Cactus Blog

Can anyone identify this succulent? @CactusJungle #succulents

Cheiridopsis candidissima

Fenestraria aurantiaca is the classic strange succulent in the Mesemb family. Related to the Lithops, these are also very low water plants. We recommend keeping them out of full sun and watering every 3-4 weeks. With more sun and more water they can grow quite big, relatively speaking, but then they are very rot prone and most people will find that a higher water level schedule will kill them. Harsh!

The Fenestraria genus includes only two species: Fenestraria rhopalophylla (with white flowers) and Fenestraria aurantiaca (with yellow flowers), which in time have gained various hybrids, with very beautiful flowers (red and orange).

It also appears that F. aurantiaca is no longer considered a separate species, but is a subspecies of F. rhopalophylla. So I guess I better get all my tags updated.

Mary sends along a shot of her blooming Madagascar succulent.

Nice!

This is a shot of the Alluaudia we had blooming last summer. Cheers! Mary

From Art Chang’s instagram feed, succulents from the Cactus Jungle. You can even see the frequent buyer card hiding in the box!

Don’t forget to follow my Cactus Jungle/personal instagram feed too. More succulent photos every day! More whippet photos!

*snap*

ta-da!

Brian adds the finishing touches on a custom mixed pot for a customer.

Nice!

Anne found an article on the Beeb letting us know that Nepenthes can sometimes glow blue.

Yes, blue.

How blue? Well, blue enough that it looks like the carnivorous plants have cold lips.

Arctostaphylos “Paradise”

The Manzanitas are looking very fresh on such a beautiful Sunday.

Arctostaphylos pajaroensis “Paradise”
California Native/Western US
Evergreen shrub

Sun: Full Sun
Water: Low, summer-drought
Size: 5’t x 8’w. in 10 years

“Large clusters of flowers of a lovely shade of pink in winter. Older foliage is blue-green and the newest growth is bronze red. Should be able to tolerate some summer water.”

Nice and red from all that sun!

Cacti Guy has been grafting Echinocereus onto Pereskiopsis to get them to grow faster. It’s kind of a strange sight.

And don’t confuse Cacti Guy with CactGuy who instead has a tumblr filled with photos like this one of a beautiful Manfreda.

Hi,

I have a plant that I purchased about 2-1/2 years ago from you. While I left it in the pot, it continued to grow and looked heathy. Last summer, I transplanted it into the ground in a sunny spot. It stopped growing, and developed a yellow tinge. Now, the yellow spots are turning soft.

I have a new raised bed with much better drainage and a bit less sun. My question is: can I move it right now, or must I wait until it warms up? I live in Sacramento. Is it too late to save? It is soft at the top of the plant, not near the roots.

Thanks for any suggestions you can offer,

Kathryn

Kathryn,
If when it was in the pot it was in a less sunny location, it may have sunburned from being put out into full sun, especially in a Sacramento summer.

And then in winter, it looks like you have automatic watering at the plant? If so that could make the problem worse in winter. It is possible that the soil was moist when we had our freeze in January.

So it looks like it is rotting from the tip. In general that means you want to cut the rotted tips off down to where you can see fresh clean green tissue on the inside of the plant. You will then have to protect the tips for a few weeks while they callous over. Given how far this has progressed, I would recommend doing the cutting now, turning off the water and protecting it from any rains, and then waiting until April or May to transplant it. Basically you want it to start getting better before you cause any transplant stress.

You should spray the cut tips with hydrogen peroxide to help them heal over. Watch for further rot and if needed spray with an organic fungicide like neem.

In the future it is best to water Opuntia subulatas in the ground very very sparingly. Once established you don’t have to ever water them unless you are getting over 95F.

Good luck

Peter

Me and the Jason on a sunny day at the nursery.

We get lots of snow in California. Or in parts of California. Like Lake Tahoe. They get lots of snow. Not us. Apparently they don’t get lots of snow in Yucca Valley, CA either, but enough snow that it sometimes snows there like when CNN reports on the snow covering the cactus in Yucca Valley.

Can you name all three?
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Actually its a succulent and its at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix. But the postcard comes from Michigan.

Desert Botanical Gardens, Papago Park, Phoenix, Arizona. The Boojum Tree, or Cirio, is a native of Baja California, resembles an inverted carrot, with very small branches. This tree is a member of the Candlewood family, which also includes the Ocotillo.

Dendrobium kingianum is hardy down to around freezing around here, and works well both inside or out. It blooms late winter, as you can see, through spring.

We grow them in orchid bark, or as we prefer coconut husk chunks. I think we will be watering weekly indoor, and every 2 weeks if they’re in a shady spot outdoor. Fertilize every month. Easy!

From J Peterson Garden Design in Austin, TX

I’ll have to try that out. Of course, here in Northern California we have better local wines than they do in Texas, so it’s all good.

Keith’s latest creation featuring Dendrobium kingianum, Scleranthus biflorus and a few Cryptanthus “Minor.”

Close up! You can almost feel that Australian Astroturf.

just a cute cluster of sempervivums in this little square pot.

Leucadendron “Wilson’s Wonder”
Conebush

Native to South Africa
Evergreen Shrub

Sun: Full Sun
Water: Low
Size: 4 to 5ft.

Red-tipped leaves, reddish stems; gets covered in moderately large yellow cone flowers in late winter. Hardy to 25°F.