Echinopsis hybrids

[jph8]

I'm new to the list as of last week and this is my first 'topical' post. My interests are mainly echinopsis (including Trichocereus and Lobivia, among others), opuntias, hardy succulents, and most recently, melocactus. My collection is small for now, mainly limited by 'wintereing over' space. From mid-March until mid-November, most of my collection resides on my front porch where it receives good light exposure and fresh air circulation. Most of the collection spends the winter scrunched up inside of a south-facing glass sliding door, as our winter in central NC can have extended periods of freezing temps, especially nights.

For this post, I'll limit photos and comments to my echinopsis hybrids that have flowered over the past few years; I'll try to post pics of my hardy succulent bed in the next week or so.

Jim H.

[ElieEstephane]

These are just gorgeous! Thanks for sharing these beauties with us!

[toadstar]

Fantastic!

[Pompom]

Oh the flowers! I love them! Thanks for sharing
How long have you kept growing cacti?

[jph8]

Oh the flowers! I love them! Thanks for sharing
How long have you kept growing cacti?

Pompom - I've been growing cactus since 2013, a couple of years before I retired. I was originally inspired as a teenager by a neighbor who gave me a cutting of Opuntia microdasys. I then came across a Johnson's Cactus Garden catalog (which I still have!) and ordered a few more. These guys survived my parents care while I went to college and then got a job in Newfoundland, Canada. After about the late 80's, I lost track of what happened to that small collection. Fast forward to 2013, while cleaning out my basement, I came across the old catalog and it rekindled my interest, especially in Echinopsis, which was a Johnson specialty. So, how did you get stuck on cactus (pun intended) being up in Finland?
Jim H.

[Pompom]

Oh the flowers! I love them! Thanks for sharing
How long have you kept growing cacti?

Pompom - I've been growing cactus since 2013, a couple of years before I retired. I was originally inspired as a teenager by a neighbor who gave me a cutting of Opuntia microdasys. I then came across a Johnson's Cactus Garden catalog (which I still have!) and ordered a few more. These guys survived my parents care while I went to college and then got a job in Newfoundland, Canada. After about the late 80's, I lost track of what happened to that small collection. Fast forward to 2013, while cleaning out my basement, I came across the old catalog and it rekindled my interest, especially in Echinopsis, which was a Johnson specialty. So, how did you get stuck on cactus (pun intended) being up in Finland?
Jim H.

I'm not so sure. Part of the interest came from lack of hobby. I was really frustrated a year ago since I wanted a hobby, some thing to do in my freetime. Something creative and rewarding. I've been trying too many different hobbies from painting to boxing and get bored too soon. One day I remembered my grandmother had a huge collection of cacti when I was a kid. Then I started to read about them and got addicted. I wanted to learn more, wanted to try to grow them by myself. These fellas tend to live long so this hobby can't end as soon as the others. They are easy and hard at the same time. They are rational and irrational. They look scary but cool and cute. We don't have anything like succulents growing here in Finland so they are completely different from the usual flora you see here.
And here I am now, still wanting to learn more. I'm only in my twenties, so I have time to collect more. Some of my plants and future plants stay long time with me. I've finally found my kind of hobby!

[DesertSun]

Very beautiful flowers!

[WayneByerly]

I'll limit photos and comments to my echinopsis hybrids that have flowered over the past few years;

Hi jph8
First, I'll welcome you to the forum. I think you'll love it here. Despite the fact that the anonymity of the Internet causes people to be pert, hatefule and just plain rude, I have not run into the first bit of even casual rudeness here. ALL of the people I have run into so far have been patient, kind, helpful, friendly and giving of their time and knowledge. This is THE BEST succulent forum there is. And, "We're GLAD you are here!!!"

Now ... all THAT being said ... how old are these Echinopsis hybrids please, and how old do they have to be before they flower? The reason I ask this is because I bought an Echinopsis oxygona, and as a "free gift" got a pair of Echinopsis hybrids, And I'm wondering how long I'll have to wait before they flower.

I''ve posted a number of topics in "Board Index/CactiGuide.com/Member Topics", all of them preceded by the text "Growth Over Time", to illustrate the growth rates of several of my cacti and other succulents. I'm going to post one on MY Echinopsis hybrids in just a moment. Go look at it and make some comments would you please? I would very much welcome some words from a grower of some phenomenally beautiful cacti!!!!!

[jph8]

Wayne - thank you for the warm welcome; I've been enjoying and learning from the list, although with the good weather arriving, I haven't been online much lately.

Your question about plant age is a good one. I don't have a lot of personal experience with age at flowering, as I've only been raising them a few years and all of my plants come from mail order/internet sources. I assume most of the my plants were about 3 years old when I got them and all of them bloomed in their first year I had them (and since). My assumption is based on both the size of the plants and from what I've read; I seem to recollect reading that most Echinopsis varieties will bloom at about 3 +/- years, although someone with more experience could correct me on that. I should be able to answer you from direct experience in the next few years, as this is the first year that I'm rooting some of the larger pups that formed last (2017) summer.

I'll go ahead and check your post and comment.

Jim H.

[PresidentKang]

Wow, these are gorgeous! Thanks for sharing, Jim!

I have a mystery hybrid from HD that was only marked "Echinobivia." I was really hoping it would flower this spring, but no luck so far. My plants had a dark, cold dormancy last winter. Do you know what your average winter temps are in the room/area where you store these?