Some more desert plants in Beaverton Oregon

[MarkbVet 493]

A few of the specimens I planted at my clinic property...  1)  Tall Cow's Tongue cactus (10 feet+),  2) Purple prickly pear (pale blue green colored  unless water-deprived),  3) Opuntia basilaris cultivar-  low-growing prickly pear which turns purple this time of year (cold weather),   4) Chollas and prickly pear wider view  6)  Argentinian saguaro- starting to get a little height now, maybe 18 inches tall.   It's in a rain shadow under the roof overhang but unprotected otherwise.  I think it will grow totally unprotected in So. Oregon where it's drier, but constant rain rots it in the Portland area if not protected. 

Edited January 16 by MarkbVet

[MarkbVet 493]

A few more pics:  1) Tall prickly pear with Opuntia ficus-indica (Indian Fig) genes likely   2)  Pencil cholla (Cylindropuntia kleiniae)  3)  Yucca rostrata (sapphire skies cultivar)

[Meangreen94z 1,660]

Impressive.

[Chester B 2,946]

Those look pretty great. Love the color on the opuntias. If I’m over that way I’ll have to stop by to take a look. 

Are those saguaro hard to come by?  I have a couple spots where I could plant one. 
 

 

[MarkbVet 493]

@Chester B I think you could find one with a bit of searching... plantdelights used to carry them, even big box stores would sometimes have one once in a while.   It's called Trichocereus terscheckii or sometimes Echinopsis terscheckii.   I'd not recommend seed (too slow growing) but get a decent sized plant,  3-6 inches tall.   The ones I've gotten in the past were fairly cheap; I think my current one was a big box store plant that I tried because the cost was low (I'd lost the plantdelights one prior, due to rain).   

Edited January 16 by MarkbVet

[MarkbVet 493]

@Chester B you can find on Etsy right now, but not as cheap.   I only paid $10-20 max for mine as I recall,  higher currently on etsy but decent sized based on pictures. 

[Trustandi 285]

Wow... I love it. I am inspired. By the way, have you ever had experience growing Echinopsis pachanoi - San Pedro cactus?

[Silas_Sancona 7,780]

1 hour ago, MarkbVet said:

@Chester B I think you could find one with a bit of searching... plantdelights used to carry them, even big box stores would sometimes have one once in a while.   It's called Trichocereus terscheckii or sometimes Echinopsis terscheckii.   I'd not recommend seed (too slow growing) but get a decent sized plant,  3-6 inches tall.   The ones I've gotten in the past were fairly cheap; I think my current one was a big box store plant that I tried because the cost was low (I'd lost the plantdelights one prior, due to rain).   

Depends on where you're located.. While not Speedy Gonzalez fast, seed of these can grow at a decent clip under optimal conditions. 

Really  " Slow grower " Cacti would be things like Astrophytum / Ariocarpus..  << Them' are reall'  slow,  lol..

 

[Jimhardy 651]

Yeah...If they have heat and rain in the summer they can grow at least 

a half a foot a year...nice garden with lots of cool plants....PS

TT is very hardy, down to about 10F(dry) if above freezing the next day with decent sun.

[MarkbVet 493]

4 hours ago, Trustandi said:

Wow... I love it. I am inspired. By the way, have you ever had experience growing Echinopsis pachanoi - San Pedro cactus?

Nope... I only grow what will survive outdoor here, and haven't found any Echinopsis that will make it w/o protection.   some come close, but that cold wet winter here is tough.

[MarkbVet 493]

4 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Depends on where you're located.. While not Speedy Gonzalez fast, seed of these can grow at a decent clip under optimal conditions. 

Really  " Slow grower " Cacti would be things like Astrophytum / Ariocarpus..  << Them' are reall'  slow,  lol..

 

Yup, well 'slow' is relative, isn't it lol?   Yes it's faster than some other cacti like the ones you mentioned, and it's faster than the American saguaro (I grew those from seed back in the day, got to 2 feet + tall before I lost them to bad weather when I moved to the Portland area (even kept in the garage in winter, they still rotted.)  But with that said, it's one of the slowest of the Trichocereus genus, and takes a long long time to get really large.  Given that,  I'd want to get as much of a head start as I can, and like a lot of plants, it grows faster the bigger it gets.    Definitely want to give it a warm location with plenty of summer sun too (and dry in winter, in our locale).  Mine is on the south wall of a brick building in rain shadow, and lots of summer sun.  Best I can do in our climate, short of a greenhouse.   But whether it be a relatively slow palm tree or relatively slow cactus (for purposes of getting a large landscape specimen), I'd prefer to start out a bit ahead of the seed stage!   For potted cacti, expected growth (and mature size) may be smaller/slower, so the  goals may be different.  My cacti are all landscape specimens,  and compared to big prickly pears and chollas (or even many of my Echinocereus) this plant crawls lol. 

[bruce Steele 53]

[bruce Steele 53]

The San Pedro can take freezes. It has been so long since we have had a really wet winter that I can’t remember if they have problems in wet years. Planted in sand on a hill . 

[MarkbVet 493]

On 1/17/2022 at 8:49 AM, bruce Steele said:

The San Pedro can take freezes. It has been so long since we have had a really wet winter that I can’t remember if they have problems in wet years. Planted in sand on a hill . 

It would struggle here, but I envy you...beautiful plant!!!  How old, do you know?  It needs to be pretty dry in winter, would definitely rot here, unless very protected, can tolerate brief spells down to 15F if dry.   Even in So. Oregon where it's drier than my Portland area, it would be marginal in winter (unless rain protected).   But it's got some cold tolerance, so in my area it has a chance if protected in winter as I'm doing with my Argentinian saguaro.  In So. Oregon, maybe out in the weather if very well drained sandy soil??  My T. terscheckii  is a bit more cold and damp tolerant perhaps,  so will try it unprotected some day in So. Oregon,  and maybe consider the San Pedro also... it's a good thought, as it is one of the hardier large columnar cacti.  

Edited January 18 by MarkbVet

[MarkbVet 493]

On 1/16/2022 at 1:35 PM, Trustandi said:

Wow... I love it. I am inspired. By the way, have you ever had experience growing Echinopsis pachanoi - San Pedro cactus?

If you ever try it,  really keep it dry in winter.  It has some cold hardiness but the wet in winter is a killer.  

[MarkbVet 493]

On 1/16/2022 at 2:58 PM, Jimhardy said:

Yeah...If they have heat and rain in the summer they can grow at least 

a half a foot a year...nice garden with lots of cool plants....PS

TT is very hardy, down to about 10F(dry) if above freezing the next day with decent sun.

That would be a nice growth rate!  Not sure if I can match that in my area, even when it's bigger.  The need to have it in a rain shadow in winter is gonna inhibit summer rain exposure (and we don't have much summer rain).  When I move it to So. Oregon, it will be getting more extended heat/sun, and out in the open where I can add moderate irrigation in summer (that helps all the cacti & succulents look better & grow faster).   Then I'll see what terscheckii can really do (it will be larger by then, too).  Hoping for decent growth then! 

[MarkbVet 493]

On 1/16/2022 at 12:55 PM, MarkbVet said:

@Chester B you can find on Etsy right now, but not as cheap.   I only paid $10-20 max for mine as I recall,  higher currently on etsy but decent sized based on pictures. 

@Chester B you can also get one from cactus joe's nursery outside las vegas; we visited that place a couple times on the way to Red Rock Canyon, beautiful scenery!-- but it looks like they do online orders too.  Problem is, smallest cactus they have is like 15 gallon, 5-6 feet tall, I'm afraid to ask the price. 

[Jimhardy 651]

Heres a picture of the one I had(I hope) I got it for $40 off E-Bay

and it was the size of a football,I think this is maybe 3 years growth possibly 2.

 

[Trustandi 285]

3 hours ago, MarkbVet said:

If you ever try it,  really keep it dry in winter.  It has some cold hardiness but the wet in winter is a killer.  

It will be a challenge to my find a perfect spot for it. They will stay in the pot

@bruce Steele wow... That is so cool. 

[bruce Steele 53]

The San Pedro put on a show this year. They are about ten years old , ten feet tall and don’t require much other than maybe two waterings in the summer. 
we have had 7 “ rain this year so far and had about 8” total last year.  So the picture in bloom is once a year but they usually just kinda blend in to the dry view shed.  The picture below is far less romantic . 

 

 

[MarkbVet 493]

3 hours ago, Jimhardy said:

Heres a picture of the one I had(I hope) I got it for $40 off E-Bay

and it was the size of a football,I think this is maybe 3 years growth possibly 2.

 

Very Nice!  Yeah, I've had mine in the ground for 5-6 years now,  and the bottom portion is what it started as (had growth meristem damage, so had to grow a new head off the old head).  The upper portion growth is what it's done in 5-6 years, so maybe 1/4 of your growth speed in this climate.  But it's healthy!  And no cold protection at all.   Another factor: mine is in a rain shadow, but if anything like the American saguaro, the roots will be shallow (to pick up scant rainfall) but very widespread.  In my case, it's likely that the roots that spread from under the roof overhang (i.e. out in full rain) may rot back every year, limiting the extent of healthy root growth to a smaller/dryer area.  Especially because the planting area there is unamended clay soil, except for a small patch of sandy soil around the plant itself.  Winter root damage could really slow its growth.   Eventually when I move south I'll try it out in the open, and in a loose sandy soil plot with elevated bed for drainage, and hope it takes off!   Yours is NICE!

Edited January 19 by MarkbVet

[MarkbVet 493]

22 minutes ago, bruce Steele said:

The San Pedro put on a show this year. They are about ten years old , ten feet tall and don’t require much other than maybe two waterings in the summer. 
we have had 7 “ rain this year so far and had about 8” total last year.  So the picture in bloom is once a year but they usually just kinda blend in to the dry view shed.  The picture below is far less romantic . 

 

 

Still lovely....  and the shape is tight, kinda like a small organ pipe cactus; could put a bag over it in winter to try to keep rain off... worth a try someday when I move south.  In No. Oregon where i'm at, it's 40 inches+ rain yearly, most in cold months.   Even So Oregon is 20 inches a year; your 8 inches of rainfall places you in more desert conditions.  Makes a lot of barrel & columnar cacti do well (cold is often the lesser evil compared to winter wet,  for the big barrels and columns lol).  Love your plants!

[bruce Steele 53]

Someone mentioned Mangave and after looking around I ordered three “ Blue Mamouth “ Mangave. They are suppose to mature at two feet tall and four across. I will add them around bases of the San Pedros. I hope they pup . Three with shipping was over $100 so they better pup!

[Meangreen94z 1,660]

I’m not sure on their hardiness in wet soil, but I know San Pedro won’t take ice. I didn’t bring them inside until it had dropped to about 23°F and everything was covered in ice last February. It was only a few hours but they rotted. 

[Jimhardy 651]

1 hour ago, MarkbVet said:

Very Nice!  Yeah, I've had mine in the ground for 5-6 years now,  and the bottom portion is what it started as (had growth meristem damage, so had to grow a new head off the old head).  The upper portion growth is what it's done in 5-6 years, so maybe 1/4 of your growth speed in this climate.  But it's healthy!  And no cold protection at all.   Another factor: mine is in a rain shadow, but if anything like the American saguaro, the roots will be shallow (to pick up scant rainfall) but very widespread.  In my case, it's likely that the roots that spread from under the roof overhang (i.e. out in full rain) may rot back every year, limiting the extent of healthy root growth to a smaller/dryer area.  Especially because the planting area there is unamended clay soil, except for a small patch of sandy soil around the plant itself.  Winter root damage could really slow its growth.   Eventually when I move south I'll try it out in the open, and in a loose sandy soil plot with elevated bed for drainage, and hope it takes off!   Yours is NICE!

Thanks.....looking at it again I can see that it was in for three years.

It was fun while it lasted but it did see at least 0F if not below....whats

"funny" is that I looked at it the next morning and thought, wow! it made it...

once it unthawed it looked like a deflated sticker ballon and was laying on the ground

a dried out carcass.

[Trustandi 285]

I found this earlier, it makes me chuckle.  It sums up my experience growing cactus.

[MarkbVet 493]

I collect funny cactus slogans to put on t-shirts.  Typically with a picture of a thorny cactus next to slogan.  Here's some of my fav's:

"Can't touch this"     

"Lookin' sharp"

"I'm not a hugger"

"spineless gardeners not allowed"

"I'm prickly but low maintenance"

"I'm sharper than you"

(picture of a saguaro with  2 side arms, talking to saguaro with no branches yet):  "hey dude, time to grow a pair"

(big saguaro next to a skeleton)--  "but it's a dry heat"

 

Edited January 20 by MarkbVet

[teddytn 1,384]

All these plus your agaves, yuccas and palms just incredible. Have to tip my hat to you sir

[MarkbVet 493]

@Chester B- here's that Green Goblet agave (Agave X 'pseudoferox') that i Planted as a small pup at the clinic maybe 4 years ago; reaches 5 feet tip to tip right now.  Also the big Juniper tree i had mentioned, produces seedlings beneath it.  

[MarkbVet 493]

@Chester B  here's the Arizona blue cypress I planted a handful of years ago, would be much larger if i didn't prune it annually... pruning has made it more dense too, was a bit more open early on.   Very ice-blue when sun is on it (today is cloudy and darker). 

[Chester B 2,946]

6 minutes ago, MarkbVet said:

@Chester B  here's the Arizona blue cypress I planted a handful of years ago, would be much larger if i didn't prune it annually... pruning has made it more dense too, was a bit more open early on.   Very ice-blue when sun is on it (today is cloudy and darker). 

 

We have some of these in my neighborhood but they are not trimmed like that so have more of an open growth.

[MarkbVet 493]

20 minutes ago, Chester B said:

We have some of these in my neighborhood but they are not trimmed like that so have more of an open growth.

Yup....gets really big if not pruned though; I plan on keeping this one the same size perpetually... 

[Silas_Sancona 7,780]

44 minutes ago, MarkbVet said:

@Chester B  here's the Arizona blue cypress I planted a handful of years ago, would be much larger if i didn't prune it annually... pruning has made it more dense too, was a bit more open early on.   Very ice-blue when sun is on it (today is cloudy and darker). 

Cupressus / Hesperocyparis  arizonica v. glabra?  or the shaggy- barked, standard form?

If you like the standard form, you might consider looking into the smooth barked form as well..  Red / Rainbow- toned bark + that icy blue foliage is hard to beat, even here..

[MarkbVet 493]

Pretty bark, reminds me of madrone and manzanitas.     I have no idea which form mine is, but suspect it's not the smooth barked form.  Can't see the bark unless I pruned it up/removed all the lower branches, which would look odd at this size, or let it get monstrous big, which I don't want...  so I'll never see the trunk on mine lol.