Viewing comments posted by Baja_Costero

Atypical coastal Dudleya species from the Hasseanthus group with an underground corm, succulent leaves that wither in summer, and open (flat) pale yellow flowers. Like other Dudleyas (especially the handful of species in this group) it grows from fall through spring and goes dormant in summer. From extreme Southern California and northwestern Baja California, where it is found along the coast.

Uncommon in cultivation and often hard to find in habitat when not bearing an inflorescence, especially during summer. Typically grown from seed, though it may also in theory be grown from intact leaves, like other former Hasseanthus members, but unlike the rest of Dudleya.

DNA studies have found that this group is genetically related and closer to Sedum than other Dudleya members.

Large, common shrub from South Africa with succulent stems and leaves, and abundant white or pinkish flowers in winter. Extremely common and durable in cultivation. Leaves develop attractive red marginal highlights in strong light, and this color may be generally viewed as a sign of sufficient light. Provide good drainage, though this particular succulent tends to be more tolerant than average of wet feet. An ideal beginner's succulent for a bright, mild location.

The jade does very well in containers and can be kept long term as a house plant, provided it receives a lot of light (it should see the sun for hours a day year round) and gets good air flow. Low light conditions promote stretched, weak, stemmy growth that will inevitably collapse under the weight of the succulence on top of it, given time. The only solution in this case is to remove the stretched growth and provide more light to the parts that remain. There are plenty of stretched plants in the photos above, as well as a few growing in the sun to compare.

Strong light is also very important for flowering (indoor plants will not flower if they don't get enough, outdoor plants in the shade may not flower), as is short day length.

Jades can be pruned radically and will come back from a nub, if they're in good shape to start with. These plants can be shaped in a variety of ways, including bonsai, and are incredibly easy to start from cuttings. Jade bonsais in small pots with extra chunky stems are usually started from wide-stemmed cuttings of plants previously growing in large pots or the ground. Limiting root space will result in less branching with very short internodes (leaves spaced very close along the stem) and shorter stems, especially so in small pots and in full sun.

As a landscape plant the common jade will grow to about 4-5 feet tall (sometimes more) and nearly as wide. It is incredibly drought tolerant--a zero irrigation plant in our climate with 4-10 inches of annual rainfall, none occurring in summer. It does not tolerate extreme heat, especially when it does not cool down at night, and it is also sensitive to frost.

A number of named varieties and cultivars of Crassula ovata exist in cultivation. Among the most common is the monstrose 'Gollum', with suction cup-like tips on its leaves. It may be confused with 'Hobbit' and 'Ogre Ears'. Other cultivars differ in their coloration (including variegation) and size.

South African mounding Euphorbia with stems to about 1 inch in diameter, forming dense, cushiony mounds to about 4 feet wide and 6-12 inches tall. The stems are irregularly studded with short to medium spines, which are really modified peduncles, as found on other plants in this group. Unlike those plants, it may produce decent-sized narrow leaves (to over an inch) that don't fall off right away, and its cyathia have decent-sized subtending bracts. These subtle leafy features are excellent clues for identification when they are present.

7-10 ribs; dark purple, brownish red or yellowish green cyathia; separate male and female individuals.

This spiny stem succulent can be distinguished from two related Euphorbias based on the shape of its clumps (cushiony, not irregular like ferox) and sometimes the number of ribs (aggregata has 8-9, ferox has 9-12).

Two separate individuals (male and female) are required to produce seed, and hybrid offspring may be produced by female plants flowering close to other succulent Euphorbia species. These hybrids (especially with mammillaris group members) tend to be difficult to resolve from the parent species.

South African cactiform Euphorbia with stems to about 2 inches in diameter, branching at the base and above to form irregular clumps (not pretty mounds) to about 20 inches wide and 6 inches tall. The stems are studded with long spines, which are really modified peduncles, as found on other plants in this group, and presumably these spines inspired the fierce epithet. 9-12 ribs, green to dark red cyathia, separate male and female individuals.

This spiny stem succulent is reasonably common and well behaved in cultivation. It can be distinguished from two related Euphorbias based on the shape of its clumps (not regular, not smoothly rounded) and sometimes the number of ribs (aggregata has 8-9, pulvinata has 7-10). Like all plants in this group it demands strong light for the best (most compact) form. It is typically propagated from cuttings.

Two separate individuals (male and female) are required to produce seed, and hybrid offspring may be produced by female plants flowering close to other succulent Euphorbia species. These hybrids (especially with mammillaris group members) tend to be difficult to resolve from the parent species.

Weedy succulent to about 2-3 feet tall with long, mottled green/brown leaves and dramatic reddish flowers hanging like a chandelier from the top. This is one of several Kalanchoes that produce offspring (bulbils) asexually from their leaves and drop them everywhere, leading to volunteer Kalanchoes in the container garden and especially in the ground. The common name is descriptive but the proliferous behavior is not unique to this plant.

I have seen this plant gone feral from a Mexican botanical garden, spreading up the hill and into habitat normally occupied by cacti and agaves, displacing the native plants and pretty much dominating the scene... which is pretty when they are all in bloom, but otherwise not a great sight.

Expect endless, annoying streams of baby plants in the container garden and widespread invasion in the ground. Do not plant this Kalanchoe where it may escape. It is especially good at invading new territory in dry climates as long as it is not threatened by frost. It is surprisingly drought tolerant in our climate, where summers are typically bone dry and there is an annual drought of 5-8 months most years. Extreme drought will reduce the number of offspring, but a little bit of rain here and there at the right times will see them return.

Small, globose succulent from South Africa with persistent peduncles that look like branching spines. Plants grow to 8 inches tall and 4 inches wide, and are often unbranched. They have 8 sharply defined ribs, horizontal banding across stems, and a brownish color in strong light. There are separate sexes. Female inflorescences are less elaborate than male ones.

The typical meloformis can be distinguished from subspecies valida based on subtle differences in appearance: it typically does not grow as tall, the growth center is depressed, it rarely has spiraling ribs, and it has less highly branched cymes. Both are found in the Eastern Cape and enjoy the same treatment in cultivation. Strong light and excellent drainage are important for good health and form.

This plant falls within a group of similar-looking dwarf(ish) plants, all with ribs, some with tubercles, from South Africa. It belongs with the species hypogaea, jansenvillensis, juglans, obesa, pseudoglobosa, susannae, symmetrica, tubiglans, and the former valida (now a subspecies of meloformis). These plants are all dioecious (separate male and female individuals), with small (short) tubular cyathia.

Small, globose (eventually columnar) succulent from South Africa with persistent cymes (branched floral structures) that look like branching spines. Plants grow to 4-8 inches (or more) tall and 4 inches wide, and are often unbranched. They have 8 sharply defined ribs, horizontal banding across stems, and a brownish color in strong light. There are separate sexes, with interesting differences outside the involucre (males produce longer, extra branchy cymes).

This former species can be distinguished from the typical meloformis based on subtle differences in appearance: the growth center is not depressed, it may have occasional spiraling ribs, it has highly branched and persistent cymes. Both are found in the Eastern Cape and enjoy the same treatment in cultivation. Strong light and excellent drainage are important for good health and form.

This plant falls within a group of similar-looking dwarf(ish) plants, all with ribs, some with tubercles, from South Africa. It belongs with the typical meloformis, hypogaea, jansenvillensis, juglans, obesa, pseudoglobosa, susannae, symmetrica, and tubiglans. These plants are all dioecious (separate male and female individuals), with small (short) tubular cyathia.

Strange cactus tree to 20 feet tall, with a single stout main stem and a branching canopy above. The main trunk is thicker and very spiny in comparison to the branches, which are nearly spineless and may point various directions (including downward). The nocturnal flowers are white and the fruit is yellow, fleshy, and edible. Flowers and fruit are only produced by the branches.

This species is the type of Browningia, a genus of nearly a dozen strange south American shrubby and tree-like species characterized by interesting differences between mature and juvenile stems, reflected in spines and flowering behavior, among other features. All members of the genus make nocturnal flowers. None are common in cultivation.

Dichotomously branching Mammillaria with blue-green stems, abundant white wool and spines, pale yellow flowers, and reddish orange fruit. Individual stems may grow to 6 inches tall, 4-6 inches in diameter. Clumps may reach a few times that size. 2-5 stiff central spines, the upper ones much shorter than the lower ones; 30+ radial spines.

From Querétaro, Mexico. Old, multiheaded specimens can be spectacular. The overall appearance of the plant is white, due to the spines, bristles and wool. The overall appearance and especially the spines can be quite variable. The long lower central spines may make it difficult to handle and repot. As with any plant that has this much wool and spines, strong light is very important in cultivation.

This is one of a few Mammillarias which branch dichotomously, by division of the growth center, and one of its common names relates to its appearance right after division. Other plants in this group include muehlenpfordtii and nejapensis.

Blue or blue-green treelike cactus with stems to 12 inches wide and up to 15-20 feet tall (or more) in old age. The color is really striking in strong light, making juveniles in particular quite photogenic. 18+ tuberculate ribs, 1-3 stout central spines, up to 4-6 radial spines. Reproductive (mature, flowering) stems have up to 30 spines per areole; they are finer and more like bristles. White flowers with dark reddish brown tubes, dry fruit.

From southern Peru. Not common in cultivation. Provide strong light and excellent drainage.

This plant was classified as Azureocereus hertlingianus in a 2014 Cactology publication, but this switch back to a 1959 name appears not to be accepted by the CoL. Browningia candelaris (the sole species they left in that genus) differs from this species in a number of key respects, including the morphology of mature stems (much narrower) and the type of fruit (fleshy, not dry).

Interesting low, dwarf succulent with branching, globose stems, added one ball at a time, atop a subterranean main stem. Stems age from green to gray or light brown.

The growth habit of E. globosa resembles Tephrocactus and other New World Opuntia subfamily members, but it can be easily distinguished once it flowers, producing yellow or greenish yellow bisexual cyathia on short or long peduncles, with elaborate fingers fringing the edges. (This feature was the basis for the name of the genus it was originally assigned to, Dactylanthes.) In habitat plants grow in low mats, half buried by soil.

Other Euphorbia species and hybrids of globosa are frequently confused with it in the trade. Double check the appearance of a plant to confirm its identity. Plants with clear, defined ribs are not globosa. A separate species called pseudoglobosa looks similar (also with swollen roots) but has very different cyathia: sessile, small, without fringes. A closely related species called patula has the same habit and produces similar cyathia, though its stems are narrower and more elongated, and it usually has rhizomatous branching (which is absent with globosa).

This plant requires strong light for the best form and will quickly stretch, forming non-globose stems, if light is lacking.

Small rosette succulent with glaucous bluish white leaves and red flowers, mostly hidden by sepals. Stems are sticky when young (thus the species name). Leaves are thick and wide, growing to about 1-2 inches in length; stems may reach 12-24 inches, generally hanging in old age, often with branches at the base.

Found on north-facing rock cliffs in Hidalgo, Mexico at 4000-5000 feet. Leaves tend to look like they have a white dot on the tip.

Easy to start from cuttings or leaves. Provide strong light for best color and form.

This diverse genus of cacti with spiny, paddle-shaped stems includes some of the most widespread and common cacti on the planet. Its natural range is much of the Americas, from Canada to northern Patagonia, plus the Caribbean and the Galapagos. It is cultivated in much of the world, especially dry areas without much frost. Prickly pears tend to be invasive in permissive climates (like much of Australia) and some plants may be prohibited there.

Prickly pears are typically shrubs or trees, some with real trunks. They are jointed, with pads growing on pads, and typically feature both spines (sharp, penetrating, sometimes dangerous) and glochids (a sort of miniature stealth spine that embeds itself in skin and is difficult to remove). They flower along the edges of the pads and mostly produce fleshy fruit with large seeds.

Some of the smaller ones make good container plants but mostly the Opuntias do better in the ground. They are generally sun loving plants, tolerant of drought, and especially tolerant of neglect in the landscape. Their tolerance of low temperatures can be predicted by the territory they occupy in nature, but it may range from poor to quite good, depending on the species. Set the ones with dangerous spines back from traffic of humans and pets, and prune regularly to enforce size or shape constraints. Even so-called spineless prickly pears sometimes make rudimentary spines, so do not assume this trait will be reliable.

Both the stems (especially baby stems, especially ficus-indica) and the fruit (especially certain varieties) are used as food. The stems are used by ranchers as a ready source of water for livestock in times of drought.

This plant has a deep and long history in the ethnobotany of the Americas and particularly in Mexico, which is home to many species. A prickly pear is prominently featured on the Mexican flag, holding up an eagle with a serpent in its mouth. These plants are called nopales in Mexico (singular = nopal) and their fruits are called tunas. The most common preparations are baby pads sliced into strips and grilled; and agua de tuna (often with lime) which is fruit pulp in water minus the seeds (if you're lucky). The fruit of some prickly pears is often referred to as xoconostle (both that word and nopal are derived from the Nahuatl).

The flattened stems of Opuntia are distinct from the round stems of Cylindropuntia, Pereskiopsis, Tephrocactus, etc. About 15 genera comprise the subfamily. These other genera were mostly split from Opuntia in 1998, so older publications may use different names.

Glaucous blue or blue-green Echeveria from central Mexico with rosettes to about 6 inches in diameter and a clumping habit. Flowers are also glaucous, with pink or orange-red bases and yellow tips. This variable species has absorbed a few former species. Its former varieties have been condensed except for the former var. byrnesii (now forma byrnesii), with smaller, greener, differently shaped leaves.

An easy and relatively common plant in cultivation, capable of flowering profusely and forming prolific clumps. Relatively hardy for the genus and said to be able to be grown outdoors in the UK, given proper drainage.

Spiny, shrubby cacti from the same tribe as the prickly pears, but with cylindrical stems. Native to Mexico and the SW US, plus the Caribbean. The common name cholla is pronounced choya.

These plants are often treated as weeds and rarely viewed as desirable in gardens. In part that's because of their sharp, barbed spines which hurt even more coming out than they did going in. In part that's because of the unkempt, ragged appearance of most chollas, which tend to shed branches at the slightest provocation or upon the slightest impact.

Set these plants back from traffic of humans and pets. They are generally quite dangerous. This feature can be exploited if your goal is to exclude traffic from an area, but be aware that weeding around chollas can be painful.

Chollas are sun-loving, drought-tolerant plants with pretty flowers and ugly stems. Some species (eg. bigelovii) have ornamental spines but most do not. They are incredibly durable and can survive persistent, harsh abuse.

Recently described toothless agave from high altitudes in western Mexico. Endangered. Plants may grow a reasonably long (75cm) stem before they flower. The inflorescence is a straight, unbranched spike.

Described in 2012 and found at elevations over 2600m in Jalisco in the Sierra de Manantlán Biosphere Reserve. Similar to Agave attenuata, but with a shorter stem, straighter leaves with a sharp terminal spine, and a vertical inflorescence.

Solitary barrel cactus from the Chihuahuan Desert (mainly) with long, hooked central spines. Stems reach up to about 1 foot wide and 2 feet tall. 12-17 ribs; 4-8 curved to hooked, sometimes twisted central spines; 8-20 radial spines. Flowers are yellow, sometimes with red throats, up to about 3 inches wide.

Two subspecies can be distinguished based on size, ribs, spines, flowers, and geographic origin. The type Ferocactus (Ferocactus hamatacanthus subsp. hamatacanthus) reaches 2 feet tall and has rounded, distinctly tubercular ribs, 4-8 central spines, and red-throated flowers. Mexican Fruit Cactus (Ferocactus hamatacanthus subsp. sinuatus) gets half as tall and has sharp ribs, 4 central spines, and completely yellow flowers. The type subspecies is found in NM, TX, and much of northern Mexico. Subspecies sinuatus is found only in the Rio Grande (Rio Bravo) plain in SE Texas and adjacent parts of Mexico.

This plant is used to harvest cabuches (buds) for human consumption.

This species is distinct from the red-spined Ferocactus haematacanthus (one letter difference) from southern Mexico, whose name means "blood red spine" as opposed to "hooked spine". This other species was recently moved to Bisnaga.

Solitary barrel cactus from high altitudes in southern Mexico. Plants grow to 1-4 feet tall and 1 foot wide, with blood red spines (when young anyway) (thus the Latin name). 13-27 ribs, 4 longer central spines, 6-7 radial spines. Flowers are pinkish or reddish purple, fruits are purple and fleshy. Found in Puebla and Veracruz above 2200m.

This species, along with 2 others, was recently split from Ferocactus into Bisnaga, presumably based on DNA evidence showing these 3 plants form a distinct group. The name Bisnaga comes from the Mexican word for a barrel cactus (usually spelled biznaga, but anything goes). It was formerly used to describe a subset of the plants in Ferocactus that had fleshy fruit, rather than the basally dehiscent, dry fruits of the others. Not all the plants from that section or subgenus were moved to the new genus Bisnaga, though. Only haematacantha, glaucescens, and histrix.

Note this species is distinct from Ferocactus hamatacanthus, whose spelling differs by one letter but whose name means "hooked spine" instead of "blood red spine" (from a different Greek root). This other species has brownish red spines, fading to gray. It is mostly found in the Chihuahuan Desert of northern Mexico, New Mexico and Texas. It was not moved to the new genus.

In terms of care all these plants should be basically interchangeable. Strong light and excellent drainage are key. Given this plant is found in nature exclusively at altitudes over 2200m (7200 ft) one might expect its heat tolerance to be poor and its tolerance of chill to be decent, compared to other barrel cacti.

Solitary or profusely offsetting agave from hot, dry, coastal/lowland areas of Sonora in northwestern Mexico. Leaves are relatively straight, narrow, toothless, and few in number per rosette.

This species (related to vilmoriniana, but with straighter, narrower, flatter leaves) produces a densely flowered inflorescence and is reported to generate half a million (or more) seeds per flowering event. Unlike vilmoriniana, it does not produce bulbils. The two species are said to intergrade where they meet in habitat.

Known as amole in its Mexican home and used locally for washing.

Solitary medium-sized agave with many narrow, toothless leaves bearing threads. Rosettes grow to about 3 feet. Leaves are green, with shredding brown margins and short terminal spines. The inflorescence is unbranched. This species may be hard to distinguish from Agave multifilifera when young, unless you know the geographical origin.

From western Mexico in the states of Jalisco and Colima, usually in coastal or near-coastal areas. This species was known as colimana for many years (described and discussed by Gentry as such, due to the area of origin) but apparently the same plant was described earlier as ortgiesiana. It will generally be found for sale as colimana.

Rainfall in Colima where this plant is found is about 35 inches a year, most from June to September and very little from January to May. Bats are responsible for pollination in habitat.