Any info on Mammillaria luethyi and how to care for graft?

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tomo
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Location: Florida

Any info on Mammillaria luethyi and how to care for graft?

Post by tomo »

I just got this lovely M. luethyi and I'm curious to know how to best care for it. I've read that it likes full sun, so can I put it out on the patio in full Florida sun all day? Also this is my first cacti grafted on to something else, so I'm a bit puzzled about how to care for the whole thing. Any info/tips would be much appreciated! :D
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Onzuka
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Re: Any info on Mammillaria luethyi and how to care for graf

Post by Onzuka »

Conventional wisdom says to take care of the stock (lower bit) and the scion (upper bit) will take care of itself. I compromise and keep tender scion frost free. Your graft is on Harrisia, probably justbertii. This easily survives in my northern England unheated greenhouse. Someone else will need to advise you how to care for it in Florida.

I understand that M. leuthyi is not the easiest of Mamms to care for, although its not something that I grow.

Steve
DaveW
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Re: Any info on Mammillaria luethyi and how to care for graf

Post by DaveW »

One species always given me trouble. It is no trouble over the summer but the scion tends to whither on the graft over winter with me, though hopefully regenerates new head from the centre next year, but some years it just whithers away altogether even though the stock is still healthy. I often wonder if it is differential shrinkage of stock and scion in the winter breaking the graft union? Probably you will not have any trouble with in in the USA.

It is a tuberous rooted plant in nature, so I am hoping to get one on it's own roots eventually and see if like some cacti it does regenerate from the root after the winter. Perhaps it does not need as long a dry winter as mine get. It is a lovely flowering cactus though, but I am still trying to get hold of a plant of it again. Seed also is hard to get hold of as it retains them within the plant body, as in the section at the bottom of this link, therefore you have to dig it out so few seeds men list seed and it has been propagated mainly by grafting offsets. Presumably the seed germinates in habitat when the plant dies, since it does not seem to be ejected:-

http://www.llifle.com/Encyclopedia/PALM ... ia_luethyi" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
tomo
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Location: Florida

Re: Any info on Mammillaria luethyi and how to care for graf

Post by tomo »

Onzuka and DaveW, thank you both for your replies! That's good to know these can be a bit tricky. I hope I'm up to the challenge, lol! :D Thanks also for the link. I see they are originally from Mexico, I'm hoping the Florida climate will be somewhat similar to its native habitat? The flowers are so beautiful, that what originally caught my eye, I would love to see it bloom in person! :)
DaveW
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Re: Any info on Mammillaria luethyi and how to care for graf

Post by DaveW »

It flowers freely enough and grows OK with me in summer on a graft, it just does not seem to like my winter conditions. Maybe it needs a shorter winter than it gets with me so as not to shrivel so much? There is a good article on it in habitat by Paul Hoxey in Cactus Explorer 3, pp. 30-36.

http://www.cactusexplorers.org.uk/Explo ... mplete.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The spines are unique in that under a strong magnifying glass they are like little umbrellas.
tomo
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Location: Florida

Re: Any info on Mammillaria luethyi and how to care for graf

Post by tomo »

Dave, thanks for the link, that was a very interesting read! I can't imagine finding them in the wild like that. Interesting the location is still shrouded in mystery. I guess that's best for the plant, since it sounds like it's sort of rare and unique to that specific area. What a fascinating cacti! Thanks again for the helpful info! :)
iann
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Re: Any info on Mammillaria luethyi and how to care for graf

Post by iann »

I might suggest a little afternoon shade in the summer. Particularly on a graft they will be quite fat and less protected from the sun. On their own roots they are more compact, but even then I protect them a little if we have a heatwave. I think they also don't like the hottest conditions in my greenhouse, which for you is probably all summer!

Spines
luethyi19.jpg
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Hiding from the sun. Actually I think this one is coming out of winter, but it all looks the same.
luethyi20.jpg
luethyi20.jpg (82.99 KiB) Viewed 1929 times
--ian
DaveW
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Re: Any info on Mammillaria luethyi and how to care for graf

Post by DaveW »

It's in winter mine shrivel up on a graft though Ian. They are no problem in summer. I guess I will have to try and get one on it's own tuberous root and see if that winters better with me. I obtained one said to be M. luethyi (white flower) on a graft from David Rushforth, but it has not flowered yet. I can only presume as the flowers are normally white throated there is less pink on the petals as I can find no examples of all white flowered M. luethyi's on the web, therefore presume it must be rather like this one:-

https://www.flickr.com/photos/39759420@N03/9000959982" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It is the normal form I am after and preferably on it's own roots or with rootable offsets. Have to hope there are some at the BCSS Zone 6 Convention on Saturday, or the Spalding Cactus Mart at the end of April.
tomo
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Location: Florida

Re: Any info on Mammillaria luethyi and how to care for graf

Post by tomo »

Ian, those photos of the luethyi are fabulous, especially the close up! Amazing to see what they look like close up. Reminds me of sea creatures! :D
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