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'Tis the season ..for Cactus Blooms 2019, Pt. 1 ..Spring Openers.


Silas_Sancona

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 As more mid-spring heat starts creeping in, and what color from earlier on fades out, dries out, and goes to seed, the various cacti planted in the yard and in my collection take center stage. While those which will flower soon enough are busy forming buds,  Others are busy showing off, and attraction lots of attention from the bees.  Looks like some i have that haven't flowered for me yet, or didn't flower last year may add to this year's show. 

For now, couple Prickly Pears, a Hedgehog first and a strange oddity among Cacti..

Opuntia X "Pina Colada"  While not as *User friendly* as O. basilaris, Beavertail P.P. slightly larger Flowers on this cross start out a hazy Yellow and eventually fade to light Pink before closing. Plant itself sprawls more than it gains height. Pretty easy to keep under control / out from areas you don't want it to grow, just use Tongs when trimming back.. 
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Opuntia X " Grand Mesa Peach" Same idea as Pina Colada except a bit bore spines and slightly more vertical growing. Flowers on this specimen were somewhat weak this year, opening while not fully formed. Camera seems to add more pink than what you'd see in person ( generally a more Orange hue ) Flower color doesn't change through it's life cycle. Same prickly i couldn't remember the ID on earlier.
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Echinocereus ..not quite sure. Pretty sure its one of the species sometimes called "Straw pile Hedgehog". Could also be a cross. Regardless, first year it decided to flower. Nice color combo as well. Looks like it has functional male and female parts so pollination / seed is possible.
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Setiechinopsis mirabilis ( **formally, and still sometimes sold as Echinopsis mirabilis ) Neat little Cacti i'd noticed has been stocked extensively in the Big Box store succulent section lately..  from Argentina and growing below / hidden in taller bushes. Fragrant Nocturnal flowers are produced ( uh, supposed to be... ) in Summer. Mine are a *bit* early.  Weirdest thing about the species is it's lifespan. Supposedly short-lived, and is recommended to be replaced / have new seedlings up and going after 2-3 years. Luckily, said to be self fertile and produce lots of seed..  "Short lived" isn't something i'd think of when Cacti come to mind.. If only it would open at the same time as some of my Echinopsis ( frilly-petaled hybrids?? )

Before sunset:
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After dark:
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More to come soon...

-Nathan

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 Couple pics from today:

Interesting reversal of color succession on Opuntia X "Pina Colada" ..Opening Pink instead of Yellow and did not change much through the day ( see 1st post above ). Cooler temps yesterday / today ( ..only 75F today,  vs. 97F Mon. / Tues. ) might be a factor.  Flowers  stayed open longer through the day as well.
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Echinocereus reichenbachii var. albispinus showing off. Big flower, tiny cactus.. Smallest of all the Hedgehog sp. i have.
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Astrophytum myriostigma.
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 More..

Back to the usual, flowers open yellow on Opuntia X "Pina Colada" at peak bloom.  While easy to find once back in CA, harvesting pads off this specimen.
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Shy-er flowering / slower to fill out Beaver tail, O. basilaris. Notice the flowers are more open / flatter-faced on this particular specimen than the other that flowered earlier ( pictured toward the end of the Heralds of Spring thread ) Pads are larger as well.
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Echinocereus sheeri var. gentryi ( or so labeled when purchased ) opening around sunrise, than closing through the day, than opening for a short while right around sunset.. before closing up again.  Intrigued.  Bright, dark Fire Orange E. sheeri variety budding up atm next to it ( not pictured )
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Pretty sweet ..Easter Morning treat, Maybe another to share by sunset..

Trichocereus  X "Volcanic Sunset"   Sits out on a mound closest to the edge of the yard. Wasn't sure if it would make it past last summer but plumped up / put on good new  growth following our wetter winter.. More / bigger / better formed flowers on it this year too.  First of the Tricho / Echinopsis to bloom this year.. Great color..

Just after opening, around 7:30AM
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'Bout a half hour ago:
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Nice!   You know which cultivar?

.. More eye candy for the week..

Opuntia ..not quite sure..  Picked up w/ just a general descript. on the label. Thought is either O. azurea or a O. macrocentra form. Both sp. are closely related and present similar colored flowers. Minimal, thin / long jet black or reddish spines are unique. Spines in some forms can also age to white, or a combo of black to white. Main, supposed difference between the two is one sprawls more than the other.. Been looking for both. Collected pads off an especially blue colored specimen in the neighborhood as well, and for comparison later.  Flower color can vary with the red center in some specimens being kind of weak / washed out. Luckily, the specimen i picked up presents exactly the "flower form" i desired.
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Glory of Texas.  First flower of the year on "Thing #2" ( 1st pic., smallest specimen ), and catching "Thing #1" ( 2nd pic., the bigger, more mature specimen ) at just the right time of day, with just the right sunlight coming through the Mesquite above.
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Trichocereus X  Huntington selection-- still to be named. Off to a good start this year. Really like how even the buds are colorful / attractive as they fill out.
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Echinopsis " Maria Piazza" this year, it's a young offset specimen starting things off for my Echinopsis collection. Mother specimen is just starting to bud.

In shade:
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With the sun on it:
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Echinocereus dasyacanthus " San Miguel form "  One of the plants purchased from a specialty grower in Colorado. First plant in this collection to bloom.  Was hoping some of the others might also flower this year, but looks like they need another yer to fill out a bit more. With many of these plants, flower color will be a surprise That said, near Neon intensity Lemon / Lime flower color combination is more eye -catching than i'd have thought.
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Enjoy,

-Nathan

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I have the name written down somewhere.  I also have a LOT of Texas natives that will flower this weekend after the rain stops.  

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19 minutes ago, Hillizard said:

My few cacti still have a few weeks to go before they catch up with their counterparts in Arizona! ;)

Cactus2019.png

Ehinocereus triglochidiatus? or coccineus.. Based on how mine progressed, guessing probably about 1-2 weeks from bloom, esp. if it stays warm.

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1 minute ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Ehinocereus triglochidiatus? or coccineus.. Based on how mine progressed, guessing probably about 1-2 weeks from bloom, esp. if it stays warm.

Nathan: You are correct. I keyed it out as E. triglochidiatus ('Claret Cup Cactus') last year.  What I esp. like is that individual flowers can last for 3-4 days. :)

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NoID  Opuntia sp. collected in Texas. Flowers start out yellow ( 1st day open ) and open rusty Yellow -Orange on the second day.. 
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Echinopsis X "Sorceress" saying "Good Morning" this morning..
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..Awaiting flowers to fully open on something not so cactus-y, yet succulent out front..

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8 minutes ago, Hillizard said:

Nathan: You are correct. I keyed it out as E. triglochidiatus ('Claret Cup Cactus') last year.  What I esp. like is that individual flowers can last for 3-4 days. :)

Hedgehog / Echinocereus sp. are great.. and for the most part, pretty easy for Cacti.. and yes, the added "shelf-life" of the flowers is a big bonus, as are those in which the flowers also produce a scent.  The E. dasyacanthus specimen i posted on Tuesday is still opening, and.. oddly enough, has a faint scent of   ..Key Lime Pie. 

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10 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Hedgehog / Echinocereus sp. are great.. and for the most part, pretty easy for Cacti.. and yes, the added "shelf-life" of the flowers is a big bonus, as are those in which the flowers also produce a scent.  The E. dasyacanthus specimen i posted on Tuesday is still opening, and.. oddly enough, has a faint scent of   ..Key Lime Pie. 

Key lime pie is one of my favs!  So are the flowers edible? :D

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13 minutes ago, Hillizard said:

Key lime pie is one of my favs!  So are the flowers edible? :D

lol.. Don't think they're poisonous.. Don't think they'd really taste like anything though.. Unless you're a Tortoise or Iguana.

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After yesterdays wind, showers, and lightning, a nice day for a few pictures, including a couple non -cacti  extras..

This week, its Echinocereus sheeri v. sheeri turn on stage. Flower color this year isn't quite as intensely dark Orange as last year but quite easy to spot, even after sunset.
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One of this years' surprise bloomers.  Was not anticipating any flowers on it this year since the plant is still small.  Opuntia X "Ohio"  Purchased from the same grower i ordered my Echinocereus dasyacanthus / X lloydii / X roetteri collection from.  Flower color is better than how good it looked in pictures..  Even under the shade of cloud cover, ( 2nd picture) colors don't fade. Going with what i'm seeing, flowers should last 2 days. I hope flower size increases once the plant gains some size in a bigger pot.
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Not a cactus, but flowering atm, Uncarina peltata. Has remained outside the whole time i have been here in Chandler.. No issues w/ the cold in winter ( Dormant and kept dry ) is currently over 6ft in height.
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Jamaican Rain Tree, Brya ebenus.. again, not a cactus, but flowering and decided to include it here.    Like a lot of the trial stuff i'd brought with from Florida, the two i have have done better than i had thought here in the desert, as long as they aren't exposed to the fury of our summer sun ( i keep both under shade cloth ) and provided regular water, esp. during the driest part of summer. That said, one has always grown better than the other ( suffers some sort of die back, not sure why ). Flowers twice a year with the biggest growth spurt seen during Monsoon season ( Late Summer / Fall )  A fellow Palm talker informed me he's sending some seed w/ some other stuff he was offering.. a good thing since i think the heat here messes w/ pollination. Has yet to produce seed, even though 3 sp.of bees fight over pollinating the flowers when it blooms. Had produced seed while still in Bradenton.

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Whats this?... Not telling   ...yet.   That said, if it germinates / grows on after germination,  might become one of the few   -as far as i am aware-   seen in the U.S.  Even if not,  a bit excited about this one..  fingers crossed.
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..and lastly,   ...Gonna have to check out another thread for that one^_^

Enjoy your week, and welcome to May..

-Nathan

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Im waiting for this rope cactus to bloom for a possible id. I need to catch them at night...  this rope cactus is incredibly cold hardy handling teens without issue. 

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8 minutes ago, TexasColdHardyPalms said:

I could use an I'd on this beauty. 

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Echinocereus viereckii ..possibly var. morricalii. waiting for mine to flower.

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Just wanted to add to the beauty of this post!!  This is a Echinocereus hybrid called "Flying Saucer"

E_F_Saucer.jpg

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I don't know the species, but I bought it on clearance a few years ago from a local big-box store.  Today is the first time it has bloomed.  I used to just bring it indoors before frost, but this past winter I only brought it in when temperatures were forecasts to drop below 20 degrees F.  I guess that's what it needed? I wasn't sure of its hardiness (and still don't).

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USDA Hardiness Zone 7b/8a

AHS Heat Zone 7

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12 minutes ago, SEVA said:

I don't know the species, but I bought it on clearance a few years ago from a local big-box store.  Today is the first time it has bloomed.  I used to just bring it indoors before frost, but this past winter I only brought it in when temperatures were forecasts to drop below 20 degrees F.  I guess that's what it needed? I wasn't sure of its hardiness (and still don't).

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Hard to say on which exact hybrid / cultivar ..but definitely a Trichocereus. Likely one of those i also see in the big box stores with a general " Grandiflora hybrids" label. Fairly easy and actually like a little more water than most other cacti, except during the winter when cold ( keep drier, in pots esp. )..

Your intuition regarding some cool /cold exposure to help induce blooms / more flowers is correct.. Many of the Trichoceri / Echinopsis will flower more if given a cool winter rest, along with full sun / as much light as possible at that time. That said, i also wouldn't expose them to temps below roughly 22-20F. Some of the hardier sp. can take sub 20F temps well if kept dry but hybrids can be more frost sensitive, even when kept dry through the winter.

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 Some festive color on Cinco De Mayo.

Echinocereus rigidissimus v rubispinus  specim. #1. Slightly smaller but fuller flowers than last year.. Not quite as pale either this time around. Specimen #2 is about 4-6 days behind this one. Another i have had for years will flower for the first time this year.
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Echinopsis X "Gene Joseph cross" Flowers appearing wayy earlier than last year ( early May instead of end of August last year ) Color is a bit more intense than last year also. Looking closely, neither specimen i have produces female "parts"  Just pollen, hopefully functional and not sterile. Resembles Echinopsis X "Sorceress" but flowers are smaller, with more glowing Red / Orange in this cross.
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Rush Milkweed, Asclepias subulata.. Not a Cactus but a very important plant for providing food for Monarch and Queen Butterflies here in the desert, especially in the low desert where it is one of the few species that can take the heat / prolonged drought.. Attracts Bees and Tarantula Hawks ( Pepsis sp. ) also.  Thin, blue green leafless stems provide a nice alternative to Fountain Grass in the landscape as well. Unlike the Red / Orange Tropical Milkweed, doesn't want much water, and doesn't spread like a weed.
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Here is a fort worth native of some sort. It started growing a few years ago after seeds were deposited by coyote droppings most likely. First year flowering and I dont know what it is. 

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Here is another Texas native to which I dont know the name. It's the coolest looking native cactus IMO. 

20190505_130335.jpg

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38 minutes ago, TexasColdHardyPalms said:

Here is a fort worth native of some sort. It started growing a few years ago after seeds were deposited by coyote droppings most likely. First year flowering and I dont know what it is. 

20190505_130253.jpg

20190505_130303.jpg

Missouri Foxtail Cactus,  Escobaria missouriensis. ** Genus was apparently changed to Neobesseya missouriensis**

Edited by Silas_Sancona
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34 minutes ago, TexasColdHardyPalms said:

Here is another Texas native to which I dont know the name. It's the coolest looking native cactus IMO. 

20190505_130335.jpg

Echinocactus horizonthalonius, Devil's Head.

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Much appreciated.  I have another one that I have to catch a photo at night

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On 4/27/2019 at 12:01 PM, Hillizard said:

Nathan: You are correct. I keyed it out as E. triglochidiatus ('Claret Cup Cactus') last year.  What I esp. like is that individual flowers can last for 3-4 days. :)

Blooming is now underway! :D

 

Cactus.png

IcePlant.png

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On 5/12/2019 at 12:49 PM, Hillizard said:

Blooming is now underway! :D

 

Cactus.png

Update today: peak bloom is now on, despite all the rain!

 

 

Cactus2019.png

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38 minutes ago, Hillizard said:

 

Cactus2019.png

:greenthumb:  Thats one happy Carlet Cup for sure..  I see there's something else behind it budding up?

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19 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

:greenthumb:  Thats one happy Carlet Cup for sure..  I see there's something else behind it budding up?

Good eyes! That's my bullet-proof Echinopsis waiting in line for its turn!

 

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