Mexican Fire Barrel

FEROCACTUS PILOSUS

aka

Mexican Fire Barrel

WOW.......a new cactus for the greenhouse. This plant is amazing, the spines alone are threatening. Long, red, and sharp, but a beautiful contrast against the green body of the plant. It is about 7" across and 6" high. In order for this plant to bloom it will take about 40 to 50 years and reach a height of about 6' to 7' x 3' wide. Ferocactus pilosus originally comes from Central Mexico. They grow solitary or form massive clumps of several stems. When it flowers they are produced in circles around the stem tips or crown of the plant and a wonderful color of yellow to red.

Ferocactus

From the Latin ferox, meaning "fierce" and the Greek word kaktos, meaning "thistle".

Scarlet Ball Cactus

NOTOCACTUS HASELBERGII

The Notocactus haselbergii is a solitary, fast growing, up to 4 inches high and 6 inches wide. The location of origin is Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul. This variety is actually a shade loving plant.

Notocactus is a genus of around 25 species of South-American cacti from low elevations of Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Southern Brazil. It is where the land is quite dry and the daytime temperatures can get high. In collections they are grown for their spine formations, as well as for their attractive flowers. The genus name comes from the Greek for "cactus from the south". Notocactus are almost always globose, elongating as they age, some species eventually reach 3 feet. They are often solitary, rarely offsetting, or producing stolons. Their flowers are funnel or bell shaped, yellow, or occasionally red. They come in groups of 3 or 4 at several times during the year and lasting around a week.

Pincushions of the Cactus World

MAMMILLARIA BOMBYCINA

MAMMILLARIA/ LATIN MEANING MAMMILLA "NIPPLE"

Distribution of Mammillarias extends from the southern United States to Northern Colombia as well as the West Indies. With 350 species Mammillarias are the largest genus in the cacti family as well as the most diverse in appearance. The plants are small to medium sized, spherical or elongated and cylindrical. The thick or bristly spination is often short and colorful. The smaller species have a central spine that is generally hooked similar to a fishhook. Flowers raise from the axils in rings around the upper part of the body like a crown, they are small to large, bell shaped like a short tube. Colors range from white, cream, yellow, pink, dark red, and mauve. There are some with striped flowers as well.
A great many of these plants are easy to grow and very popular in collections. They are hardy plants that prefer full sun, medium to coarse soil mix and a dry winter rest. The photograph above of the M. bombycina plant is from the greenhouse.

New Stunning Barrel

This is quite the new barrel cactus for my collection. I purchased it from Luther of Kara Nursery at a sale held at Portland Nursery during the weekend of July 16th to the 18th by the Oregon Cactus and Succulent Society . Planted in a 10" pot and its about 8" across and about 14" tall. Has a beautiful blue-green cast with golden needles. Luther had no idea what genus or species it is and I'm looking through all my books, not having much luck. It will be great to find out the actual genus someday.

Gymnocalycium pflanzii var. lagunillasense

I have had this Gymno for a couple of years and love the flowers it puts out. A very pale pink with a raspberry center. The Gymno is in a 6" pot so you have an idea as to how big the plant is. I purchased it from Kara Nursery, located here in Portland, Oregon. Kara Nursery is an internet and mail order nursery only and not open to the public (that is why I had provide the link). I'm lucky that they set-up at certain sales during the year here in Portland and Luther and his wife Lynn-Marie are also customers at the store I work at.

Gymnocalycium pflanzii comes from South America in the areas of north Argentina and south Bolivia. The genus name comes from the Greek for "naked calyx" referring to the flower buds bearing no hair or spines. The growth habit is neither solitary or slowly clustering and the shape is globose. Having 4-15 ribs, sometimes more, usually broadly rounded, often spiraling and at times tuberculate. Often with "chins" just below the areoles, areoles large and with spines. Gymnos are among the most popular cacti for collectors and hobbyists.

Welcome...........

This is the second blog I will be investing time into, the first is Beech Street Gardens. Sorry Facebook. I decided to start a new blog with regards to the succulents and cactus that I grow in the greenhouse here at Beech Street Gardens. The greenhouse was built in 2005 and houses a small collection that I have been putting together since 2003. I was running out of space in the laundry room and decide it was time to make a change. I have named the greenhouse "Death Valley Shack", I like the way it sounds. I hope you all will enjoy seeing the plants from the greenhouse, reading tidbits of information, and seeing the world of these fascinating plants that I have enjoyed for many years.