Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
Specific Families and Genera => Cacti and Succulents => Topic started by: Hans J on June 07, 2009, 01:09:54 PM
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Hi all ,
before some days I have ordered from a german nursery a really strange cacti :
Astrophytum caput -medusae ( = head of medusa )
This plant is realiv new descriptet ....and it was difficould to name it ....
In year 2002 descript it Velasco & Nevarez as Digitostigma ....and in 2003 make Hunt a new combinations as Atrophytum.
It has not any thorns ( very well designed for all cacti lovers which not like thorns ) and it has a roots like a bulbs (very well for all bulb friends ) .....but the flowers is a typical Astrophytum :o !
Enjoy
Hans
I hope to make a pic in some days when the flower is open .... ;D
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Amazing cactus.... not even like a plant, really, more an alien! ;D
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Maggi ;)
I agree with you ....but it is really from Mexico 8)
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Hans very interesting,it does not look like any other astrophytum.
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Fascinating, Hans. Certainly different to the others in that genus. Obviously easier to graft it that grow it on it's own "bulbous" roots?
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Thank you all for your interest !
Paul - I think it is a must with grafting this plant :-\
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Hans,
If it has bulbous roots I would have thought that it might have done OK on it's own roots? Then again, maybe it just won't strike as cuttings and so has to be grafted. Very nice looking plant.
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Paul ,
maybe more a challenge for a expieried bulb grower than for a cacti fan ?
I know only that people grow it from seed ....and soon as possibly the graft it ....
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Thanks for the info Hans. Obviously just too difficult to grow by itself. At least we have grafting, or else we'd never see these things out of their natural habitats. Thanks so much for showing us. 8)
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Hi Paul ,
I have just looked on a list from well know german seed seller :
the price for 10 seeds is 18 Euro ......( similar like Worsleya ) ::)
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Hi Hans, the flower looks like this, I showed the plant last year in the forum
under the synonym Astrophytum caput-medusae. It was interesting, that the
non-flowering buds which formed in autumn did not drop during the winter rest,
but flowered in early spring. A cactus insider told me, that the first imported
seeds were sold for 24$ per grain!
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Pardon, here is the picture:
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Hi Rudi ,
Thank you for your pic ! ....really nice !
Comes your plant from Rommelshausen ?
Yes -I have searched also a bit yesterday and I have found similar informations about prices ....
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Hi Hans, I live about 3 kilometers away from Uhlig's paradise for cactophiles (a steady temptation), but this plant
is from a very skilled propagator of Eastern Germany; he sold it at the Süddeutsche Kakteentage in Korb last year.
In april this year a man offered seedlings of this plant on own roots at a plant sale in Munich.
Good luck with your plants and enjoy the flowers.
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I've often been tempted to buy seed of this plant as I also enjoy growing cacti and other succulents, but I'm afraid the seed prices asked for are way out of my league! In due course the prices will probably come down as the plant becomes more demystified, then it will be my chance!
I have to admit the temptation to grow Worsleya at USD2 a seed was too great for me to resist - I now have six seedlings of varying sizes bursting out of their pots and doing quite well - even the "home government" (read: "wife") has come round to the idea and is looking forward to them flowering - one day... 8)
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Rudi :
Is the name of this man from east germany maybe Steffen ?
...from him comes my plants too ....
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Rogan,
I'll have to remember the "home government" comment. I like it!! ;D
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Hi Hans, the name of the Cactus-man is Heinz,but I have no information where he lives.
He was not at our annual plant sale this spring, because he got seriously ill.
You can phone me, if you want more information.
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Hi all ,
today has now flowered the second plant :D
enjoy
Hans
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Hans,
That plant and flower is really special. What a beauty. It is a first timer for me.
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Hi Heinie ,
thank you for your compliments ;D
all the best
Hans
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it is a very nice plant :)
i have several cactus friends who are growing this--some prices have come down over several years, i could ask, but i dont think my friends paid more than around US$1 per seed, and i think they are all or mostly growing them on their own roots...
i'm going to ask one of them for an update...
btw, transferral to Astrophytum is still controversial for some people, and many consider it a 'theft' of sorts from the people who originally published the find..so many still call it Digitostema...( sp?)
of course, nothing unusual there, lots of disagreements about many names, certainly in cactaceae!
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I have before some days sent my pics to other cacti friends ...a good friend of mine wrote me back :
"oops -I did not know that it's possibly to graft tails of rats ...."
;D ;D ;D
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I have before some days sent my pics to other cacti friends ...a good friend of mine wrote me back :
"oops -I did not know that it's possibly to graft tails of rats ...."
;D ;D ;D
lol--your friend clearly has no taste ;)
i checked with one friend who is growing the seedlings: hers are in communal pots of 3 or 4 plants, on their own roots at 2 years old, and she has no intention of grafting;
she has the advantage of being in florida, and growing cacti in a greenhouse, warm(hot!) and sunny all year, and uses a very simple potting mix of commercial potting soil (soilless mix) with added perlite..
at 2 years old, they are making some kind of tufts--buds?
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Hi all ,
here is a short update from today :
first : my pollination was good ( I have stored pollen from the first flower for one week and than carefully pollinatet -it was succsessfull !!!
second : I have made a try with grafting - it looks also well
Greetings
Hans
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Congratulations, Hans, on both counts. With the cost of seed you could start financing your gardening habit just by selling the seed. ;D ;) Congratulations on the successful graft!
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Congratulations, Hans, on both counts. With the cost of seed you could start financing your gardening habit just by selling the seed. ;D ;) Congratulations on the successful graft!
Paul ,
those plants are not for me ....I have it only ordered for a friend in a other country !
.....so I'm also not interestet for those seeds ....
with the grafting it was just for fun - I found one broken 'arm' in the parcel and i dont know ....so I have made a test ( I have alsways a lot of Trichocereus schickendantzii for grafting )
My idea was to graft it horizontal ....to have a better chance with growing
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Hi Hans,
Looking at your grafted cactus it seems to me you'll never stop to work
like in your former occupation - but remember: teeth are directed upwards!
;)
Gerd
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Hi Gerd ,
the reason for this kind of grafting is there is a much better chance to meet the 'Leitbündel' ( sorry but I dont know the english word )
If I had a other cacti ( p.e. Peireskiopsis ) so I would try it vertical ...
But you are right : one time in this occupation -ever in this occupation ;D
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'Leitbündel' = vascular bundle / conductive tissue, i.e. the xylem and phloem.
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'Leitbündel' = vascular bundle / conductive tissue, i.e. the xylem and phloem.
Many thanks Rogan !
...your german is perfect !