rarely do that.

Mammillaria perezdelarosae andersoniana

6 months old seedlings.

Eriocactus (Parodia) warasii

Eriocactus is a small group of species now listed under Parodia with distinct flower, almost identical among all species in the group. All the Eriocacti are by far the largest in the Parodia genus.

Copiapoa hypogea

Copiapoa hypogea along with C. humilis are the most commonly seen Copiapoas in collections. They flower easily, with characteristic for the genus yellow flowers.
It would be difficult to make an impression of the whole plant from my picture, but that was not the intention either ))

Ariocarpus fissuratus

Summer is almost over and Ariocarpus flowering season has started. A. fissurratus stem is grey and textured like rock, blending to the environment. The fleshy root is much larger then the stem above the ground, and the plant grows almost flat to it's surface.

Grusonia parishii

This is the first Grusonia flower in my greenhouse. Fully open flower is flat like a pancake, but soon after I has photographed it I noticed that the flower started to close, curling the petals back inside. This ephemeral shape seemed much more elegant to me, so I brought my camera back for it.

Matucana madisonorum

This is a more common Matucana, usually known as a naked ball with eventual spine or two. When grown on strong light, they actually develop long brown spines, somewhat twisted.

Mammillaria schiedeana 'plumosa'

The close-up of spines of Mammillaria schiedeana 'plumosa' shows that actually the spines are not 'feathery' like M. plumosa's. Each spine turns into fin hair-like stricture, giving the plant the overall 'puffy' look.

Rebutia fiebrisii

Many day-flowering cacti close buds for the night, protecting the precious pollen from the night moisture. Here is Rebutia at dusk, ready for the night.

Maticana paucicostata

This is truly the smallest of Maticana species, and the slowest. Vivid red flowers are produced repeatedly over the summer.

Denmosa rhodacantha

Denmosa is a South American genus with single variable species. These are mountain plants, becoming tall barrels with age. They also have a very curious-looking flower adapted for humming bird pollination.

Coryphantha sulcata

The young C. sulcata plant, blooming for the second year. The specific name - 'silky' - refers to the white flock that is produced already and with age will cover all the upper part of the plant.

Echinocereus websterianus

Echinocereus websterianus is endemic to a single island in California Gulf, similarly to E. grandis - closely related species found on three other island in the gulf. Administratively the birthplace of E. webstarianus belongs to Sonora state, but I consider it to be one of Baja California species, based more on ecological than administrative divide.

Sulcorebutia vasqueziana VZ 34

Another pretty Sulcorebutia in bloom.

Opuntia chaffeyi

This is a very modest plant with small for Opuntua flowers, and interesting caudex-like root. In the winter it looses some of it's stems, relying more on the fat roots for storage.

Sulcortebutias in bloom

Sulcos are spring bloomers, and lots of colorful flowers are produces. Here are S. cylindrica 'roesiflora' and S. frankeiana sharing the pot

Mammuyllaria luetheyi

Not long ago it was a rarity, reasonably common now but still on a higher end of price range plant. Most of the plant you see are grafted, like the one in picture. Seeds are rare for sale, due to specifics of the plant reproductive biology.
Seems like everyone has a picture of it, so now is my turn.

Matucana haynei

This is a large plant, about 15 inches tall. Every couple weeks it produces a flash of flowers like that, 30 to 50 blooms each time.

Echinocereus mojavensis 'inermis'

The 'unarmed' E. mojavensis comes from around four corners area,  Paradox mountains is one of the spots, and to me it feels like the right name for this plant home. It is very sculptural to my taste, and also fairly slow.

Rebutia pygmaea

Very variable species, mainly by flower color, it is one of the all time favorites. Small plants are forming clumps in culture, and often 15 cm / 6 in in diameter or more. This form has relatively large orange flowers.

Echinocereus coccineus hybrid

White-flowered E. coccineus hybrid, another picture from another season. The plant gets larger, and the flowering is more spectacular with every year.

Echinocereus mojavensis

This is a form of Echinocereus mojavensis from northern Arizona. It has somewhat darker flowers with pinkish tint in them, very noticeable when you see them next to the California plants that have more of orange in color.

Echinocereus nivosus

Long awaited flower of E. nivosus here. In literature this species is described as hard to flower. Here is a seedling of about 3 inches tall flowering for the first time. Apparently, all they need is plenty of sun. Not a big surprise when you talk about Echinocereus.

Lobivia formosa kieslingii

IDing this plant was a challenge for me, and even after it finally reached the flowering size I could not quite get it.This is a form of well-known Soechrensia, but it flowers not from the apex as you would expect, but from the base like other 'regular' Lobivias. Flower size and shape is identical to other Soechrensias.

Soecherncia is the original generic name for those plants, now lumped to  Lobivia or even larger genus Echinopsis. This is high-altitude plants, getting fairly large in time.

Echinocereus apachensis

Yet another picture of this natural hybrid. As you can see, this plant has very modest short spines, about 2 inches long. Plant like that are fairly common around Fish Creek area, where the plants of original description came from.

Eriosyce chiliensis albiflora

Another Chilean species, this Eriosyce is becoming more common. I have some seedlings grown from wild collected seeds, but this plant actually came from garden center.

Mammillaria zailmanniana

The popular species, good to beginners, and still a pretty plant when in flower.

Escobaria laredoi

Nice tiny plant, all white and with bright flowers, this Escobaria has been around for long time. It deserves more presence in cactus collections.

Copiapoa krainziana

Old cactus hobbyists books have many versions of explanations why cacti grow wool or hear-like spines - from keeping plants worm at cold nights to protecting them from extreme desert sun.

I hope this picture of a plant native to the area where fog is the only reliable source of precipitation solves that old mystery ))

Rebutia pygmaea diersiana

This is a section of a group of 30 or so small plants sharing 10-inch planter.

Echinocereus leonensis

Large plate-shaped flower of this species has same colors as the E.pentalophus. E leonensis is considered to be a mere form of this species, but is a very distinct form. It's stems are much thicker and not spreading, and the plant produces stolons.

Sulcorebutia canigueralii

Another picture of this nice species in flower.

Lobivia wrightiana

Lobivia wrightiana is common among collectors, easy and nice plant. It flowers repeatedly over the summer with it's lavender flowers.

Echinocereus coccinneus hybrid

Hybrids of E.coccinneus x E.dasiacanthus not very common but well known in nature. They produce larger than E.coccineus flowers of many interesting colors. The flowers have typical for E.coccineus shape and usually inherit dioicy. Here you see the female flower.

Weingartia neocumingii

This common and easy plant always celebrates spring with flashes of bright yellow flowers, small but completely obscuring the plant's top. A nice addition to every collection!

Rebutia senilis 'lilaco-rosea'

This is another nice Rebutia with uncommon pink flowers. R. senilis is known for it's bright red or yellow blooms.

Cleistocactus hyalacanthus

The genus name Cleistocactus refers to cleistogamy - the term describing flowers that self-pollinate without opening. Cactus plants of genus Frailea re known to be cleistogamic in many occasions  but no Cleistocactus is really cleistogamic or even self-fertile.The small opening of those flowers, adapted for hummingbird pollination, resulted in confusion and name misapplication.

Haageocereus pseudoversicolor

Haageocereus is another genus of smaller cereae suitable for collections, especially for thous of us who are lucky to have a greenhouse. The plants are usually fiercely  spiny, and apparently are ready to flower at reasonable size and age.

Mammillaria deherdtiana

This beautiful Mammillaria is a close relative to more resent discovery and more popular M. saboae. The young plants of these species are hard to tell apart and flowers are almost identical.

Echinocereus reichenbachii 'albispinus'

The pretty and easy to grow plant, E. reichenbachii is well known and common among collectors. It is frost hardy and can be grown outside with rain protection in climates with mild winter.

Pediocactus sileri

This uncommon in collections plant comes from Southern Utah and Northern Arizona where it's habitat areas are scattered from St. George to Fredonia
Seeds of this species are commercially available, but the plants are a bit slow due to short spring growing season. It is much easier to get a flowering specimen on graft, which would mean extending grow period through all the summer.

Echinocereus mapimiensis

This unusual Echinocereus has grey soft stem and small rusty flowers. The species was discovered in late 1990-s.

Mammillaria perezdelarozae 'yellow clone'

This is a popular clone of beautiful M. perezdelarozae, selected for it's unusual spine color.

This is post #300 on this blog

Eriosyce subgibbosa

Young seedlings of Eriosyce subgibbosa blooming for the first time. The plants are about the size of a ping-pong ball.

Note the very soft lighting on that picture. All the pictures in this blog I take with natural light. California sun is usually pretty harsh and it requires some extra effort form photographer to soften lighting it produces. But today's sky had thin cloud layer, making photo-perfect soft light.

Rebutia violaciflora

The old classic - a very free-flowering Rebutia with notable violet flowers.

Echinocereus pacificus

The early blooming Baja California Echinocereud pacificus shows it's small but colorful flowers. This member of coccineus-triglochidatus group blooms younger in age than others, after reaching some 2 inches in height.

Mammillaria echinaria

This is merely a form of common Mammillaria elongata - noted for it's central spines that are produced very reliably. In any case, a pretty plant

Ancistrocactus matsonii

Now referred to Ancistrocactus uncinatus, this plant is well-known and easily recognized under it's old name matsonii. It has short stout spinest hat are making the plant reminiscent if a small copy of Ferocactus. The signature rust-colored flowers are characteristic for A.uncinatus species.