Late season flowers: Echinocereus rigidissimus subsp. rubispinus

We've posted this plant on many occasions, but that's partly because it's such a great plant. It flowers dependably from early Spring into the early Fall, and they are indeed spectacular; but the plants are themselves amazing, with their tightly appressed reddish spines. Right now they're adding a bit of brightness as the skies begin to darken and a small coastal storm begins to bring rain and wind. Fall is here.

 

Please, enjoy your plants!

When you got no roots...flower anyway!

Steve Hammer, in his article in Haworthia Update, says it's helpful to him to say that his job is primarily to grow roots. And I've often expressed the same thing. But then...

This plant came to us with some problems: mealy bugs and some beginning rot. So out comes that sharp sterile blade and off goes the bottom of the plant. After letting it callus over, it's been sitting in the rooting tray. It hasn't had enough time yet to form roots, but - hey - why wait? You don't have to have roots to flower...and you can take that personally!

Echinocereus rigidissimus var. rubrispinus

Today I did have a few minutes to get some shots of the Ruby Hedgehog in flower. They've been flowering off and on for a while now; just never seem to have the camera handy when I need it.

Echinocereus rigidissimus subsp. rubispinus flower

It's just been way too busy since returning from our trip, but the flowers just keep coming anyway. And with the temperature rising to 88 F today, there are flowers everywhere!

This is the flower of Echinocereus rigidissimus subsp. rubispinus. There are several of these flowering.