Wow! I really misjudged the size of that little cholla. I have never seen one like that. With that much branching of small stems, it is probably a monstrose form of something, but I have no idea what species. It is much too small for the normal form of any of the species mentioned above. Nice!

Chollas are tough to ID especially without flowers or fruit. Most species are variable and they vary a lot by growing conditions. My best guesses: 1. Cylindropuntia echinocarpa 2. Cylindropuntia imbricata 3. Echinopsis, either E. oxygona or one of the hybrids 4. Echinocereus triglochidiatus 5. Mammi...

You have some very nice healthy plants. Well done! That is a very interesting Mammillaria. I think it might be M. crinita painteri monstruosa. http://www.llifle.com/Encyclopedia/CACTI/Family/Cactaceae/11150/Mammillaria_crinita_subs._painteri_f._monstruosa Some cacti have their anthers closed when th...

I like to collect buckets of coarse river sand, and then sift it through window screen to remove the fine parts. If needed, I'll sift it again through a 3/16 screen to remove the larger gravel (which goes into a potting mix for larger plants). This produces a coarse grit that works very well as the ...

It looks like a Parodia magnifica that has been growing in low light for a long time. With enough sun, it would be globe or barrel shaped.

Thanks for posting these Harald. I really enjoy seeing them. That Thelocactus rinconensis freudenbergerii is a particular favorite. There used to be two of them in planters where I work. Then someone stole one. :evil: I got a few seeds before that, and have some little ones growing, but it will be a...

1. Mammillaria elongata 2. Echinopsis, either E. oxygona or one of the hybrids. 3. Ferocactus latispinus 4. This one is difficult. There are some Parodias that have curved, even hooked central spines. Maybe one of them? I don't know the species well enough to guess. You will probably need to wait fo...

It could be E. oxygona, or it could be one of the many hybrids. You will know when it flowers.

It looks like Sulcorebutia rauschii (AKA Rebutia canigueralii) to me. In the second picture it is etiolating; growing tall, thin, and pale from lack of light. If you move it into full sun, be sure to do it slowly so it doesn't sunburn.

It is in the genus Consolea. I don't know which species.

I usually tear open the fruit and squeeze the pulp and seeds into a small dish of water. I roll the seeds between my fingers to clean off the pulp, and then pour everything through a coffee filter. Once dry, the seeds will scrape off easily.

Or, as Tim says, sometimes I will just eat them!

It looks like a Pachycereus pringlei to me. The thin, fuzzy lines that run between the areoles on the new growth are typical of that species, but not Saguaros.

Hello Harald, I like those Agave parryi a lot also. The are sometimes planted in landscaping around Tucson. When they bloom, the red flower buds giving way to bright yellow flowers can be a very impressive sight. The Echinocereus arizonicus nigrihorridispinus has a bright red to orange-red flower, m...

Part 4 I never did see any Mammillaria wrightii wilcoxii or Mammillaria heyderi bullingtoniana which grow in this area and I was watching for. But the scenery and geology did not disappoint! CNM 5.jpg CNM 3.jpg CNM 2.jpg CNM 6.jpg Big Balancing Rock Big Balancing Rock.jpg Punch and Judy Punch and Ju...

Part 3 For hedgehogs, there were lots of Echinocereus arizonicus nigrihorridispinus claret cups. E. nigrihorridispinus CNM 5.jpg E. nigrihorridispinus CNM 4.jpg They showed a lot of variation in width and height of the stems, and color of spines. Some really had the 'horrible black spines' they were...