cacti

Some Houseplant Flowers!

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I haven’t shared any of my houseplant flower photos in a while, so let’s rectify that! Here we have, in order from left to right and top to bottom: Ariocarpus trigonus, Epiphyllum monstrosa ‘Curly Locks’ in fruit, Sansevieria cylindrica, Sinningia cardinalis, Huernia verekeri, Mammillaria plumosa, Pleiospilos nelii ‘Royal Flush’, Mammillaria schiedeana, Dischidia platyphylla, my most loyal Saintpaulia spp. (acquired without ID from a botanical garden associates sale), an area shot of several Saintpaulia spp. and a Phalaenopsis orchid in bloom, and a Euphorbia francoisii.

More Houseplant and Insect Visitor Photos!

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Here are my October 2017 notable houseplant moments and visitors!  The photos are respectively of flowering Ariocarpus fissuratus, Duvalia sulcata, Euphorbia francoisii, Mammillaria schiedeana still in bloom (it lasted two months!), Mammillaria plumosa, Stapelia gettleffii, and then a stick insect and a moth pretending to be a fallen leaf while visiting a Pilocereus.

Houseplant and Insect Visitor Photos!

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All of these houseplant and insect visitor photos were taken in September 2017 - I'll make separate posts for October and November pictures!  The plants in question are (in order): Hoya carnosa compacta, Mammillaria schiedeana, Parodia mairanana, Stapelia gettlleffii, Stapelia schinzii var. angolensis, Ariocarpus retusus var. furfuraceus, Gymnocalycium mihanovichii, Gymnocalycium ragonesei, and Dracaena marginata tricolor.  The insects in question are respectively a Redfooted Cannibal Fly (Promachus rufipes), a bumblebee pollinating the Hoya carnosa compacta flowers, a tan moth, and a praying mantis I named Vladimir (after Saint Vladimir) on a Dracaena marginata tricolor.  You can click on any of the thumbnails to see a larger version of the photo.

Blooming Ariocarpus Retusus var. Furfuraceus

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Check out my gorgeous Ariocarpus retusus var. furfuraceus in flower!  I've only owned this plant for about two and a half months (purchased from the Kansas City Cactus & Succulent Society annual show and sale), but it wasn't already set to bloom when I purchased it so it seems like it enjoys being in my collection, for which I'm thankful as it's a stunning specimen both in and out of bloom.

More Houseplant Blooms!

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I know there've been a lot of posts about my plants lately, but that's because they've been so happy!  Here's my Mammillaria bocasana and Uncarina roeoesliana in flower.

Houseplant Photos!

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I've been enjoying the end of the summer by spending more time with my plants.  Here are some photos of my flowering plants from the past few weeks!  They are, from left to right and top to bottom: Copiapoa hypogaea, Euphorbia platyclada, Gymnocalycium baldianum, Saintpaulia spp., and Senecio jacobsenii.  Not pictured due to less impressive and difficult to photograph well flowers (but still appreciated!) are several Aloe and Haworthia spp.  Not pictured due to missing the flowering entirely is Echinopsis "Dominos," though it has a second flower bud growing so we may yet get to see it this year!

More Succulent Flowers!

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A few more of my houseplants decided to flower in the last couple months!  Here are a Gymnocalycium pflanzii v. albipulpa, Anacampseros rufescens, and Gasteria glomerata in various stages of blooming.  I also had a Phalaenopsis orchid in bloom but forgot to take photos; another one's been growing a flower stalk though so I should be able to photograph that one in a couple weeks.

More Plant Blooms

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I love watching my plants flower - it's both a pretty spectacle and also typically a sign they're being well cared for.  So far this month I've got a Neoregelia 'Golden Chalice,' Rhipsalis mesembryanthemoides, Mammillaria plumosa, and Gasteria liliputana in flower!

If you recall, my Rhipsalis pilocarpa was in bloom a few weeks ago and its flowering somewhat coincided with my Rhipsalis mesembryanthemoides flowering - so I cross-pollinated (and also self-pollinated) and have some seed pods growing!  I'll be interested to see if anything ends up germinating.

Blooming Cacti

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I've had a few cacti blooming lately - my Rhipsalis pilocarpa, Schlumbergera truncata, and one of my two Gymnocalycium friedrichii.  Here are some images of the beauty!  Unfortunately I don't have a good photo of the Gymno because its bloom was infested with aphids - in spraying it with neem oil, the aphids have died but the bloom is also not doing so hot.   I'll get a photo to share at some point, though!

 Interesting things to note about the below two plants: the R. pilocarpa flowers apparently have little scent but what there is smells like a musty basement; the S. truncata is a very difficult plant for me to grow and this is the first time I've gotten one to flower; the S. truncata was purchased on sale without flowers and I did not know it had two different bloom colors.