My Cacti 2014

[hegar]

Thank you for your comments fanaticactus and Arjen.
Well, today both the tiny E_reichenbachii and a good-sized E_rigidissimus ssp. rubispinus did flower and I was not able to get a photo.
While a blossom on one of the Thelocactus bicolor was still open, the ones mentioned above had "folded their tents' so to speak.
I doubt, that tomorrow the flowers will open once again. Well, you win some and you lose some!
Arjen, the E_reichenbachii sprouted where I did not want it to grow, while all the other seeds that I had thrown around on the cactus bed did not germinate. I did finally purchase another E_reichenbachii, because I do love that species. However, that plant is a very special one called E_reichenbachii ssp. pailianus. If it does flower like the specimen shown in the Miles-2-go catalog, it will be a very special occasion to get to photograph it.
I am attaching the picture I took this evening of the E_rigidissimus ssp. rubispinus with the already closed blossom.

Harald

[Arjen]

That's a good sized and healthy looking plant, must have been quite the sight when open!

[hlchang]

Thanks Herald for showing your great cacti collection , which I thoroughly enjoy and admire. Your photography skill is of a very high standard!
Regards

[hegar]

Thank you for your encouraging words, Arjen and hlchang. I do love my cactus plants and check on them almost on a daily basis.
My wife believes, that I am obsessed with anything that is called a cactus.
Well, there was yet another single blossom on one of my plants. Until I saw the flower I thought, that I was growing an Cylindropuntia imbricata. However, the blossom color is lighter. Instead of a deep pink, almost tending to purplish this plant produces rose-colored flowers. Now I tend to believe, that the plant could be a Cylindropuntia prolifera or C. spinosior. Even those are wild guesses. Perhaps somebody who looks at this post will give me a fitting name. Either way, I do like the cholla, if not for its blossoms then for the fact, that it does keep cats and destructive thrashers (birds) at bay.

Harald

[fanaticactus]

I will be the first to admit I don't know anything about Cylindropuntias, except I have three in my garden and they are extremely spiny. But I can say I love the color of that flower!

[hegar]

Hello Cactus Friends,
today there were two cacti in bloom at my place. Both had already flowered before, but after not seeing a blossom for a while I thought, that I should photograph these two plants in all their glory.
The first two images are of my only Echinocereus reichenbachii. This is one plant that I can without hesitation recommend to all cactus growers. Most members of the Echinocereus genus flower only once, but this one is an exception. It produces several flushes of blooms. However, I do not expect it to flower again later this year.
The second cactus in bloom was the Thelocactus bicolor. The common name is "Glory of Texas". This plant does have nice red and white spines and it too flowers more than once. It is yet another nice cactus to have in your collection.

Harald

[fanaticactus]

I love all those pink/lavender/magenta flowers on any cactus--especially when they have a sharply contrasting throat & stamen. Nice size T. bicolor, by the way!

[hegar]

Thank you very much for your comment, fanaticactus. I have had that T. bicolor for a few years now and it is growing nicely and a dependable flower producer. I bought it when it was in a 2-inch pot. Now I do have two of these cacti and several that were sold under that name, but the plants do look quite different. Most likely they are hybrid cacti with one parent being T. bicolor.

Today two additional plants came into bloom. The first images posted show a pink-flowered prickly pear cactus. That Opuntia sp. and O. arenaria are the only two opuntias that shrivel up somewhat and "lie down" during the cold part of the year. The Opuntia shown may be a hybrid, but I do not know for sure, because I did receive it as a single pad from a member of our cactus club.
The other three images are the first flowers I ever saw in my yard of a Tephrocactus. I do have several Tephrocactus articulatus var. papyracanthus plants. However, none of them ever bloomed. This is perhaps, because the segments are so easily dislodged. They just fall off when a little pressure is applied. I even knocked the top segment off one stem when I tried to take the pictures of the flowering plant nearby. I am not sure, if I actually touched it or if moving an ice plant out of the way caused the mishap.
I was told, that in order to flower Tephrocacti will have to have three to four segments attached to each other. Well, this plant I did receive from a cactus club member. I did not expect any flowering for a number of years and am not even sure about the two segments planted having formed any roots yet. Then I noticed some growth and, lo and behold, those were flower buds. Most likely I will get two more white flowers to show up on that stem piece.
According the CactiGuide my plant most likely is a Tephrocactus articulatus var. diadematus. There are no spines visible on the stem segments, which resemble a fir or spruce cone.

Harald

[fanaticactus]

Beautiful color on that Opuntia. Deep coral/peach is one of my favorite colors for a cactus flower. I have a Tephro. articulatis diadematus in my GH which, although it has two or three "joints" on each branch, does not look anywhere near as robust as yours. And then you go and have flowers on yours! Well, I'm jealous--but I have to remember you're in Texas and I'm in Vermont. I don't think that cactus is hardy enough for me to grow outside here.

[oldcat61]

The Tephro affectionately known as "cat turd". I doubt mine will ever bloom in New Jersey but at least it has new growth. Wait until Steve Johnson sees that flower!

[hegar]

Thank you oldcat61 and fanaticactus.
I do like the flower color of that prickly pear too, but for some reason it did not open any further than what is shown, although we did have a very sunny dry day with the temperature around 100 degrees F (38 degrees C). I checked the plant several times today.
With the Tephrocactus I believe, that the segment I received was most likely the third or fourth one on the mother plant when it fell or was broken off. It may already have been programmed to produce flower buds at that time. Now I am the beneficiary, because I received that stem segment. I fully expect to have to wait for a good number of years to see flowers on those two stems again.

Harald

[K.W.]

Good morning Harald,

great plants and flowers!!!
The Tephrocactus make me jealous to much. . .


Best wishes

K.W.

[hegar]

Well, K.W. you have too many cacti in your greenhouse that make my heart beat faster! I am sure, you must have one of these common Tephrocactus articulatus in your collection. In three to four years and with careful handling of these plants you should be able to get them to bloom. I must admit though, that I do love the white blossom this plant produces.
OK, there were two more cacti in flower today. One had already bloomed before and I still expect the big flower production to happen sometime later in the summer. The plant I am talking about is the "Eagle Claw Cactus" (Echinocactus horizonthalonius). This plant is very common where I live and I do like its hard blue-grey body and the good-sized pretty pink flowers. Although I do regularly water my outdoor plants, they seem to go into the blooming cycle mostly after having received some rain. Perhaps it is the change in barometric pressure that convinces them to flower usually within two weeks after the rainfall.
The second plant is one that - at least for me - seems to be producing flowers sparingly. The plant is named Echinocereus viereckii var. morricalli and has stems without any noticeable spines. The blossoms are beautiful however, even if they show up in small numbers and only once a year. Does anyone have this plant in her (his) collection and is able to have it produce many flowers? Perhaps my plant does not have an ideal place to grow. It is nestled almost underneath some medium sized prickly pear plants, which are towering over it.
I could go ahead and try to take a stem off and see, if it will grow better with more sunlight. However, I do have a feeling, that this cactus will not do very well in our bright and hot sun.

Harald

[Arjen]

Well I seem to have some catching up to do!

Great show harald, I love the cholla flower and thirsty looking tephro very much
My t. Bicolor are still very young so no flowers yet, e. Reichenbachii has made it to my wishlist

Sorry for the caps, my tablet seems to think that each dot should be followed by a capital

[hegar]

Thank you for your nice comment, Arjen. You are right about my "thirsty looking Tephro". Most likely it does not even have any decent roots formed yet and our temperature reached 109 degrees F (about 42 degrees C) today. It may not be able to also open up the other two flower buds. That is fine with me, because then it would most likely shrivel up for sure.
About the Echinocereus reichenbachii. I did purchase a second plant from a company called "Miles-2-Go". There was a picture by that vendor of a plant which was given the name E. reichenbachii ssp. pailianus. That plant's photo screamed at me "purchase me!" and I did not have the self control to say no and forget about buying one. It did arrive on Easter weekend and looked healthy. Unfortunately, planting it outside is somewhat stressful for the plant and this record heat does not help a bit.
Well, I have yet to lose an E. reichenbachii and hope, that this one will not be the first one to "kick the bucket". On the other hand, I can always order another one, if they are available.

Harald