Mammillaria albilanata

Mammillaria albilanata is quite easy to grow and flowers dependably every spring. We've had this one for quite a while and it's doing what it does best.

It's Epicactus time!

It's that time of year again and the Epicacti are doing their thing. The first is Padre, a dependable large flowering orchid cactus.

The next one is unnamed. We simply know it as "Yellow Flower", because that's the name the grower over at the Oregon coast (nursery now closed) placed on the label. As you can tell from the photo, it's floriferous, producing many medium to large sized flowers each year.

Enjoy your plants!

Workshop January 23

Just a note to invite persons in the Portland to attend the workshop I'll be giving next Sunday at Portland Nursery on Division Street. It'll be mostly geared toward beginners but we'll try to answer any questions that participants have. It's at 1 pm at the Portland Nursery on Division Street. See you there. (I'll be back with some new photos tomorrow (or, rather later today!). Enjoy your plants.

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...

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.

Mammillaria formosa - another image

I just couldn't resist posting another picture of Mammillaria formosa. I took my camera out to the greenhouses today to take pictures of the Lithops growing. (I know, about as exciting as watching grass grow!) But along the way I couldn't resist another photo of this group of mams.

Mammillaria plumosa

Here in Portland we're quickly moving into the Fall season. The nights are getting a bit more crisp and the number of warm days begin to decrease...and the cactus flowers are less and less. A few plants, like the Lithops of course, will be blooming now, and we'll post some of those. But for today's plant I'm reaching back to an older photo of Mammillaria plumosa. This is a plant that blooms like mad, and for us at least, it does so throughout much of the winter. (Which reminds me...I have to pot this clump up this week!)

Haworthia 'Harry Johnson III'

Another cultivar, a classic hybrid developed by Harry Johnson - appropriately named 'Harry Johnson'. (Actually, we have three very different Haworthias which we originally purchased from Johnson's Cactus Nursery many years ago with this name. They're labeled 'Harry Johnson I, II, & III) This one is III and we find it to still be very popular.

A closeup view. The colors, of course, are best with strong light.

Haworthia nigra

Continuing with haworthias: Some haworthias grow flat to the ground, exposing only their upper surface, while others form lovely hard-bodied clumps like this Haworthia nigra. Oringinally described as an Astroloba, H. nigra can be quite variable in color and form and are fairly easy to grow and reproduce as it is usually slowly proliferous or stoloniferous. Beautiful plants.

Haworthia koelmaniorum

The leaf surface of an Haworthia may be smooth and shiny or it may rough and bumpy. H. koelmaniorum is certainly an example of the latter. In our experience it's slow growing and reticent to develop offsets. Therefore it's not that available through nurseries, including our own (though we do have a couple available currently).
As with fans of Lithops, those of us who enjoy Haworthias will often be seen with a magnifying glass admiring the intricacies of their form.

Oregon Cactus & Succulent Society show and sale

This is a photo from the Oregon Cactus & Succulent sale and show in July.

Oregon Cactus & Succulent Society meeting

Perhaps I'll see some of you this next Sunday. We're hosting the June meeting of the Oregon Cactus & Succulent Society at 4:30 pm here at the nursery next Sunday, June 28. We'll be sharing a potluck meal, I'll be sharing a program on Haworthias and in general we'll have a good time. We'd be glad to have you join us: 7009 N. Fiske Ave in North Portland.

Epicactus 'Miss Escondido'

This one is "Miss Escondido". What more needs to be said.

Beaverton Succulent Garden

No, this isn't a garden in Tucson; it's in the Portland, Oregon metro area. Mark Burgess has created a beautiful garden which includes many cacti and succulents which many would assume couldn't survive outside in our climate: Agave 'Green Goblet', Echinocereus rigidissimus subsp. rubispinus and E. rigidissimus albispina to name a few. Plus, of course, a wide variety of chollas and other opuntias. Good job, Mark!

Rebutia narvaecense

One more photo for tonight: Rebutia narvaecense. It's been blooming for the last couple of weeks.

Eriosyce senilis III

Here it is; back again. Only this time the flowers are beginning to open. And the flowers are indeed fantastic.

Echeveria prolifica

Lynn-Marie was working in the greenhouses today and couldn't resist taking a few photos. The Echeveria prolificas are especially colorful this time of year.

Haworthia magnifica var splendens GM447

And while we're on close-ups, here's another one:

This one's Haworthia magnifica var. splendens (seed grown, GM447). Is it any wonder that magnifica splendens is among the haws most in demand? Wow!

Haworthia cymbiformis var. obtusa

It's been a while...I know. But I have some new photos to post, so here goes!

This is a close-up of Haworthia cymbiformis var. obtusa (from seed - JDV96/63). Now that's succulence!

"Hardy" Echeverias

People are always asking whether Echeverias are hardy or not; people tell them that under the right conditions, some are quite hardy...

Well, this one's hardy all right - as long as you keep it below freezing. Warm it up and it suddenly will become a wee bit limp!

But as long as it's below freezing, it's a beaut! I call it our "Echeveriacicle". For us it's been really cold, down to 16 degrees F.

(Actually, we just forgot these two Echeveria gibbiflora hybrids and they didn't get into protection. If either one does survive, we'll let you know!) [Fat chance!]