I am obsessed with Myrtillocalycium chimaeras. Don't know why; it's probably my inner mad scientist. To that end, I'm looking to purposely create one using a grafting technique that has never before been documented, probably for good reason. Without further ado, I give you Project Frankenspine, in which two areole halves are grafted together in the hopes of creating a viable periclinal chimaera.
In the past, chimaeric trees have been frequently created by grafting two budding points together. I don't believe the process has ever been adapted to cacti before, so I thought I would try my hand.
The test subjects: a small, malnourished M. geometrizans rescued from a flower shop, and a pup from a Home Depot moon cactus lost to root rot.
The moon cactus tissue was pared down to the bottom half of a single areole, and a corresponding chunk was removed from the Myrtillocactus rootstock. I took a bit too much out of the roostock, so I had to shove a piece back in.
The wound was dressed as well as it could be with a scrap of nylon. It was then bagged to stave off dehydration, given some light watering, and placed on my "low light" shelf.
Due to my rather clumsy graft, I doubt it will take, but it'd be really cool if it did. I plan to leave the dressing on for two weeks. Regardless of whether the graft takes, I may try a second graft on the next-highest areole. If success is found, I plan to chop off the etiolated growth tip, remove all areoles above the transplant site, and wait for it to pup.
The Hunt for Myrtillocalycium: Bad Ideas Never Tested
-
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Tue Oct 31, 2023 9:05 pm
- Location: Illinois, USA
- jerrytheplater
- Posts: 1179
- Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2021 7:38 pm
- Location: Bloomingdale, NJ (USDA Zone 6b)
- Contact:
Re: The Hunt for Myrtillocalycium: Bad Ideas Never Tested
Pretty interesting.
Jerry Smith
Bloomingdale, NJ
45 inches (114 cm) rain equivalent per year, approx. evenly spread per month
2012 USDA Hardiness Zone 6b: -5F to OF (-20C to -18C) min.
Bloomingdale, NJ
45 inches (114 cm) rain equivalent per year, approx. evenly spread per month
2012 USDA Hardiness Zone 6b: -5F to OF (-20C to -18C) min.
Re: The Hunt for Myrtillocalycium: Bad Ideas Never Tested
I can't resist armchair quarterbacking. I see you are in Illinois. I believe I would have waited till may or so,which has been my experience greatest success time for growing anything. But then again,maybe it will be fused together by then and take off.
I hope it works
I hope it works
Re: The Hunt for Myrtillocalycium: Bad Ideas Never Tested
I am not sure it turns to a chimaera or not but it can be fused.
I did some fusion trials. The attached photo is a fusion of Astrophytum myriostigma and Ariocarpus retusus.
I did some fusion trials. The attached photo is a fusion of Astrophytum myriostigma and Ariocarpus retusus.
- Attachments
-
- Fused A. myriostigma and A. retusus
- IMG_3803.JPG (163.4 KiB) Viewed 2576 times
Re: The Hunt for Myrtillocalycium: Bad Ideas Never Tested
How it is your project going?
Son: dad i want a dragon for my birthday
Dad: ask me something more realistic
Son: ok then i want some Consolea falcata seeds
Dad: what colour do you want your dragon to be?
Dad: ask me something more realistic
Son: ok then i want some Consolea falcata seeds
Dad: what colour do you want your dragon to be?