Difference between G.mihanovichii and G.friedrichii

[keithp2012]

Both these come grafted and in crazy colors.

I have red and also purple grafted. Only the purple bloomed and it has neon pink flowers, which is it? I'm looking on ebay for green form of this and plants I can use in cross pollination, so it's important to know the difference, unless the two species Hybridize then it won't matter.

Which do I have, the ribs another way to tell difference.

[Saxicola]

I think some consider G. friedrichii to be a variety of G. mihanovichii. Why are you wanting to cross them with green ones? Wouldn't crossing the colored forms give you a better likelihood of getting a new color form?

[keithp2012]

I think some consider G. friedrichii to be a variety of G. mihanovichii. Why are you wanting to cross them with green ones? Wouldn't crossing the colored forms give you a better likelihood of getting a new color form?

Being the colored ones have been bred so long, wouldn't breeding two colored ones mostly give colored offspring that need grafting? The green added in was to get babies that can live on own roots, but have a splash of some color.

[greenknight]

Here's a page that has a pretty good explanation: Gymnocalycium friedrichii

Whether considered one species or two, they're closely enough related that I would expect them to cross-pollinate easily.

[keithp2012]

Here's a page that has a pretty good explanation: Gymnocalycium friedrichii

Whether considered one species or two, they're closely enough related that I would expect them to cross-pollinate easily.

Why on that page does it say they rarely produce offsets, this couldn't be farther from the truth! I see what you mean though saying they are so closely related.

[greenknight]

The grafted plants offset very freely - I think that bit about rarely producing offsets refers to own-root plants, not the bright-colored mutants that are grown as grafts.

[DaveW]

Yes they offset freely. Most grafted cacti grow quicker and offset more than plants on their own roots:-

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/36620/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;