Plants for sale....

[TimN]

Hello all,

I'm finally getting my plants together to sell. Made it through the winter with only a few losses. The rest are ready to go.

I've put the first batch up on ebay here: Plants on ebay

Here's a list of the species on offer...

Astrophytum coahuilense
Astrophytum myriostigma
Astrophytum asterias
Astrophytum asterias Super Kabuto (x 4)
Coryphantha werdermanii
Echinocereus sciurus
Epithelantha polycephala
Escobaria leeii
Escobaria vivipara
Gymnocalycium bodenbenderianum
Gymnocalycium mesopotamicum
Gymnocalycium netralianum
Leuchtenbergia principis
Mammillaria huitzilopoctlii
Mammillaria senilis
Parodia graessnerii
Pelecyphora strobiliformis (x 2)
Sulcorebutia verticillacantha aureiflora
Thelocactus mcdowellii
Epithelantha micromeris unquispina

[Steve Johnson]

I normally don't even think about buying from eBay, but your Pelecyphoras are both rare and seriously tempting, plus you're a trusted guy. Before I decide if I should jump, I need to ask you a few questions:

1. Do you have any growing tips in case they tend to be difficult?

2. My part of L.A. is in a coastal microclimate -- temperate Springs, and Summers aren't blastingly hot. If the Pelecyphora I select goes from Arizona to where I live, would the change in climate be okay, or would it be a jarring change that puts the odds of a successful transplant in jeopardy?

3. What pot size would you recommend? I can get sizes down to 2".

Sorry about all the questions, but as fascinating as it is, I know absolutely nothing about the species.

Thanks much, Tim!

[Aiko]

I know absolutely nothing about the species.

Then you should just plunge in. You learn by trying.
Don't be too scared. Just avoid the most obvious stupid things (like gross overwatering) and most plants will be fine.

Pelecyphoras are not that hard. Just take a bit more caution when watering compared to other cacti. I usually skip a watering here and there for Pelecyphora if weather predictions are not that well, while most other cacti will get a splash anyway.

[Saxicola]

Steve,

I highly doubt the climate difference will affect things much. However, I can't think of a better time of year to get that plant than right now if you are worried about that issue. The heat hasn't really set in yet in AZ so the climate change will be minimal.

[Steve Johnson]

I know absolutely nothing about the species.

Then you should just plunge in. You learn by trying.
Don't be too scared. Just avoid the most obvious stupid things (like gross overwatering) and most plants will be fine.

Pelecyphoras are not that hard. Just take a bit more caution when watering compared to other cacti. I usually skip a watering here and there for Pelecyphora if weather predictions are not that well, while most other cacti will get a splash anyway.

Steve,

I highly doubt the climate difference will affect things much. However, I can't think of a better time of year to get that plant than right now if you are worried about that issue. The heat hasn't really set in yet in AZ so the climate change will be minimal.

Okay, my friends -- I don't want to jinx the enterprise by saying too much, but it looks like I may have a Pelecyphora in my future. I'll know by Friday evening, so perhaps we'll have more to discuss over the weekend.

Great to have a support system here on the forum -- thanks, guys!

[DaveW]

Never had much trouble with my Pelecyphora (fingers crossed now I have said that!) and I have had it for about 20 years or more. It is just treated like all the other cacti and even been down to around freezing. Not sure if it was originally an import before CITES, or was from seed in some old UK collection.

Pelechyphora.jpg (63.5 KiB) Viewed 1295 times

[Steve Johnson]

Never had much trouble with my Pelecyphora (fingers crossed now I have said that!) and I have had it for about 20 years or more. It is just treated like all the other cacti and even been down to around freezing. Not sure if it was originally an import before CITES, or was from seed in some old UK collection.

What an unusual and lovely plant, Dave! Is that asseliformis? Between the 2 Pelecyphora species, asseliformis would be my preferred choice. However, Pelecyphoras are so bloody rare as it is, and strobiliformis comes in as a very close second. I'd be very satisfied to get one! Interesting tidbit here -- TimN told me that the only asseliformis he has in his collection is grafted. Don't know if that was by choice, or if it was the only one he could find. I don't keep grafted cacti in my collection, so that would've been a deal-breaker if the plant I'm going after were on a graft.

Without saying whether or not this is what I'd be getting, please look at the following photo, then give me your observations, comments, etc.:

Pelecyphora_strobiliformis.jpg (46.69 KiB) Viewed 1270 times

[DaveW]

Yes mine above is Pelechyphora asseliformis. It gets its generic name Pelecy-phora meaning hatchet bearing, a reference to the tubercle shape (of asseliformis the type), plus asseliformis = like a woodlouse since the end of the tubercle with it's spination looks like a woodlouse on its back with its feet in the air. It was about the size of one of the offsets when I first got it.

Grafted cacti can always be de-grafted when large enough. Your picture looks like strobiliformis, though it looks as if it has necked through some setback in the past, or it could even originally have been collected and checked initially in cultivation, maybe has even gone blind and the top grown out. However once large enough you can cut the good top part off and root it down, plus the base will send out more offsets you can trade, particularly if rare in the US.

Neither Pelechyphora's are that rare in the UK, so I am surprised they are in the US and aren't they available as seed anyway? If you learn seedling grafting you can soon push one on and then de-graft and root down when large enough.

http://www.cactus-art.biz/schede/PELECY ... formis.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.cactus-art.biz/schede/PELECY ... formis.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I see Mesa Gardens has both Pelecyphora's on their seed list. If you all start setting them in your more favourable climate they soon will not be rare:-

http://www.mesagarden.com/c2013.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I have strobiliformis too, but not as large as asseliformis. Strobili-formis = like a pine cone:-

strobiliformis.jpg (70.53 KiB) Viewed 1231 times

[Steve Johnson]

I see Mesa Gardens has both Pelecyphora's on their seed list. If you all start setting them in your more favourable climate they soon will not be rare:-

I noticed that too, although I need to find a grown plant -- see http://www.cactiguide.com/forum/viewtop ... 3&start=15" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; for my latest post there. Given the fact that they're such interesting and unique-looking plants, I can't understand why Pelecyphoras aren't more well-represented in US collections.

Anyway, the photo I posted above indicates what I believe to be an adult strobiliformis with a problem which resulted in the death of the growing point. That would be consistent with the growth of a new head on the plant's apex. Can't tell if it's juvenile or subadult yet, but I'd like to watch it get big enough for the adult stage. They're slow growers, so any guesses as to how many years it would take? I also agree about cutting off and rooting the new head when it gets bigger, then growing more offsets on the base for sale or trade if you'd like. Once again, I'm saying nothing about what I have on bid at eBay, so all this is purely for intellectual curiosity. By Friday evening I'll fill y'all in on the developments. Until then -- tick tock, tick tock.

[DaveW]

Looking at it again I too am inclined to think it went blind Steve as at the top of the neck you can see mature tubercles have formed, whereas the growth on top shows juvenile spination which I would expect from an offset not a continuation of the original growing point. Anyway with all plants all you require is the original genetic material you can propagate from and an offset on a plant with an established root stock will always grow quicker than a seedling, so just leave the offset on the plant until you get a large enough plant for your purposes (even if it looks ugly!) and later cut it off and re-root and you will have a specimen plant, plus a stump providing more offsets as "belt and braces" in case either died.

Is there no way you can get a shelf above your plant bench to gain extra growing space?

[Steve Johnson]

Is there no way you can get a shelf above your plant bench to gain extra growing space?

Ah, interesting question...

I convinced myself that replacing my current plant bench with a 2-tier shelf would be impractical. However, when there's a will, there's a way, and it should be doable if I can solve a few problems first. Unfortunately I have too many other things going on to think about this for the time being, but I may be in a position to make it happen sooner rather than later.

Okay, my friends -- by this time tomorrow evening I'll let y'all know if I'm the proud owner of a P. strobiliformis. If I am, then I can show you a photo of what I'll be getting.

[TimN]

But wait, there's more..

Plants on ebay

Big plants, little plants, rare plants, common plants. Something for everyone!