Mammillaria hahniana

This is a small rooted offset with more offsets...and a flower. Actually I was looking at this plant today and it now has four flowers open. This is the extra hairy form of the plant

Mammillaria formosa

This is a nice old, four-headed specimen we've had for many years. It's liking our early summer heatwave. OK, I know it's not really early summer in most places (in the Northern Hemisphere), but for us...it's early!

Gymnocalycium baldianum flower

This is an awful photo. I'll get a better on in a couple of days.

This should be in every cactus growers collection, even the very beginner, as it is of easy cultivation and flowers most dependably. Even us old timers love it.

If they don't shrivel up in the next few days, it should be flowering like mad. Our weather is a bit weird lately. We've been in the 60s F for the last couple of weeks, with occasional drizzle. Today we were in the low 80s, tomorrow we should hit 90, and by Tuesday some forecasters are predicting 104! And with the recent moisture the humidity is also going to be high. This is not our kind of weather. Help!!!

Escobaria minima

Escobaria minima is an extremely hardy, small cactus which is quite hard (as low as -20C) if kept dry during the winter season. During the warmer summer, it appreciates adequate water and very good drainage. Its original location is from three colonies in Brewster County, Texas.

Tephrocactus tuberosus

We've had this plant for quite a few years and it grows very slowly for us, but the underground tuber has been getting quite large. I've only exposed a small part of it in the bottom photo.

Weingartia lanata variegate

This plant has had a plethora of names, but it appears that, for now at least, Rebutia neocummingii has been settled upon. With this particular variegated specimen what has fascinated us is the "color match" between the flower and the variegation.

Gasteria batesiana

This is an easy to grow species with outstanding rough leaves. With too much sun or stress, the leaves lose their green color (like this plant which has been in very bright light and was stressed with less than optimum water during the winter). But, hey, in our greenhouse we couldn't even get to it this winter! It prefers a little shade and some water during the winter. (Handle with care, as the leaves are very brittle!)

Echinopsis subdenudata ‘Fuzzy Navel’ M. Fryer

The cultivar name was coined by Mark Fryer, formerly of C & J Cactus Nursery and even farther back, former president of the Oregon Cactus & Succulent Society. The plant has very short spines, fuzzy areoles, and large, scented, white funnelform flowers that are quite impressive.

Echeveria 'Kirov' flowers

Back to some succulent plants for tonight, beginning with a 'Violet Queen' hybrid, E. 'Kirov', which has these amazing flowers.

Mountain Meadow

This is actually a wonderful time to go up into the mountains. The flora is outstanding, the air is fresh, and the mosquitoes aren't out in force yet!  ...and then, we can't leave out Osita!

Trip to Sisters, Oregon

These are a few shots that Lynn-Marie took yesterday as we drove up to Three Creeks Lake above the town of Sisters in the Oregon Cascade Mountains. It's still cold up there but it was a fun day for all, a much needed getaway! The ridge in the background is the Tam McArthur Rim. Just beyond it (not visible here) are Broken Top mountain and the Three Sisters (three mountains named Faith, Hope and Charity) all of which are in a wilderness area.

 

This is Kiani, the mother of Osita, one of the two Belgian Tervurens who also enjoyed the outing.

 

Two young deer and their mama were also enjoying the day.

 

Finally, all the way up to the lake. There were only a couple of row boats on the lake (power boats aren't permitted) and one person fishing from shore.

A much needed break from "everything".

Tephrocactus alexanderi var. geometracus

This is a seed grown plant of a species which is pretty uncommon in collections.

Aloe 'Christmas Carol'

For us, the Christmas Carols are at their most flamboyant at this time of year. One of my favorites of the Griffin hybrids.

looking up

Granted these aren't succulents. But, hey, I looked up and saw a picture...for what it's worth.

Echeveria 'Emerald Ripple'

And...another echeveria tonight, this time 'Emerald Ripple.' It's a bright little plant that does its part in cheering up its corner of the greenhouse.

Tacitus bellus

I have a hard time changing the name on this one. I know the consensus is that it should be transferred to Graptopetalum (as bellum), but maybe I'm just getting too old to change.
But, no, I know that's not true; most regularly I adapt to change quite well. I guess I just like the sound of Tacitus. Arrest me!
With a flower like this, who cares anyway...

Echeveria 'Dick's Pink'

Several of my photos yesterday didn't turn out too well, but this one came through. The late afternoon sun was catching things just right and plants were aglow. Especially these vibrant echeverias.

Cotyledon ladismithensis - "Bear's Paws"

As you're probably aware by now, I like to have the botanical name for a plant, and there are good reasons for this. But this is one plant for which the common name is right on. I couldn't think of a better name!

Copiapoa tennuisima

This is one of the smaller growing copiapoas which flowers readily and regularly creates monstrose plants. Purple bodied beauties.

Rebutia heliosa

Rebutia heliosa is one of hose plants which is impressive year around in spite of its fairly small size. But then, when it flowers!

Rebutia albipilosa: still flowering...

I just posted a picture of this species in the middle of last month. I'm posting this pic just to demonstrate one of the traits of the Rebutia genus which makes them so endearing; they don't just flower overnight and that's all, but they flower on and off throughout Spring and early Summer, and then - sometimes - again in late Summer.

"Good Morning" Horsey kiss!

Just a little break from constant plants... This is "Ladybug" and this is the image I get every morning when I go out to feed her. Our dog, Osita, gets the same image as the two of them just have to exchange kisses every morning!

Senecio velatum

 

As a pot plant this certainly qualifies as weird.  You just don't expect this bright yellow flower at the end of this long stick. And, for a good part of the year, that's what it is: a long stick! But, hey, we're doing our part in keeping Portland weird.

Pachypodium succulentum

Though slow growing, Pachypodium succulentum is a fairly easy to grow caudiciform plant, flowering readily each year. As far as culture is concerned, the plants are dormant in winter and during this time we keep ours completely dry and attempt to keep the temperatures above 45 degrees F, though they have been subjected to lower temperatures on occasion to no apparent ill effect.

Rebutia mentosa 'Swobodae'

Talk about flowers which shout "Hey, I'm over here!" It's hard to miss these flowers,or the plant for that matter.

Enjoy your plants!

Echinocereus viridiflorus

These little beauties with the strange flowers are extremely cold hardy and can even stand a fair amount of Winter wetness, as long as they have excellent drainage. The original plants come from the foothills of Northern Colorado and Wyoming.

Eriosyce heinrichiana var. setosiflora

We've been raising cacti for over 40 years and we never get tired of theses beautiful flowers. Very few places in the flower kingdom match the beauty of so many cactus flowers.

Rebutia krainziana normal and crested

It's hard to believe these two plants are the same species, but they are. They're both Rebutia krainziana (syn.: R. marsoneri 'krainziana'), but the second is a large old crest of the same. If you didn't know what it was to begin with, the flower would be the only possible clue.

Front yard picture

The snowball tree is putting on its annual show and the grass is growing much too fast...too fast for us to keep up with it. But it is a beautiful time of the year in this part of the country; everything is so green and colorful. And it looks like the rain is going to let up a bit now, perhaps long enough for us to mow the lawn again! :)