C and D's Succulents

[C And D]

I only had one Adenium for the first decade of succulent growing, an Adenium obesa that is now about 30 lbs of fatness.
I don't usually grow leafy things, but Denise likes them.


But when I saw these Adenium socotranums for the first time on sale 6 years ago, I had to have one.
They were expensive and tiny.
Here it is today.

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Here is Denise's old plant, that's a Fat Base!

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The reason they are so rare in cultivation is mostly because of their previously unknown growth season, which is late Summer and Fall. Or even Winter! Odd for a plant from Socotra.

People were killing them by trying to make them grow in the spring and summer, when they are leafless, and keeping them dry when they needed the water.

I keep them in the shade spring and summer, and wait for them to start growing leaves like a bulb
then give it more heat and water.

Well to our surprise, we came upon a new stock of Super Fat plants that are about 4-5 years old, and were grown super fast and pumped.

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Check our website for more information.

[Mark]

Thank you for the A. socotranums info! It is very helpful!


Mark

[C And D]

Progress report on our seed garden.
We threw some seeds in our garden a couple of years ago and lo and behold, they grew !!!

We had to dig it up a year and a half ago to get our house painted, so had to start it from scratch April 2013.

Here is an overview, from left to right.

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Here are some close ups
Cheiridopsis, Gibbaeum, Pleiospilos, Trichodiadema fergusoniae, a couple of Fenestraria

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A swarm of Titanopsis

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Most of the cactus are Neoporterias, which seem to be one of the easiest Genus to grow in our environment.

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Those Sulcorebutia rauschiis were a surprise, I don't remember throwing those seeds in.
But the surprise was that cute little Frailea grahliana.
It had tiny flowers, produced seed, and have seedlings of it growing below it now.

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[Reggie]

Awesome. How did you care for them? Are they covered or out in the open? Makes my failed attempts seem way to agonizing after seeing this here in So. Cal.

[C And D]

The seed garden is 1/2 natural soil half pumice and potting mix

The natural soil is almost pure sand (I guess since we live near the beach) and mixing it with the cactus mix makes it half good/half bad

It's good because it holds a lot of moisture, which aids in germination and early seed growth
it's bad because it rots sensitive plants roots, so many species may germinate, but then die early because of the constant moisture, mostly correlating with dormant times

It is in the open with one layer of screen above it to aid in diffusing the intense sun
We water it every 2 to 4 days, and we soak it every watering..

I'm planning on doing a seed throwing into it later this fall, with Bulbines, Othonnas, Stomatiums etc..
They grow so fast in the ground with that kind of constant moisture.

I'm also plan on churning the soil in one area, and making it soil that sensitive plants can withstand the watering every 2 to 4 days, for summer growing cactus, I know it can work, and in fact, that's how most cactus seedlings are grown..

At some Cactus nurseries, they grow all their plants in flats filled with medium rich soil, the seeds distributed on them evenly, then they sprinkle a light layer of sand on them, and then water every 1 to 4 days, depending on the look of them.

[Reggie]

Very impressive and thank you for the detailed information. So are the ones that made it plants that are more opportunistic when it comes to water needs? Is your plan to transplant these now?

[luigonz]

Hello,
fantastic collection here.
I was looking for some information on psuedolithos. I searched the forum and only really saw posts on this thread.
I have been growing cacti for a little while but never psuedolithos....I was wondering if yall had success with completely non organic soil mix?
I currently have most my cacti in a 20% leaf compost 40% coarse sand 40% decomposed granite. I wonder if they will do well in this mix?

thanks,
-lui

[Aiko]

I have been growing cacti for a little while but never psuedolithos....I was wondering if yall had success with completely non organic soil mix?
I currently have most my cacti in a 20% leaf compost 40% coarse sand 40% decomposed granite. I wonder if they will do well in this mix?

I have a soil mix of half grit / granite, a quarter loam and a quarter of seeved compost / top soil. I don't think your substrate mix is very different, but maybe you like to lower the sand part a bit and compensate this with more compost and a bit more granite.

But don't worry too much about the substrate. Most important thing is a Pseudolithos likes it warm. It can handle a night of 5C, but in general try to keep it at least at 15C. Also be a little bit aware it is a bit moist sensitive. Give it less water than your average succulent. But you don't need to give it as infrequently water as an Ariocarpus. If I splash my succulents with water about once a week or once every two weeks, I usually skip one watering for my Pseudolithos, in practise giving it a splash of water every two to three weeks.

[luigonz]

Thank you very much Aiko for your insight!
I am so excited to have found this forum....my collection is growing and I have a ton of questions...but plan on reading as much as possible. There are some great collections here.

[C And D]

Pseudolithos get a bad rap for being extra difficult
They usually grow for several years nicely, and then will die unexpectedly,
I don't think they have a long life expectancy.

I have good luck giving them 4 things:
1) Small pots
2) lean mostly mineral soil, very little silt.
3) Lots of heat
4) regular watering from early Spring until late Fall when warm.

I water them almost once a week the entire growing season, but they dry out between waterings and are kept on a high shelf to get as much heat as possible, which is around 90 degrees on most days.

My Pseudolithos usually bloom in the fall, my P. cubiforme is outside this week, because it was stinking up the place.

[Aiko]

Maybe add a 5) to the list; draft. Although this could partly be a 3) issue. I have noticed that my big Pseudolithos migiurtinus do not like draft. So keep that in mind when you live in an area with wind and winter frosts while allowing your plants to overwinter inside on a window sill during the winter. I learned that the hard way... They will rot almost instantly (while they can handle a regular cold night every now and then). I now place a piece of cardboard cut-to-fit between the drafty part of the window and my plants. Oddly enough, all my other heat lovers that are not Pseudolithos have not had a problem with the same draft.

I don't water mine as often, as I don't have the heat Texas and California might have on offer throughout the year. But still they get water about every two to three weeks when I can expect the sun heating up my greenhouse. Okay enough for getting them to flower, set seed if a fly passes by, and grow. I don't think there is more they should do anyway!

[C And D]

Yes, the Netherlands is very different from California or Texas

Here is my Pseudolithos cubiforme yesterday, with it's green bronzed fly trying to get to that stench

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Pseudolithos eylensis with buds

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Pseudolithos dodsoniana
in a 2 inch pot.

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And my hybrid of Pseudolithos dodsoniana x migiurtinus (F1), the flys made it happen about 8 years ago
I call them "The Turds of Hearts" since they have little hearts along the side of them

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F2 of "The Turds of Hearts"

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[One Windowsill]

Looks like the hide of a love dragon (trying to be a little more romantic than Turd of Hearts).

[luigonz]

very nice pseudolithos!

Here are my new P. migiurtinus. I am always afraid to put so little organic material in my mixes. But I have put these guys in 2.5 in pots with 3/4 decomposed granite/limestone chips, 1/8 composted leaf litter 1/8 coarse sand. Watering once a week until night temperatures reach low 50s degrees F?
In regards to high heat...does this mean not to let them get below 50 degrees F?

Also in regards to Sand, I've searched around in the forums about the adverse affects of too much sand, but I was wondering what the majority opinion was on it?(without starting a large debate...)
I spoke recently with Paul ( owner of Paul's Desert in Shertz, TX) and he said something along the lines of "I use a 50/50 sand and decomposed cow manure mix...I know its a heavy mix but its what I like."

Thanks for all the info on pseudolithos. I hope mine get big and lumpy with time

-lui

[Aiko]

In regards to high heat...does this mean not to let them get below 50 degrees F?

I keep mine at 15C / 59F. But that is when I keep them inside for the winter. In late spring up onto late autumn I have them in the greenhouse. They still are, currently. When the nights go down to 5C / 41F structurally, it is for me time to bring them in. They can take an occasional night of low temperatures. But don't let it be a series of cold nights. On the whole they should be warm, and I would not allow it to drop down below 5C / 41F without worries...