Let's grow some Melocactus!
Re: Let's grow some Melocactus!
I think Melocactus were often over split in the past James, particularly when you read all the J. V. Suringar synonyms Britton & Rose listed under M. macracanthus:-
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=vYIb ... &q&f=false" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=vYIb ... &q&f=false" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Re: Let's grow some Melocactus!
I absolutely agree with you Dave.DaveW wrote:I think Melocactus were often over split in the past ..........
Re: Let's grow some Melocactus!
Melocactus concinnus
Another small growing Melocactus endemic to the interior of Bahia, Brazil.
Another small growing Melocactus endemic to the interior of Bahia, Brazil.
Re: Let's grow some Melocactus!
Melocactus warasii (synonym of Melocactus levitestatus)
Large growing Melocactus endemic to the dry interior of north eastern Brazil.
I have posted the pic of the larger plant previously. Unfortunately this old guy is no longer with us (see below).
I should explain that I experienced a big setback with my collection in 2011. I had a botched abdominal surgery (snipped lower intestine) that left me attached to a wound-vac machine for two months followed by a long recovery. That put me out of action in moving around my cacti and taking care of them in general. Unfortunately that time period coincided with some of the coldest weather ever recorded in Tucson: 18°F (-8°C) successive nights followed by below freezing days. The thermometer at my home registered 14°F (-10°C) one night. I was able to accommodate most of my small Brazilian cereoid cacti -- Arrojadoa, Micranthocereus and Arthrocereus - my main interest -- indoors at my home, but most of my Discocactus (except for Discocactus placentiformis) , Melocactus and Uebelmannia in particular did not survive the cold in the unheated greenhouse I house them in at Dan Bach's Nursery. That part of my collection was decimated. I couldn't expect, nor did I want, Dan to commit resources to save my plants - he had his own vast commercial growing enterprise to take care of.
As a consequence of that episode I have relatively few Discocactus, Melocactus and Uebelmannia left in my collection. I do propagate some Discocactus buenekeri, horstii and placentiformis each year.
Large growing Melocactus endemic to the dry interior of north eastern Brazil.
I have posted the pic of the larger plant previously. Unfortunately this old guy is no longer with us (see below).
I should explain that I experienced a big setback with my collection in 2011. I had a botched abdominal surgery (snipped lower intestine) that left me attached to a wound-vac machine for two months followed by a long recovery. That put me out of action in moving around my cacti and taking care of them in general. Unfortunately that time period coincided with some of the coldest weather ever recorded in Tucson: 18°F (-8°C) successive nights followed by below freezing days. The thermometer at my home registered 14°F (-10°C) one night. I was able to accommodate most of my small Brazilian cereoid cacti -- Arrojadoa, Micranthocereus and Arthrocereus - my main interest -- indoors at my home, but most of my Discocactus (except for Discocactus placentiformis) , Melocactus and Uebelmannia in particular did not survive the cold in the unheated greenhouse I house them in at Dan Bach's Nursery. That part of my collection was decimated. I couldn't expect, nor did I want, Dan to commit resources to save my plants - he had his own vast commercial growing enterprise to take care of.
As a consequence of that episode I have relatively few Discocactus, Melocactus and Uebelmannia left in my collection. I do propagate some Discocactus buenekeri, horstii and placentiformis each year.
- Steve Johnson
- Posts: 4526
- Joined: Thu Nov 03, 2011 4:44 am
- Location: Los Angeles, CA (Zone 10b)
Re: Let's grow some Melocactus!
Just started my slurry test tonight, so I'll post the results up over the next day or so.jp29 wrote:Not my method, Steve, but Dr. Buxbaum's. It is important to know the pH of your soil media when it is saturated with the water/nutrient solution you employ, with reasonable accuracy - not just the water pH.
If you just want photos without all the blather, please visit my Flickr gallery.
My location: Los Angeles, CA (Zone 10b)
My location: Los Angeles, CA (Zone 10b)
Re: Let's grow some Melocactus!
A potpouri of more Melocactus I raised from seed:
M. neryi
M. salvadorensis
M. zehntneri
M. intortus
M. paucispinus
M. peruvianus
M. neryi
M. salvadorensis
M. zehntneri
M. intortus
M. paucispinus
M. peruvianus
- Steve Johnson
- Posts: 4526
- Joined: Thu Nov 03, 2011 4:44 am
- Location: Los Angeles, CA (Zone 10b)
Re: Let's grow some Melocactus!
Well, James, the switch on my pH meter has started to act up on me, so I just ordered the same make and model from Amazon. At least I got 2 good years out of it, and at another $25, I've found this to be worth the price. I'll have another crack at the slurry test once I get the new meter, although I don't think the results will be interesting enough to post.
Since I sent you so far OT from your original subject, here's something that may bring it back in (albeit tangentially) -- from Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffy_hummingbird" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;):
"This hummingbird also plays an important role in the pollination of flowers of Melocactus, carrying the pollen on its plumage as it moves from flower to flower sipping nectar."
By the way, I enjoyed your Melocactus survival story. What a shame that you lost so many of your Discos and Melos, though.
Since I sent you so far OT from your original subject, here's something that may bring it back in (albeit tangentially) -- from Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffy_hummingbird" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;):
"This hummingbird also plays an important role in the pollination of flowers of Melocactus, carrying the pollen on its plumage as it moves from flower to flower sipping nectar."
By the way, I enjoyed your Melocactus survival story. What a shame that you lost so many of your Discos and Melos, though.
If you just want photos without all the blather, please visit my Flickr gallery.
My location: Los Angeles, CA (Zone 10b)
My location: Los Angeles, CA (Zone 10b)
Re: Let's grow some Melocactus!
Please do post your results, Steve - they will be interesting to me.Steve Johnson wrote:Well, James, the switch on my pH meter has started to act up on me, so I just ordered the same make and model from Amazon. At least I got 2 good years out of it, and at another $25, I've found this to be worth the price. I'll have another crack at the slurry test once I get the new meter, although I don't think the results will be interesting enough to post ...........
Good information........... Since I sent you so far OT from your original subject, here's something that may bring it back in (albeit tangentially) -- from Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffy_hummingbird" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;):
"This hummingbird also plays an important role in the pollination of flowers of Melocactus, carrying the pollen on its plumage as it moves from flower to flower sipping nectar." ..........
.......... By the way, I enjoyed your Melocactus survival story. What a shame that you lost so many of your Discos and Melos, though.
Thank you - the losses were indeed painful - but life does go on! Please keep posting to this thread, Steve, I value your input - we all benefit so much from this interchange of ideas and information.
- Steve Johnson
- Posts: 4526
- Joined: Thu Nov 03, 2011 4:44 am
- Location: Los Angeles, CA (Zone 10b)
Re: Let's grow some Melocactus!
Well, thank you, my friend! I enjoy these discussions as well, and I'm glad to participate if it helps anyone at all here. It'll be a week or two before I can get to the results of the slurry test. However, I'd like the post to be more substantive, so I'll do a proper job of it and start a new thread -- more than just the test results. In the meantime, here's a photo I shot about 45 minutes ago:
If you just want photos without all the blather, please visit my Flickr gallery.
My location: Los Angeles, CA (Zone 10b)
My location: Los Angeles, CA (Zone 10b)
Re: Let's grow some Melocactus!
That is a beautifully grown matanzanus, Steve - great photography!Steve Johnson wrote:........... In the meantime, here's a photo I shot about 45 minutes ago ..........
Re: Let's grow some Melocactus!
Thanks James, for all the info! :}
Your pictures of the Melos are spectacular! Do you have any left in your collection?
Rereading tonight, I saw you answered my question on bahiensis. Thanks. I know azureus isnt self fertile. I should have repotted a larger sister plant to see if it would produce a ceph this year. It's amazing how fast that happens. I repotted 2 conoideus from 4" pots to 5" pots this spring. They both added at least an inch to their diameter and formed cephs that are flowering now. I have not cross pollinated them yet. Do you know if they are self fertile? I know it takes a long time between flowering and fruit production. Although the Melos had been flowering early, probably March - concinnus started producing copious amounts of fruit in June, then the rest followed.
The differences in the fruit are amazing. I'll post a picture showing all of the fruits in a few days. (I hope I have graph paper!)
Here are pics of my small collection:
Your pictures of the Melos are spectacular! Do you have any left in your collection?
Rereading tonight, I saw you answered my question on bahiensis. Thanks. I know azureus isnt self fertile. I should have repotted a larger sister plant to see if it would produce a ceph this year. It's amazing how fast that happens. I repotted 2 conoideus from 4" pots to 5" pots this spring. They both added at least an inch to their diameter and formed cephs that are flowering now. I have not cross pollinated them yet. Do you know if they are self fertile? I know it takes a long time between flowering and fruit production. Although the Melos had been flowering early, probably March - concinnus started producing copious amounts of fruit in June, then the rest followed.
The differences in the fruit are amazing. I'll post a picture showing all of the fruits in a few days. (I hope I have graph paper!)
Here are pics of my small collection:
Best regards, Lisa
Shoal Creek Succulents
Shoal Creek Succulents
Re: Let's grow some Melocactus!
Those are some seriously beautiful melos! Thanks for sharing. Sue
Re: Let's grow some Melocactus!
Very nice collection of well grown plants, first name?
Just one flower this afternoon:
You are welcome, first name?SCS wrote:Thanks James, for all the info! :}
Yes, I have quite a few mature ones - in fact here is one I should add here: Melocactus acunae (syn. M. harlowii) which is a very rare Cuban species - and one of my favorites. Not only did it survive, but it has flourished and produces bountiful flowers and fruit:.......... Your pictures of the Melos are spectacular! Do you have any left in your collection?
Just one flower this afternoon:
Congratulations - very nice!.......... Here are pics of my small collection:
Re: Let's grow some Melocactus!
You can always print your own. http://incompetech.com/graphpaper/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;SCS wrote:.... I'll post a picture showing all of the fruits in a few days. (I hope I have graph paper!)
Re: Let's grow some Melocactus!
Thanks Sue , James & Ivan- (I did download the graph paper; worked great!)
From left to right:
M. bahiensis, concinnus, zehntneri, matanzanus, x levitestatus, violaceus, curvispinus, x albicephalus, curvispinus ssp. caesius, ernestii, peruvianus (?), neryi (?)
Of the plants I have with cephs, M. azureus & deinacanthus do not produce fruit.
Melocactus albicephalus= Natural hybrid of M. ernestii and M. glaucescens. It would be interesting to see pics of M. glaucescens fruit.
Most fruit is fairly constant in size, except M. ernestii. I was surprised to see in this comparison that it was the largest. My memory said curvispinus ssp. caesius was the largest.
Both peruvianus & neryi plants are suspect. When I first started collecting C&S; I didnt record in my database where they were purchased.
Thanks for keeping this topic going!
Best regards, Lisa
From left to right:
M. bahiensis, concinnus, zehntneri, matanzanus, x levitestatus, violaceus, curvispinus, x albicephalus, curvispinus ssp. caesius, ernestii, peruvianus (?), neryi (?)
Of the plants I have with cephs, M. azureus & deinacanthus do not produce fruit.
Melocactus albicephalus= Natural hybrid of M. ernestii and M. glaucescens. It would be interesting to see pics of M. glaucescens fruit.
Most fruit is fairly constant in size, except M. ernestii. I was surprised to see in this comparison that it was the largest. My memory said curvispinus ssp. caesius was the largest.
Both peruvianus & neryi plants are suspect. When I first started collecting C&S; I didnt record in my database where they were purchased.
Thanks for keeping this topic going!
Best regards, Lisa
Best regards, Lisa
Shoal Creek Succulents
Shoal Creek Succulents