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Today we have another Astrophytum - this time one I didn't grow from seed, but it has a flower bud! It's a macro of a bud on my Astrophytum myriostigma I bought a few years ago!


Link: https://flic.kr/p/2gdgyk6

Here's a macro shot of some buds forming on my Mammillaria spinosissima ssp. pilcayensis! The yellow spots on it is pollen from the trees around here, but I think it adds to the scale of the picture.
Flowers soon, hopefully!


Link: https://flic.kr/p/2gdNaVL

My last picture this week is of one of my Sempervivums outdoors! I think I got the picture almost just right as the pollen pairs with the hairs of the plant very well!


Link: https://flic.kr/p/2geiSgY

Nice overviews of seedlings to mature Astros...neither of which I have. And that Parodia looks very promising! I bought a beautiful little Parodia mammulosus at Lowe's recently. Once in a while they have great cacti. I keep telling them, though, to tell their supplier to stop with those awful glued-on strawflowers. Doubt they will...

fanaticactus wrote: Nice overviews of seedlings to mature Astros...neither of which I have. And that Parodia looks very promising! I bought a beautiful little Parodia mammulosus at Lowe's recently. Once in a while they have great cacti. I keep telling them, though, to tell their supplier to stop with those awful glued-on strawflowers. Doubt they will...

I know a person who has gone to one of the large suppliers before, and the message is the same as many have reported - unfortunately, the straw flowers sell better....
...I did get those two (I actually have two of those Parodias) from Lowes as well though! They were on sale... I think I paid a dollar each for them?

Also I should give an update on those Echinopsis seeds.... just been a bit lazy.

This week will probably be some seedling updates, so, here's a Gymnocalycium saglionis subsp. tilcarense VoS 14-1578 seedling that was sown on Christmas, 12018! (about 6 months old)


Link: https://flic.kr/p/2gg2k4T

If anyone's been following the updates I have on this plant, I'm real excited for these and they have finally switched to one primary spine per areole!
What plant? That would be these Gymnocalycium friedrichii VoS 01-014/a!
They were sown on Nov 24th, 12018!


Link: https://flic.kr/p/2ggwE7Z

Here's another Gymno update - Gymnocalycium uebelmannianum VoS 14-1757, which has also switched to a more matured-like spines! They were also sown Nov. 24th, 12018!


Link: https://flic.kr/p/2gh3KVZ

An update on some offset off of a Neowerdermannia chilensis CS27, Ref 2332 I sowed back in Feb 17th, 12015! The mother plant is much larger, but a bit wonky, so, these offsets look better.


Link: https://flic.kr/p/2ghugLE

Here's an odd one that's been staying alive even though I left it as seed for a while and accidentally made it go through a bunch of slime mold (whoops)
It's Geohintonia mexicana! Sown Aug 18th, 12018!


Link: https://flic.kr/p/2gi19w4

It's a focus-stacked photo, a composite of 2 images

My Mammillaria spinosissima ssp. pilcayensis is now in bloom! As things are finally getting going here, this week will be some blooms and buds!


Link: https://flic.kr/p/2gjzpzL

A Gymnocalycium anisitsii (or similar, was never confirmed) in bloom! This plant has been reliably flowering for me for the many years I've had it!


Link: https://flic.kr/p/2gk5aCD

Here's a flower bud developing on my Gymnocalycium berchtii 'nataliae' STO 526! If it flowers, it will be the first Gymno that has gone from seed to flower in my collection! It was sown on March 20th, 12015!


Link: https://flic.kr/p/2gkwVw4

Also, my Miles order has arrived! If anyone reads this, any advice on keeping grafted plants alive? (here they often get rained on and rot may build between the scion and stock.)
I also got myself a Discocactus and the Mammillaria wrightii which I hear are challenging plants?

Here's another attempt at focus stacking, this time on the first flowers of the season on my Mammillaria hahniana! (constructed from 3 photos)
It's almost a full ring of flowers now, so, will update if I get to it.


Link: https://flic.kr/p/2gm5aVf

Last picture for this week - here's a Euphorbia sp. that always gives a nice crown of these tiny green/yellow flowers after I bring it out of rest!


Link: https://flic.kr/p/2gmJjJs