Pleiospilos nelii bloom

[Kamos]

Recently added some P. nelii to my collection, and already have a bloom! I have been looking forward to seeing this bloom
but just a little disappointed that it has no fragrance. I've read that they have a coconut like scent.
Well, maybe next time. This is the third day it has opened.
[attachment=1]2013_1107catfat0045.JPG[/attachment

[Gary]

Very nice plant there Kamos, I haven't grown these before so just curious do you have it under some kind of grow-light?

[Kamos]

Thank you Gary. I keep it in a south facing window sill, with three others. They seem to be growing well there.

[iann]

Neat. These have the nicest looking Pleiospilos flowers but they're not scented. Pretty much every other Pleiospilos species smells strongly and coconut describes it as well as anything.

[Kamos]

That's interesting iann. When I first brought these home , I researched them online, and read as much as possible
to find out how to grow these. I even read a post of yours about Pleios. that was very helpful! I'm determined
to keep them all alive Thanks again for the info.

[CactusFanDan]

Great flower!

[AKNicolle]

Nice bloom!

Is there some trick to keeping this species alive? I always seemed to have problems with them progressively shrinking as the old leaves shriveled and the new ones stayed small, until the cycle repeated again. Never got as far as flowering. I suspect my watering regimen was at fault?

[melodies]

I think my P. nelli is rotting. And I haven't watered it once since I got it from Lowe's end of summer sale!

[Kamos]

Thank you Nicolle I'm to new to this species to know the trick to keeping them alive This one with the bloom is the
only one I've watered in the 4 or 5 weeks I've had them. I really can't take to much credit for the flower. I did re pot
them, and I washed all of the original soil out of the roots. I then put them in course gritty soil. I'll just have wait and see what happens! But, at $2.48 a plant at THE HOME DEPOT, I wont be out much money if I lose one.
I'm still trying to figure out when to water/not water
melodies, sorry to hear about your P. nelii. I did see some great info on Cactiguide in General succulents about
growing Mesembs.

[melodies]

Well, it's disintegrated. Dead as a doornail. I'll just have to keep looking at that picture until I find another one!

I got mine for $1.50 on clearance at Lowe's, so I guess it wasn't that huge of a loss. Hopefully come spring they will stock some more. In the meantime, enjoy yours. They're such cool plants!

[Aiko]

Well, it's disintegrated. Dead as a doornail. I'll just have to keep looking at that picture until I find another one!

Don't worry, I have problems with Pleiospilos nelii too. With my almost nineteen years of experience... Only my self sown seedlings I can keep for a few years. This species seem VERY rot prone after repotting. I recently bought another one, have not provided it any water, and repotted it so it could reestablish itself during the winter months. I'll try watering again in spring to see if that is any better. This species and bought Geohintonia mexicana just seem to be tricky for me (Geohintonia mexicana also does not seem to like repotting). Sowing and keeping seedlings is not a problem, but adult plants just keep falling through my fingers... Any specific advice someone can provide?

[melodies]

This species seem VERY rot prone after repotting.

The thing is, I didn't even repot it! I was going to wait until spring. I just bought it and plunked it down on the windowsill. Three or four weeks later: dead!

[oldcat61]

Anything you get from Lowes or Home Depot should come out the pot ASAP. Wash the peat, which by now is concrete, off the roots & repot in proper soil. Not surprised it died. You can get good deals from the box store but it involves some work. I even found a melo azureus there this summer. I just picked up more lithops today from Lowes. Washed off the peat/perlite & they have really good roots. Hubby is happy - for $1.50 a pot, who cares what color they are. Sue

[melodies]

Sounds like I am doomed either way- repot and rot or keep in pot and rot. Oh, well, I'll still keep trying!

I'm jealous; I wish my Lowes had lithops! They've completely stopped stocking all cacti and most succulents for the winter now, though, so spring is when I'll see what they get in. Fingers crossed for some lithops and more P. nelli next year!

[iann]

Many of these box store mesembs are doomed before you even take them home.