Monday, December 19, 2005

Ariocarpus & Epithelantha

I’m just home from California, slightly worn and jet-lagged. Again I took the opportunity and ordered plants from Mesa Garden to be delivered to my US hotel address (and again the plants are immaculate).

I received the plants listed below (all in the range of 10 years old from seed) and a couple of Opuntias for my winter hardy collection. The Ariocarpus and Epithelantha plants were potted yesterday in a mix of primarily limestone gravel, some loamy sand, and a bit of commercial cactus soil.

Ariocarpus fissuratus (SB413)
Brewster County, Texas, USA

Ariocarpus fissuratus (SB413)
Ariocarpus fissuratus (SB413)

The plants are approximately 2.5-3 cm (~ 1-1.2’’) wide, and 6.5-7 cm (~ 2.5-2.75’’) high.

Ariocarpus retusus (SB334)
Huizache, San Luis Potosi, Mexico

Ariocarpus retusus (SB334)
Ariocarpus retusus (SB334)

The plants are approximately 2.5-2.7 cm (~ 1’’) wide, and 7 cm (2.75’’) high.

Epithelantha bokei (SB416)
Brewster County, Texas, USA

Epithelantha bokei (SB416)
Epithelantha bokei (SB416)

The plants are approximately 1.5 cm (~ 0.6’’) wide, and 2.2 cm (~ 0.87’’) high (measured without the root).

1 comment:

  1. contact me at tejasmed@ev1.net
    I have a collection of Ariocarpus Fisuatus collected from our CASI Chili Site in Big Bend Terlingua TX that we go to each year. Been there about 20 years and have not missed a year.
    I can send you some nice bloom pictures from my collection of both Ariocarpus and Epithelantha.
    The interesting thing is that the blooms are usually in November of each year for the Ariocarpus. The cactus will go dormant until Spring. Then when new activity starts, a seed pod will emerge from the center. The seed pod looks very much like a kernel of garlic that has been peeled.
    This seed pod appears almost 6 months behind the bloom, which since I am there only on Nov, I had never seen. The critters probably ate what seeds there were in the desert.
    I have one Epithelantha that is starting to bloom now March 11, 2006. Also, my obdengria has bloomed. The Ariocarpus, retusus, and leutchenbergia (S?) are just getting started growing again after the winter nap. I have to keep all my special cacti dry from Nov to March each year. It is a usual wet winter in Sugar Land, TX near Houston. The opuntia fend for them selves in the cold.

    Regards,
    Tejas Medicineman

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