Gymnocalycium pfanzii

I love walking in to the Death Valley Shack seeing flower buds one day and SURPRISE.....Succulents and cacti play by their own rules on how soon they will open or when. I have had some cactus bloom and never have seen the flower when it opens. It seems down right mean!

 

Gymnocalycium pfanzii grows in the areas of south-east of Bolivia, north-west of Paraguay and north of Argentina. Found growing in deep, rich soil in sunny rocky areas, on slopes, or under spiny shurbs. The color on the flower is amazing, classified a white flower with a carmine/pink throat. 

Agave Parryi

I bought this Agave parryi about a month ago, wanting to post a photo of it now that it has been re-potted. I keep thinking about planting out in the front garden in the Yucca bed with the other Agaves, but I'm not sold on that idea.....yet. I had an Agave parryi that was about 24" wide and lost it in a bad freeze along with a very large Agave americana Variegata a few years ago, I was devastated. Since then I have changed my potting mix that I make so it drains faster. THE LEARNING NEVER ENDS!!!!! 

Love the blue color of this plant contrasting with the red spines that run along the sides of the leaves and that large single black center spine.

OCSS Sale

Last Saturday and Sunday the Oregon Cactus & Succulent Society had their annual June sale at the Division St. Portland Nursery. There will be another sale in July on the 20th, 21st, and 22nd at the Stark St. location. I always like to see what there is to purchase, do some admiring, and to visit with Luther of Kara Nursery and also writes the Oregon Cactus Blog. The photos below are the plants that I purchased from him for new additions in my collection in the Death Valley Shack.

Mammillaria huitzilopochtli  

Lithop bromfieldii var. insularis

Lithop schwantesii

Clueless?????

Isn't this the sweetest.......I was surprised after I bought this and about two weeks later it starting showing flower buds. It is a great looking plant from the spines to the flower.  Being a very small plant, its in a 2 1/2" pot. That's what I find fascinating about succulents & cacti, is that they can bloom at such a small size.

The flower is just a little smaller than the cacti itself. It amazing that a little plant like that has that much energy to produce a beautiful flower.

Maybe someone out there will be able to identify this one for me, I have looked at a lot of the books I have but not having any success so far.