Search found 458 matches

by A. Dean Stock
Wed Oct 14, 2015 3:54 am
Forum: General
Topic: High proportion of cactus species threatened with extinction
Replies: 6
Views: 1448

Re: High proportion of cactus species threatened with extinc

I live just north of the "Arizona Strip" where several Pediocactus and Sclerocactus species occur that are in danger of being collected to extinction. There are few other factors other than collecting that threaten these species and they appear to have declined in numbers within the last 1...
by A. Dean Stock
Thu Oct 01, 2015 4:28 am
Forum: Outdoor Cacti
Topic: Looking for advice for growing Opuntia
Replies: 11
Views: 3531

Re: Looking for advice for growing Opuntia

I was thinking of a space 4 feet across with the plant in the middle of it (radius of 2ft.). The depth of the space should be at least 2 ft. but that would be a minimum. I'm not sure how fast the plants will grow for you but here O. phaeacantha would fill that space in 2 years or less. Hopefully the...
by A. Dean Stock
Mon Sep 28, 2015 5:12 am
Forum: Outdoor Cacti
Topic: Looking for advice for growing Opuntia
Replies: 11
Views: 3531

Re: Looking for advice for growing Opuntia

For Opuntia it doesn't matter if you get a "perched" water level below the berm substrate because Opuntia roots are shallow. They would seldom penetrate more than a foot so the 18" recommended layer will take care of the root drainage problems. I've done this for many years and have n...
by A. Dean Stock
Fri Sep 25, 2015 5:14 am
Forum: Outdoor Cacti
Topic: Looking for advice for growing Opuntia
Replies: 11
Views: 3531

Re: Looking for advice for growing Opuntia

If I'm following your plan for a raised bed that is completely off the ground, it seems to me that temps would be much lower at the root zone than a bed raised up from the ground. It might work for some species but many of mine just barely make it through the winter and your winters are more difficu...
by A. Dean Stock
Wed Sep 23, 2015 4:34 am
Forum: Outdoor Cacti
Topic: Looking for advice for growing Opuntia
Replies: 11
Views: 3531

Re: Looking for advice for growing Opuntia

The two Opuntia species that you mention are not "weeds" and will not grow uncontrollably in your area. You will be lucky just to grow them well. I would make the bed raised at least 18" and constructed of suitable well draining substrate. The problem with most Opuntia in your area is...
by A. Dean Stock
Mon Aug 31, 2015 5:03 am
Forum: General
Topic: Pronunciation
Replies: 13
Views: 2734

Re: Pronunciation

My old book by Stern is still a good reference and I follow it for many things. Botanical Latin varies quite a bit in this country and terms for cactus morphology and taxonomy vary a great deal depending on what part of the country you are from.
Dean
by A. Dean Stock
Wed Aug 26, 2015 9:21 pm
Forum: Cacti Identification
Topic: Opuntia aurea?
Replies: 8
Views: 1943

Re: Opuntia aurea?

Mine as well !! I didn't look at the spines except to note that it certainly wasn't O. aurea.
by A. Dean Stock
Sun Aug 23, 2015 2:27 am
Forum: Cacti Identification
Topic: Opuntia aurea?
Replies: 8
Views: 1943

Re: Opuntia aurea?

Not O. aurea. That species is spineless or nearly so and has a different pad shape. To know what it is would require knowing where it is from and something about the flower and fruit at a minimum. Looks at first view like an O. fragilis hybrid but that is just a guess.
by A. Dean Stock
Wed Aug 19, 2015 5:42 am
Forum: Cacti Identification
Topic: Opuntia from Zion NP
Replies: 3
Views: 795

Re: Opuntia from Zion NP

The plant in the photo is an O. aurea hybrid. As others have stated, hybrids are "the rule" in Zion.
Dean
by A. Dean Stock
Wed Aug 19, 2015 5:38 am
Forum: Cacti Identification
Topic: Opuntia from Monument Valley
Replies: 3
Views: 880

Re: Opuntia from Monument Valley

Sorry I'm late to this. The plant is probably Opuntia nicholii rather than O. polyacantha.
Dean
by A. Dean Stock
Wed Aug 19, 2015 5:27 am
Forum: General
Topic: Pronunciation
Replies: 13
Views: 2734

Re: Pronunciation

Iann, that is how I pronounce the word as well and I'm working with Opuntia taxonomy. As DaveW pointed out, there is no "correct way" so it is just "usage" and that varies a great deal. I think that glock id is fine and it doesn't matter what classical Latin scholars think!!
Dean
by A. Dean Stock
Wed Jul 01, 2015 8:25 pm
Forum: General
Topic: Branching Echinocereus triglochidiatus ??
Replies: 3
Views: 1052

Re: Branching Echinocereus triglochidiatus ??

If you turn over a big clump of E. triglochidiatus you will likely find that the new branches do not originate from the actual roots but from the base of the old stem. They commonly branch from stem to stem but at the base. As a plant gets older and the stems elevated in a dome shaped clump, the ste...
by A. Dean Stock
Sat May 23, 2015 11:53 pm
Forum: Cultivation
Topic: Anyone try the new foam fertilizer yet?
Replies: 8
Views: 2364

Re: Anyone try the new foam fertilizer yet?

Iann, my 50 years of growing orchids and cacti and a lot of experience measuring what comes out of the pot caused me to make that comment. I believe that you are wrong about so called nitrification taking place easily with urea under general cactus growing conditions. Urea must be processed by bacte...
by A. Dean Stock
Thu May 21, 2015 6:46 pm
Forum: Cultivation
Topic: Anyone try the new foam fertilizer yet?
Replies: 8
Views: 2364

Re: Anyone try the new foam fertilizer yet?

The "foam" fertilizer is a great rip-off by our friends at Miraclegro!! A lot of money for not much of anything. You probably don't have to worry about too much nitrogen because 1/2 of what little is there is in the form of Urea and unless you are keeping your cacti way wetter than I do, m...
by A. Dean Stock
Wed May 20, 2015 5:34 am
Forum: Cacti Identification
Topic: Sclerocactus
Replies: 7
Views: 2231

Re: Sclerocactus

The plants may be the same size although they do not appear to be to me. They certainly are not the same age since one has many times more vertical rows of tubercules/areoles than the other one. They look like typical S. parviflorus to me and I've looked at hundreds of them in the Nat. Bridges Nat. ...