Lithop 'Optica Rubra'

I recently bought a few seedlings of Lithop 'Optica Rubra'.

What really surprised me when I unwrapped my little parcel was how they had been sent. I am used to ex-pot (bare-rooted) plants, but these were incredibly clean.

The Lithops have a long tap-root (which is clearly visible on the photo below). The examples I bought were so free of dirt you could clearly see the root, and the simplicity of these small succulents.

Lithops originate from South Africa and Namibia where the extreme heat and drought have forced them to adapt perfectly to the weather extremes.

The body of the Lithop is a pair of leaves, which have developed to retain as much moisture as possible. The truncated leaves also mean that they are able to blend into the surrounding landscape and hide from foraging animals.

Lithops in general can be successfully grown in cultivation. They require as much sunlight as possible, but this must be accompanied by excellent ventilation. Despite being able to stand extremes of heat, they can be scorched if there is insufficient air circulation.

Finally, watering. Do not be tempted to over-water. Lithops should be left completely dry over winter and into early spring. The soil should always be allowed to dry out completely before watering.

Some further reading:

• Hammer, Steven & Barnhill, Chris. Lithops, Treasures of the Veld. British Cactus and Succulent Society, 1999.
• Cole, D. T. 1988. Flowering stones, Acorn Books, Randburg.
• Smith et al. 1998. Mesembs of the World. Briza.Pretoria

Rebutia Heliosa

At this time of year it is often the Rebutias that steal the limelight in any cacti collection.

While Mammilliarias and other cacti are showing off their beautiful and delicate flowers, it is the Rebutias, even the very young ones, who are displaying flowers that seem to exceed all expectations.

The picture above is my 2 year old Rebutia Heliosa with flowers that dwarf the main plant, and hide all of the small clusters that are appearing. It is such a joy to walk into the greenhouse and just admire this plant exploding with colour, despite its immaturity.

Rebutias are of the subspecies Aylostera. They are a very popular species for cultivation, and as you can see, are stunning in flower.

Heliosa is often described as solitary in the wild, although they tend to be clump forming in clutivation. My young plant is already forming a very nice cluster of small plants around its base. I am looking forward to the years to come when these are flowering too.

Rebutia Heliosa is relatively easy to grow. It requires the standard conditions for cacti (You can see my blog entry on Cacti Cultivation for more details), but can occasionally suffer from problems. The most typical (as with many cacti) is over-watering. Heliosa also tends to cause growers problems when it forms large clumps. Growers often find they have to start again with some of the younger plants, rather than continue with an old plant.

Anyway, I just wanted to introduce you to my favorite cacti at the moment. It obviously changes each week. But, at the moment, it is my little Heliosa and its amazing flowers!

Check out some more Heliosa's on Wikipedia!

An Introduction

I thought I would write a brief post about what this blog is about.

I hope to be able to bring you some interesting stories from the world of Cacti and Succulents, some pictures of mine and others collections, and generally just to highlight the amazing world of succulents.

I am not a botanist so the posts will be without unnecessary technical jargon (unless useful and explained). I also want to keep on top of new and interesting finds and discoveries, so will hopefully be able to provide up to date information about exciting stories.

Finally, I want to share my fascination with these plants. I am quite new to this whole world, and hope to keep you onboard for the journey!