Two recent stacks for the greenhouse

cactuspic · Post by **cactuspic** » Fri Feb 09, 2007 9:39 pm

After a crazy week, (I am in the process of moving my from my office for the past 25 years), things are starting to settle down. Here are two recent stacks from my greenhouse.

Lapidaria is Latin for group of stones, which is exactly what this plant looks like when it is not in flower. Lapidaria margarethae is native to Namibia.

This Pachypodium rosulatum is a miniature crest. A crest is a a genetic mutation in which the growing point fans out. It had the twisted and tortured look of a wind sculpted tree.

Hope you enjoy

Irwin

Bruce Williams · Post by **Bruce Williams** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 4:49 am

Excellent photos Erwin. I just love caudiciform plants - they're so characterful and bizarre!. From your photo it looks to be quite a large and impressive specimen - has it flowered for you yet?

I grew a lot of different Pachpodium species from seed back in the 70's as actual plants were very difficult and expensive to obtain back then. Fortunately I'd sold them all off (to make space for cacti) before the winter disaster of '86/87. I did get a number to flowering size and (somewhere) have a couple of transparency of a grafted P. brevicaule in flower. Never had anything quite as impressive as your plant though!

Bruce

DaveW · Post by **DaveW** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 5:53 am

Caudiciforms, an acquired taste! The former NCSS Editor, the late Chris Pitcher's designation TCP's sums them up (Turnips, Carrots and Parsnips).

In many cases the so called caudex is not a proper caudex, but an underground root that should be buried, which their devotees pot up far too high in order to expose it! That does not apply tp Pachypodiums however.

Can't you guess I am a dyed in the wool cactophile!

DaveW

beetleman · Post by **beetleman** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 5:55 am

I`m with Bruce, the second picture is very unique looking. I do like flowers, but crazy shapes are cool also

(will have to look them up)
My boss will be back from Tucson today and he did go to B&B cactus but I do not know what he brought back for me. I asked him to pick me up some living rocks and one winter hardy cactus to try in our cold winter climate (maybe a prickly pear..yum).

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 6:38 am

You know I don't know a thing about cacti but I am beginning to learn a little. I like both images, the second especially. DOF is great in both!

cactuspic · Post by **cactuspic** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 11:44 am

Bruce Williams wrote:Excellent photos Erwin. I just love caudiciform plants - they're so characterful and bizarre!. From your photo it looks to be quite a large and impressive specimen - has it flowered for you yet?

I grew a lot of different Pachpodium species from seed back in the 70's as actual plants were very difficult and expensive to obtain back then. Fortunately I'd sold them all off (to make space for cacti) before the winter disaster of '86/87. I did get a number to flowering size and (somewhere) have a couple of transparency of a grafted P. brevicaule in flower. Never had anything quite as impressive as your plant though!

Bruce

Thanks Bruce,

Appearances are deceiving. While I love the plant and am proud that I kept it growing for three years (This crest is on its own roots and very sensitive to overwatering) it is not large. The whole plant is 6 inches tall. The detail in the picture is about 2 inches of plant.

I am hoping that it flowers this summer, but I am not sure whether this crest flowers at all or what size/age it reaches maturity. Some more to research, I guess. Befor it turned to mush, my brevicaule flowered. I also have a succulentum that flowered.

Take care,

Irwin

cactuspic · Post by **cactuspic** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 11:51 am

Shoot Dave, we will have to expand your horizons.

Actually, I don't have that many caudiciforms. But I do love crests and monstrose plants.

Good to hear from you. By the way, I have several white mams I am having trouble identifying. If I posted them, would you see if you know them?

Best regards,

Irwin

cactuspic · Post by **cactuspic** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 11:56 am

Thanks Doug. I find lithops extremely interesting. I hope your new plants do well and hope to see a number of pictures.

Regards,

Irwin

DaveW · Post by **DaveW** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 12:02 pm

Will try! I have Pilbeam's Mammillaria book plus the New Cactus Lexicon to browse through if I don't recognise them.

I always gave any crests and monstrose plants away I got. I like these as much as other succulents! If I had grown other succulents I guess it would have been Lithops or something similar. I was first attracted to cacti because they did not look like "normal" plants. Guess Lithops almost fit that description too.

DaveW

cactuspic · Post by **cactuspic** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 12:03 pm

Thanks Ken. The Depth of filed is strickly a result of image stacking although I did emphasis the DOF by giving a strong leading line into the picture and pulling your eye through the "hole" .

Take care.

Irwin