Echeveria imbricdo in Bloom





Actually there are two plants in the pot, but only is in bloom. I purchased them about four years ago and this is the first time either one have bloomed. The flower colors are quite outstanding with that strong yellow inside and the soft coral outside.  You can see the flower stem coming out of the one Echeveria and its about a foot long. The two Echeveria plants are six inchs across, the one blooming is around a foot and a half tall. The other droops over the side and the stem is only about six inches in length. After the one is done blooming, I'm going to cut both of them back and re-root them, hopefully the stems will sprout out with plant heads. I look at it as refurbishing old plants, that's what is amazing and great about succulents.  

 

Echeveria is a large genus of flowering plants in the Crassulaceae family, native to semi-desert areas of central America, from Mexico to northwestern South America.

 

The genus is named after the 18th century Mexican botanical artist

Atanasio Echeverría y Godoy.

Neoporteria gerocephala OR Eriosyce senilis

Like so many cacti, names can be many. Neoporteria gerocephala is the name on the tag and the name I will catalog it under. The origin of Neoporteria gerocephala is the Valley of Rio Chapoa in Chile located in South American. It is a solitary cacti with a dense covering of spines, it hybridizes easily in habitat and cultivation. The body is purplish and globose to a short columnar shape, 2 1/2"-7" tall, 2"-3" in diameter. The spines are very dense, glassy, variable in color from blond/white, yellow, brown to almost black, with darker tips; straight to strongly curled and tangled, some hairlike soft and flexible, other needle-like and stiff, of variable length, obscuring the plant body and becoming longer with age. Tubular bright colored flowers in the spring being 1"- 2"in length. Will tolerate full sun to light shade, but extremely prone to root rot, needs good drainage.

Blooming Gymnocalycium

Have been waiting for this little beauty to bloom. Love the way the flower bud is puffed up like a little balloon. Then when it opens it is a beautiful satin yellow. It is marked Gymnocalycium bruchii, but after looking up more information bruchii flowers are mostly pink or maybe white. Nothing about yellow flowers........But the flower is still pretty.

From the Greek words

gymnos meaning "naked"

kalyx meaning "bud"

Gymnos live in various habitats and elevations in Argentina, part of Uruguay, Paraguay, southern Bolivia and part of Brazil which is the South-Eastern part of South America. The largest of this genus may achieve 7 inches in height and 12 inches in diameter, while most of the species stay well under 5 inches in height and diameter. This small size have relatively easy care requirements making them very popular in cultivation. These flowers are naked without any spines, wool, or bristles. In all species, they are smooth and scaled, resembling the tips of young asparagus shoots. Nearly all species have white, cream-colored or pale-pink flowers, while a few will have dark red or yellow. Flower size is moderate and typically flowers are 1 to 1.5 inches wide. While flowers come easy and at an early age on Gymno plants, they usually need high-heat to open fully and thus do much better in a greenhouse.

Gymnocalycium achirasense var. orientale

After looking thru my many books and viewing websites,I believe this to be a Gymnocalycium achirasense var. orientale. I'm very sure I'm correct, but I would not bet the greenhouse on it. As always the flowers are amazing.........I moved this plant from Death Valley Shack to the kitchen table to enjoy the flowers!

Gymnocalyciums in habitat are found in South-Eastern South America in various environments and elevations.

The Gymno. achirasense grows in Argentina in the foothills of the city of Cordoba. The variety name "orientale" means that it lies in the most eastern part of the habitat. Achirasense is a (usually) solitary cactus, flattened or globular, dark-green, grey-green to olive green, 2"-3" in diameter up to 2" in height, but in cultivation it can become 4" high (or more) over the years. 10-12 spines which are stout and aggressive, but usually fewer in young plants, bent against the body with a rib count of 12-15. Central spines are usually absent or they have 1 erect. The flowers are some of the largest in this genus, often growing larger than the plant, whitish, pale pink to lavender, with a darker mid-strip.The cultivation of this plant as well as other Gymnocalyciums is simple. They are summer growers, water regularly in summer, keep rather dry in winter. They will flourish in full sun (not direct) or light shade. The Gymnocalyciums are one of the easiest of the cacti to grow, to have flower and can flower at an early age.

Oreocereus trollii

OLD MAN OF THE MOUNTAIN

The name Oreocereus comes from the Greek for 'mountain Cereus'.

Oreocereus trollii, native to the mountains of South America in the of regions of Argentina and southern Bolivia, it is slow to form clumping clusters of chunky columns to 2' in height. Columnar stems are densely covered in white wool (actually white radial spines that have evolved to resemble "hairs"), that totally obscures the body of plant. Some bright red spines are visible above the wool . The flowers are violet red and semi-tubular in shape.

You will notice that the plant above is starting to clump at the base. It has been in the collection for about five years and planted in a 5" pot.

Black Spined Sea Urchin

COPIAPOA CINEREA

I like the way this plant mimics sea-life, but if you look closely some sea-life and succulents have very similar characteristics. This plant in the collection is about 2" wide. It has changed very little since I purchased it in 2005.

Copiapoa cinerea from the coastal areas of South America, where it grows in areas where very little else grows. It's a very drought tolerant species. One of the most admired species of cacti with chalky/white stems covered with wool at the apex, which contrasts well with the sparse, jet-black spines. It is a solitary, or slowly offsetting, globular to columnar cactus. It is an extremely variable species with many forms, sometimes with long spines or others spineless. The white coloration is a waxy coating presumably to prevent dessication in it's extremely dry environment. In cultivation the white waxy bloom is often not produced, revealing a brownish epidermis. An extremely slow growing cactus kept for the beauty of its form. It must be protected from excessive heat and sun in summer, and seems to do best in cultivation with a bit of shade. It requires light but regular waterings in summer, but let the soil mix dry between waterings. Prone to rot if over-watered. Needs good drainage. Keep warm and dry in winter (50°F) to avoid rot. Not highly tolerant of a great deal of frost. (Frost tolerance 32°F)

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.