mikethecactusguy wrote: ↑Mon Feb 22, 2021 2:03 pm
I know you already repotted, but if it were me, since they are individual plants, I would try and separate the groups, pot them as individuals and then let them grow and clump naturally. Looking again at the pictures it does look like a few may have already started to clump.
Thanks I see what you mean but for some reason I really like it together in a bowl even if the clumps are false. I will consider separating them in the future though.
anttisepp wrote: ↑Mon Feb 22, 2021 7:24 pmHero878, all plants on all your images are false clumps.
Real clump begin at much elder age naturally.
As a grower with relatively long experience I prefer to grow individual plants (much easier due to lack of space) and usually I take spontaneous sprouts away if it's not absolutely clumping plant, e.g. Chamaecereus silvestrii or Escobaria minima.
Thanks again. I have Chamaecereus silvestrii too, I am currently leaving the sprouts on though because I want it to grow and spill off the edge of the pot to look like a hanging plant.
Finally found a Magnificus at a local garden centre today. I'm 99% sure it's Magnificus not bad for £4.
Update:
I have repotted them individually and it seems like only one of them is a Magnificus (top left) as the others are much more spikey to the touch rather than soft hair like spikes. O well atleast I finally got one Magnificus
Eriocactus leninghausii usually grows taller before basally offsetting. E. warasii can be a puzzle since some offset from higher up the plant rather than basally. This is unusual since most cacti that do this have usually gone blind at the growing point. However it is seemingly natural in some plants of E. warasii, therefore nothing to worry about..
Note the offsets halfway up the plant in the rearmost stem in this link.
Thanks Dave. Very interesting to see the other types of cacti you linked to.
Magnificus and Leninghausii are my favourite Notocactus/Eriocactus. On closer inspection it seems all four are not magnifus unfortunately. I'll have to go to CactusLand in Bourne to get myself a true Magnificus when this lockdown is eased.
When they first were imported into the UK E. magnificus was easy to spot due to its blue tinted epidermis the others did not possess. Now due to our poorer light conditions they are all usually green bodied in the shops.
DaveW wrote: ↑Tue Mar 23, 2021 10:42 am
When they first were imported into the UK E. magnificus was easy to spot due to its blue tinted epidermis the others did not possess. Now due to our poorer light conditions they are all usually green bodied in the shops.
Thanks Dave. Yes I guess its only easier to tell apart when they are more mature and get enough light to become blue. I actually do have one already that I also ordered from AbbeyBrook in Matlock a few months ago, its a rather mature singular one which I got for £15. They have quite a few things on offer in their mail order list. Anyway here is a photo of the one I got. I was only after more because I didn't like the brown spines on the sides of this one. But I guess with maturity they do turn brown anyway.
Just an update on this again
I got myself a Magnificus today from Southfields Nursery and so happy it has genuine clumps
It's about 15-20 years old, probably needs some fertiliser to green it up a bit though. Not bad at all for £35!
Saw these today at the flower market. I got myself one for £20 but was wondering if they are truely multiheaded rather than separate plants as per the plant passport. I am not sure if Melocactus ever form clusters.
I'm pretty sure M. matanzanus remains solitary even in cultivation? I have seen other Melocactus species offset, but it was always from the cephalium rather than basally on the stem. Also, just under $27 USD for 3-4 cephalium bearing plants is a steal in the current market (here in the US at least).
MrXeric wrote: ↑Tue Feb 01, 2022 4:59 am
I'm pretty sure M. matanzanus remains solitary even in cultivation? I have seen other Melocactus species offset, but it was always from the cephalium rather than basally on the stem. Also, just under $27 USD for 3-4 cephalium bearing plants is a steal in the current market (here in the US at least).
Thanks I was just hoping there is a multihead form but yes on google I only found ones that branched out from the top.
Either way I really like the look of them in a clump. I got the one with three plants as it looked more realistic than the one with four. Was tempted to buy another one at that price tbh
Also got a Maxonii for £12 which I found within a cactus tray selection. The others were just standard mammillarias etc. it was on my wish list for ages.
However I also saw this clump in a shop in Paris last year and if you look closely you can see tiny pups forming at the bottom. But it was 175euros yikes
(top left) as the others are much more spikey to the touch rather than soft hair like spikes. O well atleast I finally got one Magnificus 
