Cactus Blog 

Hi Peter

As we discussed on the phone, may I ask you to help identify the attached
species .. perhaps an Echeveria …I appreciate the help.

Best
Gary

Gary,
Your plant is a Kalanchoe marmorata. Nice!
Peter

Dear Cactus Jungle,

I was recently examining my cacti and noticed two very strange (maybe) fungus/viruses on two of the four.

(one is a ‘Fairy Castle’/Cereus tetragonus,

the other might be a Coryphantha georgii,

though I’m not sure about that).

I scoured the internet in search of identification for these possible fungi or viruses, but was unsuccessful. I noticed this blog when looking for answers, and would be so grateful if you could help me. I love these little buggers and would hate to see them go. I’ve attached two photos to this e-mail.
Thank you very much for your time and help!

Sincerely,
Sophy

Sophy,
I’m not seeing any fungus on the Cereus. Maybe there’s some rot on the inner branch, but it doesn’t look like a fungus. If it’s soft it may be a problem of overwatering, or if the plant has been in the pot for a long time it may not have enough soil left. It looks like it’s ready to be potted into a larger pot – the brown things coming out of the branches are aerial roots looking for more soil.

The other cactus (possibly a Coryphantha, although I would guess a Mammillaria, but I would need to see the blooms to know for sure) looks like a fungus, possibly Rust. You can spray fungus with standard organic fungicides. We like to use Neem Oil.

Peter

Sisyrinchium bellum is a local favorite, Native to California, blue-eyed grass. We have a whole bunch of cultivars of this exact species out right now.

Sisyrinchium “Rocky Point”

Sisyrinchium “Quaint and Queer”

Sisyrinchium “Wayne’s Dwarf”

Sisyrinchium “Nanum”

Plus we now have one new non-native Sisyrinchium available and it is much bigger, and more iris-like.

Sisyrinchium “Aunt May”

That’s a lot of Sisyrinchiums. But wait! Here’s another and it’s another native, a local native!

Sisyrinchium californicum

Sweet!

Adam came in to the store on one of his many trips to Berkeley and bought a number of cactus and agaves to bring back with him to the East Coast. I believe this photo is in New York. Things sure look different there than here! This was taken a few weeks ago, so maybe there’s been a flourish of green on the trees since then.

Nice!

I received this picture from someone’s cell phone, texted to my email. Because cell phone emails aren’t real email addresses I don’t know who this comes from.

Is it from you????

Anyway, someone was very excited to share their Echinocereus grandiflora hybrid from us in full bloom.

Nice!

Below is a tricky one to identify.

First we have what is unquestionably Parodia rutilans:

Here’s a picture of the cactus under that giant yellow flower:

Every source I have indicates that P. rutilans and all of its subspecies all have brown spines. Now they can have a more purplish flower too. But the edges are purple, while the center still remains at least yellowish.

Then there’s this plant:

The cactus is superficially similar to the one above. But this one has very clear black spines that fade to gray. You can really see that in the picture. Other aspects of the spination are also very clear and clearly not Parodia rutilans or related subspecies. And while P. rutilans can have a purplish flower, it still has a yellow throat while this one has a whitish throat (the photo shows some reflection of the yellow stamens on the petals).

Also, this flower has had a lot of trouble opening without heat. It’s a spring bloomer and we usually do not have enough heat this time of year for this flower to fully open. So I have lots of pictures from the last few years of this plant with buds, but this is my first one with a fully open flower. Previously, from the spination and the buds I thought this might be an Echinocereus, and with the heat issue that makes a lot of sense too. But now that this flower is finally open I can say very clearly that this is not an Echinocereus.

What is the one factor that makes me certain? The purple stigma.

So what is it?

I have a book that very clearly indicates that this is Notocactus roseiflorus. Case Closed? No! All Notocactuses have been moved into Parodia for a couple decades now, so then the question is what Parodia would this species name have been moved to. And unfortunately the answer is Parodia rutilans. Which clearly this is not. No way. Not even close. Not a subspecies. So I went back and did some more research on Parodia rutilans and the plant at the top and really, it’s quite certain. To quote my copy of Anderson, “Aureoles densely white wooly… Central spines light reddish brown, straight or pointed slightly downward…”

Now I had been using a made up name, Parodia rutilans ssp. roseiflorus to indicate the P. rutilans that had the purplish flowers as mentioned above, but that’s not a real name. I just made it up. So that’s gone by the wayside. So now I have to live with the fact that Parodia rutilans’ flowers can vary and rename all the ones with the brown spines to just simply Parodia rutilans.

And since I can’t come up with any other name ever attached to this black-spined purple-flowered cactus I will have to suffice with Notocactus roseiflorus for now. Unless someone can help me come up with another name that is current.

Science!

June is a big month for succulents in Great Britain.

A local branch of a national organisation for cacti enthusiasts is holding its annual plant show in June.

The Bradford branch of the British Cactus and Succulent Society, which also covers Keighley, is staging the event on Saturday, June 8 at Shipley library.

Are you going to be there, too?

In case you are going, here’s what the library looks like.

Nice!

Who knew that if you attached some balloons to a Beavertail Cactus you could sell tickets to it.

(In) Rodney Graham’s latest exhibition at Lisson Gallery (29 Bell Street, London, UK),… Cactus Fan depicts a scientist pondering a strange object, perhaps a gift: a cactus plant with four vibrantly coloured helium balloons attached to it.

I’m guessing that what we have a here is a scientist, or more specifically a botanist, who is experimenting with the effects of weightlessness in outer-space on the growth habits of a common cactus. However this particular scientist does not have the budget to complete the experiment in space, so instead we get balloons. The helium will have dissipated in a day or two, so the scientist in question must constantly remain on vigil and replace these balloons quickly and efficiently multiple times per week.

I can’t get the video to embed so you will have to click the link.

Here’s the link:

LINK.

But do click the link. Well worth it for the Pygmy cactus Owl chicks! Baby owls!!!!

We have a lot of native, and native-hybrids out in full bloom this weekend. Pictures ensue.

Beeblossom

Gaura lindheimeri “Passionate Rainbow” is a compact version of this ever-scrabbly wildflower. It also has very good color not just in the flowers but in the foliage too. I love colorful foliage!

Iris PCH – we have only a few more still in bloom. Like this very deeply colored blue hybrid.

Wooly Sunflower

Eriophyllum “Siskiyou” works well in your garden. They are in full bloom right now and will rebloom throughout the year anyway, just not quite as full as this.

Blue Witch

Solanum “Indian’s Grey” is one of our favorite blue-flowered native perennials in the deadly nightshade family (Solanaceae).

White Witch

Solanum “Spring Frost” is one of our favorite white-flowered native perennials in the deadly nightshade family (Solanaceae).

Achillea x kelleri is a stunning white addition to all your very colorful yarrows. These are really stunning. You should come see them in person, along with the yellow and red yarrows currently in bloom too. I highly recommend this hybrid for planting in your mom’s garden when you help her out next weekend. She will thank you.

A redacted letter from a concerned citizen:

Cactus Jungle:

You have on your list Fouquieria xxxx from California, this incorrect (sic)….. Fouquieria splendens is the only one that grows in the United States, all the others grow in Mexico and Baja. Your Fouquieria xxxx looks more like Fouquieria xxxx from Baja….. Do you have any more information on your plant? I have grown all of the known Fouquieria’s (sic) and have been in Mexico many times studying and collecting them.

Mxxx

Mxxx,
Thank you for your concerns. The word “California” can refer to the current political boundaries of the state formerly governed by Arnold Schwartzenegger, or they can refer to the ecological and geological physical area (among other options). We prefer to include plants native to Baja California as part of the ecological area of California.

Thank you,
Peter

Editors Note: Science!

Reilly sends along a photo of his Echinopsis (formerly known as a Lobivia) that has 3 giant buds getting ready to open. Those are going to be pretty.

We have a couple new (for us) cultivars of the classic California favorite Blue Eyed Grass.

Sisyrinchium bellum “Nanum” is low growing, to 6″ high, with wide leaves and particularly pale blue flowers. Very productive.

Sisyrinchium bellum “Wayne’s Dwarf” is also low growing, but not as low as Nanum. This might even get 10″ tall. We see there are the very classic deep blue flowers.

In general if you keep these members of the Iris Family (Iridaceae) a little bit irrigated through the summer you can get more flowers all summer long. However they are expecting a dormant period by fall.

Here’s a closeup of “Wayne’s Dwarf” for good measure.

A new luscious Opuntia pad coming soon to a Berkeley cactus garden near you. Plus! Nice Yucca elephantipes behind.

It’s our newest Echeveria cultivar and you’re the first to know!

We are calling it Echeveria “Smoglight”. We were going to call it “White Cloud” but that was already taken. It will be another year or two before we have sufficient stock to bring any of for sale. Can you wait that long?!?

Oscularia deltoides coming into bloom, with a Senecio too. Nice massing.

We are expanding the gift selection at the nursery to include bird hooks and squirrel pots. Yes!

Bird hooks. We hang little planters off them. They work well with Tillandsias too and they come in Squirrel hooks too. Yo. Now please be sure to understand that we only add these as pure nursery goods. You won’t see us use these hooks for coats. No. Only for hanging plants and plants and other plants too.

Well played! This self watering squirrel in a log pot. We put a fern on top for fun. Fun.

Cyphostemma juttae with bright red leaves and a cluster of small blooms getting ready to open.

Will form a giant caudex to 6ft w/thick branches at top and peeling bark. Hardy to 28F when older. Can be grown in full sun for the full bright red leaf effect, or in light shade and you will get much larger and very greener leaves.

The fruit, or berries, are bright orange, and grape-like. Did I mention that this is in the grape family (Vitaceae). But don’t eat those attractive berries since they are quite poisonous.

Closeup of the blooms. They’re tiny!

Hi Hap,

We visited your nursery last Saturday. We had a great time and I’ve planted my new plants. I was happy for your directions on what to do with my Tower of Jewels, Echium wildpretii when it’s “done”. I am enjoying it so much and everyone from the Garden Club wants to stop by and see it as well. I wanted to share some pictures from the beginning to the present.
Thanks,
Kathleen
Eden Garden Club

Here are the pictures:

More after the break! See the Tower in full bloom! (more…)

It’s Spring, which means it’s blooming barrel cactus season.

Ferocactus glaucescens has paper-thin petals

Ferocactus pottsi has vivid red and orange petals

And a bonus, new spines glow red on the Ferocactus robustus

Whippets?

Anne’s latest creation is a Carnivorous Terrarium.

Nice!

You can come in to the store and talk to Anne about Carnivores. She likes them.

Muk sends along a picture of her Echinocereus grandiflora in full bloom.

Our cactus has bloomed. Thanks to you guys for a beautiful and healthy cactus year after year 🙂

That’s a lot of flowers open all at once. Nice! Thanks for the update!

Have you voted yet at Botanicality? There’s a lot of amazing entries, so you have to scroll all the way down. I especially like the Kid’s Cactus entry.

The previous owners left this plant when they moved. It was in bad shape. Neighbors told me to cut it down to the top of soil over the winter so I did. Now this is what it looks like this spring. The clusters of white flowers will eventually turn a light shade of purple.

Everyone keeps telling me these are Hen and Chickens, but I don’t think so. Any help would be appreciated! I love your cactus blog.

Mrs. Chancellor
Brownwood, TX

College Avenue, Berkeley
Prickly Pear Cactus about to bloom

Aloe in full bloom