Need help finding different pseudolithos

[Tribalflex]

Hi i'm really into pseudolithos right now and have plenty of cubiformis and whitesloanea crassa, but would love to expand my varieties. does anyone know who sells different pseudolithos seeds? Mesa doesn't carry them right now and i bought all of the types koerhes has with pretty crummy results, i bought 2 packs of each with a total of 20 seeds and only got about 5 germinated. when i did the cubiformis from a guy on ebay i got about 90% germ rate.

[jfabiao]

Although it's too late in the season, there's a good selection of Asclepiads here http://www.asclepidarium.de/English/index_e.htm. Can't say much for their service, though: the one time I bought plants from them I was not particularly well impressed, but it may have been one of those random occasions.

[DaveW]

Another source of information and seed may be the International Aaclepiad Society:-

http://asclepiad-international.org/asclep120.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://succulent-plant.com/ias.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.stapeliads.info/serv/core.s3 ... ad_Society" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If you start to specialise in certain genera you often need to join specialist societies as well as general Succulent Societies, or general Forums, since they will not have the specialist information you need. Unfortunately these societies are often still subscription based because not everything to do with the hobby is free on the Internet.

Those of us who have been collecting Succulents for many years are often menbers of more than one society. I only grow cacti but was a member of 5 different societies at one time in order to get the information I required, plus also a couple of Forum sites.

The problem with even viable seed of Succulents, including cacti, is that with some species it needs to be fresh and set immediately for good germination, whereas others need to be aged for a few years and germinate poorly if fresh. Seed can just lie about in habitat for years before the right conditions occur for germination. Nature is not often in a hurry.

Also in most cases botanical seed does not come under many of the regulations that govern normal garden seed regarding germination percentages. If it is a rare plant with low germination you are grateful to get even one from a packet of seed. If it came under the same acts as garden seed it would all have to be thrown away by the merchant, therefore even that one rare plant would have been lost.

I remember hearing about a Continental collector that bought 100 seed of a rare species and only one germinated. That plant was seedling grafted and then propagated by grafting offsets. In the end he sold around a hundred grafted plants, which more than paid for the seed.

It's not unusual when a new plant is discovered and the seed put on sale for the first time for it to cost £10 ($12.17) a seed. Nurserymen and gifted amateurs would not buy at that price if they could not propagate them quickly and make a profit. If they only raise a couple of plants they can graft, flower them and be producing their own seed to produce dozens more within a year or so.

Also remember that most garden or agricultural seed covered by these acts is usually of hybrid origin, therefore shows hybrid vigour regarding germination percentages, usually much higher than species in the wild. Nature does not sow seed in portions of five seeds, or even a hundred, but by the thousands, therefore the proportion that survive is still usually enough to preserve the population.

[Tribalflex]

That is awesome info. Thanks so much. I'll definately join a few succulent societies. I'm very new to this. I've been serious in collecting for about 2 years, but I'm only 32 so I have many more to enjoy this hobby, God willing. Thanks again I really appreciate it because finding these certain pseudolithos seeds is difficult.

[Aiko]

For most of the more rare species (which you are after, it seems) it is more likely you need to invest into getting in contact with individual growers. Those seeds are usually only available in short supply. Not enough to put on some commercial seed list. But available via private growers who have been able to harvest a few seeds, and are probably willing to swap them away for other interesting seeds (like I always like to do) or to sell them off (like http://www.canddplants.com/seed-list/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;, where you can find some unusual species (although not Pseudolithos at the moment)).

[DaveW]

I agree with Aiko, and you are more likely to find such growers on specialist sites devoted to those genera and species.

Cactus Mall is a good source of information on societies, web sites, seedsman etc:-

http://www.cactus-mall.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Aiko]

The annual seed list of the Mesemb Study Group has some interesting oddities on the list, almost always miniature African succulents, and foremost mesembs, but occasionally other things as well. Seeds are donated by private growers or collected in habitat by those that visit natural habitats, so a good chance to get your hands on something uncommon in commercial lists. Not worth becoming a member for just the chance of some odd African succulent, but still an interesting source if you are interested in miniature African succulents. Probably the IAS recommendation is of more interest to you for Pseudolithos specifically.

[Tribalflex]

I like canddplants, and I've checked all of the diff succulent seed sites off of cactusmall.com so I guess most people just aren't offering them right now. How do I find individual growers? This site?? Or do u mean those asclepiad society peeps? I'm just gonna have to shake some trees, so to speak. Thanks for info yall.

[Tribalflex]

How do in get a copy of the mesemb study group seed list?

[Tribalflex]

And also, why aren't these plants more popular. Is it because the seeds don't stay viable as long, or some other reason. I thing pseudolithis are extremely cool. I don't understand why everyone doesn't feel the same way I do.

[DaveW]

Being a cactophile I don't grow any of the Other Succulenst, but see:-

viewtopic.php?t=11949" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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

http://www.lithops.net/pseudolithos_mig ... detail.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.raresucculents.com/specimens2/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

As for contacts or information, just Google "Psudolithos" and sort through the links. If you can find a contact email use that to ask.

I used to write around the world in the days of "snail mail" in the 1960's/70's for contacts for information, using organisations like the British Council in habitat countries, a British government department set up to promote foreign trade, to try and find them. I presume America has something similar? Though I was an anateur they usually referred me on to somebody who could help.

These days with email addresses given by authors or a"contact us" box by organisations it is even easier. If you want information you have to "think outside the box" as to how to contact those with it, they will not usually contact you. Also try botanical gardens for information. Again you should not have to ask others for an address or email, just Google and you will find them. Sometimes writing a letter works better than a phone call since they have time to consider it or pass it on to an appropriate person rather than giving a snap reply, "snail mail" sometimes works better than modern communications even today. Then with either email or letter it's "Dear Sir, I wonder if you can help me, I am trying to find some information about XXX". I find most people helpful in those cases.

[Aiko]

I like canddplants, and I've checked all of the diff succulent seed sites off of cactusmall.com so I guess most people just aren't offering them right now. How do I find individual growers? This site?? Or do u mean those asclepiad society peeps? I'm just gonna have to shake some trees, so to speak. Thanks for info yall.

I get in contact with a lot of individual growers by running a free seeds / swap seeds list on this forum and on the BCSS forum. Occasionally I get offered something interesting for my 'swap only' seeds. I also know some people via the MSG plant exchange scheme, where I have donated plants and seeds in the past few years.

How do in get a copy of the mesemb study group seed list?

You have to become an member (see http://www.mesemb.org" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; for any information). The seed list gets published in the February issue of the MSG bulletin.

And also, why aren't these plants more popular. Is it because the seeds don't stay viable as long, or some other reason. I thing pseudolithis are extremely cool. I don't understand why everyone doesn't feel the same way I do.

The are a bit tricky to grow well, especially if you don't have the climate for it. Mine are struggling a bit, for example. It is just a bit too cold up here, summer days are maybe a bit too long (long hours of daylights) in combination with heath in the greenhouse in which they run a risk of getting burned (while all other succulents don't mind that). And as they are expensive, many don't even want to try growing them and just focus on something just as fun and cheaper (or easier to obtain).

[Tribalflex]

That's so funny because earlier tonight I was imagining a world without computers and the Internet and thinking that all of these cacti and obscure societal publications wouldn't have been as fruitful. Again, I'm only 32, and a dude, so u can imaginemail I was outnumbered by old, but very sweet women in my master gardener class this past summer. It was really fun though and broadened my horizon from my cacti mindset. But it makes things sweeter when u see all these other beautiful plants but realize that cacti are the most fascinating, to me, in my opinion, of course.
I hope my set up will suit my pseudolithos. I live in louisiana, so it's humid, but all my cacti are grown under flourescent lights in my garage. It'seems not ideal, but I'm looking for a new house with more backyard space to accommodate a greenhouse, but I that will be a few years. I'm so happy to be a part of this forum now so thanks yall for your support. It's so nice to talk to people with similar interests because around me not too many people know what a pseudolithos is around here. I'm still learning the lingo myself.

[kuni1234567]

I have a P. migiurtinus that has one more seed pod. I planted about thirty seeds and ten have sprouted. I could trade for these seeds if anyone is interested. The plant was purchased more than five years ago from J&J Nursery located in Vista, CA.