Newcomer to Cactus Need help with ID

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 5:02 am

I have been interested in Cactus for a long time and have finally decided to acquire some. I found a lady with a few varieties and picked them up. Please help me with identifing these. Thank you in advance.
Aaron

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Post by **daiv** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 5:28 am

Aaron,
Hello and welcome to the forum and consequently to the world of Cacti! You've got quite a list of plants, I encourage you to spend some time on the forum here as well as read up on the Cacti Articles, Growing Cacti, Cacti or Not? sections above as well as obtain some of the books on the Sources page. With a little effort, you can really get a lot of enjoyment out of the subject.

On another note, I want to comment on your plants and give you a couple tips that might save you from learning the hard way. There are two things I've observed that you might want to do something about. First, many of your plants look like they could use a bit more light if that is available. Don't go stick them out in full sun, but gradually get them accquainted to stronger light. Second, I noticed that your soil looks very rich. Although, that is usually the kind of soil you'd want for potted plants, cacti prefer a lighter soil. I'd recommend mixing in 25% perlite and 25% coarse gravel, pumice, chicken-grit, or whatever you can get your hands on that is similar.

We'll have to work on the ID's tomorrow. It's getting late in these parts.

Daiv

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 5:34 am

I have only had the plants for one day. I took the photos in a dark room at night as to only get the plants in the pic. The soil I am using is Scott's Cactus & Succulent mix. Is it still to rich? The lady I got them from only had them in potting soil.
Aaron

templegatejohn · Post by **templegatejohn** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 10:26 am

Hi Aaron, welcome on board. Let's see if we can ID any of these plants for you. Some are true cacti and some are succulents.

1.Opuntia (cactus). Not sure which species, difficult to tell from picture..
2. Aporocactus probably flagelliformis.
3. Not sure.
4. Kalanchoe tubiflora (a succulent).
5. Cereus peruvianus f. monstrose.(cactus).
6. Looks like one of the Cylindropuntia (not sure of species.)
7. Opuntia, could be brasiliensis. (cactus)
8. Don't know.
9. Opuntia monacantha f. variegata.
10. Some form of Epyphillum or a hybrid. (cactus).
11. An Opuntia could be monacantha again (cactus).
12. Not sure, could be an Echinopsis. (cactus).
13. Not sure yet.
14. Looks like some sort of Bromeliad.
15. Probably a Sanseviera succulent.
16. Graptopetalum, not sure of species (succulent)
17. Looks like a Gasteria (succulent).
18. An Aloe, possibly distans or saponaria, can't really tell from photo (succulent).
19 and 20. Crassula probably obliqua, but if the leaves have red edges (can't tell on the photo it is portulacea (succulent).

Hope this helps,
John

ihc6480 · Post by **ihc6480** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 1:52 am

No: 8 appears to be a Pachypodiums " Madagascar palm " without it's leaves. You can see where the leaves have fell off. Common cause of leaves falling off is from being over watered

Oh, not a cactus.

Bill

cactusbutt · Post by **cactusbutt** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 2:27 am

#3 could be Cereus tetragonus a cactus

Bob

Post by **daiv** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 2:46 am

I think #3 is Lepismium monocanthum.

It is very similar to one I have, which has been in lower light.

It's the one pictured on the bottom here, but this is from when I first got it.

http://www.cactiguide.com/cactus/?genus ... onacanthum

Post by **daiv** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 2:49 am

Aaron wrote:I have only had the plants for one day. I took the photos in a dark room at night as to only get the plants in the pic. The soil I am using is Scott's Cactus & Succulent mix. Is it still to rich? The lady I got them from only had them in potting soil.
Aaron

Aaron,
By needing light, I didn't mean because the pictures looked dark, but when the stems are dark green and kind of streached out looking, that is typically an indicator of not enough light.

As for the soil, you should be OK with the mix you bought, however, I'd add some inorganic material in with it anyway. My experience with that pre-made cactus mix is that it still gets pretty compact after a while.

Keep in mind for the next re-potting.

Daiv

Post by **daiv** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 2:57 am

#2 looks very much like a Selenicereus
#5 is most likely Cereus forbesii cristata
#10 is most likely Hylocereus undatus
#12 looks just like Echinopsis oxygona

cactusbutt · Post by **cactusbutt** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 5:15 am

daiv wrote:I think #3 is Lepismium monocanthum.

The stems look to fat to be Lepismium monocanthum
to me

with out the plant in my handI will agree to disagree

bluedrinks · Post by **bluedrinks** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 12:43 am

1st one looks like opuntia robusta.but might need to wait till it gets a bit bigger to tell for sure.
theres also a lady in town who i get cuttings from as well.i try to bring her some when i find something she does not have,but when i do she ends up giving me more.i have plants coming out of my ears.

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 1:32 am

Hello everyone. Thanks for all the help on identification. I am hoping to do well with these succulents.
Aaron