Silver Torch Cactus

Cleistocactus flowers grow from the sides of the cactus stem. They are odd little protrusions that hardly open. The name, Cleistocactus, originates from the Greek word for closed cactus, referring to the closed flower. The flowers of this genus are predominantly red, but the flower color varies by species.

There are over 100 species of Cleistocactus, mostly from Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. The cactus in the photo is C. strausii, or Silver Torch Cactus. I got this cactus when it was about four inches tall. Once it reached one foot, I planted it in my garden in the dappled shade of a Palo Verde tree, and it has now grown to two feet. This columnar cactus can grow to eight feet tall.

C. strausii starts blooming when the column reaches 18 inches. This cactus bloomed last year for the first time when it was 19 inches tall. This year, the flowers are about two months early.

Coral Aloe Flower Buds

Aloe striata

I've always thought the flower buds on Coral Aloe are as attractive as the flowers. This year, my Coral Aloe sent up its flower stalk later than usual (normally by late January the succulent is in full flower.) Once the bud opens, coral colored flowers will appear and will remain about two months.

Coral aloe is popular for use around swimming pools because of its smooth leaf margins and tropical look. In winter, the leaf margins are pink. It also makes a good container specimen, or planted in the garden, either singly or in groupings. There are more details on this succulent in a previous post.

Red Yucca's Second Showing

Hesperaloe parviflora

AKA

Red-Flowered Hesperaloe

Texas Red Yucca

Redflower False Yucca

Red-Flowered Yucca

I've written about Red Yucca Once, Twice, Three times before, so all I'll say is that this particular plant sends up flower spikes twice a year, unlike the other Red Yucca I have in my garden. Today, the first flower of its second bloom period finally opened.

Ortegocactus macdougallii

For over a month, I’ve researched my various reference books, looking for the identity of this cactus. When I bought it, it didn’t have a nametag, and all my efforts to find its genus and species were fruitless. Then today, while attending our local Cactus and Succulent Society meeting, I saw another cactus just like mine, in my sister’s hand. She had just purchased it, and it had a nametag!

It is called Ortegocactus macdougallii, and it is a close relative of the Mammillaria genus. It grows in limestone rock crevices in its native Mexico. O. macdougallii isn’t the easiest cactus to grow. It is prone to root rot, and it needs an average minimum temperature of 60º F. Had I known all that, I probably would have passed it up. I don’t need any more finicky specimens!

I do think the gray-green epidermis is striking, especially with the black spines. Sometimes the cactus gets a reddish orange discoloration on the skin, which is normal and not a sign of pests or problems. You can see a small area of this discoloration in the photo. This cactus will remain small and will produce relatively large lemon-yellow flowers in spring. It clumps when it is mature. This one has already produced two new stems.

Soil recommendations for this cactus are complicated, but the one I purchased is in plain old cactus soil mix and it seems to be doing fine, so I’m not going to change a thing. Now that my sister has one too, we can see who can keep hers alive longer!

First Wildflowers

The first wildflowers to bloom in my garden in late winter are Desert Bluebells (Phacelia campanularia). They are one of the few brilliant blue flowers that perform well here. Too well, in fact. I have tens of thousands of tiny seedlings coming up, along with the more mature plants. Each time we get just a sprinkle of rain, another round comes up. All are self-seeded, and each year the number seems to triple. I should thin them out, but I’m too busy picking weeds to worry about the wildflower thinning right now!
Desert Bluebells attract butterflies and bees, which will arrive as more flowers arrive. When the plant is young, the heart-shaped leaves have a maroon hue, and as the get older, the leaves turn green and they are edged in red. This Southern California annual has very shallow roots, and it is easy to dispose of when the flowers are spent and the leaves begin to dry. The only problem is the plant is somewhat hairy and can be quite irritating to touch. I always wear gloves when dealing with Desert Bluebells, not only because of the “hairiness, but the stems and leaves easily stain hands and clothes.

Reaching For The Sun

During our mild winters, I like to have lunch at a local restaurant that provides outdoor seating. Mesquite, Palo Verde and Palo Brea trees, as well as several different species of Agave and other xeriscape plants surround the place. Several of the Agave americana plants are currently in the process of sending up fat flower stalks that look like a giant asparagus. Agave americana flower stalks grow rapidly, at the rate of about two feet per week, until they reach 30 feet high. Since I visit the restaurant once a week, the growth is obvious from week to week. Yesterday I snapped this cell phone photo of the Agave inflorescence that I’ve been watching over the past couple of months. As you can see, the inflorescence is now about 25 feet tall, almost as high as the crown of the Mesquite tree.

Agaves usually don’t flower until they are from eight to 25 years old, depending on the species. They spend those years before flowering storing up energy to send up the huge flower stalk. The flowers last about two months and then the exhausted Agave dies. Offsets replace the original plant. A few species don’t die after flowering, but the majority of the species do.

Agave plants have three types of flower stalks depending on species. One type is the raceme, or an inflorescence having stalked flowers arranged singly along an elongated unbranched axis. Another is a spikate inflorescence where the flowers cling to the stalk in pairs or clusters. The third, like the one in the photo, is the paniculate inflorescence where the flowers appear in clusters on lateral branches, like a candelabra. Some Agave species, such as the Octopus Agave, have a spike with bubils, which are tiny plantlets that fall from the spike and take root. Agave plants will hybridize, so sometimes a plant that normally has one type of flower stalk may have another instead.

By the time it gets too warm to be dining alfresco, the pictured Agave will have completed its lifecycle. Rather than let the offsets replace it, a landscape crew will come in with a mature replacement plant and the whole process will begin again.

Pregnant Onion

Ornithogalum longibracteatum

Occasionally I buy a novelty plant, assuming it will be around for a just a little while, as novelty plants seem to be short-lived. That has not been the case with this Ornithogalum longibracteatum, or Pregnant Onion, now two years old. I’ve since learned that these plants can last decades, so this one may be around a lot longer than I expected.

The Pregnant Onion originates from South Africa, where it can get quite large and grow leaves 10 feet long. The plant grows new bulbs along the sides of the original bulb, but my plant has never produced a baby. However, it has grown leaves close to three feet long. Some of the leaves are curly, and some straight. The leaves are fragile and break easily if they are tangled or brushed, so when the leaves get longer than 12 inches, I now just cut them about an inch from the bulb and new ones soon grow.

I’ve always kept my Pregnant Onion in the house, but I am going to put it outside next month to encourage it to produce little bulbs. This plant is hardy to 25ºF. It can take our summer heat, but needs afternoon shade, so it should be fine outside on the patio. I can always tell when it needs water because the bulb gets a wrinkly look and when given water, it plumps right back up.

I’ve read that some people use this plant for burns and abrasions in the same way as Aloe vera. That is hard to believe, as every part of the Pregnant Onion is poisonous, especially to pets. I’m very careful when handling it, as I don’t want to add severe dermatitis to all my cactus sticks and pricks.

One Little Thing

Ferocactus wislizenii

Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back
and realize they were the big things.
~ Robert Brault

Feathery Cassia

If you like the fragrance of Alyssum (Lobularia maritime), you would love the scent of Feathery Cassia (Senna artemisioides). The sweet honey–like scent of these two plants in bloom are remarkably similar, but they are not even distantly related, other than they are both plants!

My Feathery Cassia has just bloomed, and it will continue to produce numerous, buttercup-shaped flowers until early May. Then, leguminous pods form, remain on the plant for a few months, and then drop off unless removed by pruning or shearing. I usually pick them off by hand, but this year, I’m going to prune because the shrub has over grown and needs sizing down.

This is a great shrub for the low desert. It is drought tolerant, (in fact, if over watered it becomes chlorotic) takes full sun and can withstand 15ºF temperatures. The Feathery Cassia lives about five or six years, and looks good for maybe four of those years. As it ages, it becomes woody, with sparse foliage.

New plants are easy to start from seed, but the seeds must be prepared before planting. Heat water until boiling, turn off heat and drop in the seeds. Soak for two days, and then plant the seeds close to the soil surface. New plants in no time!

Resurrection

Left for dead last year, this Mammillaria plumosa has completed the final step in its resurrection by producing its first flower. Its Lazarus-like qualities are amazing. You can read about what happened with this cactus in this previous post.



The flower on this M. plumosa is close to the soil line, rather than near the top as usually found, so it was hard to get a photograph of the tiny flower. Usually, the flowers on the M. plumosa are white with a pink center, or white with a pink stripe on the petals. This flower has a pale pink stripe, plus a lot of pink in the petals. It will be interesting to see if the pinkish tinge will lessen as it reaches its peak.

Gymnocalycium mesopotamicum

The Gymnocalycium genus contains around 80 species that grow in South America. There is a tremendous variety among the genus, both in spine formation and skin color, which can range from a blue-green to olive green, brown, gray and even a purple shade. Because many of the species flower freely and are easy to care for, they are popular with collectors. The cacti in this genus are called Chin Cacti because of the indentation just under the areole that resembles a chin. The spines on many of the species in this genus resemble spider legs, so another common name for the genus is Spider Cacti.

I have about 10 different Gymnocalycium species. I’ve tried to include a variety of spination and coloration as well as flower color. I like this particular species, G. mesopotamicum, because the spines have the distinct “spider” look common in so many Gymnocalycium, and because the skin color has a slight teal hue.

G. mesopotamicum originates from Argentina, and does well in the Phoenix area in light shade. However, it is frost sensitive, and does better if not exposed to temperatures lower than 50ºF. It is a summer grower, and it produces a medium sized white flower, usually in July. The only trick with this genus is the cacti must have at least six hours of very bright light each day to produce flowers. Because of the shade needs in Phoenix, it’s necessary to locate each Gymno for both bright light and sun protection.

What I Do With Gourd Seeds

Many gardeners tend to choose hobbies that are plant related, such as flower arranging, seed exchanges, attending garden shows and tours, and of course, garden blogging. I’m no exception. One on-again, off-again hobby I have is plant related in a sense. I do gourd crafting, but not often any more. This past month I've had to dust off my gourd crafting tools for a special project.

I'm currently working on a gourd slated for a benefit auction, and I’m running out of time. The benefit gourd will have a pine needle weave around the rim, and I need a refresher course on the weaving stitch because it’s been so long since I’ve worked on a gourd.

One of my favorite techniques involves using beads and gourd seeds as embellishments in the weaving. Adding these is time consuming, so the current gourd project will not include these elements. It will have just a row or two of pine needle weaving, along with a wood-burned design, chosen by the benefit host.

The gourd in these photos is one I made a couple of years ago, right after a technique class when all the instructions were fresh in my mind. Of all the gourds I designed, I like this one the best, mostly because of the seeds.

Melocactus azureus

Melocactus or Melon Cactus comes from Mexico and Brazil, and there are about 40 species in this genus. This is a finicky genus. Everything needs to be just right--sun exposure, temperature, watering, soil composition, and drainage. Other cacti are more forgiving regarding their care. This genus takes a little more effort. The cactus pictured is M. azureus. This species has a blue-green body, hence the species name.

Melocactus waits until the body finishes growing before it forms a woolly top, or cephalium. Bristles and small red flowers appear from this cephalium, and the cephalium can keep growing for years. Sometimes it will grow taller than the body of the cactus. The average body can grow to about eight inches tall, but I've seen larger ones at cactus shows. Once it forms a cephalium, it should not be repotted. This is a young specimen, so I have quite a few years left to decide what kind of permanent pot it’s going to get. In the meantime, I’ll repot to a larger container every couple of years.

Unlike most cacti, Melocactus needs regular water, even in winter, and should never be allowed to completely dry out. It needs good drainage, and some sources say to use only distilled water. I use filtered water, and so far, so good. Instead of humus rich potting soil, pure quartz gravel can be used instead of soil, but that's not something you can easily find at the local nursery. When the cephalium begins to grow, it resembles a cap, so this cactus genus is also called the Turk’s Cap Cactus.

Double Heart

Opuntia basilaris

An Early Valentine

If you squint your eyes, look closely at the center of the photo and let your imagination go, you may see a double heart. Or maybe not.

Just Around The Corner

"The flowers of late winter and early spring occupy places in our hearts well out of proportion to their size."

~ Gertrude S. Wister

Can't Have One Without The Other

For eight years, I’ve waited for a flower on this Stapelia grandiflora. The lack of flowers may be that I move this plant frequently throughout the year. It stays indoors (in various locations) in late fall and winter, then goes outdoors on the patio (in various locations) the remainder of the year. I thought I was doing it some good, but sometimes moving it at the wrong time will abort any forming buds.

Another reason may be that it has remained in the same pot all these years. For maximum bloom potential, the stems should be sorted out, divided and repotted. Flowers only occur on new stems, and some of these stems are a few years old. The old stems should go to give new stems a chance to develop. Eight years in the same pot is a long time!

I suppose it’s just well that it hasn’t bloomed. This plant, called the Carrion Plant, acquired that name for good reason. The beautiful, purple-brown flowers have a rotting meat smell that is quite offensive. The smell attracts flies and other insects that feast on carrion, and they then act as pollinators. This presents quite a dilemma. I can hope for beautiful flowers but then I have to take the smell. I can't have one without the other.

Edible If You're Hungry Enough

Fockea edulis
Fockea capensis

Here are two of the six known species of the genus Fockea, an African vine that has a warty caudex. There are only a couple of differences in these two Fockea species; the F. edulis has smoother leaves than the F. capensis, and the caudex of the F. capensis is more warty. Some believe that F. capensis, also known as F. crispa, is not a separate species, but just a variety of the F. edulis. The unusual, bumpy caudex makes these plants popular with caudiform collectors, who like to keep the warty caudex as exposed as possible for looks. Keeping the caudex exposed is another way to prevent rot.

These vines are easy to grow, only requiring some water in summer and not much in winter, as they are rot-prone. I keep my two vines in the house in winter in order to preserve the vines, as these plants are semi-deciduous. In Phoenix, they require light shade in the summer, so I keep them on the patio. The caudex cannot take direct sun, as it is prone to sunburn, so I can't place these caudiforms in my garden. If and when they bloom, they flowers will be green and lightly fragrant.

The caudex can grow to two feet in diameter, and at one time, it was a common food source for the African tribe, the Hottentots. Cooking the tuber prior to eating it was necessary in order to deactivate the alkaloids found there. The Latin word, edulis, means edible.

Don't Plant This In Your Garden?

Bryophyllum 'Crenatodaigremontianum'

This plant was picked up at a plant exchange several months ago, came with the warning, “Don’t plant this in your garden. You’ll be sorry. It drops plantlets and it will take over.” I decided to heed the advice and I placed it in a container. It has since dropped many plantlets off the edges of its leaves, some of which show in the bottom right portion of this I believe this plant is probably Bryophyllum 'Crenatodaigremontianum', based on information provided by a blog visitor comment.

Since it needs plenty of moisture in the summer, I don’t believe it would become invasive in my garden since there are only limited areas that receive regular summer water. I may try some little plantlets in a couple of areas just to see what happens. If I can overcome the numerous weeds I’ve been pulling for the last month, then I can certainly keep up with this plant.

Wildflower Holdout

Long after all other wildflowers have dried up from the heat; the Desert Marigold (Baileya multiradiata) just keeps on blooming until it wears out, or the temperature gets close to freezing. This lone holdout from last year’s spring wildflower season just keeps going and going, when all around it new seedlings are coming up for this season's showing.

The Desert Marigold, with its daisy-like flowers and fuzzy gray-green foliage, is a common sight in desert regions. It is extremely drought tolerant, but will bloom profusely after any rain. It grows fast, starts blooming in March, and usually finishes by November and then dies.

It is classified as a short-lived perennial. Some may argue that this wildflower is actually an annual, which I believe it is. It may appear to live for a couple of years, when in actuality, new plants have grown in to replace it because it so readily reseeds.

Cute As A Button

Aren't these the cutest things? I purchased this little arrangement at the Mesemb Open House I attended yesterday, just because I didn't want to leave empty-handed. I don't know the identity of these members of the Mesembryanthemaceae (Mesemb) family, but I think all of them are Lithops, or Living Stones. They are also called Living Rocks, Flowering Stones, and Finger Magnets.

From what I've been reading, I'm not sure these little leaf succulents from South Africa and Namibia are for me. Their care is more complicated than I want to deal with, and the thought of learning another set of genus and species names gives me a headache. If I can keep these little guys alive for a season, I'll be surprised. If by some miracle they live to flower in the fall, daisy-like flowers, usually white or yellow, will appear from the split section.

Lithops are mimicry plants. In habitat, they are nearly invisible because they blend into their surroundings. In times of drought, they shrivel below the soil level, where they aren't seen at all. Once a year, the plant goes into dormancy and a new plant begins to grow inside the old. The old leaves serve as a nutrient source for the newly forming plant, and they will eventually be nothing more than dry skin, sort of like onion skin. Since they have extensive root systems, the plants need larger pots than one would think for their size.

The Lithops genus is oddly fascinating, but I think I've learned all I really want to know about them. I don't want to start another specialty hobby. One thing I know for sure about them is that they're cute!

Mesemb Madness

While everyone else in Phoenix seems to be busy with Super Bowl paries and activities, I was out and about, attending an Open House hosted by a serious Mesembryanthemaceae (Mesemb) collector. He had thousands of unusual plants displayed on tables in his small back yard. I'd never heard of most of them. The sight of all these plants made my cactus and succulent collection look puny by comparison!

This was just one of about ten tables, with every available inch covered with plants. There were plants on the tables, under the tables, and in every nook and cranny in his garden.

These Mesembs look like little buttons, and are they sometimes called living rocks. They are winter growers, and shouldn't be watered in summer.

This odd-looking South African plant can be grown from a bulb or seed. The collector grows many of his Mesembs from seed.

I liked this plant, and wouldn't mind trying my hand at growing one. All plants in the Albuca genus are grown from bulbs. The small table that held plants for sale didn't include this species, so rather than leave empty handed, I had to buy a tiny arrangement of living rocks. Although I've never been a fan of these plants, for two bucks, I just couldn't walk away.

P.S. Go Patriots! I'm only 10 miles from the stadium, and that's close enough for me!

Who Can Resist Luck, Money, Fortune?

This pretty houseplant, Pachira aquatica, is found in the rainforests of Mexico, Central, and South America, where and it can grow to 75 feet high. It produces large, fragrant white flowers and large fruit pods. The tree is cultivated for the edible nuts, which are said to taste like peanuts

It has several appealing common names that attracted me as much as the beautiful foliage and braided trunk. Called the Money Tree, Money Luck Tree, Fortune Tree, Provision Tree, and Water Chestnut, I decided taking it home would be a good idea. Although I am not superstitious nor a devotee of Fung Shui, I did follow the placement instructions for maximum monetary benefit. I think if truth be told, those instructions were for the health of the plant more than for harmonious environmental balance or attracting luck and money.

My Money Tree is now nine years old. As a houseplant, it is a breeze to care for, needing only high or moderate light, and warm temperatures. I water it weekly. I made a couple of mistakes in its care over the years. The first was placing it on the patio one spring and the intense light damaged the leaves, which eventually fell off, leaving it scruffy looking for a few months. The second was not regularly pinching back new growth to keep it full. It got quite leggy and wasn’t very attractive for a period. I’ve since corrected that and now it looks great

I’ve learned that my plant is not one, but three. Any time this plant comes with a braided trunk then three plants are in the pot and the stems braided together. That is the best way to know it is a houseplant. In regions where it can grow outside, it is sold as a single plant for landscape use.

Gymnocalycium monvillei?

When I purchased this cactus from a private individual who was selling her cactus collection before moving out of state, she told me she wasn't sure the plant tags were accurate because many of the cacti had fallen over and when she was straightening them, she just stuck the loose tags in the closest pot. The plant tag on this cactus was labeled Gymnocalycium multiflorum, which is the old name for Gymnocalycium monvillei. I have my doubts about the species, although it's definitely a Gymnocalycium.

After it is older, the body form and spines will be more characteristic of whatever species it may be. Once it flowers, the shape, size and color of the flowers will give another indication of the species. If it is a G. monvillei, it will have large white to light pink flowers. It takes 5-6 years from seed before this species flowers. Judging from the size of this cactus it's obvious that it is a few years away from flowering

Although the G. monvillei is a clumping species, the way this cactus is doing it is out of the ordinary. This specimen is growing heads all over the body, rather than near the base. If this type of clumping is not some rare malformation, then it could be an indication that it has been misidentified. I guess only time (or a cactus identity expert) will tell.