Cactus Blog - Cactus Jungle

Coneflower

Posted March 18, 2023 11:54 am & filed under Berkeley Gardens.

Leucadendron “Safari Goldstrike”

Cedar Street, Berkeley

Echinopsis “Big Bob”

Posted March 5, 2023 10:21 am & filed under Cactus, Cactus Jungle.

I have no idea if this is just something someone told us this was called, but we’ve been growing a few of these extra fat San Pedros and they are ready for sale. Echinopsis pachanoi “Big Bob”. Is this a real name? Did we just make this up? Don’t know! But since we are not currently cultivating them and since I can’t get a confirmation on the name, I’m not adding it to our online encyclopedia. Enjoy them while you can!

Port of San Francisco

Posted February 24, 2023 3:54 pm & filed under Agaves, San Francisco.

Agave attenuata at the Port of San Francisco. So many Agaves! 😀

Foxtail Agave

Posted February 22, 2023 2:28 pm & filed under Photography, San Francisco.

Agave attenuata blooms just starting out.

Main Street, San Francisco

Aeoniums, San Francisco

Posted February 21, 2023 11:33 am & filed under San Francisco.

Aeonium arboreum massing in wood planter boxes at the family friendly Spark Social food truck park in Mission Bay. Everything is delicious.

Aloe Safari Rose

Posted February 14, 2023 11:25 am & filed under Photography.

This one is Aloe “Safari Rose” which I almost like as much as the other Aloe Safaris. But my new macro lens does a pretty good job up close on those rosy flowers! Thanks, Dad.

Aloe Safari Orange

Posted February 13, 2023 9:36 am & filed under Bay Area Succulents, Photography.

I want you all to know that just because I write these blog posts in a first-person chatty style doesn’t mean that I’m a chatty AI bot, I’m a real person! I have real feelings and likes and dislikes too. And I like these Safari series Aloes. This one is Aloe “Safari Orange”.

Cactus!

Posted October 23, 2022 12:55 pm & filed under Cactus.

Leuchtenbergia principis really throws that whole artichoke discussion out the window. This one is the Agave Cactus. The Cactus Agave? The Artichoke Agave Cactus? I can’t keep it all straight anymore. These are small right now, but will grow big and fat. Like an articho… agav… …like a cactus.

Artichoke as Metaphor

Posted September 30, 2022 12:34 pm & filed under Berkeley Succulents, Photography, Succulents.

Obregonia denegrii looks enough like an artichoke that some people call it the Artichoke Cactus, not to be confused with Agave parryi truncata which is known as the Artichoke Agave. Maybe instead of comparing unrelated plants to artichokes, we should call the delicious and valuable artichoke the Pulque Vegetable.

Rusty Sedums

Posted September 28, 2022 2:59 pm & filed under Photography, Succulents.

Sedum “Firecracker” turns rusty red colors in the fall, any day now!

Red Echeveria

Posted September 27, 2022 1:42 pm & filed under Berkeley Succulents.

Echeveria “Red Baron” was only available at our Marin store. But now it’s in Berkeley too!

Buy now for local delivery? Yes!

4 inch Echeveria Red Baron

Crassula “Sunset”

Posted September 24, 2022 9:57 am & filed under Succulents.

Crassula ovata “Sunset” have had a bit of a rough month with the recent heat, but this one looks good!

Red Succulent Questions

Posted July 29, 2022 11:15 am & filed under Questions.

Hello
While visiting Santa Barbara Mission I came across this plant. Questions
Is it an agave? Is it always red or only because it’s outside and in direct sun ?
Or Is it red due to maturity?

Inquisitive minds want to know
Thanks
Emma (more…)

We Get Questions

Posted June 14, 2022 12:32 pm & filed under Questions.

Not sure where this question comes to us from, but the signs outside the window may provide a clue.

hey there, i just bought a thin tall cactus that i really wanna take good care of but none of the apps or interent helped me out in identifying it- Any reccomendations would be lovely, thanks a lot!

Have a great day,
Irem

(more…)

Prickly Pear San Francisco

Posted June 12, 2022 4:20 pm & filed under Cactus, San Francisco.

Prickly Pear, Delta Street in Visitation Valley, San Francisco

Yucca rostrata

Posted May 1, 2022 6:35 pm & filed under San Francisco.

Marina Boulevard, San Francisco

Aeoniums San Francisco

Posted April 30, 2022 12:15 pm & filed under San Francisco, Succulents.

Marina Boulevard

People Ask Us

Posted April 25, 2022 9:15 am & filed under Tik Toks.

Cactus Jungle is now on Tiktok! And Youtube!

Succulents San Francisco

Posted April 24, 2022 5:58 pm & filed under Bay Area Gardens, San Francisco, Succulents.

Succulent garden

Lawton Street San Francisco

Aeoniums San Francisco

Posted April 10, 2022 1:30 pm & filed under San Francisco, Succulents.

Collection of street Aeoniums starting to bloom for summer, 39th St, Outer Richmond, San Francisco

Black Spot on my Cactus

Posted April 3, 2022 7:08 am & filed under Questions.

Hi Cactus Jungle,

May I ask, do you know why this cactus body is become black spot?
I just bought my plant last week. Yesterday I clean the brown patch (dead scale) from the cactus body.. However, the spot that I clean become black spot.. Today I tried to clean that again and scratch & wipe it using alcohol. However the wound is turn to black again.. Is it normal? Is it a disease and can it spread to next plant? Do I need to repot the plant?

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Succulents, Bay Area

Posted March 20, 2022 10:44 am & filed under San Francisco, Succulents.

Aeonium window box

Texas Street, San Francisco (more…)

We Get Euphorbia Questions

Posted March 4, 2022 2:33 pm & filed under Questions.

Good evening

I have heard what I think is a Euphorbia ingenes for around three years now and it’s always been a healthy plant with lots of growth however we moved house in October and it has been in my hallway to the right of my glass front door it always has in direct sunlight and it’s quite a bright room it has been absolutely fine here until two weeks ago as you can see from the photographs the problem has escalated quite quickly from the week of photographs taken I did water it and a couple of days after I did find that it was sat in about 3 cm of water so I took that out immediately however this discolouring had already taken place I have never and don’t normally water a lot so I don’t see how that one time of watering could do this much damage is it an infestation perhaps I really don’t know a lot about this plant or even if it is the right Euphorbia and I really really want to save this plan I love it so much what can I do and please give me as much information as possible because I’m getting conflicting advice thank you so much and you have a lovely website
Regards harriet x

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Agaves and Cruise Ships

Posted November 12, 2021 6:56 pm & filed under San Francisco.

It’s the Agave attenuatas and the cruise ship terminal and the cruise ship along the Embarcadero in SF!

We Get Emails from Nederlands

Posted November 6, 2021 9:28 am & filed under Reader Photos.

The Euphorbia antisyphilitica photos on your site from the Growing place are nice.
But I grow the plant in Holland, without growing place and was looking were he grow.. now I know Texas and Mexico
So I came on your site..[The photos you can put in iff you want,]
Becose this plants have Male and Female flowers and set seeds on his own, only by some wind, just a bit in the greenhouse !
Becose most Euphotbia have Male and Femail plants.. so this is an special rare one !
Cok

Nice photo of the flower!

Heritage Plant Question

Posted October 4, 2021 10:48 am & filed under Questions, Science.

Hi,
I have a Christmas Cactus, (pink flowering, 18″ long ‘paddle’ leaves),
that is said to be from a cutting in Kansas, ca. 1865.

Is there a possibility it is a rare, unknown or presumed ‘extinct’
variety!!!???

Do you know of any experts, collectors or breeders that might like a
sample to check it’s DNA -Maybe it could be of value as a foundation plant!?

There’s a Dec 8, 2015 article from UGA, (University of Georgia Ag
Extension), Extension about some cacti being 100, 150 – 200 years old!,
“Confusion about the Christmnas Cactus – They aren’t from the desert.

Best,
Mark
Olympia WA

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Uncovered while weeding!

Posted April 21, 2021 6:02 am & filed under Reader Photos.

We get emails:

Uncovered while weeding!
RoseAnn

Note: It’s a Cleistocactus straussii poking up, and yes that’s a lot of weeds…

Repotting a Cactus

Posted April 1, 2021 6:03 am & filed under Cactus, Questions.

Hi there,

I don’t know if you can help me, but I need some advice on cactus care so I figured I’d give it a shot. I inherited this big girl (she is about 3.5 feet high) when a friend of mine abruptly left town. I was advised by a plant ID group that this is an Espostoa senilis. It seems to me that the cactus should be transplanted, either into a larger container or into the ground? I live in Portland, OR (8b) and although we don’t typically get down past 25F, it is quite wet here and often cool or gray. If I transplanted it, is it likely to survive? And should I wait until the hot, dry summer to transplant or would Spring be a good time (just had our likely last frost)? Also, any tips for transplanting are appreciated. She is SHARP.

Thank you so much!
Jenny

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Is My Cactus Still Alive?

Posted March 22, 2021 10:58 am & filed under Blogs.

Hello,
I’m seeking help for my cactus, and I don’t know who to talk to. I’m not sure what’s going on, but it looks like my cactus is deteriorating. The base of the cactus turned brown and the brown color is creeping up each branch. Even worse, the branches are cracking and look like they’re going to fall off. In fact, one already did. I also noticed that the base is oozing fluid, and I see a red spot that’s attracting flies. I was wondering if you have any idea what the problem is, or if you can refer me to someone who can help. Is there any way to save the cactus, or should I lop off the parts of the branches that are still green and replant them? The cactus is about 20′ tall (higher than my house), and I’d hate to let it go.

I’ve attached a few pics so you can see what I’m describing.

Thank you for any assistance you can provide,
Brian

Brian, Your cactus is no longer among the living, it is a former cactus – it has died. I do not know what happened but often this can be a problem of a pot that is too small, or kept in the same pot for too long. In the ground it can be caused by too much water, or poor soil. Plants also have limited life spans and are susceptible to pests and viruses so it may have caught something.

Peter