Showing posts with label Lophophora diffusa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lophophora diffusa. Show all posts

Monday, March 05, 2007

Seed starting Lophophora, Ariocarpus, and Epithelantha

The last couple of days I’ve been busy starting the next generation of plants from seed. One of the more interesting lophs this year is a variety of Lophophora williamsii originating from El Oso, Coahuila, Mexico. According to The genus Lophophora – Kaktusy Special 2, 2005 this variety forms massive clusters with individual heads measuring up to 15 cm (5.9'') in diameter! Unfortunately it seems the El Oso site is severely threatened by agricultural activities.

Lophophora williamsii - El Oso, Coahuila
Lophophora williamsii - El Oso, Coahuila (picture taken from The genus Lophophora – Kaktusy Special 2, 2005)

I’ve sown the following Lophophora seeds this year:

  • Lophophora diffusa v. koehresii (RS 1182; El Sabino, San Luis Potosí)
  • Lophophora diffusa ssp. kubesai (JJH 0010892; Puente Mezquitio, Querétaro)
  • Lophophora fricii (RS 404B; Viesca, Coahuila)
  • Lophophora williamsii (MMR 89; El Oso, Coahuila)
  • Lophophora williamsii (RS 428A; Cuatro Ciénegas, Coahuila)
I have great expectations for the Lophophora diffusa ssp. kubesai. According to the retailer’s seed catalog this variety is prone to offsetting (in contrast to the typical single stemmed L. diffusa specimens), eventually forming multi-headed clumps as pictured below. Lophophora diffusa ssp. kubesai Lophophora diffusa ssp. kubesai In addition to the Lophophora seeds I also started a handful of Ariocarpus from seed:
  • Ariocarpus fissuratus (JDL 26; Hot Springs, Big Bend, Texas)
  • Ariocarpus fissuratus (VVZ 204; Terlingua, Texas)
  • Ariocarpus fissuratus (VVZ 205; North of Alpine Texas)
  • Ariocarpus kotschoubeyanus v. macdowellii (RS 134; Hipolito, Coahuila)
I’ve specifically selected extreme northerly types of A. fissuratus as most of the Ariocarpus seedlings will be moved to a coldhouse later in spring (along with half of the L. williamsii and L. fricii seedlings) to experiment with the cold hardiness of these species. The move is also a necessity because my windowsills are getting crammed ;-) Finally, the following Epithelantha seeds (also for the coldhouse) were sown:
  • Epithelantha micromeris (JM 101; Sitting Bull Canyon, New Mexico)
  • Epithelantha micromeris v. gregii (MMR 179; El Oso, Coahuila)
The seeds were bought from Jan Martin Jecminek and Jaromír Dohnalík – details for both are listed in the seed and plant retailers section. All seeds are sown in a mix of limestone gravel, regular soil, and loamy sand (mixed in a 2:2:1 ratio). The pots are placed in closed bags where they will stay until the seedlings are well established - check out the post on growing cactus from seeds for more information on seed starting.

Tuesday, October 31, 2006

lophophora.info by Gerhard Köhres

I've posted on Gerhard Köhres's Lophophora information site before, but thought it worth mentioning again.

The site is packed with photos of Lophophora plants growing in habitat (see the samples included below) and constitutes the most comprehensive pictorial documentation of the genus that I'm aware of. The pictures are ordered by state and location and can be found at http://lophophora.info/.

Lophophora williamsii (Hipolito, Coahuila)

Lophophora williamsii (Hipolito, Coahuila)

Lophophora diffusa (Higuerillas, Queretaro)

Lophophora diffusa (Higuerillas, Queretaro)

Lophophora diffusa var. koehresii (San Francisco, San Luis Potosi)

Lophophora diffusa var. koehresii (San Francisco, San Luis Potosi)

Lophophora fricii (El Amparo, Coahuila)

Lophophora fricii (El Amparo, Coahuila)

Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Lophophora and Epithelantha - experiments in cold hardiness

According to common belief, species from Lophophora, Epithelantha, Ariocarpus etc, do not like subfreezing temperatures. This is not entirely true - many varieties will survive temperatures dropping well below freezing. The last couple of years I've experimented with growing Lophophora, Epithelantha, and Acharagma in an unheated greenhouse, and this winter the plants had to endure temperatures below -10C (14F) for extended periods. I'm planning on growing Ariocarpus as well if I can find seeds originating from the Trans-Pecos area.

Lophophora
Lophophora williamsii – started from seed 2004
Lophophora williamsii – started from seed 2004

The picture above shows Lophophora williamsii (SB 854; Starr Co, Texas) plants sown May 1, 2004. After 2 years in the coldhouse the plants are thriving - more plants have been disfigured and killed by bush-crickets and other critters than by the cold. The remaining 5 plants are each 1.5 cm (~ 0.6'') wide.

Lophophora williamsii – started from seed 2005
Lophophora williamsii – started from seed 2005

Last years batch of Lophophora williamsii (SB 854; Starr Co, Texas) seedlings are also doing well. The 5 plants have obtained a diameter of 1 cm (~ 0.4'').

The more southern living Lophophora diffusa is not handling the cold as well - none of the plants started from seed in 2004 are left, and only 2 plants from the 2005 crop are still surviving. The L. diffusa seeds originated from plants from Higuerillas, Queretaro. The 11 Lophophora decipiens seedlings from last year are doing slightly better, but as the L. diffusa seedlings they have only grown to a width of 0.5 cm (~0.2'').

Epithelantha
Epithelantha micromeris v. greggii and v. micromeris
Left: E. micromeris v. greggii (Cuesta la Muralla, Coahuila)
Right: E. micromeris (SB 1327, near Belen, New Mexico)


I'm growing Epithelantha micromeris v. greggii (Cuesta la Muralla, Coahuila) and Epithelantha micromeris (SB 1327, near Belen, New Mexico). The New Mexico variety is a slow grower – the 12 plants are less than 1 cm (~ 0.4'') wide – but it is handling the cold very well. The Coahuila variety is growing faster but is more susceptible to frost damage – the 11 plants are each 1.5 cm (~ 0.6'') wide. All plants were sown May 1, 2004.

Acharagma
The Acharagma aguirreana (RSM 396; Sierra Paila, Coahuila) and Acharagma roseana (LX 578; Ramon Arizpe, Coahuila) seedlings from last year are still fairly small – less than 0.5 cm (~0.2'') in width. A. roseana seems to be better at tolerating frost than A. aguirreana; I sowed 30 seeds of each species, and 20some seedlings of each germinated. Today more than 20 A. roseana are surviving while only 3 A. aguirreana are left.

Tuesday, February 28, 2006

Lophophora williamsii and Obregonia denegrii from seed

Today I sowed this years first batch of seeds - 30 each of:

  • Lophophora williamsii (VM 305k; Sierra de la Paila, Coahuila)
  • Lophophora williamsii (VM 183k; Hipolito, Coahuila)
  • Obregonia denegrii v. prerovskyana nom. prov. (KMR 38; Cinco de Mayo, Tamaulipas)
Allegedly O. denegrii v. prerovskyana has smaller tubercles than the typical form of the species and long cream/pink flowers - I'll find out for sure in 10 years time ;-). The seeds were bought at Kaktusy Ryšavý and sown in a mix consisting of equal parts of limestone gravel, loamy sand, and regular soil. Last years crop As described on the Growing cacti from seed page I'm sowing my seeds in pots placed in plastic bags. Usually the pots are removed from the bags after some weeks but last years Lophophora seedlings have spent a full year secluded in the bags! Lophophora williamsii seedlings (RS 428A; Cuatro Ciénegas, Coahuila) Lophophora williamsii seedlings (RS 428A; Cuatro Ciénegas, Coahuila) It's amazing that cactus seedlings can thrive for a year in the humid environment of a sowing bag (notice the green stuff among the seedlings - it's moss!), but it seems to become them well. Lophophora diffusa seedlings (RS 1193; Peña Miller, Queretaro) Lophophora diffusa seedlings (RS 1193; Peña Miller, Queretaro) The benefits of growing in bags are many, e.g. you don't need to water often and most pests like red spider mites are avoided (on the other hand you have to be careful not to let in sciarid flies). On the downside, the plants seem slightly leggy - probably because they haven't been fully dormant throughout winter.

Tuesday, December 27, 2005

Munching on Lophophora williamsii - II

My cold house grown Lophs have been maimed by some critter eating big, hearty lumps out of them. There are no traces of snails so I expect the culprit to be a grasshopper or bush-cricket trapped in the house.

Maimed Lophophora williamsii (SB 854; Starr Co, Texas)
Maimed Lophophora williamsii (SB 854; Starr Co, Texas)

Lophophora diffusa (JR; Higuerillas, Queretaro) remains
Lophophora diffusa (JR; Higuerillas, Queretaro) remains

The plants above were sown May 1, 2004 and have grown in the cold house since. Some of this year’s Lophophora seedlings were also taken out by the “unwanted guest”.

I’ve wrapped the pots in horticultural fleece and hope this will keep the culprit out in the future.

Monday, July 18, 2005

Seedling grafting on Pereskiopsis - II

Well, my first experience with grafting on Pereskiopsis spathulata was a limited success – limited by a combination of stupidity and clumsiness. I ignored the advice of experts and watered the Pereskiopsis plants heavily before grafting. As a result the small seedling scions were soon sailing away on a sea of cactus sap. When trying to correct this I managed to knock off half of the scions. Despite this treatment two of the grafts took (one each of L. williamsii, RS 428A, Cuatro Ciénegas, Coahuila and L. diffusa RS 1193, Peña Miller, Queretaro). Especially the Lophophora williamsii graft is doing great – in 11 weeks it’s grown to a width of 1.9 cm (0.75’’).

Lophophora williamsii seedling grafted on Pereskiopsis spathulata
Lophophora williamsii seedling grafted on Pereskiopsis spathulata

The Pereskiopsis spathulata plants are easy to grow. I planted the ‘waste products’ from the graft, and along with the plants where the graft didn’t take, they now make up a shrubbery that would make even the Knights who say ‘Ni’ happy.

Pereskiopsis spathulata 'shrubbery'
Pereskiopsis spathulata ‘shrubbery’

The hardest part of growing Pereskiopsis is to remember to give them a generous treatment with plenty of water ;-)

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Saturday, May 14, 2005

Sowing in the rough

If I don’t chicken out, the plants growing from the seeds sown today are going to spend the rest of their lives in an unheated greenhouse in Denmark. 30 seeds of each of the below species were sown.


  • Acharagma aguirreana (RSM 396; Sierra Paila, Coahuila)
  • Acharagma roseana (LX 578; Ramon Arizpe, Coahuila)
  • Lophophora williamsii v.decipiens
  • Lophophora williamsii (RS 268; Huizache, San Luis Potosí)

I also sowed some leftovers from last year. 10 seeds each of:

  • Lophophora diffusa (JR; Higuerillas, Queretaro)
  • Lophophora williamsii (SB 854; Starr Co, Texas)

A cold house batch of the two latter species was also sowed last spring. Most plants survived the winter and are now resuming growth.

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Saturday, April 30, 2005

Seedling grafting on Pereskiopsis

Two weeks ago I rooted 4 Pereskiopsis spathulata cuttings and they are now in full growth.

I’ve grafted 4 plants from this year’s batch of Lophophora seedlings on the Pereskiopsis plants – 2 seedlings each of L. williamsii (RS 428A; Cuatro Ciénegas, Coahuila) and L. diffusa (RS 1193; Peña Miller, Queretaro).


Two Lophophora williamsii seedlings grafted on Pereskiopsis

The Living Rocks web site describes seedling grafting on Pereskiopsis in great detail.

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Monday, March 28, 2005

Lophophora from seed – II

A month after sowing the Lophophora seeds the germination rates are:

  • 17/30 - L. diffusa (RS 1193; Peña Miller, Queretaro)
  • 13/30 - L. williamsii (La Soledad, Coahuila)
  • 23/30 - L. williamsii (RS 428A; Cuatro Ciénegas, Coahuila)
Not impressive rates compared with previous years. I’m using a new seed supplier and a new sowing method – both could be the culprit. Lophophora williamsii seedling Lophophora williamsii seedling a month after sowing Anyway, the seedlings are doing well. Most are growing their first areoles like the L. williamsii (RS 428A; Cuatro Ciénegas, Coahuila) seedling pictured above. < previous |

Saturday, February 26, 2005

Lophophora from seed

Tomorrow my work is taking me to the USA for 9 days, so I decided to sow my Lophophora seed a bit earlier than planned. 30 seeds of each of the species mentioned below were sowed.

  • L. diffusa (RS 1193; Peña Miller, Queretaro)
  • L. williamsii (La Soledad, Coahuila)
  • L. williamsii (RS 428A; Cuatro Ciénegas, Coahuila)
The seed were handled as described in “Growing cacti from seed”. Later in spring I'll sow another batch of Lophophora seed in a cold house. | next >

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