Do any members grow Maihueniopsis?
I planted three last fall and one survived. Mesa Garden rates them as 17 and I know from experience that those rated 17 will not live here(Sparks, NV) unless protected from winter rain and snow. The one Maihueniopsis darwinii survived and looks like it is trying to grow. Our May weather has been cold, wet and windy. I think this has stopped it from growing so far.
I'd like to add a dozen of Maihueniopsis darwinii to my garden but I'm not sure they will last here in the long term. If anyone has a bunch or cuttings, I'd be happy to make a deal.
censussearcher@gmail.com
Charles / Chuck
Maihueniopsis
Welcome to my world where protection from moisture is everything 
They're certainly cold resistant, probably much colder than the Mesa estimate of 10F. Habitat is up to 10,000' or more in the Andes, where winters are utterly arid. Strangely enough, Maihueniopsis are also found quite far south and at fairly low altitude where winters are wetter, or at least snowier. I can't keep track of them all and maybe those forms have different names that you might suit your conditions better.
Another feature of these little things is hating summer heat. They don't like being in a greenhouse in England in summer. I'm not sure how they'll take to your summers, but maybe they'll be OK in the open where they get good ventilation and can really cool off at night. High UV will be a plus
It's perhaps worth mentioning that they don't seem to start growing until things really warm up in late spring or early summer, which I always find a little strange.
They're certainly cold resistant, probably much colder than the Mesa estimate of 10F. Habitat is up to 10,000' or more in the Andes, where winters are utterly arid. Strangely enough, Maihueniopsis are also found quite far south and at fairly low altitude where winters are wetter, or at least snowier. I can't keep track of them all and maybe those forms have different names that you might suit your conditions better.
Another feature of these little things is hating summer heat. They don't like being in a greenhouse in England in summer. I'm not sure how they'll take to your summers, but maybe they'll be OK in the open where they get good ventilation and can really cool off at night. High UV will be a plus
It's perhaps worth mentioning that they don't seem to start growing until things really warm up in late spring or early summer, which I always find a little strange.--ian
Great,
I think they will do okay here. Mesa lists four varieties. I may order two of each. He said there is a high demand for them and is often sold out.
Our summers are brutal. I cover some Escobarias with shade screen or they sunburn.
If I can not find cuttings soon I will order them as I want them to get set in the ground before winter.
Thank you for your insight.
Charles
I think they will do okay here. Mesa lists four varieties. I may order two of each. He said there is a high demand for them and is often sold out.
Our summers are brutal. I cover some Escobarias with shade screen or they sunburn.
If I can not find cuttings soon I will order them as I want them to get set in the ground before winter.
Thank you for your insight.
Charles
I have succesfully been growing m. darwinii here for four years now, usually with a pot over them during winter. I have had casualties here and there but most of them survive, not easily though. m. ovata does not live through winter here, other types I haven't tried.
I'm keeping two specimens of m. darwinii in the greenhouse for the first time this year, so far so good.. (and it has been quite hot lately)
I'm keeping two specimens of m. darwinii in the greenhouse for the first time this year, so far so good.. (and it has been quite hot lately)
With apologies to the late Professor C. D. Darlington the following misquotation springs to
mind ‘cactus taxonomy is the pursuit of the impossible by the incompetent’ - Fearn & Pearcy, Rebutia (1981)
mind ‘cactus taxonomy is the pursuit of the impossible by the incompetent’ - Fearn & Pearcy, Rebutia (1981)
Today I ordered:
Maihueniopsis 551.92947-darwinii DJF355 Comodoro Rivadaria x 2
Maihueniopsis 551.92949-darwinii DJF225 Pto Pyramides, shiny golden spines x 2
Maihueniopsis 551.9296-darwinii v hickenii DJF228 Sierra Grande, Rio Negro x2
Maihueniopsis 551.92963-darwinii v hickenii DJF185 Papagayos x2
I hope to grow these in Sparks; If they are successful I would be willing to share cuttings. That might be a year or two down the road.
Maihueniopsis 551.92947-darwinii DJF355 Comodoro Rivadaria x 2
Maihueniopsis 551.92949-darwinii DJF225 Pto Pyramides, shiny golden spines x 2
Maihueniopsis 551.9296-darwinii v hickenii DJF228 Sierra Grande, Rio Negro x2
Maihueniopsis 551.92963-darwinii v hickenii DJF185 Papagayos x2
I hope to grow these in Sparks; If they are successful I would be willing to share cuttings. That might be a year or two down the road.
Maihuenia poepegii. I don't seem to have a picture of it in the garden but here's one in a pot. It isn't immediately obvious why whey named Maihueniopsis for looking like this, but in habitat both form large spiky mounds and I guess it isn't obvious just what is lurking underneath.
The stems are slightly succulent but not developed into ribs or tubercles, and also not having determinate Opuntia-like growth. The leaves are lost during drought but are persistent if you keep it well watered.
The stems are slightly succulent but not developed into ribs or tubercles, and also not having determinate Opuntia-like growth. The leaves are lost during drought but are persistent if you keep it well watered.
--ian
Chuck, I got 10 species/clones of Maihueniopsis from MG in 2009, including the last three you just ordered. I lost one or two when I left them in my unheated greenhouse (temps down to 5 degrees), but can't say which ones because my g/h collapsed and mixed up the labels.
Valuable information, I know
I'm going to disagree with Iann a little here. None of my Maihueniopsis seem to hate summer heat...after their initial flush of late spring/early summer growth, they slow down, but that's just like all opuntioids.
-R
Valuable information, I know
I'm going to disagree with Iann a little here. None of my Maihueniopsis seem to hate summer heat...after their initial flush of late spring/early summer growth, they slow down, but that's just like all opuntioids.
-R
Maihuenia poepegii
-R
John gave me a bag of cuttings of Maihuenia poepegii. I poked a hole in the ground here and there all over my garden and stuck them in. I have not lost one. They went through our screwy winter and they are rooted. I will use them as ground cover. BYW, It is June and we still have winter-like weather here in Sparks. The only polinators I've seen this year are hummingbirds. No bees or wasps.
One way I keep track of names of cacti is to paint a small number on a piece of broken pottery or on a pot. I then keep a record what that number means.
John gave me a bag of cuttings of Maihuenia poepegii. I poked a hole in the ground here and there all over my garden and stuck them in. I have not lost one. They went through our screwy winter and they are rooted. I will use them as ground cover. BYW, It is June and we still have winter-like weather here in Sparks. The only polinators I've seen this year are hummingbirds. No bees or wasps.
One way I keep track of names of cacti is to paint a small number on a piece of broken pottery or on a pot. I then keep a record what that number means.
Chuck,
I have all the Mesa Garden M. darwinii you listed above.
They do not seem to mind summer heat or rain at all, and are growing despite it being in the mid nineties for the last few weeks.
So far I have not had the nerve to put them to the winter test outdoors and am waiting until they get enough pads so that a few can be spared for the winter experiment.
Mike
I have all the Mesa Garden M. darwinii you listed above.
They do not seem to mind summer heat or rain at all, and are growing despite it being in the mid nineties for the last few weeks.
So far I have not had the nerve to put them to the winter test outdoors and am waiting until they get enough pads so that a few can be spared for the winter experiment.
Mike
