What are your favourites?

[Iain]

If you could only have 10 cacti and 10 non-cacti succulents, what would be on your favourites or "best of the best" list?

[savant]

I have just added a post above about the plant I've always wanted and I've just ordered one from a seller on Ebay. A Solisia pectinata. That is my top plant.
I will reply with my other favourites a little later.

[adetheproducer]

Lophophora williamsii
Lophophora Diffusa
Ariocarpus fissuratus
Ariocarpus lloydii
Strombocactus disciformis
Eriosyce occulta
Pelecyphora aseliformis
Aztekium hintoni
Aztekium ritteri
Obregonia denegrii

[cefalophone]

Do varieties count as separate cacti or can we include them as one entry?

[Aiko]

If you could only have 10 cacti and 10 non-cacti succulents, what would be on your favourites or "best of the best" list?

I would probably choose:
Ariocarpus kotschoubeyanus
Ariocarpus retusus
Ariocarpus trigonus
Turbinicarpus pseudopectinatus
Blossfeldia liliputana
Pelecyphora asseliformis
Pelecyphora strobiliformis
Copiapoa hypogaea
Echinocactus horizonthalonius
Echinocactus texensis

And:
Conophytum burgerii
Conophytum hammerii
Mitrophyllum grande
Mitrophyllum dissitum
Mitrophyllum clivorum
Monilaria pissiformis
Monilaria moniliformis
Massonia pustulata
Pseudolithos cubiformis
Pseudolithos migiurtinus

[phyllonemus]

My incomplete list of favorites :

Euphorbia stellata
Euphorbia bevialopsis
Euphorbia ambovensis
Ipomoea bolusiana
Raphionacme zeyerii
Pachypodium bispinosum
Pachypodium brevicaule
Pachypodium rosulatum
Pachypodium namaquensis
Pachypodium lamerei

And a lot of other Euphorbiacae and Apocynaceae

[adetheproducer]

If you could only have 10 cacti and 10 non-cacti succulents, what would be on your favourites or "best of the best" list?

I would probably choose:
Ariocarpus kotschoubeyanus
Ariocarpus retusus
Ariocarpus trigonus
Turbinicarpus pseudopectinatus
Blossfeldia liliputana
Pelecyphora asseliformis
Pelecyphora strobiliformis
Copiapoa hypogaea
Echinocactus horizonthalonius
Echinocactus texensis

And:
Conophytum burgerii
Conophytum hammerii
Mitrophyllum grande
Mitrophyllum dissitum
Mitrophyllum clivorum
Monilaria pissiformis
Monilaria moniliformis
Massonia pustulata
Pseudolithos cubiformis
Pseudolithos migiurtinus

Thats a good list Aiko, I struggled making my list and had we been given more numbers Pelecyphora strobiliformis, Copiapoa hypogaea, Echinocactus horizonthalonius and Echinocactus texensis would likely have been included and some of the turbinicarpus species like alonsoi also a few copiapoa species too, I like the more unusually formed cacti.

[Iain]

Do varieties count as separate cacti or can we include them as one entry?

Hi Cefalophone

Vareties count like species. It's 10 cacti. And 10 succulents. Only "the best of the best".

I look forward to hearing what you think.

All the best

Iain

[JustSayNotoCactus]

Ariocarpus retusus v. confusis
Aztekium
Coryphantha crackii
Discocactus horstii
Echinocactus horizonthalonius
Lophophoras
Mamm luethyi
Pellecyphora asseliformis
Tephrocactus geometricus
Turbinicarpus alonsoi
Yavia cryptocarpa

Succulents:
Ceropegia razafindratsirae
Euphorbias
Othonna cacaloides
Bulbine bruynsii
Conophytum burgeri
Pseudolithos cubiformis
Whitesloanea crassa
Dioscorea elephantipes
Haemanthus difformis
Cyphostemma uter ssp. macrocarpus

[Steve Johnson]

Tough choice paring this down to only 10 cacti, but if I had to, my favorites would be:

Astrophytum capricorne
Cephalocereus senilis
Copiapoa hypogaea
Eriosyce senilis
Mammilaria perezdelarosae
Melocactus matanzanus
Pelecyphora aselliformis
Rebutia pygmaea
Sulcorebutia rauschii
Turbinicarpus pseudomacrochele

Good topic!

[cefalophone]

Too bad I was hoping to sneak in an extra amount of cacti to my list haha. Myself I prefer unusual shapes and forms so the majority will be crested and Montrose cacti

1. T. Bridgesii f. Monstrosa short jointed clone. The first cacti I ever purchased and the one that got me started growing cacti. It was the first time I became aware that cacti did not only look columnar or pad like.

2. Blossfeldia lilliputana. I love this little oddball and after seeing habitat shots while reading about it I found it all the more alluring and intriguing.

3. Cleistocactus jujuyensis f. Cristata. I do not own one yet but hopefully one day. It is one of the most beautiful crested cacti in my opinion and I live its stripe like pattern.

4. Eulychina castenea f. Spiralis/cristata. It grows both crested and spiral offsets resulting in a curious and wonderful looking cactus.
Another one I hope to one day acquire.

5. Cintia knizei. Not so much odd compared to others on my list but again after reading up on it I just had to have it

6. Trichocereus taquimbalensis. Aside from mutated growth forms I really enjoy spination and this cactus has some attractive spination. It has some gorgeous white blooms as well.

7.maihueniopsis clavarioides f. Cristata. Just look at one and tell me you don't have to have it haha

8. Sulcorebutia rauschii f. Cristata. This cactus has it all, a lovely violet body color, unique spination, crested growth, and gorgeous flowers. Sadly I lost my grafted specimen when the stock started to rot and have not been able to find a replacement.

9. Tephrocactus molinensis red spines form. This is one of my favorites in my collection. I can not exactly pinpoint what I like about it but I just enjoy having it and watching it grow.

10. Tephrocactus articulatus papyracanthus. You just need one haha. I really like it's ribbon spines and grey skinned body. It's just another lovely cactus to have around.

I know I probably made some spelling mistakes. im posting from a phone spelling the names from memory. so if you see one let me know so I can correct it

[Iain]

Wow. What a start! I've just been looking them all up, most of which I'd never heard of before.

I've been a professional nurseryman for the past 33 years - growing mainly perennials, not cacti/succulents, although I was friends with the late Terry Hewitt in the early 1980s when I started my nursery. In the modern world where many plants are mass produced for garden centres, it's wonderful to see such an incredible variety of plants being grown.

Thank you to everyone who has so far offered their list. Those of you who have only suggested cacti, what about succulents?

All the best

Iain

[Iain]

Dear All

So you know where I'm coming from, I can't put together 10 of each yet. It's not that I'm indecisive, but rather ignorant and knowing that I've got a lot to learn and discover.

My favourite cacti would include:

Mammallaria hahniana - My wife and I have a small one at home, recently purchased.
Echinocactus grusonii - We recently got a lovely specimen for the garden at one of our nature reserves in South Africa. Classic (deservedly so).
Pelecyphora aselliformis - Based on more than one suggestion above! Stunning.
Notocactus magnificus - Based on photos.
(+6 to be decided)

My favourite succulents are a bit easier and would include:

Agave victoriae-reginae
Agave geminiflora
Echeveria - I'm not sure which one I would pick, but these wonders of nature ignited or re-ignited my love of succulents.
Delosperma sphalmanthoides - I'm biased, as this gem is found at one of our nature reserves in South Africa.
Dioscorea elephantipes - We've recently bought a tiny one, but we've seen how amazing they can become.
Euphorbia obesa
Haworthia truncata
(+3 to be decided)

[phil_SK]

Aylostera einsteinii ssp aureiflora 'euanthema' (bottom left)
Chamaecereus silvestrii (bottom right)
Cumulopuntia chichensis (not shown)
Echinopsis jajoana (or marsoneri?) 'nigrostoma' FR401 (top left)
Echinopsis oxygona (top right)
Lobivia ancistrophora (not shown)
Lobivia maximiliana ssp caespitosa KK813 (top centre)
Maihueniopsis hickenii (bottom centre)
Punotia lagopus (centre left)
Rebutia tarabucoensis (centre right)

Capture.JPG (66.56 KiB) Viewed 2867 times

[BRC]

These are probably the ones i would want:
Cacti:
Lophophora Williamsii
Parodia Subterranea
Maihueniopsis clavarioides
Geohintonia mexicana
Turbinicarpus graminispinus
Pelecyphora strobiliformis
Eriosyce odieri
Ariocarpus kotschoubeyanus



succulents:
Ceropegia dichotoma subs. fusca
Dinteranthus wilmotianus
Dorstenia foetida/crispa
Xerophyta retinervis
Tylecodon bucholzianus
Hoodia gordonii
Lithops lesliei ssp. lesliei v. lesliei 'Albinica'
Lithops villetii ssp. kennedyi

The missing two on both areas are yet to be decided.