Mammillaria sempervivi

Lynn-Marie snapped this picture of a Mammillaria sempervivi in flower. This is an older plant with lots of wool on the top. I told you I'm a sucker for woolly plants. I especially like M. sempervivi because of the delicate flowers which are just right for the woolly apex are followed later by outlandish red seedpods. (The second picture is one I took earlier of a different and younger plant.)

Graptopetalum bellum (AKA Tacitus bellus)

We've always known this as Tacitus bellus but it appears the name Graptopetalum bellum is winning out. It's too bad; I really like the former name much better. No scientific reason...just like it! Tacitus is a monotypic genus, with bellus as it's only species. It differs from the other Graptopetalum by its large flowers that have lips around the carpels. O well, the lumpers appear to have won again!

Sinningia cardinalis

These have very large green leaves, not nearly as fuzzy as S. leuchotricha. They go dormant in the winter and come back strong in the Spring. The caudex can reach 30 cm. in diameter. Needs rich soil with good drainage, bright light when growing. They're native to Brazil.

Lithops terricolor C134

Another Lithops being added to our list is Lithops terricolor C134. Getting kind of crowded here, but they don't seem to mind.

Mammillaria bocasana 'Fred'

We've always liked Fred. Ever since we got our first one many years ago from Lazlo at Desert Nursery in Deming, New Mexico. The parent plant is totally lost in its fascinating monstrous growth.

Enjoy your plants.

OCSS meeting

Our monthly meeting of the Oregon Cactus & Succulent Society was held last Thursday and the program was about the International Succulent Introductions (ISI), using their 50th anniversary CD with the digital projector. We also discussed plans for the upcoming events: Show and Sale at the Division Street Portland Nursery, June 18-20; Presentation by yours truly ("Growing Outstanding Succulent Plants") at the Stark Street Portland Nursery, 1 pm, July 11; Show and Sale at the Stark Street Portland Nursery, July 16-18.

Eriosyce taltalensis ssp. echinus var. floccosa (AKA Neoporteria floccosa)

Sometimes I miss the simplicity of the old name; the new name becomes a bit of a mouth full. Quickly snapped this shot today as it's quite impressive.

We keep this cactus - along with most of our cacti - very dry during the winter. As it tends to be a bit rot prone, it needs excellent drainage, but we don't give it anything different than we use with all our cacti as our potting mix has excellent porosity.

Lithops hookeri ssp. marginata

It's been a while since I've posted any Lithops, so here goes. This is a new addition to our nursery plant list, Lithops hookeri ssp. marginata. The flowers are yellow.

Lobivia 'Blaze'

This is another one of those "old time" plants which keeps on keeping on. And no wonder with this fantastic flower. It's Lobivia 'Blaze'.

Un-named Epi

Another one of our epicacti opened up the other day and, of course, it's one for which the label has been lost.  And the plant itself looks like it's been to  hell and back. It's one ugly plant, through no fault of its' own. But the flower...'nough said.

Echeveria flower forest!

Today was a busy day: meeting with our agricultural inspector in preparation for shipping plants to Germany (including a full greenhouse inspection); exploring a wonderful gift package from Ceci (thanks Ceci); and trying to get the Oregon C&S Society newsletter finished so I can get it in the mail for tomorrow. Plus, getting some orders out for some wholesale plants and seeds.

But with all of this, I couldn't avoid being attracted to this "forest" of Echeveria flowers (Echeveria setosa var. deminuta)

It's a common practice for growers to cut off the flower stalks in greenhouses for ease of handling the plants. Obviously we don't follow the "common" practice. (And credit should be given to Lynn-Marie for this photo.)

Trichocereus 'June Moon' - Not

This time of year is really a lot of fun. New blossoms appear every day. Almost missed this one as it was hidden behind some other plants. I think the flower color and form are really outstanding. [June 28: This is clearly misidentified. The original label was hard to read, and it actually was 'June Noon'. But that's not correct since the colors are all wrong. So it's now an orphan Trichocereus hybrid, without a name. Any one able to help out on this? (-Luther)]

Enjoy your plants!

Johnson's Lobivia 'Pink and White'

These Johnson hybrids - Lobivia 'Pink & White' - have been a part of our lives since just after we got married. We bought a flat of them. And we've never regretted it. They don't have huge flowers, but the color is wonderful. This photo was taken in the greenhouse yesterday.

Rebutia krainziana

There's a reason we chose this plant for our nursery logo. The flowers are totally dependable and absolutely fantastic...in my humble opinion. For example, this was today. One plant is producing all these flowers.

I know, it's not considered a valid name anymore by some. It's been subsumed under Rebutia marsoneri. But I still call it by it's old name...and it comes!

Echinocereus pectinatus - "Coahuila Lace Cactus"

This particular Echinocereus pectinatus is sometimes listed as "var. coahuila" but the variety status is very poorly supported. More likely it's one part of a continuum of variation which makes up this species. Whatever the name, the plant itself, sans flowers, presents a powerful yet graceful appearance.

Art Exhibit: Lynn-Marie Kara

We hung some of Lynn-Marie's works on Friday. It's a small exhibit, but I think it looks quite nice.

This was taken on Saturday as the first event of the Portland Rose Festival began with festivities in St. Johns, a neighborhood in North Portland.

Aloe 'White Stag'

We're a small nursery and thus we get these statistical "flurries". Not a very scientific term but then statistics was never my cup of tea. What I mean is we could go a year without anyone wanting Agaves (a bit of an exaggeration) and then, all of a sudden, that's all anyone wants! Then, of course, when you run out of a particular plant, people wonder why you didn't stock more!

The solution is that we grow the plants we like. That way, if nobody wants some particular plants we grow, we can at least enjoy them ourselves. We would like others to like what we like, of course, but we have no problem being the odd one out.

This plant, Aloe 'White Stag', is a cultivar we've liked but wasn't drawing a crowd...for us at least. But now it's hard to keep them in stock.  Oh well!

 Enjoy your plants...

even if nobody else has a clue about why you enjoy them!

Rebutia albiflora and Rebutia heliosa

We just separated out these clumps of Rebutia albiflora which are just beginning to flower. In another week or two they'll be covered in flowers.

The Rebutia heliosa plants haven't begun to flower yet, but then they're such nice looking plants to begin with:

Mix the two together and you get (or, more accurately, someone did get) Rebutia 'Sunrise' (R. heliosa x R. albiflora).

 Enjoy your plants.

Echinocereus reichenbachii var. albispinus

We could see this one flowering, but all the plants were beyond reach. In other words, behind the larger growing opuntias, various larger spiny Euchporbia. But we did want to get a picture, so... And after moving things around a bit so that we could get close enough, Lynn-Marie shot this pic.

Echinopsis 'Barber Pole'

Today it was the turn for Echinopsis 'Barber Pole' to bloom in unison.

All together now!

I was repairing the back fence so these photos were taken by Lynn-Marie. And - oh - I've been corrected. We've been married 42 years, not 41. :-)

Epicactus 'Madeline'

From the start let me affirm that we are not a nursery that raises jungle cacti for the market. But though our emphasis has always been on plants from more arid lands, we just can't resist a good Epi. This is Epicactus 'Madeline' and each year it catches us off guard. We don't even notice the buds, and then - wham - it's "in your face" beautiful!

Succulent Travels 2010 - part 5

A couple of quick photos from C&J: the first of the hillside with the rows of cold-frames.

The second a close-up of what I call the "wall of cactus" - - hey, another possible jigsaw puzzle.

Just a note to say I might not get around to posting anything tomorrow, as it's our anniversary - our 41st - not that we're doing much. We may go out for a Chinese dinner - and try no to do any nursery business. We were going to go to the coast for a couple of nights, but the beach motel we go to didn't have two nights in a row available.

On Friday, we'll be hanging a few of Lynn-Marie's art works in the Starbucks in St. Johns, a nearby North Portland neighborhood where I grew up (not in the Starbucks, but in St. Johns. I think I pre-date Starbucks by a few years.)

Enjoy your plants!

Sulcorebutia canigueralii

One thing about this complex of plants: they're quite variable. This is from a different group of Sulcorebutia (or Rebutia) canigueralii plants. Both the plant body and the flower are quite different than those I posted during the Winter last year. I'll be posting another variation in a day or two.

Succulent Travels 2010 - part 4

This is the view from the parking area down to the growing areas at C and J wholesale cactus and succulent nursery. Unseen in this photo are about 6 more greenhouses on the left and about an acre of cold frames. In the distance you can almost see the Pacific Ocean.

And this is Lynn-Marie looking over some of the plants in one of those greenhouses.

We were lucky in that the weather was fairly cool when we were there this time.