🌸 Desert.plants.passion / Spring flowers (5)
Echinocereus laui
Echinocereus laui
One of the smallest and the finest Echinocereus is E. laui, originating from Mexico. It was named after A. B. Lau, a German collector who discovered many new cactus species in Mexico.
Unlike most members of the Echinocereus genus, laui begins its flowering early, yet as a young plant. It is not difficult to grow, though it is necessary to plant it in a well drained soil as it is, naturally, sensitive to excess moisture. It is necessary to keep it on full sun so that the body would not etiolated and the spines could be properly developed.
The one that you can see on the photos is in the sun, rain, and good air flow, and is planted in a mineral substrate. In winter it is also outside, protected from the rain and snow. Every spring it flourish with elegant flowers of thin petals.
Gasteria
This Gasteria is among the oldest of that genus at my place. I do not give it much space trying to slow down it’s growth. The soil is mixed mostly from brick and keramzit, with a little bit of molehill. Still, it spreads fast enough. It blooms when it reaches a certain age. Although many would not say that Gasteria’s flower is something interesting, I am always looking forward to see them.
Gasteria, flower
Weingarthia neocumingii
When it comes to flowering, Weingartia’s are invincible among cacti! This is the first round of it's flowering this year, and has already made a new bouquet of buds and ... so on 😊 until late summer! There are often 2 or 3 flowers per one areole!
Lobivia wrightiana
I bought this Lobiva, just at the beginning of my cactus collecting, at a large mall where plants from massive production were being sold. Of course it was potted in peat, and it took some time to get used to new conditions, after I repotted it. I did not know at all what cacti genus it was, with impatience I expected a flower. Yet about ten years have passed since this plant was finally accustomed to new conditions. I do not fertilize cacti, they also do not enjoy the support of the organic substrate, so they have to fight themselves. I carefully follow their progress, repott them as needed and water those who are sheltered from the rain (and that's a lot of work!). At last when my Lobivia was used to such conditions it started to grow and bloom, and with the first flower it was easy to recognize that it was L. wrightiana! I have rooted a few offshoots of that same plant, and they started blooming very early, as it should be. I really like the development of the spines on this Lobivia. As it’s getting older some spines are becoming much longer than others, making the whole plant looks more interesting.
Lobivia wrightiana, small ones
Aaaaand my first Gymno flowers are here this year!! 😊
Gymnocalycium bruchii var. lafaldense
Gymnocalycium bruchii
Gymnocalycium andreae var. doppianum
Thank you for your attention!
Some of my other cacti & other succulents stories:
Spring flowers (4)
Rebutia hybrid
Spring flowers (3)
Turbinicarpus pseudopectinatus
Turbinicarpus valdezianus
If you are interested in reading about desert plants from my own growing experience fell free to follow and enjoy!
@andrijana
Yes! Another spiky post :)
I have that Gasteria too and. I actually don't pay attention to it. It just keeps growing and blooming! I keep it in a large post and in the 7 years I own it I repoted it once. It just couldn't fit anymore. Gave away sooo many plants that time and still kept two post :D
Love Weingarthia! Such pretty colour and so many flowers.
And all the Gymnocalycium. Still waiting for my one to bloom. And it is still in the shop soil I bought it in (please don't hit me). I will put him in a cute, small clay pot too after its done blooming (though the smart book says best time to repot is winter ;) )
You're lucky that Gymno is still alive :)
South American cacti is better to be in plastic pot than in clay. It won't be happy in small clay pot really. Mexican cacti and all those very sensitive to moisture is best to keep in small clays. Gymno's are not so sensitive. :)
I also consider it is best time to repot in winter, but I'm doing it all year round, if it is needed....
Yes, that Gasteria! it is so common but, at least to me, so pretty. I really love it.
So do not put him into clay pot? He is pretty much alive and looking quite happy. I am always afraid I will overwater them. Especially in winter - they do stay on the balcony all year round and it rains a lot here. Even if I move them to less open corner, they might still get splashed by the rain. Clay will simply dry faster. And in summer I water my other plants almost daily so no problem giving hum some extra water.
Well ... I just didn't expect that you are watering plants so often!
You can pot it in clay, of course.
I water my cacti ones in a week (those in small pots or in a clay) or once in a two weeks (those in plastic or cement pots) :) But I do not live in Portugal :) It is much warmer there..
Many of them I keep in rain, those are in clay,of course.
The other plants I have are more.... regular ones, so in summer when the temperature reaches 35-40 degrees I have to. Otherwise they dry to a crisp.
And really, I have over watering disorder :p So I prefer to play safe. And the cacti still should be fine id I skip them a few times. I hope :P
In winter the might be getting rain for days non stop (unless I bring them inside) so I prefer to let the dry as fast as possible and I think clay will help with that. My other plants don't do well in clay. But cacti should be fine :)
It is very important to play safe with cacti. But you now better your climate than I do, and how to adjust the watering to the climate.
Very beautiful cacti!
I do not have some of them.
Especially I liked the cactus Echinocereus laui!
He has a very beautiful flower!
:) Yes and the flower and the body of laui is such a beauty. I love it!
:-)