Gymnocalycium

A more in depth look at individual cactus species, a new one is added each month -managed by Hob
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ElieEstephane
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Gymnocalycium

Post by ElieEstephane »

Why not gymnocalycium? Some of the best plants in my experience and very reliable flowerers. Plants will stay small and some have very beautiful spination
Gymnocalycium baldianum: very fast from seed and can flower in 1.5 years while being less than inch in diameter. They flower from may through august for me. Some of my baldianum flowers:
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Some closeups:
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One of the tiny flowering plants a little over an inch. Smaller ones have buds too:
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Gymnocalycium damsii: a little slow growing but has beautiful stress colors. I mistakingly got the white flowering variety rather than the pink/purple. 2 inch specimen in 3 inch pot with 19 flower buds (so far). Not sure all will follow through:
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Gymnocalycium schickendantzii: amazing spination
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Gymnocalycium pflanzii: the spines will turn an amazing color when wet. For me they grow like a weed. Seedlings grew from 0.5cm (.2 inches) to 5-6cm (2+ inches) in one season. I have seen nothing grow as fast!
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This is their prime flowering time and photos will be added as they progress
There are more cacti in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
One of the few cactus lovers in Lebanon (zone 11a) :mrgreen:
DaveW
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Re: Gymnocalycium

Post by DaveW »

Gymnocalycium hyptiacanthum
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Gymnocalycium amerhauseri
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Gymnocalycium stellatum
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Gymnocalycium uruguayense v. rubriflorum
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DaveW
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Re: Gymnocalycium

Post by DaveW »

Schutziana is an online Journal for Gymnocalycium enthusiasts. Most are available to download in several different languages (note the flags indicating the language) also back numbers can be found on the column on the left. I think all are downloadable in English and contain probably the most up to date information on Gymnocalycium's available anywhere.

https://www.schuetziana.org/index.php/downloads

I usually download to a file for E-Books and Journals on my computer in order to save time keep downloading, but you can also transfer to CD or Memory stick to produce your own "plug-in library" when needed, particularly as so many journals are going online these days.

This one covers G. baldianum.

https://www.schuetziana.org/downloads/S ... 2017_3.pdf
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stephanelli
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Re: Gymnocalycium

Post by stephanelli »

This cacti of the month has come up just as I brought my first Gymnocalycium over the weekend so I'll be watching for interesting replies here!
This is a little G.castellanosii and I just love the spines.
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DaveW
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Re: Gymnocalycium

Post by DaveW »

It's one of those species where the spination can vary, but usually strong spined. See:-

http://www.llifle.com/Encyclopedia/CACT ... tellanosii

http://www.cactus-art.biz/schede/GYMNOC ... anosii.htm
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stephanelli
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Re: Gymnocalycium

Post by stephanelli »

Thanks for the links! I'd looked at the Llifle one already :)
What requirements are there to get a Gymnocalycium to flower? Does it have to be a certain age/size or given certain conditions? (I'm thinking more generally as a genus rather than just specific to the species I've got)
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greenknight
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Re: Gymnocalycium

Post by greenknight »

They like heat, they're tropical cacti. Many of them bloom when very young.

I love them, but I've had terrible luck with them. My first was a mihanovichii, with green-streaked yellow flowers - I got to see one before it got caught in a surprise thundershower while still wet after it had been watered, and it rotted. Bad luck+inexperience. Tried to start baldianum from seed, seed was no good. Bought a beautiful damsii with purple markings, produced pink flowers constantly whenever the weather was warm. Had it for a couple years. Last Spring it was eaten by slugs during an early heat wave - apparently the big slugs were still active, and desperately seeking moisture as everything dried up. Must have been a huge slug since it ate the entire core out of it in one night. Still contemplating my next victim...
Spence :mrgreen:
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ElieEstephane
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Re: Gymnocalycium

Post by ElieEstephane »

greenknight wrote: Mon May 07, 2018 9:52 pm Last Spring it was eaten by slugs during an early heat wave - apparently the big slugs were still active, and desperately seeking moisture as everything dried up.
Try sprinkling some wood ash around your pots. It is very effective in deterring slugs
There are more cacti in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
One of the few cactus lovers in Lebanon (zone 11a) :mrgreen:
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greenknight
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Re: Gymnocalycium

Post by greenknight »

ElieEstephane wrote: Tue May 08, 2018 12:16 pm
greenknight wrote: Mon May 07, 2018 9:52 pm Last Spring it was eaten by slugs during an early heat wave - apparently the big slugs were still active, and desperately seeking moisture as everything dried up.
Try sprinkling some wood ash around your pots. It is very effective in deterring slugs
I know how to deter slugs, I simply wasn't expecting slug problems in that kind of weather. Seems it hadn't been dry long enough to drive all the slugs into hiding, though.
Spence :mrgreen:
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Hanazono
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Re: Gymnocalycium

Post by Hanazono »

I once collected Gymnocalycium with strong spines.
They have been reduced quite many but some of them have still been remained.
I sowed seeds in 2003.
It is not flowering season in here.
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toadstar
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Re: Gymnocalycium

Post by toadstar »

They are interesting little cacti. I've got a dozen that came in my mixed seed packet that I sowed a few years ago. Now about an inch or two wide I'm hoping to see them flower.
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ElieEstephane
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Re: Gymnocalycium

Post by ElieEstephane »

Pink baldianum flowers:
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Damsii flowers that are always very reluctant to open completely:
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There are more cacti in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
One of the few cactus lovers in Lebanon (zone 11a) :mrgreen:
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7george
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Re: Gymnocalycium

Post by 7george »

It worth having several if not many species of Gynocalycium in the collection.
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If your cacti mess in your job just forget about the job.
°C = (°F - 32)/1.8
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7george
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Re: Gymnocalycium

Post by 7george »

Gymnocalycium saglionis is one of the largest in the genus reaching 30 cm and more height sometimes.

G. saglionis, shot in Arizona.
G. saglionis, shot in Arizona.
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G. saglionis, a greenhouse plant in Canada.
G. saglionis, a greenhouse plant in Canada.
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Shot in Arizona.
Shot in Arizona.
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This is my plant, still young and growing.
Last edited by 7george on Thu May 31, 2018 12:45 am, edited 1 time in total.
If your cacti mess in your job just forget about the job.
°C = (°F - 32)/1.8
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ElieEstephane
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Re: Gymnocalycium

Post by ElieEstephane »

A mature saglionis is one of the best species of the genus. Without flowers, people regularly confuse them with pflanzii
There are more cacti in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
One of the few cactus lovers in Lebanon (zone 11a) :mrgreen:
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