AtoZ’s Collection

[Atozbotanicals]

I’ve been on the forum for a while now, helping out mainly with identification and things but I haven’t posted too much. I’d like to formally introduce myself, my name is Aidan and I’m a 15 year old grower residing in north Texas, USA. I’ve done collecting and amateur breeding and things with many other plants for around 3-4 years now and for the past 2, I’ve been growing cacti as my primary focus. This year has been the best for my collection so far as I’ve started several species from seed as well as gaining many of the rarer species. As the season is winding down here now I will have some things to post on seedlings and the plants I keep on my indoor setup. I’ll be posting more soon as my collection continues to expand, and I’m glad to be here in such a great community of knowledge!

[gemhunter178]

Welcome (again?)!
I followed a very similar path to yours, starting around 7 years ago when I was 12 going on 13 (you do have the advantage of climate though .)
Looking forward to seeing more of the collection!

[Atozbotanicals]

The first to show is an Ariocarpus kotschoubeyanus I received recently from a grower in Czechia (Czech Republic). The plant itself is 1inch (2.5cm) across in a 2inch (5cm) pot.
The mix is mainly an unscented clay based cat litter with decomposed granite, pumice, and scoria. Larger scoria pieces were used at the surface to heighten the “natural” effect of the potting.

[Atozbotanicals]

Another recently acquired is Epithelantha micromeris var. greggii SB 321. Very nice spiral apex with tight spination all around. Shipped in from Ukraine. This time in a 4inch (~10cm) pot, and potted in oil dri (commercial calcined clay) , small amount of organics, pumice, and scoria. Top dressing effect was created using two small stones placed vertically so that they “hug” the specimen and then covered mostly with more oil dri.

[esp_imaging]

You have 2 beautiful plants.
I wonder if both are rather over potted? The Ariocarpus pot seems rather larger than 5cm in the photos, if the plant is only 2.5cm across, and the Epithelantha seems a bit small for a 4" square pot.

[Atozbotanicals]

You have 2 beautiful plants.
I wonder if both are rather over potted? The Ariocarpus pot seems rather larger than 5cm in the photos, if the plant is only 2.5cm across, and the Epithelantha seems a bit small for a 4" square pot.

Yes the Ariocarpus does look in a large pot in the photos but you can see the edges of the pot in the first photo, I also used a few larger pieces of scoria in the mix to enclose the root mass some. For the Epithelantha I used the large stones to do the same. Both are also in a very free draining, nearly entirely mineral mix, with rather infrequent watering.

[Atozbotanicals]

Turbinicarpus graminispinus VM 817. I believe this is the type locality for the species. ~ 4 year old seedling from a seller in the UK. Potted in a 2inch (5cm) pot like the A. kotschoubeyanus, methods are generally the same for this one as well. Top dressing is red and black scoria chunks. - Nearly the same throughout the potting as well.

[Atozbotanicals]

Ariocarpus retusus var. furfuraceus fma. rostratus (Casa Blanca locality). This one came as a freebie with the T. graminispinus, same mix as that one as well. Kept indoors further away from the light than all the others due to their sensitivity. It’s shown a bit of growth recently at the apex, but is fittingly a “living rock” most of the time.

[Atozbotanicals]

Mammillaria hernandezii, 5cm pot, potted in mostly mineral mix, top dressing of scoria and calcined clay, expected to flower soon.

[AusNick89]

Nice additions to your collection, I like the Epithelantha!

[mmcavall]

Cool displays! Please keep posting.

[Atozbotanicals]

Copiapoa laui. This is to be my first Copiapoa sp. I’d sown some habitat C. cinerea seed a few days before this one got delivered which I’ll update on soon, however this is my first plant of the genus, and hopefully one of many. I purchased this one online from the PlanetDesert nursery in California. Repotted in a mostly mineral mix (around 80% mineral to 20% organics). The mineral portion of the mix is comprised of calcined clay and decomposed granite (heavier on the DG than the clay).

[Atozbotanicals]

These 6 arrived yesterday from a seller in Poland. I originally ordered just the 3 F. curvispina and received the 3 F. angelesiae as a gift! Plants are high quality from the eBay seller “asia.ast_95”. Along with striving to acquire all the very rare species, I plan to work towards collecting every species of Frailea. So far I’ve 9 Frailea plants of 5 different species, and seedlings now growing of 3 of those species.

[DesertSun]

Nice displays, and that Mammillaria hernandezii is fabulous!

[Atozbotanicals]

Next, a Lophophora koehresii VM 212. Locality: La Morita, SLP. Potted in calcined clay and black scoria mixture. This seedling has massive root structure and will continue to improve in the primarily mineral mix it is now potted into.