MrXeric's seedlings 2021 (and beyond...)

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MrXeric
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Location: California, USDA zone 10a

Re: MrXeric's 2023 seedlings part 3

Post by MrXeric »

One thing I haven't mentioned is feeding. I've been fertilizing every other watering at quarter strength (0.5 tsp/gal) for the liquid fertilizers I've been using. Initially I started using Dyna-Gro Bloom 3-12-6:
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But I recently switched to something with a better NPK balance, General Hydroponics FloraNova Grow 7-4-10:
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Anyway, here are the last of the ADBLPS seeds I sowed January 2023, mostly Mexican species (Mammillaria!). These were treated exactly the same as the South American species I posted previously.

Ariocarpus agavoides Tula, Tamaulipas, Mexico [ADBLPS 32]
Ariocarpus agavoides subsp. sanluisensis VM 804 San Isidro, Guadalcázar, San Luis Potosí, Mexico [ADBLPS 11254]
Aztekium hintonii [ADBLPS 1917]
Epithelantha ilariae VM 656 Hidalgo, Nuevo León, Mexico [ADBLPS 9948]
Epithelantha spinosior [ADBLPS 235]
Mammillaria aureilanata [ADBLPS 873]
Mammillaria crucigera FO 105 San José Tilapa, Puebla-Oaxaca border, Mexico [ADBLPS 2225]
Mammillaria formosa subsp. microthele 'superfina' [ADBLPS 977]
Mammillaria huitzilopochtli var. cuicatlanensis f. multispina n. n. TL 327 south of Cuicatlán, Oaxaca, Mexico [ADBLPS 787]
Mammillaria zephyranthoides [ADBLPS 660]

A. agavoides Tula, Tamaulipas, Mexico. From the type locality of the species. I had about 50% germination but had a fungus issue early on and only these 2 survived.
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A. agavoides subsp. sanluisensis VM 804. A spiny form from a population disjunct from the Tula type locality. Not always accepted as valid subspecies. 5 of 5 seeds germinated.
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A. hintonii. 7 of 10 seeds germinated, but only 3 survived until now, the rest were suffocated by algae.
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E. ilariae VM 656. ADBLPS has the field number as "WM" which most commonly refers to Woody Minnich numbers, but I think this number refers to Vojtech Myšák (VM). It seems "Vojtech" can also be spelled "Wojtech", so I guess that's where the confusion comes from. Initially only 2 seeds germinated:
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I saved the other seeds and sowed them again June 2023. All three germinated! Save your ungerminated seeds!
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E. spinosior. This is E. unguispina renamed. In a recent review of the genus, it was found that a taxon previously published as E. spinosior in 1951 matches the description of E. unguispina (which was first published as such in 2010; the taxon first described as Mammillaria micromeris var. unguispina in 1932.) Here is the study (behind a paywall, unfortunately): Species Delimitation and Phylogeny of Epithelantha (Cactaceae) Aquino & al. 2019. 6 of 10 seeds germinated (the 6th seedling is the smallest and potted separately).
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M. aureilanata. Only 2 of 5 seeds germinated.
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M. crucigera FO 105 San José Tilapa, Puebla-Oaxaca border, Mexico. 4 of 5 seeds germinated.
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I like the darker areoles and central spines of this seedling.
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M. formosa subsp. microthele 'superfina'. These really want strong light, so I have the pot raised close to the LEDs. All 5 seeds germinated, the other 2 much later (and since potted separately).
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M. huitzilopochtli var. cuicatlanensis fa. multispina n. n. TL 327. I kept the nomen nudum intact because I get a kick out of the mouthful the name is. :lol: As far as I can tell, this is just a form of M. huitzilopochtli with denser, more numerous radial spines. See the pic from ADBLPS here. Looks similar to M. crucigera, but this grows faster (this seedling is about twice the diameter of my largest M. crucigera). Disappointingly, only 1 seed of 20 germinated. These were the tiniest Mammillaria seeds I've sown to date, so I think most fell through the cracks in the substrate and were lost.
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M. zephyranthoides. Only 1 of 5 seeds germinated. I think these have the largest Mammillaria seeds? Biggest of the Mammillaria I've sown so far for sure. This seedling lost its roots pretty early on and was stunted for months. Most of its growth occurred in the last 3 months or so.
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Some failures.

Micropuntia pulchella [ADBLPS 11565]. All three seeds germinated, but there was a fungus issue and none of the seedlings made it beyond the germination stage.
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These failed to germinate:
Cochemiea (=Neolloydia) conoidea 'grandiflora' SB 238 Guadalcázar, San Luis Potosí, Mexico [ADBLPS 2292]
Cochemiea (=Neolloydia) matehualensis SB 279 El Huizache, San Luis Potosí, Mexico [ADBLPS 12571]

These are my 2nd and 3rd attempts at the old Neolloydia species with zero germination. Anyone else have problems (success?) with these species?
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Nino_G
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Re: MrXeric's seedlings 2021 (and beyond...)

Post by Nino_G »

I really like E. ilariae, putting it on my "to sow" list! As for E.unguispina/spinosior I think that name "spinosior" describes the species much better than "unguispina" (claw-like spines).
All of your seedlings are looking perfect :thumbleft:

P.S. That Flora Nova Grow fertilizer looks very good. More importantly, it's localy available :D . May I ask what concentrations do you use? Manufacturer proposes 1-4ml/l.
Last edited by Nino_G on Mon Feb 19, 2024 10:31 am, edited 1 time in total.
keith
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Re: MrXeric's seedlings 2021 (and beyond...)

Post by keith »

They all look very good , you are under grow lights now ? I have lithops going now but cactus will have to wait until its warmer .

Epithelantha ilariae hard to find you can make seeds eventually :D
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MrXeric
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Re: MrXeric's seedlings 2021 (and beyond...)

Post by MrXeric »

Nino_G wrote: Mon Feb 05, 2024 8:47 am I really like E. ilariae, putting it on my "to sow" list! As for E.unguispina/spinosior I think that name "spinosior" describes the species much better than "unguispina" (claw-like spines).
All of your seedlings are looking perfect :thumbleft:

P.S. That Flora Nova Grow fertilizer looks very good. More importantly, it's localy available :D . May I ask what concentrations do you use? Manufacturer proposes 1-4ml/l.
For seedlings I've been doing the lowest recommended concentration, 0.5 tsp/gal or 0.625ml/L (I think it should be 0.65?), every other time I water.
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MrXeric
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Location: California, USDA zone 10a

Re: MrXeric's seedlings 2021 (and beyond...)

Post by MrXeric »

keith wrote: Sat Feb 17, 2024 2:05 am They all look very good , you are under grow lights now ? I have lithops going now but cactus will have to wait until its warmer .

Epithelantha ilariae hard to find you can make seeds eventually :D
Yeah, I've kept these in the box under lights longer than I've done in the past. It was fun watching these balloon up through the winter. Later in the month I will move the larger seedlings outdoors in preparation for the scorching they will get over the summer. :D

One thing though, is that these pots took up space that I would normally fill with new sowings in the winter. Good thing I guess, since I am running out of space and will need to build a new cold frame or plant stand! I'll seriously have to think about getting rid of some plants...
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MrXeric
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Re: MrXeric's seedlings 2021 (and beyond...)

Post by MrXeric »

The first of the Conophytum I sowed in 2021 has flowered. This was a species mix from Mesa Garden. Most turned out to be forms of C. pellucidum (a var. terricolor bloomed), though there is one I can't quite identify yet. Don't mind the overwatered plant with the split leaves! :lol:
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