Do you like cristate or monstrose forms in cacti?

[Hanazono]

G'morning Mrs. Green,

The hint of red on the plant is a nice contrast to the light green colour. Is this form very rare?

Khoyo means autumn foliage. This cactus turns the body colour in season.
Late autumn to spring, the cactus turns the body colur and retuns to green in summer.
It turns the body colur when the cactus was only young. A matured cactus does not turn the body colour.

1st myriostigma khoyo was found in 1975 in Japan.
Various body colours have been developed such as yellow, orange, red and chocolate.
They have been out of Japan except chocolate.
I believe khoyo is available in Europe.

The myriostigma posted on July 06 is not young but it is not matured enough and so it turns body colour partially.

The attached photo is a normal young Astrophytum myriostigma cv khoyo.

Frank

[Hero878]

I really like them especially Myrtillocactus geometrizans crestato f. minor, Cleistocactus variety and also Lophocereus aka Totem pole which I assume is also montrose variety too.

[keithp2012]

Does anyone in the US have unwanted G. mihanovichii variegated montrose or cristata on own roots? I love these weird looking cacti and if you are going to toss them I would love to own one or two of these!

[Mrs.Green]

G'morning Mrs. Green,

The hint of red on the plant is a nice contrast to the light green colour. Is this form very rare?

Khoyo means autumn foliage. This cactus turns the body colour in season.
Late autumn to spring, the cactus turns the body colur and retuns to green in summer.
It turns the body colur when the cactus was only young. A matured cactus does not turn the body colour.

1st myriostigma khoyo was found in 1975 in Japan.
Various body colours have been developed such as yellow, orange, red and chocolate.
They have been out of Japan except chocolate.
I believe khoyo is available in Europe.

The myriostigma posted on July 06 is not young but it is not matured enough and so it turns body colour partially.

The attached photo is a normal young Astrophytum myriostigma cv khoyo.

Frank

Good morning Hanazono and thank you very much Interesting! I belived that the change in colour would be the opposit; changing to red ( in this case) in summer as an reaction to more sun. Since this isn’t the case, what makes them change colour? Different temperatures or daylength ( or something else) ? Beautiful plant in the attached photo

[Mrs.Green]

This one came in a dishgarden with other cacti. I belive it could be Cereus forbesii ‘Ming Ting’? It seems to be both cristate and monstrose? If it’s not two different plants placed together? Haven’t taken it out of the pot yet.

[HudsonLH]

Though obviously not as prevalent or with such exaggerated forms, monstrose and cristate cacti do exist in habitat. What's abnormal about them? I'd argue that growing plants in small containers continents away from their native environments is far more unnatural than a misshapen cactus.

I buy them if I find their forms pleasant. Unfortunately, those tend to be quite expensive...

H

[Mrs.Green]

I'd argue that growing plants in small containers continents away from their native environments is far more unnatural than a misshapen cactus.



H

You definitly have a point there.. one could argue that keeping plants in containers, often far away from their native habitat, is a form of botanical zoo..

[Mrs.Green]

A year has passed since I started this thread and I have changed my mind since then. From disliking most cristate, monstrose , variegated and grafted cacti I now find them fascinating. Well, I have to admit that ‘Fred’ isn’t exactly on my wishlist but if I came over one cheap, it would have ended up in my collection, all the same.

In many hobbies, especially when the objects for the hobby is alive, a form of snobbism seems to be quite widespread. Not always put into ‘plain text’ but it shines trough that common, cheap and/or easily obtainable species,, breeds and so on, are less desirable and not something a ‘real or serious’ collector would waste any time on..

It’s not that uncommon to see people posting pics of common species with an excuse for posting pics of such a common/‘boring’ plant.

I wonder if this is a healthy approach in the long run? Leading people ( especially new enthusuiasts) to think thats not god enough to keep ‘ordinary’ an easily obtainable plants, to be counted in, you have to have something extra/rare/expencive.

When we know there is a lot of pressure on habitat plants ( not just from poachiing , I know but poaching on top of habitat destruction doesn’t help) , wouldn’t it be an idea to give more credit to the ‘ordinary’ plants and for those who want something special, either expencive or rare, there should be plenty to find among the cristate,monstrose, variegated and grafted plants.

Fashion, in whatever form tends to change rather quickly and in these days, and ‘influencers’ ( as we all are, to a greater or lesser extent- like it or not) have a resonsibility for what’s desirable and not.

Please note, I’m not trying to offend anyone or paint myself with a halo( I don’t have) , but I would very much like a friendly discussion on the topic

[BryanT]

Hi Mrs. Green,
Fortunately I don't follow the so called Fashion/Trend, I just buy/grow whatever plants I like.
For me personally, I like any kind of plants. All plants for me are fascinating, from tiny plants to giant trees.
That's why I have plants with different shapes and sizes, some common, some uncommon, but they all interesting and fascinating to grow, watch and enjoy.

[promethean_spark]

I prefer to grow plants from seed, so I don't have many weirdoes, but the ones I do have I cherish because they're my own personal cultivars.