Echinopsis “Big Bob”

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!

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.

Repotting a Cactus

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

Read More…

Cactus Leaves

Cactus leaves, they’re real! Tubular on the opuntiods. This one is Austrocylindropuntia subulata Monstrose. Myrtillocactus cresting in back.

Golden Barrel Cactus

That is one supreme Echinocactus grusonii clump. It’s one plant! Practically a whole planet’s worth, I think. 🌏 🌐 🌍

Echinocactus grusonii

Come see our planet shaking Cactus at our Marin store now!

Cactus San Francisco

It’s San Francisco’s latest Cactus garden up in the air at the Salesforce Park and that’s a San Pedro cactus and there’s an agave, oh and a yucca…. Nice!

New Cactus Garden, Marin

We planted a new planter bed with a lot of really big cactus in Marin – we do have a store there now! I see a spectacular San Pedro and some gorgeous blooming grandiflora hybrids too. Nice!

And here is Cris!

And here the team is wearing Tyvek suits to prune the prickly pear. Glochids! They come prepared.

Hedgehog Cactus Flowers

It’s some giant Echinocereus flowers! Hap thinks it’s E. enneacanthus. Maybe! It’s a very hardy cactus, growing in the upper reaches of New Mexico.

Orchid Cactus

A new Epiphyllum flower color!

Peach… Orange… Peach… Orange…

Nice.

Epi Flowers

We have a beautiful crop of mixed Epiphyllum in bloom, at the same time, at both stores! Berkeley? Yes! Marin? Sure!

Nice.

Epi Flowers

We have a beautiful crop of mixed Epiphyllum in bloom, at the same time, at both stores! Berkeley? Yes! Marin? Sure!

Nice.

Cactus Flowers for Spring!

Echinopsis grandiflora “Tropical Pink” for the win! First out of the gate for giant Cactus flowers for spring. We have had some Rebutia flowers already, and of course Mammilaria too, but these are the winners.

Cactus Flowers for Spring!

Echinopsis grandiflora “Tropical Pink” for the win! First out of the gate for giant Cactus flowers for spring. We have had some Rebutia flowers already, and of course Mammilaria too, but these are the winners.

New Cactus Cutting Issues

Peter,
Thanks for replying in response to my email request. The subject cactus, which I was told by its owner Tyler is Trichocereus pacnoi monstrose. It has this callous on the cut end but it also has some yellowish spotting that I am concerned may be a virus. Tyler bought this specimen, along with a bridgesii cutting on eBay, and the first pic shows the plants right after they were unpacked. The other pics are closeups of the cactus of concern. Please reply to me and Tyler as to what actions need to be taken to try to salvage both plants, if that is possible. Thanks so much for responding to my request in a timely manner. Tyler just recently got involved with cactus growing and reached out to Texas A&M Extension to get help with his cacti. I was asked, as a Master Gardener, to try to help him, and I decided to reach out to some cactus experts so I do not send him off in the wrong direction.

David

David,
I don’t think there is any virus. I think the cactus is just less than perfect, which cactus often are. It may be some active fungus or rot from the shipping process. You can spray with an organic fungicide like Neem Oil or use a systemic like Infuse if you are worried. After you plant it in fresh fast-draining cactus soil and wait 2 weeks to water, if you see any spots start to grow then you might have an issue. If the spots have rings then it might be a virus. But I don’t see anything like that now.

Species name is Echinopsis pachanoi fa. monstrose.

Peter

Christmas Cactus

It’s Christmas Cactus season!

Schlumbergera hybrids have the best flowers.

Christmas Cactus will bloom for up to 2 months in the winter. A jungle cactus that grows in trees – needs bright indirect sun, or dappled light

Tips to get your Christmas Cactus to re-bloom every year:
1. August, September and into October: Use bloom food every time you water
2. September and October: 14 hours of darkness, with 8-10 hours of indirect light every day
3. November and December: bring out to bright indirect light and watch it bloom!

Pincushion Cactus

Mammillaria crinita has great color, lots of spines, very cute!

Native to Mexico, it grows on volcanic rock. Ouch. But then there are yellow flowers…

More Blooming Cacti

A late blooming Echinopsis grandiflora hybrid that we like to call “Tropical Pink”. Nice!

The Future is Cactus

According to Earther.com:

We’ll All Be Eating Cactus in the Future Thanks to Climate Change
by Katie Valentine

…the prickly pear cactus, a humble plant that, according to a new book co-published by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, can serve as a lifesaving crop for many countries…

“It’s actually a fairly amazing crop that can grow in most dry areas of the world,” Makiko Taguchi, a cactus expert at the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, told Earther. “And the dry areas of the world are expanding in some places.”

Oh, and it’s delicious!

Prickly Pear Margarita

Ingredients

coarse salt as needed
2 fluid ounces tequila
2 fluid ounces sweet and sour mix

1 fluid ounce triple sec
1 fluid ounce lime juice
1 fluid ounce prickly pear syrup

Click thru to see the rest of the instructions.

Road Kill Cactus

Consolea rubescens is the flat cactus known as the Road Kill Cactus

Because it’s flat!
😍 👏 🐝 🦋

Cardon

Pachycereus pringlei

Common Name: Cardón

Origin: Baja California

Description: Tall and spiny to 40ft. with 2ft. trunk, slow growing. Edible fruit, medicinal stems.

Temperature: Hardy to 25F

March 2023
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