Cactus lovers/growers?

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Just wondering about the odds for other bike/cactus fans here....
Anyone else here on TE collect and grow cactus and succulents?
I do know that BikingMomof3 has a small indoor cactus collection, as do I.
Anyone else?

[Aggie_Ama]

Not so much cactus but DH brought me home a Verigated Agave a couple months ago. The grower at his nursery dug it up off the side of the road in West Texas and gave it to DH. It is quite spectacular and doesn't look like the ones you find in a nursery. I love the plant and it is completely low (no?) maintenance!

[Bikingmomof3]

Not so much cactus but DH brought me home a Verigated Agave a couple months ago. The grower at his nursery dug it up off the side of the road in West Texas and gave it to DH. It is quite spectacular and doesn't look like the ones you find in a nursery. I love the plant and it is completely low (no?) maintenance!


Ooooh it sounds wonderful! Do you have a picture? Please? :)

[bmccasland]

Now that I don't live in the southwest, I miss cactuses. I currently have a prickly pear that is not coping with the high humidity. Even though it's planted in sandy soil, I think it's rotting out from the bottom. But I did have blooms last month. Maybe I could keep a pincushion happy, and their halo of flowers is so cute.

On the otherhand, for the first time ever, I can grow African violets and ferns with no special care whatsoever. :cool:

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I currently have a prickly pear that is not coping with the high humidity. Even though it's planted in sandy soil, I think it's rotting out from the bottom. But I did have blooms last month.

Wow, your prickly pear bloomed for you? Impressive. Did you take any pictures? Were they yellow flowers? Where did the plant come from when you got it?

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Here is one of my cacti...a small 4" Gymnocalycium saglionis. I love the blue-ish color and way the new spines come out with a maroon tint.
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[bmccasland]

Wow, your prickly pear bloomed for you? Impressive. Did you take any pictures? Were they yellow flowers? Where did the plant come from when you got it?

Lisa,
I bought it at a plant sale from our local botanical garden a couple of years ago. Yes, the flowers bloomed yellow. But no pictures. It's fairly small, only 4-5 inches in diameter.

Beth

[CycleTherapy]

I've got a bunch out in my yard...I can't take any credit though, they are native here in the desert ! The cactus wrens love to nest in the big Saguaro cactus.

[Aggie_Ama]

This is the most common Agave found at nurseries around here. It has kid of a blue tint, they get HUGE and are extremely popular for landscaping right now.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y258/AggieAma/450px-Agave_americana4.jpg

This is the Wikipedia photo of one like mine. Ours is of course smaller, I should take a picture of it tonight. It is growing really fast, proabably 2 ft tall?
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y258/AggieAma/Agave_americana_a-m.jpg

[missymaya]

I have 2 cacti (hee hee) in my backyard but they're only 5 feet tall and I don't know the specific species. I think there semaphores. My BF's mom's cactus is flippin' jinormous, at least 8-9 feet. She just lets it sit there and do it's thing, it's amazing!
bmccasland, have you tried potting it first or planting in a really really sunny, dry spot? Or, try a different cactus (if you haven't already). Semaphore's grow well in sticky and humidity filled environments (which is why they do so well in Florida, Virgin Islands, and Jaimaca. I hope the cactus you does well, they're so nice.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Wow, those are incredible agave! Can't wait to see a picture of your actual baby one! :)
Beth- I can't believe your p.pear bloomed when it was that small! :eek:

I got into cactus recently because I was tired of our 3 cats chewing on house plants, and I also didn't want to have to find a waterer when we go away for 2 weeks, etc. When investigating cacti & succulents, I was enchanted by their strange and bizarre forms- like beings from some other world. They seem to have a serene presence all their own. And my cats leave them alone! :D
I really love them, and they ask for so little in return!

[madscot13]

I can't believe this is what you PNW do with your overabundance of rain.

ps I have a cactus garden too- but only because my mom thinks I love them. I also have a delightful aloe plant growing in a starbuck's mug.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

ps I have a cactus garden too- but only because my mom thinks I love them. I also have a delightful aloe plant growing in a starbuck's mug.

Too funny! Take some pictures and post them here!

[Aggie_Ama]

Here are some photos of my agave. Had to use the camera phone, as my batteries in the digital camera are somehow MIA. :confused:

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y258/AggieAma/a0f3ee29d221.jpg

And one from a few feet back. The pot it is in is really cool but I don't know if you can tell it has a Palm Tree on it. I have a thing for Palm Trees. :)

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y258/AggieAma/69a7f8862287.jpg


I would like to get more cacti/succulents for the backyard, but I would have to fence them in. One of our dogs in blind and I am pretty sure she would injure herself. :(

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Amanda, that agave is really pretty big! Looks like you did a nice potting job on it. I love the creamy white in it.

Here is my Pilocereus glaucochrous ("Wooly Torch"). I love the soft white "fur" that looks like troll hair- but there are sharp spines hidden in it! :eek:
3342

[whippetgirl]

I have a collection of cacti/succulents. I have an echinopsis that has bloomed a few times(it is quick, with blooms that only last a day) pretty cool. I have several aloe plants that have bloomed as well with mango colored flowers. I have various other cacti that I am not sure of their names, but they thrive with very little care. I have a stapelia (?) that I got when my daughter was born,16 1/2 years ago. It was about 3 feet tall. I put it in the bathroom and now it is about 6 feet tall. Like you, I enjoy their sculptural qualities.

[Laterider21958]

I am not into the cacti, but do find some quite interesting. Have collected quite a lot of succulents though.

I love the variety of leaf shape and colours of the succulents, and they can look quite spectacular in the right pot. Have been successful in propagating some in half sand/half potting mix and have given them away as gifts (in attractive pots). One bonus - if I forget to water them they don't drop dead quickly!:D

[Fredwina]

I've been inspired by your posts again Ladies!
in the wild:
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/Fredwina_photo/DSCI0013.jpg
They're soem even more impressive one along the Railroad tracks I take to work (these aren't that set). Note the Au natural California Palm (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Fan_Palm) in the background
These have had some TLC. enjoy!
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/Fredwina_photo/DSCI0023.jpg
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/Fredwina_photo/DSCI0027.jpg
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/Fredwina_photo/DSCI0028.jpg
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/Fredwina_photo/DSCI0029.jpg

[Bikingmomof3]

Awesome pics Fredwina. :D

[Fredwina]

now , you've really done it!
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/Fredwina_photo/cacti1.jpg

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Fredwina, are those YOUR cacti in the pots on the wall there? How lovely!
I also can't beleive all those great cactus out there growing in the streets....amazing!

Here is a pretty picture of a group of my cacti catching the afternoon sun...
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[Fredwina]

Fredwina, are those YOUR cacti in the pots on the wall there? How lovely!
I also can't believe all those great cactus out there growing in the streets....amazing!

Here is a pretty picture of a group of my cacti catching the afternoon sun...
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Yes, they're mine! all mine ......
with only 8 inches of annual rainfall and 40+ days of 100F temperature. it's easy!
It's just a lot of folks opt for the generic suburban look

[bmccasland]

bmccasland, have you tried potting it first or planting in a really really sunny, dry spot? Or, try a different cactus (if you haven't already). Semaphore's grow well in sticky and humidity filled environments (which is why they do so well in Florida, Virgin Islands, and Jaimaca. I hope the cactus you does well, they're so nice.

Missymaya - my cactus is in a little pot, sitting on a corner of the driveway. The hottest dryest sunnyest place I could find, for a piece of geography that gets something like 60+ inches annual rain fall. The kalanchoes seem to like it. I thought PPear would be happy too. What I'd really like is a "Christmas" cholla - I used to see them in the desert around Phoenix, when I worked for Maricopa Co. Parks at Lake Pleasant. Chollas really like hot and DRY, so it probably wouldn't be happy here one itty bitty bit.

Pre-Katrina there was a succulent nursery near-by, but I'm not sure if they survived. Guess I'll need to check the phone book.

My house is fairly small, so many of my house plants have been banished outside. Thus must cope with the high humidity on their own.

[Fredwina]

Saw these on my ride today:
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/Fredwina_photo/gallenocacti.jpg
BTW, those are grapevines, Cucamonga Valley style in the background

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Fredwina- those pads of that prickley pear are enormous! (can you tell I'm a Northern girl?)

Here is a website that really inspires me, such incredibly beautiful cacti and succulents, so beautifully potted and cared for:
http://www.southampton.bcss.org.uk/ShowC1.html
Note- there is more than just one page of pictures....click on "Go to next gallery" at the bottom...

[CyclChyk]

I love cacti but do not grow them. This one however, has graciously graced my yard........
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s190/cyclchyk/sonycameracloseup005.jpghttp://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s190/cyclchyk/playing.jpg

[CyclChyk]

Fredwina those are gorgeous!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

My "Blue Flame"...3392

[Fredwina]

Rancho Cucamonga, Ca population 160,000
Climate : semi-arid
Number of Library Branches : 2
Books about cacti and succulents : 3 and only the branch nearest me:mad:
I'm not sure if made myself clear, The ones on my patio I had just bought from Target. Let's see if still have a Black thumb;)
I was going to check out a book at library - but.... and the local bookstore obviosly don't know we import 62% of our water. Maybe I'll stop by Rancho Santa Ana Gardens (http://www.rsabg.org) and see what they have in the bookshop. or go to amazon and get this (http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Cacti-Succulents-Terry-Hewitt/dp/0789416573/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/105-0552058-2694000?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1180579418&sr=8-2)
Lisa , Pretty plants
and now for some pics I assume succulents are allowed (it's an agave) Tequila! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tequila)
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/Fredwina_photo/agave.jpg

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Fredwina,
I didn't know that tequila was made from agave plants!!! :eek: Thanks for the info!
Your Target cactus are wonderful!

Is that the view from your prison cell window?
(just kidding, I lived many years in PR and got used to all the essential "rejas" over every door and window there)

I think there is way more and better info on cacti and succulents on the internet than in books. The people on the cactus forum moan about the dearth of good books to ge had. I've found lots of great and informative websites though.

Cyclechick- those cacti in your yard look a might thirsty! :o

[Trek420]

I think there is way more and better info on cacti and succulents on the internet than in books. The people on the cactus forum moan about the dearth of good books to ge had. I've found lots of great and informative websites though.

Then you'd better write one! You gals have got some incredible photos already.

[Fredwina]

Fredwina,
Is that the view from your prison cell window?
(just kidding, I lived many years in PR and got used to all the essential "rejas" over every door and window there)


Actually, it's parkling lot for the train station in Upland. You can see the tracks if you look close.
And a question from Cacti newbie:
They're currently sitting inside on my window sill. would they do better outside? I'm worried about birds decding they look yummy...

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

And a question from Cacti newbie:
They're currently sitting inside on my window sill. would they do better outside? I'm worried about birds decding they look yummy...

Depends on how important it is to you to have them inside for your decor.
If they get a LOT of sun on the windowsill they should be ok. They do need several hours of sun every day, or they will grow spindly. I don't think birds would want to eat them, but then I don't know what kind of odd birds you might have there! If you don't care whether they are in or out, then they would love the additional sun of outside I would think....but give them a couple weeks of gradual change to the full sun- they can burn if they've been inside for weeks and are then suddenly thrust out into the blasting sun.

[Aggie_Ama]

Goats will eat them!:D I was out riding today and saw a goat chomping away on a cactus like the one CyclChyk posted.

[Aggie_Ama]

My Agave is growing like crazy and it has a pup! We added little pot feet (they're frogs) to promote drainage and the agave is really happy. I want to dig out the little pup and nuture it to be a present for my mother in law. I am also going to have to start looking for another pot, I don't want to plant it in the yard because this is not the house we plan on living in forever and I have become very attached to my agave.

Lisa- Do you know how to grow an succulent or a resource for it?

Here is an updated photo (you can also see my Zinnias are popping!):

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y258/AggieAma/IM000434b.jpg

[Fredwina]

I had to repot some plants, and one appears to be dying:(
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/Fredwina_photo/Las%20Squalo/DSCI0003.jpg
any ideas?
Btw, I've got some. apologies for my el cheapo camera:
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/Fredwina_photo/Las%20Squalo/DSCI0004.jpg
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/Fredwina_photo/Las%20Squalo/DSCI0005.jpg

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Fredwina,
Some possibile causes?:
Did you use a potting soil made for cacti?- often those have way too much peat moss in them and it prevents the soil from getting wet at all. Most cactus growers mix regular potting soil and some sort of sand or tiny gravel about 1/2 and 1/2- that mixture works well.
Also, if you have just repotted, the plants will be under stress and should not be in the blasting sun all day for a while. Cactus need to adjust gradually from indoors to out in the full sun. Too sudden a change can actually burn them.
Don't let them get water more than once every week or two...they rot easily in soil that is not allowed to dry out between waterings.

[Trek420]

Today I planted a foxglove. a stevia, and some portuluca which seem like a succulent that blooms in many colors, also two fuchias in front.

I continued my fierce battle with agapanthus (sp?) a plant that does nothing for me but house snails. That will protect the rosemary and princess bush in front.

Alas I can't remove my neighbors agapanthus but at least can yank mine from my front yard. I'll buy the snails on the neighbors plant a cheap beer to swim in ;-)

I created a couple of "planter towers" in the patio; small container goes in bare spot in medium container goes in bare spot in big container. Thought I had no room in back on the tiered planter stands but...

now I need more plants :D

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Aggie-Ama- I love the way your agave and its pot echo the same blue-green color. :) And what a pretty patio!

Trek- a picture of your "plant tower"?...
Portulaca is wonderful- it is indeed like a succulent. It asks for so little and blooms so enthusiastically under the most dismal blastingly hot conditions. :o
Everyone had it in their patios in Puerto Rico.

Here is a picture of a funny little cactus of mine called "Medieval Castle" (Cereus peruvianus monstrosa). It's one of the family of "monstrosa" cacti so called because they grow very irregular somewhat deformed growths-- like monstrosities. :eek:
This one has red fur-like spines all over it that get into your skin like nasty fiberglass if you are not careful. The red fur is quite pretty but in this photo the backlit sun sort of hides it.
3675

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I had some "Baby Toes" succulent on a windowsill for months. It didn't seem to be very happy. After a while it wilted and looked like it was dying and/or rotting. I put it outside on the hot sunny porch, figuring it could either die or perk up there.
After a couple of weeks I saw new tiny "toes" growing up as the old toes shriveled away. Then I saw a bud! Here is a picture of the bud on the day before it bloomed, and then two pix of the flower open. I was amazed!
There is another bud growing too. :) I guess it likes the hot porch.

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4180


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[lyca]

Wow!!!!!!! Those are so pretty!!

[carpaltunnel]

I have a Euphorbia Obesa that was 7 years old when I pursuaded a greenhouse owner to sell it to me 17 years ago. He raised it from seed and was quite fond of it and its siblings.
Here's a link to an article and picture. I don't have a picture of mine.
http://www.plantzafrica.com/plantefg/euphorbobesa.htm

At the same time I bought one of those little cactus gardens with several tiny plants in one pot. There were probably 8 little cacti in a 8" pot.

Over the years I have had to move several of them to larger pots. One of them is nearly five feet tall now. (My husband wanted to throw it away until he saw the price of a smaller one for sale in a greenhouse.) Another is huge and round, and I just bought an antique dishpan to repot it in. A few of the others have stayed tiny and are still in the original pot. I don't know the names of any of them, and don't have any pictures. (I really should get a digital camera.)

I have good windows that reach to the floor, so they're happy all winter in the house. In the spring I move them outside.

I also have a Christmas Cactus that is at least 100 years old. It was given to us by my husband's uncle, who had it more than 40 years. He received it in trust from an "old lady" who had it many years and had received it from someone before that. Some families can trace their old christmas cacti back for generations but ours has changed families when the owners couldn't find a relative to take it. I do have pictures of it, but not digital. It blooms with hundreds of flowers every winter, and again in the late winter/early spring.

Well, enough about my flowers. Get me going and you'll be sorry!;)

[Aggie_Ama]

Lisa- I love that plant!! Does it have a name other than it's description?

My Agave had a pup which I am carefully growing into a birthday present for my Mother-in-law. It had taken off when I moved it to the hot August sun, but after over 2" of rain the past two days I had to move it to the shaded patio. :(

On another note, my poor flower bed is draining poorly. The Zinnias closest to the agave flooded out and look horrible. Anyone know a resource for building it up? Our shrubs are also turning yellow. :o You would think a husband who works at a nursery would know what we need to do, but he doesn't.

[coyote]

Our shrubs are also turning yellow.

If the shrubs are evergreens, or the soil is poor, they may need nitrogen. I like the pellets that you can just scatter on the ground around the plants. For the flowerbed, is it possible dig a little trench to let the water drain off? It may not be a permenant solution but you may want to wait till the soil dries out....dry soil is not as heavy to work with as moist soil. :)

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Lisa- I love that plant!! Does it have a name other than it's description?


It's Latin name is Fenestraria. It's a pretty commonly sold succulent.

[Fredwina]

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/Fredwina_photo/SUNP0043.jpg
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/Fredwina_photo/SUNP0042.jpg
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/Fredwina_photo/SUNP0041.jpg

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Hey Fredwina- watch out it's addictive!
You live in the perfect place for cactus and succulents. Me, I have to scrounge up every bit of sun for them I can on my windowsills....and still leave room for the cats! :rolleyes:
Looks like a nice prickley pear there. Is that a real flower bud on that spiral-y one?

[Fredwina]

sure is! I 'd like to switch with you now, as my a.c went on the Fritz once the temp went past 112 today.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Oh I just had to post this new picture of my babytoes succulent- it's in full flower now! It clearly loved being out on the sunny porch all summer and has been flowering off and on, but this week I had to finally bring it indoors because it's getting cold now in autumn.
After this bunch of flowers, I'm sure it will settle down to a slow lazy indoor pace through the winter inside on the windowsill where it gets less sun than outdoors.
But see how it has grown this summer! :p

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[nic840]

Funny thread! It makes my fingers start to tingle. When I was in college I spent a whole summer working for the International Succulant Institute transplanting and propogating cactus. It was actually a small farm/ranch in Moraga, CA that had thousands of different types of cactus and succulants.

My fingers were raw by the end of the summer. Yes I wore gloves but it still didn't help all that much. I did make enough money to buy a scooter for school transport. Good Times!

[sandra]

I've been meaning to tell y'all this. Just so you know.

NOW I'm wanting to grow cactus! All I need is another addiction. :eek:

Thankyouverymuch.:p

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Yer welcome, anytime! :D :D ;) :cool:

(Hey, it's cheaper than collectinig bikes though!) :D

[sandra]

OK, I'm in. :D Yesterday just after posting this I went with hubby to Lowe's for chrome polish for my bike. My sidewalk sale find for $4, potted and everything. The pot alone is worth $4.

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb12/Sandradav/IMG_0317.jpg

[Fredwina]

From the palace of Evil (aka Wal-mart) for $14:
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/Fredwina_photo/20071027/SUNP0001-1.jpg

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Oooh...Fredwina, a good find! It's like this one:
http://www.cactusweb.us/euphorbia__trigonum.html
It's hard to tell how tall yours is, but it looks like maybe more than 2 feet tall? :p

I have a multi branched one of those that is thriving nicely indoors in a bright window.
You know, if you repot it into a giant pot and can bring yourself to cut it into 3 segments :eek: then plant them in a trio and put in the full sun, the pieces will branch out and form several new spires each and become a wonderful bushy specimen! One must be careful to not plant the segments upside down though, and you should let the cut pieces lie out to dry for about a week before planting so the ends won't rot.

Sandra- that's a lovely succulent, and look, it's blooming!! Amazing how it matches the pretty pot color. It will grow bushy and fuller if it gets lots of sun.

I should have put all my cactus outside in the sun all summer. But i couldn't bear to not have them in the house with me, so I didn't... this year. As a result some of them are showing slightly anemic new top growth because of the less bright sun they get in my windows as opposed to outside. Now it's autumn and too cold outside. I will force myself to put them out on the sunny porch next summer. :rolleyes:
Those of you in CA and AZ are lucky to be able to keep plants going outside all year!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I decided to decorate one of my cacti instead of putting up a Christmas tree this year.....4999
If you look hard you can see the snow banks in the street beyond...got our first major snow today of 6" :p

[Aggie_Ama]

Lisa- I love it!!

We are expecting a freeze this weekend, may have to pull in my 50 pound agave if it is a long one. :eek:

[sandra]

Cool Lisa! Are those lights plugged in? Great idea. If I didnt already have my tree up, I'd do THAT!

[Brandi]

Wow great picture! i love it too!
I have never posted onthis tread but I have several christmas cactus and a couple other's not sure what they are called though. My christmas cactus bloom at least 4 times a year for me! They all just bloomed about a month ago. I tried to get them to wait till christmas but they didn't listen! I have white, red and fusia. One of my plants is a great grand child of a cactus that lived for over 20 years. She was huge! Then one day she just started to die. It was sad for my friend. But mine has been with me now for wow going on 15 years. It's funny we moved into this house i put the cactus down by this one window with the intention of moving it later, well it did so well in that spot I never moved it. Got a special peice of furniture for it to be on too. Now it has brother's and sister's. Everyone love's them when they are in bloom. I have made baby plants for friends and gave them out as christmas gifts before too. ok I am a geek!

[Brandi]

I had a friend who wantd me to send her a tumbleweed so she could use it as a christmas tree instead. It might be really cool looking. If it wasn't for the fact that they have a ton of seeds! And theare ouchy to the touch. But no more then cactus I guess.

[Brandi]

http://z.about.com/d/phoenix/1/0/y/K/tumbleweeds08.jpg
look a a whole tree made of tumbleweeds.

[Fredwina]

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/Fredwina_photo/20090302Wind/SUNP0001.jpg
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/Fredwina_photo/20090302Wind/SUNP0003.jpg

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Fredwina, that is COOL!
I know that's an aloe in the top photo, with flower shoots.

But what is the second photo of? Is it a snake plant? Are those big whorly things coming up flower stalks or just another type of succulent in the same pot as the snake plant? I'm confused...
I have a friend who has a green thumb. She has a snake plant that bloomed in her bathroom and filled her whole house with the loveliest fragrance for days. I've never seen a snake plant in bloom other than that one time.


I am excited over a succulent cutting a friend gave me a couple of days ago.
The common name for it is "Flapjacks" because the leaves are so round and flat and fairly large. The edges are very rosy if it spends the summer outside in the sun. Her plant is large and beautiful. Her is my cutting which is about 5" across:
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Here is a picture from the internet showing a full plant (my friend's plant was way prettier, though!):
5486

I am letting my fresh cutting "heal" for a few days before planting it. The cut end needs to seal and dry before planting, otherwise rot can set in.

[Fredwina]

The second photo is another aloe. I'll try and get another pic this weekend

[Beane]

I was recently in aruba, which since it's a desert island, has lots of cacti. Below are 2 pics, one showing the unusual juxtaposition of cactus near beautiful blue ocean and the other showing the cactus fences that we saw all over the place.

[Aggie_Ama]

Look at this agave from the Indian Lodge in Davis Mountain State Park! For reference I am 5'2". DH stood by it and it is taller than him, he is 6'2"

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y258/AggieAma/bigagave.jpg

[Fredwina]

I thought an update is in order. apologies for the quality:
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/Fredwina_photo/SUNP0018-3.jpg
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/Fredwina_photo/SUNP0022.jpg

[Aggie_Ama]

I have a plant stand on my front porch, I tried annuals which didn't work because they are water hogs and I forgot to water them. DH suggested trying cacti/succulents so I went to a cool local nursery (www.spicewoodspines.com)that only sells cacti and succulents, picked some cold hardy ones that can live outside in our heat and am giving it a go. All of these guys were living outside so I am hoping they are okay on my shaded porch and not in the house. PS the nursery ships and has an interesting selection on their site! I wish the photos were clearer.

The group:

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y258/AggieAma/group.jpg

Graptopetalum pentandrum

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y258/AggieAma/grapto.jpg

Ferocactus Glaucescens

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y258/AggieAma/2009-MISC082.jpg

Astrophytum myriostignia v. coahuilense (this is supposed to bloom real pretty according to the owner)

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y258/AggieAma/echino.jpg

Echinocereus reichenbachii- those little buds will bloom fuschia

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y258/AggieAma/astro.jpg

And my Agave I love so much is still going strong. I want to repot it but I can't figure out how short of breaking the pot I like.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y258/AggieAma/2009-MISC081.jpg

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Amanda, those are such pretty specimens!! I love the pale blue-greens and rosy tints near each other.

In New York here, I have to take my collection inside for 6 months! Tonight will be 32F, and it won't be warm enough to put them outside for the summer for a few more weeks yet.

But they are all doing pretty well despite their winter indoors with little sun.
In fact, one is sporting tiny tiny yellow flowers now, and another is developing big flower buds! I will take a photo of that one tomorrow and will post it here, along with a pic of the very same cactus from May 2007 so you can appreciate how it's grown. :) It's this one, from page one of this thread:
http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showpost.php?p=205111&postcount=6


.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Here is my little gymno cactus from two years ago:
http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showpost.php?p=205111&postcount=6

And here are what look to be some FLOWER BUDS on it now!:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3649/3414960133_e86ec5aac8.jpg
It's hard to see that it's bigger overall now, but it's in a bigger pot than the original photo- it totally outgrew that pot from two years ago. I think the cactus has gone from about 4" in diameter to 5". I do notice it has many more spine clusters than two years ago, and the spines are larger and redder.

I can't wait to see what the flowers look like! :)

[badgercat]

I managed to kill every little potted cactus I ever had in the Midwest by taking care of them exactly how I thought I was supposed to. But I live in Arizona now, so who knows...the house my boyfriend and I are renting starting in June has all sorts of cacti in the front and back yards, so I hope my Typhoid Mary streak with cacti doesn't spread to established ones living outside. :eek:

Oh! and my forum avatar is a cactus flower in my aunt/uncle's yard. :D

[Fredwina]

My Crasslius has gone crazy:
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vuerRrNlUQI/SdkhJ_WXekI/AAAAAAAABJw/LqosinXhk5Q/s640/100_0431.jpg
But My blue aloe is blooming. Occasionally, I have a Hummingbird visit the flowers
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vuerRrNlUQI/SdkhO_PaqcI/AAAAAAAABKA/ItG1Qx_O6QA/s640/100_0433.jpg
some more aloe:
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vuerRrNlUQI/SdkhQhgpltI/AAAAAAAABKI/0eS__dQZXRA/s640/100_0434.jpg
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vuerRrNlUQI/SdkhSjU-YYI/AAAAAAAABKQ/rZEhc_SmLgM/s640/100_0435.jpg
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_vuerRrNlUQI/SdkhY5oRoQI/AAAAAAAABKk/ci55dxHoNdA/s640/100_0437.jpg

[Fredwina]

I should have done something with this catcus:
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_vuerRrNlUQI/SdkhfnyjvfI/AAAAAAAABK8/1FHE-MqFSZw/s640/100_0440.jpg

[Aggie_Ama]

Lisa- I saw that same plant at Spicewood Spines and was intrigued by it but only had room for 4 and decided on the Astrophytum because I already had the ferocactus that was "spikey" but I may get more plants eventually. We are having an usual late spring cold snap (36 this morning) so I brought the little guys inside last night, I didn't want to stress out the newly potted plants.

Fredwina- You have really built your collection, I thought everything died? This gives me hope because I am convinced I will kill my plants!

Good news is DH is convinced we can repot the Agave and save my pot. What he does not know is that means I am scheming to find another large plant for the pot. :p Maybe a blue agave from his nursery for the backyard?

[Fredwina]

I'v think I've only killed two catci. I'm probably going to repot the aloe Vera this weekend.
Most of those plant were $2 wal mart or Target specials that were half dead(most of them had been drowned)

[Aggie_Ama]

Oh I see, well I didn't buy the real expensive plants and I bought the ones the owner said were a little less finicky. They are supposed to be cold hardy. I brought them in to protect them though because I know repotting is stressful. :)

The agave and I have been great friends because I potted it and ignored it. Look at her go! I think if I put it in a bigger pot it will get bigger but mostly I just admire it when I pull in the drive and beam when people compliment it. I even had a nightmare once someone stole it, I was devastated.

[fidlfreek]

Hey! So this little succulent that I've had for 2 years has started blooming for the first time! She's tiny (about 2 inches across) but I'm worried about the little brown dots. Any ideas?

[Aggie_Ama]

Fidl- That is a cool little plant but I don't know what might be making it brown.

Astrophytum is blooming! I will snap a photo tonight, looks like they are going to be yellow blooms.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Fidlfreak,
To me that looks like some sort of scale....they are little sucking bugs that build a hard shell over themselves. Florida red scale is an example. Here in the northeast I got some white scale on one of my cactus, and I read up a bit and got rid of it by rubbing a Q-tip soaked in alcohol on each scale several times over a couple of weeks. Mine were only a few dozen scales though, so it was easy.
You seem to have a lot, and you might want to cut off the most badly affected leaves, and perhaps swish the whole plant in a mild dish-soapy bath, followed by the alcohol treatment? Make sure your plant is in an airy place that is not stuffy.
Just a few thoughts but I don't know for sure.

[fidlfreek]

Ok so I have to do something drastic or my beautiful little gem will die! Ahhh!! I'm a bad mother. She is on a windowsill w/ other succulents. Plenty of air, I mean as much as anywhere else in the apartment. Will get right on it. Thanks Bleecker!

[Aggie_Ama]

My astro blooms came and closed (I promise photo next time) do you cut them off? Let them fall off? This plant is supposed to bloom multiple times a year but I am clueless on how to care for it.

I think I need to water them today as well but was waiting to see if the driving rain came through so they didn't get over watered. These aren't supposed to be stressful! :p

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

My astro blooms came and closed (I promise photo next time) do you cut them off? Let them fall off? This plant is supposed to bloom multiple times a year but I am clueless on how to care for it.

I think I need to water them today as well but was waiting to see if the driving rain came through so they didn't get over watered. These aren't supposed to be stressful! :p

I would cut off the dead blooms to encourage it to bloom again.
Keeping it fairly dry will also encourage more blooming.
After the winter ends- water and fertilizer encourage green growth, while dry and no food encourages blooming.
I cant believe you missed taking pictures! :eek: :rolleyes: Oh well, next time, huh? :)

[Aggie_Ama]

Bleeck- I was really busy and thought I had more than one day! They were just opening then full size one day then closed the next, I was heartbroke.:( But the owner of the nursery claims those little guys are popular because they bloom a lot. I hope that is the case.

I got some great wild cacti photos hiking today, I will have to upload them.

[Aggie_Ama]

In bloom in the wild at Colorado Bend State Park in Bend, TX.

[Fredwina]

It must be spring, This is first time this one has ever bloomed:
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vuerRrNlUQI/SfNqqCkh6sI/AAAAAAAABW0/dLadYIZa8lA/s640/100_0501.jpg
Erosion control with Prickly Pears?
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_vuerRrNlUQI/SfIxRz1XiqI/AAAAAAAABTQ/KTQutc4_b60/s640/100_0480.jpg

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Fredwina, that is gorgeous! Is that a mammillaria?




http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3649/3414960133_e86ec5aac8.jpg


The flower buds are substantially larger now, and I'm expecting them to open any day....can't wait to see what the flowers look like! I will take pictures when the first bloom opens.

[Fredwina]

I think so!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I think so too. :p

I believe mine is a:

gymnocalycium saglione (http://www.cactuspro.com/photos.php?action=afficher&id=1296), and if so it will have pale pink flowers.

[Aggie_Ama]

The flower buds are substantially larger now, and I'm expecting them to open any day....can't wait to see what the flowers look like! I will take pictures when the first bloom opens.

I saw one blooming today, can't wait for you to see what it does.

I got a few plants to put on my desk at work. I bought some quartz this time and there is a little froggy in there plus I added some rocks I found in our own flowerbed (after I took the picture).

Going counter clockwise: the pink blooming thing is Euphorbia milli ("Crown of Thorns") a native of Madagascar, the little short greyish-purple succulent is Echeveria ("Blushing Bride"), the dark succent with a bonus tag along is Gasteria and the bonus is Escheveria and the last one just said Euphorbia.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y258/AggieAma/2009-MISC085.jpg

I also got this plant for my Mammaw for Mother's Day. She is a big fan of unique plants and plants that produce new plants. This one fits both bills because it shoots off stalks that the nursery owner said you can put a pot under to let root and viola you have another plant. ;) Tag says it is a Kolanchoe.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y258/AggieAma/2009-MISC086.jpg

I love this succulent nursery because if you spend more than $10 you get a free small plant. Last time it was this guy, I think it is in the agave family.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y258/AggieAma/2009-MISC088.jpg

This time it was this plant.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y258/AggieAma/2009-MISC087.jpg

[Aggie_Ama]

My Graptapetalum has a little one coming up! I am going to research if it can be dug up to start a new plant.

For Mother's Day I ended up getting my mom's sister a "Black Prince" succulent and my mom's sister-in-law a neat little cacti from Omen. My aunts were totally shocked and loved them! I wish I had taken pictures of the plants.

DH surprised me this week with a new agave from his boss. It is a pretty decent size "weeping agave". I am pretty excited since it rare for our area. :D

I also have some new buds on two of mine, pictures when they open.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Amanda, sounds like you are really expanding your succulent collection! It's so nice to see your pictures. :) It's a great idea to have a little 'companion garden' on your desk at work. I find that cactii and succulents really seem to have a personality and a 'spirit' somehow.

Well I am STILL waiting for those flowers buds to bloom that I pictured a few posts ago. I can't believe how long they are taking! The buds are still growing larger. Gotta be any day now! :cool:

In a couple more weeks I'll be able to move ALL my cactii and succulents out on our porch for the summer. That's when they really thrive, and then the window sills and tables inside the house are suddenly all nice and spacious and zen-like for the summer. :p The collection really looks beautiful out on the porch in clusters.

I'm in the middle of planning a big new vegetable garden in our back yard.
I currently have a tiny 5' x 18' tomato patch garden strip on one side of our shed.
Now I'm thinking of a big 18' x 30' veggie garden in the middle of the back yard. Very ambitious. :eek: We will have to have it back-hoed and loads of top soil brought in, since the soil is so gravelly and poor under the lawn there. Gotta find out if indeed the landscaper can back hoe at all there, or if it's solid shale we might need to build raised beds- a bigger expense for sure.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3649/3414960133_e86ec5aac8.jpg

The 5 flower buds on my gymnocalysium (sp?) are way larger now and the first one is trying to open! It will bloom tomorrow morning for the first time and I'll post a picture here!! I was right about it likely being a pale pink flower- seems pretty obviously pale peachy/pink even though it has not quite opened yet.
I'm very excited! :p

[Aggie_Ama]

They take so long to open! I have new buds on two cacti and have been trying not to water hoping to promote the blooming. The prickly pear in west Texas were blooming like crazy this weekend, gorgeous yellow blooms. I hope one of my photos came out.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

It FINALLY BLOOMED!!!!!! YAY!!!! :D
I posted some pictures on my blog here:
http://strumelia.blogspot.com/2009/05/little-cactus-finally-blooms.html

[Aggie_Ama]

Beautiful! One of mine is blooming.

[Aggie_Ama]

I have become a total cacti/succulent lover! And living in the southwest I get a bonaza of wild specimens to look at to. :p

Wild something in Eldorado:

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y258/AggieAma/Home%20Improvement/wildcacti.jpg

Blooming prickly pear in Eldorado (note the bee if you can see him):
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y258/AggieAma/Home%20Improvement/bloomonprickly.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y258/AggieAma/Home%20Improvement/beeprickly.jpg

And now my own guys:

Weeping agave pup from DH's boss:
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y258/AggieAma/Home%20Improvement/weepingagave.jpg

Blooming Astro cacti (I love purples!):
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y258/AggieAma/Home%20Improvement/blooms2.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y258/AggieAma/Home%20Improvement/blooms.jpg

The tiny grapto coming up, my aunt loves plants and purple so it may become a gift for her:

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y258/AggieAma/Home%20Improvement/graptobaby.jpg

And the fuzzy spots on this Fero is how it blooms:
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y258/AggieAma/Home%20Improvement/feroblooms.jpg

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Wonderful pix, Amanda!

That Astro is incredible! Looks like you have the magic touch. :p

[Reesha]

I love succulents! They always look so fantastic potted together in adorable little arrangements-- plus they're fairly low maintenance. Ever since my grandfather would take some of the 'chicks' from his Hens and Chicks in his garden and pot them for my room, I've loved them.

I don't keep cacti because I'm afraid for my cat... I figure she'd poke herself somehow and get infected :( My brother got this little cactus when he was in elementary school and it's gone absolutely crazy over the last 18 years or so. My mom keeps cutting the 'babies' and gifting them to friends. :o

I'll post pictures once I get my camera back from work!

[Aggie_Ama]

Lisa- Either the magic touch or I just live in a great climate for them! :p

Reesha- That astro is so soft, I can touch it bare handed. It does not have traditional spines of a cactus. ;) And the one a posted a bit back that is on my desk only the thorny one has spines. Around here a lot of people use Prickly Pear in landscaping and have the landscapers cut of the spines. That wouldn't be too difficult on a small specimen.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I don't keep cacti because I'm afraid for my cat... I figure she'd poke herself somehow and get infected :(

Hi Reesha,
That's ironic- i got cactus and succulents purposely BECAUSE we have indoor cats! :D
I must have about 25 various types of cactus and succulents. they spend all winter inside the house with our cats. The cats sniff at them occasionally, but never try to chew them or touch them. I myself have gotten way more spiny little stabs than my cats ever get!
The cats used to chew other types of houseplants, and i got rid of them and wanted indoor plants that were much lower maintenance and that would not attract the cats. My cats leave all my cactus and succulents well alone.
I put the pots outside on my porch all summer- it's a pretty large collection.

My suggestion is to go ahead and get yourself some cactus!

[Reesha]

Ahhh pictures:

http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v4406/6/52/511688654/n511688654_1757307_8224044.jpg

This is my first succulent arrangement and it's been developing nicely since last fall. The other one that I made I left with my former roommate as a parting gift because she liked it so much!

http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs003.snc1/4406_84195318654_511688654_1757308_7643726_n.jpg
As you can see, Monkey the Cat enjoys gnawing on this one.

http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v4406/6/52/511688654/n511688654_1757309_4434651.jpg
This one is being attacked by my chives :eek::eek::eek:

[Fredwina]

My other mammalria is blooming (will try and get a better pic:)
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_vuerRrNlUQI/Shr7fAPNswI/AAAAAAAABjw/jgpqfEj-d0k/s512/100_0602.jpg