Succulents

/Succulents

Queen Of The Night

A large epiphytic cactus native to Mexico and Brazil. Epiphyllum can reach 20 feet in height (in the tropics). The dark green branches reach 3 feet long. This cactus lacks true leaves; its leaf-like growth is really flattened stems. Its showy blooms appear in late spring or early summer, and its white flowers are 11 inches long and 5 inches wide. This fragrant, nocturnal bloom opens in the late evening and closes again at sunrise. Plant in moist, well-draining soil. Mix two parts peat moss, one part sand and one part pine bark. Place in a site with full sunlight to partial shade exposure. The site should not be an area where temperatures fall below 35 degrees F. Water whenever the surface of the soil is dry. Reduce the amount of water given in the winter. Do not let the soil dry out all the way. Feed every month with a 10-10-10 balanced fertilizer diluted to half strength. Do not fertilize during its inactive period during the winter.

By | 2016-02-16T14:06:59-08:00 February 16th, 2016|Succulents|0 Comments
Read More

Beehive Cactus

This is cactus is likely the native Corphyantha robusta, but without flowers it is hard to be certain. They are long lived plants that form colonies and have exquisite flowers in shades of purple or magenta in the spring.
Regarding collecting them from the wild there a number of things to consider. First, it is illegal to collect live plants on federal land. Second, never collect a live plant with the landowner's permission. Third, be certain that the plant does not have either federal or state protection. Every state has a list of such plants, and so do federal agencies. Fourth, it is always much better to collect seed than a live plant. These plant are very old when they are this large, and you will be removing what amounts to a population and a significant seed and food resource. And, cacti grow easily from seed. We would urge you to never consider collection from the wild but either take seed and grow them yourself or find a reputable dealer who grows these plants.

By | 2017-09-11T15:49:24-07:00 February 15th, 2016|Succulents|0 Comments
Read More

Bonsai Crassula

A low growing shrub native to the eastern Cape Province to northern Transvaal in South Africa that gets to 2 feet tall with a fat gnarly trunk and stems with peeling bark bearing narrow green succulent leaves and attractive terminal flower clusters in summer. The flowers start as small pink flower buds that open to show off bell-shaped pale-pink flowers which, to some people, may smell of black currant jelly. Plant in full sun (except in hot inland desert climates) to light shade in well-drained soils and irrigate occasionally. This plant is considered one of the hardiest of Crassula, tolerating temperatures down to 10° F so it has long been cultivated throughout the temperate regions of the world. As it grows well indoors it can also often be seen in a windowsill garden in even colder climates. With the attractive branching, peeling bark and bare lower stems it resembles a small tree, which makes it a great succulent bonsai plant.

By | 2016-02-14T09:22:28-08:00 February 14th, 2016|Succulents|0 Comments
Read More

Euphorbia Lactea White Ghost Discoloration

Sometimes these are so hard to figure out without seeing where the plant is growing, etc. If you grab the plant between two fingers (one on the affected area) and give a gentle squeeze and it doesn't feel squishy, that's a good thing. Cactus can suffer with bacterial and fungal infections for some time - Euphorbias do not. If they get and infection it goes like wildfire and the plant can turn to goo pretty quick. Because it is spread out like that and looks a little affected all on the same plane, is it possible it got sunburned? Otherwise some kind of mechanical damage like the hail you mentioned could be a reason. Hail damage usually shows up within a week or two from when it happens and looks like freckles or pock marks. These can get larger over time but not usually. If it felt pretty much like any other part of the plant then I would wait and see - maybe the sunburn or mechanical damage scenario. This will never go away and will become a scar and an addition to the character of the plant. This is also common to see on cactus and euphorbias as they get older. Due sometimes just age as well as the introduction of some kind of damage they develop a very corky, barky appearance on their trunks. For more expert information contact the San Diego Cactus and Succulent Society at: http://sdcss.net/

By | 2016-01-23T12:16:23-08:00 January 23rd, 2016|Succulents|0 Comments
Read More

Tricolor Jade Plant

Crassula obliqua, native to South Africa, is a tree-like shrub to 6' or more in height. This is the cultivar 'Tricolor', which can have various leaf colors on the same plant. Some leaves are pale ivory with green striations or green mid-stripes. Others are completely ivory, or have splashes of ivory. New leaves are frosty yellow, becoming ivory with age. Leaves are margined with pink in cold weather or bright sun. Forms branching, thick elephantine trunk topped with a canopy of shiny leaves. The jade plant is a popular subject for bonsai training due to the inherent gnarly character of the thickened trunk and the ease with which it can be pruned and trained. An excellent plant for brightly lit areas in the house, patio and in more temperate climes can be planted in the garden or landscape. It needs porous soil with adequate drainage, and full sun to at least very bright light. Water thoroughly when soil is dry, and don't water again until the soil has become fairly dry again - Jades do not tolerate soggy soil and should never be allowed to stand in water for any length of time - Protect from frost.

By | 2016-01-22T21:07:07-08:00 January 22nd, 2016|Succulents|0 Comments
Read More

Spring Cactus Easter Cactus

We thank you so much for taking the time to provide additional comments. It made us realize that the text for Easter cactus was incorrect and did not properly identify the genus and species. Rhipsalidopsis are commonly known as Easter Cacti or Spring Cacti as they typically flower during April and May, and has typically reddish-orange. pink or white flowers. Often confused with Christmas Cacti or Schlumbergera, they are, in fact, similar in appearance but have very different flowers as you noted. The soil should be very porous, lightweight and slightly acidic. Slightly acidity can be provided by addition of peat moss or leaf mold. Plants must have good air circulation. Water thoroughly when soil becomes dry to the touch, but make sure water drains away rapidly. Soils that do not drain well and remain sodden for days or weeks will smother the root systems and encourage certain root diseases. Rhipsalidopsis thrive in temperatures between 70 and 80ŒÁF. Plants are happiest when night temperatures are between 55 and 65ŒÁF. Excellent as a hanging basket indoors in bright, airy spot or on a sheltered patio in temperate areas. Thank you again for your follow-up. It helped us to correct our database! Your Team at Garden Compass

By | 2017-09-11T15:49:26-07:00 January 22nd, 2016|Succulents|0 Comments
Read More

Echeveria Topsy Turvy

'Topsy Turvy' is believed to be a variant of Echeveria runyonii, and forms upswept rosettes to 6" or more in diameter. The leaves are tubular with widened tips, and icy silver blue in color. It is considered by some to be a monstrose form, as the leaves are tubular, whereas the leaves of Echeveria runyonii are somewhat flattened, fleshy and have rounded tips. A very easily grown plant that is excellent for window sill culture, in the rock garden or as a patio plant. In habitat, many Echeverias grow on rocky outcroppings at higher altitudes. In this habitat, the water drains quickly away from the roots of the plant, never allowing the plant to remain waterlogged. For this reason, it is essential in cultivation to use a very porous soil, which will allow quick drainage. Sun to very bright light is required to prevent "stretching" of Echeverias ("stretching" occurs when a moderately fast growing plant such as an Echeveria, is grown in dim light or over-fertilized, which causes overly lush growth that contributes to weak, pallid plants). Water thoroughly when soil is dry to the touch. Protect from frost.

By | 2016-01-11T19:02:45-08:00 January 11th, 2016|Succulents|0 Comments
Read More

Crown Of Thorns

Here are a few care tips and information about your crown of thorns plant. Euphorbia milii, is a succulent plant in the same family as the poinsettia, the thorns cover stems that ooze latex sap when cut. This is a common characteristic of euphorbias and is not a sign of disease. Use gloves when handling this plant to protect your skin from both the thorns and the sap. Indoors needs bright, indirect light and water only when soil feels dry to the touch down to the first knuckle. Outdoors provide full or partial sun and water sparingly. Does not tolerate frost. Flowers may be red, yellow, pink or white, depending on the cultivar. Your plant's foliage looks a bit sparse and this may be related to the cold winter or perhaps over watering. Also is it in full sun? If not, provide more sunlight. To give it an extra boost, suggest you foliar feed with a liquid organic kelp following the directions on the label and feed with a slow-release or organic fertilizer formulated for blooming container plants (do not use a synthetic fertilizer that encourages soft, foliar growth at the expense of flowering). Hope this helps your plant to bloom!

By | 2016-01-08T10:41:48-08:00 January 8th, 2016|Succulents|0 Comments
Read More

Weak Aloe

Maine is a tough place to grow an aloe to start! It is difficult to say what's at the bottom of its declining condition but here's some recommendations. I know its a very short season by you but take advantage of what you can. As long as your night temps stay above 45 degrees, move it outside into full sun. when you repot it, you will likely not see many roots. Use a smaller pot so you don't have such a large soil volume to root ratio. Too much wet soil for not enough roots is a disaster waiting to happen. Don't use sand in your mix, it will be too heavy. You can use your standard potting soil but add 1/3 to 1/2 of the volume of Perlite to open up the mix and make it drain faster. When you water, water well and don't water again until the soil has become dry down a couple of inches. One more thought - if you find that when you unpot it the roots are all collapsed and rotted, that's definitely the problem. At this point cut the head off of the bad stem where it shows healthy tissue. let the top part callus over for about 7 days and then plant it up in fresh soil mix - Do not water. Leave it another 7 days and it should have started to initiate new roots at this point and can now be watered.

By | 2016-01-06T02:06:18-08:00 January 6th, 2016|Succulents|0 Comments
Read More

Echeveria Topsy Turvy

'Topsy Turvy' is believed to be a variant of Echeveria runyonii, and forms upswept rosettes to 6" or more in diameter. The leaves are tubular with widened tips, and icy silver blue in color. It is considered by some to be a monstrose form, as the leaves are tubular, whereas the leaves of Echeveria runyonii are somewhat flattened, fleshy and have rounded tips. A very easily grown plant that is excellent for windowsill culture, in the rock garden or as a patio plant. In habitat, many Echeverias grow on rocky outcroppings at higher altitudes. In this habitat, the water drains quickly away from the roots of the plant, never allowing the plant to remain waterlogged. For this reason, it is essential in cultivation to use a very porous soil, which will allow quick drainage. Very bright light is required to prevent "stretching" of Echeverias ("stretching" occurs when a moderately fast growing plant such as an Echeveria, is grown in dim light or over-fertilized, which causes overly lush growth that contributes to weak, pallid plants). Water thoroughly when soil is dry to the touch. Protect from frost.

By | 2016-01-04T21:08:14-08:00 January 4th, 2016|Succulents|0 Comments
Read More