Flowering 'moon cactus'

[teo]

I seem to remember a discussion if these non-chlorophyll cacti will ever flower. Here is an example that they will. I saw it in a garden center and I have no intention of buying one - with or without mealy bugs - it's just an illustration

Grafted Gymno mihanovichii

100_4402-c.JPG (52.36 KiB) Viewed 1734 times

[Eutow_Intermedium]

That mealy bug infestation needs to be removed asap.

They are sucking the life out of that plant.

.

Shame because it would be nice to see them if they should open fully.

[iann]

Need a lot of heat (not sun!) to open these. I've never seen them properly open on this type of plant.

[Eutow_Intermedium]

I'm pretty sure in the past I have seen a Hibotan mihanovichii with flowers open.

Unfortunately I dont have any pics to back this up.

But if I remember right, it was most likely a plant in a Wyevale garden centre.

[daiv]

It looks like this particular plant is mutating back - note the darker center. This suggests that the lack of chlorophyll is because the genetic "switch" isn't turned on, rather than components missing to produce it.

[DaveW]

Evidently they do flower.:-

http://johannadarilek.blogspot.co.uk/20 ... actus.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.cactus-art.biz/schede/GYMNOC ... ibotan.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

viewtopic.php?t=2241" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

As one of the links says they can vary as to whether they are completely chlorophyll deficient or not and therefore can exist on their own roots. What seems to be obvious from the different flower colours though is the chlorophyll deficient plants being sold are often derived from different species of this type of Gymno, not always all from a single clone of the same species.

[Eutow_Intermedium]

Torque of the devil

I was walking down my road today to get to the local Tram stop , and there's a house on that left side , they must be a cactus fans in that household to some degree. I know they had a big Schlumbergia hanging down , although it looked a bit tired , unloved and unwatered.

There was another big cactus high up on the shelf above my head , but I could'nt tell what genus it was from the place I was standing.

But think of my suprise when I looked down to the right and saw the most stonking Chloraphyl free Gymno Mihanovichii I think I have ever seen.

It was'nt flowering , had a few pups up top and some weeny ones towards the base. This thing must be well over 10 yrs old. Who sais you cant keep a Hibotan ( moon cactus ) for very long.

[martenfisher]

I had one with the purple in it like that. I potted it on its own and now it is fully purple with no pink at all.