Hoodia Summer 2014

Anything relating to Succulents that doesn't fit in another category should be posted under General.
Post Reply
User avatar
Tetrazole
Posts: 418
Joined: Mon Sep 21, 2009 8:44 pm
Location: Western New York State

Hoodia Summer 2014

Post by Tetrazole »

The Hoodia plants are going nuts this early summer. Four out of seven species are in bloom. When the air is still around them you can almost taste the stench!

The H. ruschii is likely a hybrid or another species altogether. As Saxicola kindly pointed out, the flowers are not right for H. ruschii. Please read later post for more detailed explanation.
Hoodia currorii plant
Hoodia currorii plant
Hoodia currorii ssp currorii DSC_5144.JPG (40.8 KiB) Viewed 1625 times
Hoodia gordonii plant
Hoodia gordonii plant
Hoodia gordonii DSC_5147.JPG (45.29 KiB) Viewed 1625 times
Hoodia gordonii bloom
Hoodia gordonii bloom
Hoodia gordonii DSC_5150.JPG (49.5 KiB) Viewed 1625 times
Hoodia gordonii buds
Hoodia gordonii buds
Hoodia gordonii DSC_5152.JPG (39.17 KiB) Viewed 1625 times
Hoodia juttae Plant - note the developing seedpot - it's from summer 2013 (delayed development)
Hoodia juttae Plant - note the developing seedpot - it's from summer 2013 (delayed development)
Hoodia juttae DSC_5140.JPG (66.41 KiB) Viewed 1625 times
Hoodia Juttae bloom
Hoodia Juttae bloom
Hoodia juttae DSC_5119.JPG (40.6 KiB) Viewed 1625 times
Hoodia macracantha plant
Hoodia macracantha plant
Hoodia macracantha DSC_5130.JPG (39.6 KiB) Viewed 1625 times
Hoodia macracantha bloom
Hoodia macracantha bloom
Hoodia macracantha DSC_5132.JPG (46.47 KiB) Viewed 1625 times
Hoodia parviflora plant
Hoodia parviflora plant
Hoodia parviflora DSC_5138.JPG (39.57 KiB) Viewed 1625 times
Hoodia pilifera plant
Hoodia pilifera plant
Hoodia pilifera v pilifera DSC_5146.JPG (66.87 KiB) Viewed 1625 times
Purchased as a Hoodia ruschii seedling
Purchased as a Hoodia ruschii seedling
Hoodia ruschii DSC_5134.JPG (61.72 KiB) Viewed 1625 times
Bloom from the "Hoodia ruschii" plant.
Bloom from the "Hoodia ruschii" plant.
Hoodia ruschii DSC_5135.JPG (53.58 KiB) Viewed 1625 times
Last edited by Tetrazole on Sat Jul 12, 2014 12:51 am, edited 2 times in total.
“Whenever people say, 'We mustn't be sentimental,' you can take it they are about to do something cruel. And if they add, 'We must be realistic,' they mean they are going to make money out of it.”
― Brigid Brophy
User avatar
Saxicola
Posts: 1759
Joined: Tue Feb 28, 2012 11:31 pm
Location: Los Angeles area, California

Re: Hoodia Summer 2014

Post by Saxicola »

Nice collection you have! I try to add different species to my collection when I come across them. A note about H. ruschii though. I am pretty sure your identification is incorrect. H. ruschii has much smaller, dark red flowers. Big brown flowers are actually a minority in the genus, but are over represented in collections which makes people think all Hoodias look like that. If it has big brown flowers it is either H. gordonii, H. juttae, H. currorii (H. macarantha is considered a synonym of this by the expert on the genus), and to a lesser degree H. dregei and H. parviflora. Hopefully your H. pilifera is labelled correctly as that species has really nice blood red flowers that are small but form in big clusters.
I'm now selling plants on Ebay. Check it out! Kyle's Plants
User avatar
CactusFanDan
Posts: 2862
Joined: Wed Jun 30, 2010 6:33 pm
Location: Manchester, England
Contact:

Re: Hoodia Summer 2014

Post by CactusFanDan »

Aaaah I love a good Hoodia and these are lovely. :) I've had a lot of growth on mine so far this year, but sadly no flowers.
-Dan
Happy growing!

There is always one more glochid. Somewhere.
My C&S blog
User avatar
sundanz
Posts: 809
Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2012 7:05 pm
Location: Tyler, Texas, prev. Germany

Re: Hoodia Summer 2014

Post by sundanz »

Gorgeous!!!! Can't wait for mine to arrive from EBay!!
Karin
Life's a Cactus in the Great State of Texas!!!
User avatar
Saxicola
Posts: 1759
Joined: Tue Feb 28, 2012 11:31 pm
Location: Los Angeles area, California

Re: Hoodia Summer 2014

Post by Saxicola »

I hope it gets there in the next day or two Sundanz!
I'm now selling plants on Ebay. Check it out! Kyle's Plants
User avatar
sundanz
Posts: 809
Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2012 7:05 pm
Location: Tyler, Texas, prev. Germany

Re: Hoodia Summer 2014

Post by sundanz »

Thanks Kyle!!:-)
Karin
Life's a Cactus in the Great State of Texas!!!
User avatar
Tetrazole
Posts: 418
Joined: Mon Sep 21, 2009 8:44 pm
Location: Western New York State

Re: Hoodia Summer 2014

Post by Tetrazole »

All but the H. gordonii were purchased from Arid Lands. Since they were grown from seeds, and were not cuttings, it is difficult to swear to the ID of a a given seedling unless you grow it long enough to see the flowers . . . Similar problems come up with Huernia and Stapelia seedlings. At least with the latter two genera, cutting propagation is fairly easy. I am told that getting a hoodia cutting to root is extremely difficult in comparison.

My H. gordonii never pollinated itself - it bloomed by itself for three years, never once setting a seed horn. Once more than one species bloomed at a time, they all set seed pods. I suspect that cross pollination of various species is very easy. So anyone supplying seed and claiming it to absolutely of one species has to either only grow just that one species or take extraordinary steps to control the pollination.

My point being is that, though purchased as a H. ruschii seedling, it does not surprise me that it turned out to be another species or a hybrid and I don't really fault the vendor. The flowers are quite a bit smaller than the H. gordonii but the plant overall - spination, appearance of new growth - resembles H. gordonii more than the other five species. I look forward to seeing how the flowers look on the three species that have not yet bloomed.

Overall, I really enjoy growing these plants and find them to be very easy to care for. The amount of new growth each year, coupled with their profuse blooming habits is very rewarding.
“Whenever people say, 'We mustn't be sentimental,' you can take it they are about to do something cruel. And if they add, 'We must be realistic,' they mean they are going to make money out of it.”
― Brigid Brophy
Post Reply