Bennie's Favorites ;)

[BennieAnTheJets]

so much fun to see some cactus and succulent photos folks like to share since we cannot visit each others' homes, but we can share a little online!

I'll share a few, starting with this one: I think it is Gasteria carinata. This is one of my favorites for three reasons.

1. It is a descendent from the plants I got from my beloved grandmother that have immigrated with me when we moved to the United States, so these guys have been with me for about 40 years now! One of the ones I was given when all this started for me.

2. It is easy to grow and propagate. I love all the babies!

3. It is beautiful, nice to look at and touch, and it has interesting flowers. The name Gasteria is due to the stomach shaped little bell flowers that grow on a long stalk when it starts to bloom, I think. I don't have any photos of the flowers.

Turns out I have them in six pots. None of them look very good since I have been neglecting all my plants for years. Just re-started my cactus hobby and will give these some TLC, and I am sure they will look great again soon. They are such easy keepers.

SurvivorSucculent_3.jpg (131.96 KiB) Viewed 2347 times

G_2.jpg (117.87 KiB) Viewed 2347 times

G_3.jpg (123.48 KiB) Viewed 2347 times

G_4 and 5.jpg (132.98 KiB) Viewed 2347 times

G_6.jpg (79.07 KiB) Viewed 2347 times

[BennieAnTheJets]

Another favorite one (warning - I have many!):

got two of these now, one survivor from my period of neglect that has been with me for over 25 years - well it's parents and grandparents, etc. that is - used to have 3 full pots of it and now down to a few bulbs but so happy to have this one left. It is a Ledebouria socialis or formerly Scilla 'violacea'.

the other one is a new purchase - wow, look at the roots it came with! - I won't dig out my old one but on the new one you can see the awesome roots of this plant. The new one is a Ledebouria socialis 'minor'. I was so exited to get it in the mail my husband must have thought I am nuts: we have a whole yard full of grass and weeds and I get this plant that looks like a little bushel of grass in the mail, wrapped in a bit of newspaper, and I am jumping around the house with joy.

It is just so pretty! And I love the other one - so I am hoping this one will be a nice companion to the other one and grow very well here, too.

Take a look!

Scilla survivor.jpg (100.81 KiB) Viewed 2345 times

Scilla minor roots.jpg (96.43 KiB) Viewed 2345 times

Scilla minor.jpg (95.95 KiB) Viewed 2345 times

[ElieEstephane]

Here's one of my favorites. I love the whole genus of pilosocereus but pilosocereus alensis is my absolute favorite so far

IMG_1016-1024x1365.jpg (140.44 KiB) Viewed 2327 times

[BennieAnTheJets]

These are impressive, Elie. ...as are some of the other cacti in the background. Is this your greenhouse?

[Edwindwianto]

Wow...this plant is unknown to me
What are those "green balls" on the soil top?

[teo]

What are those "green balls" on the soil top?

I think Senecio rowleyanus

[nachtkrabb]

Hi Elie, this does look good and comfortable! I am impressed. Your plants are a treat.
N.

[ElieEstephane]

These are impressive, Elie. ...as are some of the other cacti in the background. Is this your greenhouse?

Thank you! Yes this is my greenhouse and the plants in the back are some cereus cultivars. I will be posting about my greenhouse in a different topic.

Hi Elie, this does look good and comfortable! I am impressed. Your plants are a treat.
N.

Thank you!

[Edwindwianto]

I think Senecio rowleyanus

Thanks teo

[bbarv]

Another favorite one (warning - I have many!):

got two of these now, one survivor from my period of neglect that has been with me for over 25 years - well it's parents and grandparents, etc. that is - used to have 3 full pots of it and now down to a few bulbs but so happy to have this one left. It is a Ledebouria socialis or formerly Scilla 'violacea'.

the other one is a new purchase - wow, look at the roots it came with! - I won't dig out my old one but on the new one you can see the awesome roots of this plant. The new one is a Ledebouria socialis 'minor'. I was so exited to get it in the mail my husband must have thought I am nuts: we have a whole yard full of grass and weeds and I get this plant that looks like a little bushel of grass in the mail, wrapped in a bit of newspaper, and I am jumping around the house with joy.

It is just so pretty! And I love the other one - so I am hoping this one will be a nice companion to the other one and grow very well here, too.

Take a look!
Scilla minor.jpg

Understand your excitement, this Ladebouria looks sooo nice! I think it’s ‘miner’, not ‘minor’

[nachtkrabb]

latin "minor" = "the smaller"
"miner" is unknown to me, just the same written how it is pronounced in English
please correct me
N

[BennieAnTheJets]

What are those "green balls" on the soil top?

I think Senecio rowleyanus

Yes! Thank you, it is. also a survivor bit from my previously large collection - got a few balls left but they are doing well and branching out again!

[BennieAnTheJets]

Another favorite one ….
Scilla minor.jpg

Understand your excitement, this Ladebouria looks sooo nice! I think it’s ‘miner’, not ‘minor’

You could be right! I have seen it both ways. Maybe someone had a typo somewhere and it got propagated.

nachtkrabb, maybe miner could be someone who works in a mine, like a coal mine, but it could just be someone's name or some other origin... I thought about the Latin or even English 'minor', too, but the plant is not much smaller or less important than other Ladebouria - so, hm, not sure

lovely little plant, though

[BennieAnTheJets]

These are impressive, Elie. ...as are some of the other cacti in the background. Is this your greenhouse?

Thank you! Yes this is my greenhouse and the plants in the back are some cereus cultivars. I will be posting about my greenhouse in a different topic.

Please do! What a nice greenhouse and awesome plants!

[BennieAnTheJets]

Just got this little treasure from miles2go.com http://www.miles2go.com/cac5.htm #9117 if you live in the U.S. and you want one

It seems to like it here - opened one of the buds and seems happy.

Love this little plant!

Full name is Turbinicarpus schmeidickianus ssp. rubriflorus - what a mouth full for such a little plant!

Oh, and can't say enough good stuff about Miles Anderson of miles2go.com - all plants I got had super roots and are very nice specimen for what I thought was a very reasonable price, plus free shipping. Unfortunately only in the U.S. and territories, but the "Good places to buy cactus" thread in the General Forum (which is where I heard about miles2go) has many other great places listed worldwide for all of us!

Turbinicarpus s ssp r.jpg (131.63 KiB) Viewed 1966 times

Turbinicarpus s ssp r_bloom.jpg (122.4 KiB) Viewed 1966 times