Thanks Dave. That's about all I found too. Asterias seems to be pink but I couldn't find an ornatum ( what I assume this is). This old guy came from a well known local enthusiast who collected all over the world. When he died, no one wanted this, since it wasn't show quality. Wish I knew the back st...

K.W. - Love looking at your Astrophytum. Last summer, when we did the "rescue" from our deceased club member's GH, I adopted an old,scarred veteran that nobody wanted. I guess it wasn't perfect. Repotted, cleaned up the mealy bugs & today the old man thanked me with a flower. Quite sur...

Is there a special name for the pink flowered Astrophytum? This may open more tomorrow but I took a pic in case it didn't. Inherited from a deceased member of our local club; first time blooming for me. TIA.

Sometimes the old favorites are still the best. I have 3 "holiday" cactus - one for Halloween, one around Thanksgiving & the old lady who will be blooming for another 2 weeks or so. Then the pale yellow T-Day one re-blooms the end of February. No idea why.

The winter growers like gasteria are in the living room, the rhipsalis ( blooming like crazy) are on the sunporch & the melos are nice & warm in the office. The house is maxxed out. The GHs are 8 by 10 & 9 by 13. The new GH has all the rescued copiapoas, big barrels & the rescued Sch...

Tell me again that cactus are worth the hassle! It's 5AM & 8 degrees. My sweet, sweet husband just went outside & turned up the SECOND electric space heater in what we call the "new greenhouse". Needed #2 for cactus from a club rescue(deceased member). Kind of like a "free hor...

Wouldn't be winteri which is pendulous by that size. Perhaps Cleistocactus tupizensis?

Guess I've had them for 2 or 3 years now. Funny part of the story. We were in the candle/silk flower/fake herb section. In the rack next to the fake chives are these cactus in little paper sleeves. Husband says "they look so real" as he picks one up. Four nice long melo spines are now imbe...

Don't laugh, but I bought mine at IKEA. $2.99. Also grabbed two other melos with name tags that I hope were accurate. All have doubled in size. Would have preferred larger mature plants but for that price I grabbed them. Sue

Since everyone enjoys your photos of hildewintera hybrids, would you consider making a page just for the species & hybrids? You could share your knowledge & we newbies can post our plants. I just ordered two more from Epicactus in California. I prefer the kind that droop & cluster at the...

Here's what my fero hamatacanthus looks like in bloom. Just to be more confusing. Sue

Melos are tough to ID. I have eleven & am confident of the proper names of only five. Sue

Thanks K.W. I found a source that lists Helms Neue & then has a separate listing for Andenken an Ritter. I'll try to find out which has more pink. Sue

The 20cm part went right over my head; I'm too old to think in metric. I guess I should make a conversion chart & post it by the computer. Did I do the math right - almost 8 inches? Back to the ID guessing game, needs to grow a bigger ceph. Sue

KW - first, how are you feeling? Be patient, eyes heal slowly. I've both retinas "welded" back together ( crashed my race car ) & it does take time. I'm still mooning over your hildewintera hybrids. Do you have a name for the one in photo 152859? I'd like to try & find a supplier. ...