Echeveria pulidonis (green form)

This is the green form of Echeveria pulidonis and is quite attractive. The red edges set it off and make it quite popular. And...other than it takes a bit for us to get enough of them propagated, it's easy to grow, presenting no special difficulties.

Echeveria 'Fleur Blanc'?

We received this last year as Echeveria 'Fleur Blanc'. If this is a valid cultivar, please help us. We can't find it anywhere and the flower is anything but "blanc". It's a nice plant. We like it. But it would be nice if we could get confirmation of the name or some other information about it. Anyone out there have a clue? Right now, we're clueless! (just about this plant, mind you...)

Thanks!

Echeveria hybrid

It's easy to understand why Dick Wright liked to use volcanic references when naming his hybrids. This is just an unnamed Echeveria hybrid with lots of carnunculation. That's right, it's a word. It refers to all those bumps on the surface of the mature leaves. Like bubbling lava. You can almost feel the heat. Don't touch!

 Had a great time at the Oregon State Fair today. Spent a lot of the time watching the Paso Finos in the Horse Show. None of them were as pretty as Jardinera.  Oh well.

Echeveria globulosa

This species hasn't made it to the "big box" stores yet, which is probably a good thing. From Oaxaca in Mexico, it's a small, compact, light blue plant, growing to about 5 cm in diameter at maturity - a little larger in cultivation.

On Friday it's off to the Oregon State Fair with our son and granddaughter for the horse show, farm animals, a huge animatronic dinosaur exhibit and all the unhealthful food!! It should be fun.

Copiapoa laui

This species, often misspelled lauii, is a part of the hypogaea complex and is the smallest of the Copiapoas. It eventually will form nice clusters, but will flower when it is still very small.

Our weather is jerking us around a bit. Mid 90s F today, 70 F Thursday and Friday. Enjoy your plants!

Gymnocalycium crest

Like something from another world, this is another of the crests in our collection. We don't know the gymno species, but does it matter? This is the kind of plant life which either turns you on or totally off. I find them fascinating in their weirdness. I guess this says something about my own personality?

Echeveria 'Blue Waves'

Echeveria 'Blue Waves'  is a sibling plant to "Blue Curls' and the relationship is clearly evident. Distinguished by a lighter overall color and less red, if any, on the edges. Now do you understand why we like Echeverias!

Echeveria 'Blue Curls'

Another very nice Echeveria, E. 'Blue Curls', which I posted previously about a year ago. The originator of this hybrid is variously ascribed to Harry Butterfield or Frank Reinelt and is a sister plant to 'Blue Waves'.

Tomorrow, 'Blue Waves'.

Echeveria 'Spruce-Oliver'

A wonderful hybrid created by Victor Reiter, Echeveria 'Spruce-Oliver' is a real beauty. The rosettes can grow to 80mm and then grow upward on bare, woody stems. The leaves usually show more red than this, depending on the growing conditions. And in addition, it's fairly hardy, forming a nice short shrub to 200mm wide.

Enjoy your plants!

Echeveria 'Tippy'

This is a deservedly popular echeveria. And as a result of that popularity, our nursery has been out of stock for quite a while. But we're back. The first picture was take three years ago, but the second one was taken  this past week.

As those who follow this blog know, the Oregon Cactus & Succulent Society will be meeting at our nursery today (Sunday) at 3:00 pm. It will be a potluck picnic - if the weather doesn't get nasty. The forecast is "iffy", and if it's necessary we'll move the festivities inside.

But we Oregonians are a hardy bunch, and I expect we'll be able to stay outdoors...I hope.

Echeveria 'Pinky'

Echeveria 'Pinky', an Echeveria shaviana hybrid by Martin Kimnach.

Busy getting ready for the OCSS meeting here on Sunday. If you're in the area, hope you can come. It should be fun.

Enjoy your plants.

Pachyveria 'Moonglow'

Being that it's a hybrid developed by Ed Hummel, this has been around for quite a long time, but it's new to our nursery: Pachyveria 'Moonglow'. Actually, it's not quite available yet, but will be soon.

The heat spell should be ending soon. We should be back into the mid 70s F by the end of the week.

Astrophytum asterias 'Super Kabuto'

This is from our weird pet collection of crests, monsters and other strange creatures. Probably to most popular and most sought after cultivar, Super Kabuto has many different forms. This one is grafted, but they don't have to be. They grow fine on their own roots.

We're finally getting a heat wave with temperatures in the 90s F, but the nighttime temps drop down to the low 60s F so it isn't too oppressive at night. As long as the temps don't go up into the hundreds, the plants love it and new flowers start appearing.

Enjoy your plants!

Agave potatorum

Agave potatorum is an extremely variable species. This picture is of one we've had for quite a few years. It stays quite small but clumps and the patterns of the leaves and thorns can be quite fascinating.

Oh, and the name comes from the Latin: "potator", which translates as "of the drinkers", referring to alcoholic beverages made using this plant.

Cactus Society Potluck Picnic

No plant photo tonight. Just a reminder to friends in the Portland, Oregon area that the Oregon Cactus and Succulent Society (OCSS) will be holding it's annual potluck picnic at our nursery (Kara Nursery) a week from Sunday (August 22). People are invited to gather anytime after 3:00 pm (the nursery will be open to visit and to purchase plants) and the meal will begin at 4:30. There will be a plant raffle you'll want to participate in (2 tickets for a dollar will give you a chance to get some really nice plants!!!).

Yes, that's the house. It's on the corner of N. Fiske Ave. and Amherst Streets and you can't miss it.
Remember now, this is an event for members of the OCSS but we'll accept membership applications at the event! ;) The exceptions are those who have been invited by any of us members, which turns out to be most of you. So come and join the fun, even if you haven't quite decided to join!

Graptosedum 'Vera Higgins'

This is one of those plants which has identity issues. It responds to several different names: Sedeveria 'Bronze', Sedeveria 'Vera Higgins', Graptosedum 'Vera Higgins'. But as far as I can tell it's the latter - Graptosedum 'Vera Higgins', or, more technically, x Graptosedum 'Vera Higgins'

Whatever it's name, it's a very nice Sedum type plant. It appears to be a Hummel hybrid, is sometimes known as the "Chocolate Donkeytail" and it can be grown either as a hanging basket or mound.

The Tale of the Attack Cat

When we were driving Ladybug to the post office to deliver a succulent plant package an incident occurred which I just have to share. We had our two dogs with us, a friend from Phoenix, Lynn-Marie & I. We were about two-thirds of the way, driving along the sidewalk when we passed a property with a cat. Happens all the time; no event here. Except that this time the cat attacked us. I mean really attacked! It came at us, especially at the dogs, full force.

I always carry a long walking stick with me just for such occasions, only it's usually an attacking dog. I swung the stick, but to no avail. It was in full attack mode and it kept on coming.

Immediately we were greeted with the sounds and lights of a police car coming up behind us on the street. Now I don't know about you, but in such a circumstance my mind immediately thinks "Now what did I do???" But the officer rolled down his car window and asked "Did that help?" And sure enough, the cat was gone, and Ladybug and the dogs - to say nothing of ourselves - were no worse off for the noise. And after thanking the fine officer of the Portland Police, we went on our way. Rescued again!

Delivering Express Mail

Image via Wikipedia

On Friday we had an order of plants which needed to be delivered to a Midwestern American city by Express Mail. It had to be at the post office by 2:00 to get there by 3 pm the next day. So...we delivered it to the post office by our own special "miniature horse express"! (Compare to the real thing, only in England a few years ago and not so miniature!)

That's Ladybug, Lynn-Marie and - behind the cart - Kiani.

Lithops dorotheae

And while we're on Lithops, here's one of my favorites: Lithops dorotheae. What's not to like?

Lithops optica 'Rubra'

A long time ago I posted a photo of a couple of Lithops optica 'Rubra' seedlings. They've grown up a bit.

The color isn't quite right, but you get the picture. Lithops are such fun plants. People often tell me that they're just too hard to grow. Well, they can be a challenge for a beginner - and sometimes even for a seasoned grower. I tell people they're probably going to kill one or two before they catch on, but it's worth the effort. Haven't grown them before? Try them; you just may fall in love with them.

Mammillaria schwarzii

I've posted photos of Mammillaria schwarzii before, but not this one. There must be something in my - long distant - childhood which causes me to be drawn to fuzzy plants like this, especially when they flower so easily.

Sorry, no more Echeverias today. I'll try...

Echeveria agavoides x Echeveria pulidonis

This is - as far as I know - an as yet un-named hybrid of Echeveria agavoides and E. pulidonis. A lot of the Echeverias are looking quite sharp at this time of year.

I'll try to take some more photos tomorrow, but between getting some orders out and cleaning the floors in the house to prepare for our guest from Phoenix and an evening with our grandchildren later this week, I don't know where I'm going to get the time. I guess I have to make the time, right?

Echeveria agavoides 'Red Edge'

Lynn-Marie was busy with the camera today and got some good pictures of Echeveria agavoides 'Red Edge'. We have many of them planted out in one of our raised beds and they're looking really nice. This is one species which is well known and probably readily available to most but many of the plants I've seen out there are pretty ragged. When they're looking good though, they're really outstanding, whether "common" or not.

Enjoy your plants.