End of November, and they keep on growing

[Steve Johnson]

The growing season should've been over by now. But thanks to the persistent heat this month, a few cacti have other ideas. From today, plants still putting on some late fall growth...

Epithelantha bokei:



E. micromeris:



Rebutia heliosa with its new pup looking right at us:



Mammillaria deherdtiana:



Its big, showy flowers should give us a fantastic display in late March/early April.

Mammillaria perezdelarosae:



Think it'll start showing flowers next month. The blooms came in dribs and drabs last winter, although given how well the perezdelarosae has been growing this year, I have a feeling it'll be more prolific through the winter that's about to begin.

Pygmaeocereus bylesianus loving the fall heat -- 9/20 on the left:



Melocactus matanzanus -- believe it or not, the cephalium is still active:



Pretty amazing crop of fruit, huh? More fruits are on the way too!

My local forecast has a big weather change on the way, with a 20% chance of rain Sunday night followed by more rain through at least Thursday. This could be the promising start of a rainy season worthy of the name. After a depressingly dry winter, California sure needs it, and I really hope to see portable GH 3.0 fulfilling its primary mission a lot before the rains end in April. As we wait and see how the winter weather situation shakes out, I'll look forward to showing you what my winter-blooming cacti are up to over the next several months.

Cheers, everyone!

[DaveW]

Mine are not growing here in the UK, but due to it being mild so far some Gymnocalycium's still keep putting out the odd flower. However the winter seems to be gradually starting later in the UK over the recent decades. Seems it is not to last though and we are to get the cold weather from you in the USA:-

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[Steve Johnson]

Mine are not growing here in the UK, but due to it being mild so far some Gymnocalycium's still keep putting out the odd flower. However the winter seems to be gradually starting later in the UK over the recent decades. Seems it is not to last though and we are to get the cold weather from you in the USA:-

Oddly enough, winters in the US have been starting earlier. While I'm glad that I don't go through the what the rest of the country is experiencing now, I'd love to see plenty of cool weather with lots of rain here in SoCal this winter. And hopefully with the return of something I really missed seeing last time around -- snow on the local mountains. Unusual to have much of it in December, although the upper elevations may get some snow out of the weather system due to come through this week.