It isn't California ...

[iann]

... but summer is still hanging on here.

turbinicarpus-0916.jpg (86.12 KiB) Viewed 1646 times

[Mark]

Those look good, very happy!


Mark

[iann]

Summer is still hanging in ... they're going to get a shock next week.

schickendantzii-1002.jpg (66.71 KiB) Viewed 1493 times

[iann]

Echinocactus polycephalus won't mind when the cold comes, but it can still enjoy a little autumn sun.

polycephalus-1002.jpg (98.19 KiB) Viewed 1493 times

[Kamos]

Great flowers ian ! And that E.polycephalus is amazing...its now on my wish list.

[JustSayNotoCactus]

Hello, I don't know what california has to do with Turbis, but they are perfect, Ian. I do know what Echinocactus has to do with Cali though, and I have no idea how you get that polycephalus to grow so nicely with less than 12 hours of 45C heat for a good six months of the year.

Kamos, You live 50 miles from their home turf! Just east of you, off the 395 highway there are hillsides with literally thousands of six foot across monsters. Definitely worth a visit.

[iann]

No 45C heat here. Or at least not the air temperature. The plants get a lot hotter than that on the top shelf of my greenhouse. Or not, on the cloudy days. Probably harsher than Death Valley, 140F one day and 60F the next. The secret is that they don't grow in summer That E. polycephalus is one of my favoutire cacti, but I have quite a few more smaller ones.

On to last gasp here. Maybe still one or two flowers to come, but they might not even open.

tenuissima-1005.jpg (89.76 KiB) Viewed 1446 times

[iann]

There are still some diehards popping up every time the sun comes out.

Turbinicarpus viereckii flowers opportunistically until I freeze it into submission.

viereckii-1010.jpg (89.94 KiB) Viewed 1390 times

There are plenty of Mammillarias that like to flower in winter, although they can't really do that here without some help. M. schiedeana isn't really one of them,. but here are flowers anyway.

schiedeana-1010.jpg (84.5 KiB) Viewed 1390 times

M. hernandezii is one of them, but only buds so far. It has a nasty habit of timing flowers perfectly as the sun disappears.

solisioides-1010.jpg (92.54 KiB) Viewed 1390 times

[iann]

Great flowers ian ! And that E.polycephalus is amazing...its now on my wish list.

One of my favourite cacti. I grew it from seed. You'll rarely see it for sale except grafted, and they don't look so good.

[DaveW]

That Mamm. solisioides looks like Mamm. hernandezii to me Ian, was that a typo?

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

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

Certainly not California here this morning as there was a definite nip in the air!

[iann]

That Mamm. solisioides looks like Mamm. hernandezii to me Ian, was that a typo?

Ooops! A "brain typo" I'll fix it ...