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Here's an oldie .. about 50 years or more .. looks like it's got the more rounded leaves.
Used to be my MIL's plant, way back when.
It's already started flowering and will continue on throughout Xmas, and then flowers again around Easter.
It got mealy bugs about 10 yrs ago, from being pot-bound in the same old soil void of all nutrients, so had to strip it of all the soil, spray some terrible stuff all over it outside, soaked it actually, left it for awhile, sprayed it well with the hose, and replanted in fresh soil, and it's been mealy-bug free since.
If you ever notice small white kind of cotton thingys on the bottoms of the leaves, those are mealy bugs.
I've also rooted pieces in water, until it's grown roots and then put into soil.
That's a beautiful picture of your cactus! I am concerned about the mealy bugs. I have a few CC and they have white spots on the leaves, about the size of a pin head. They usually just rub off, sometimes I use a Q-tip, actually they look more like a fungus, since its just dots.
Actually, I'm amazed your plants could deal with all the stress you had to put them through getting rid of those critters. So, you had to literally "dismantle" the root ball. I had an old CC awhile back and attempted to transplanted it, since it was in the same pot for at least 20 years. When I attempted to knock it out, the root ball broke in half, and the plant went into a slump and never came out of it. It was really too bad, because this particular CC was a beautiful specimen. I learned my lesson. I have a book from Thalassa Cruso that stated the reason the root balls don't drop out nicely is because the pot wasn't cleaned before the plant was placed in it to begin with.
Any 'leaf' roots easily if placed in soil with only the lower tip in the soil, and not kept too wet. Broken off stems work the same way. I have grown a lot of mine from seed, some of which I hybridized. I just spread the ripe seed on a moist potting mix, and cover it with clear plastic or glass, in a light position, (but not direct sunlight), until they sprout.
Marianinark, thank you for the pictures! Have you seen CC with the rounded leaves (the first picture) for sale anywhere within recent years? As I mentioned in my original post, I have had a heck of a time getting these to propagate. I'm wondering if perhaps I'm not using the right kind of plant soil. Perhaps these plants prefer a sandy true cactus soil that does not stay moist for long periods of time? Sadly, it looks like I might even loose the whole bunch because my very old house is drafty, and really can't afford to crank the heat up much more. The leaves of the cuttings that have survived so far are starting to get that crinkled look like the're strating to die. Very depressing. The rounded variety seems to be more sensitive than the variety with pointed leaves.
To be honest I never noticed the pods after a flower dies. It usually just drops off with nothing remaining. Does it only form a pod if they are pollinated correctly first? How did you know weather you had male or female plants, to correctly polinate? The idea of starting from seedling sounds extremely interesting. I am really only interested in the rounded variety, and sadly have never seen them sold anywhere.
Also, I have some plants with rounded leaves that are a bit "lighter" in green color than all the others, do you know if this is a different species, or rather could this be related to the type of soil being used? I don't think its because of too much light. But not sure...
Perhaps these plants prefer a sandy true cactus soil that does not stay moist for long periods of time? Sadly, it looks like I might even loose the whole bunch because my very old house is drafty, and really can't afford to crank the heat up much more.
I do not think so. Any commercial potting mix should work. Drafty old houses are actually fine for plants though maybe not for cuttings. You can get heating mats or cables that are made for cuttings and seedlings that will keep the roots warmer than the room. Some are pre-set to 70F but others are adjustable. Anything above 65F will work but 75F - 77F is near ideal. Light is where I find people usually have missed the mark. Soil, temps, watering, etc. yes, they are important but light is more important than all of them combined.
I agree, I don't think ours would do as well if it wasn't in the sunniest spot in the house.
1979, do you have good drainage? Like to put a few rocks on the bottom on pots, so the soil doesn't get all bound up and stagnant with sitting water.
I also haven't noticed anything left behind after the flower falls off. Just had a look, and if I popped off a flower, there wouldn't be anything left .. so will have to watch for when one drops off naturally.
Now you have me all interested! Might even have to give it a dust and a wash one of these days, lol.
Yes 1979. Took that huge plant outside, tipped it over gently and pulled it from it's pot that it was welded to, used the hose and worked all the soil from the roots until it was completely bare and clean.
Had to get some nasty stuff from a nursery, can't remember what it was but it was specifially for the mealy buys, sprayed and doused, about three times and let it sit like that for about an hour, then sprayed it really clean with the hose.
I don't remember it having a huge root ball .. quite spindly acutally. Surprised at how small it was for such a huge plant.
Repoted in new soil, rocks on the bottom and it must have loved it's new found freedom without those darned mealy bugs.
For years I cleaned them off as I saw them, with my fingers by rubbing or q-tip and soapy water, or alcohol, all kinds of stuff .. soapy water when watering and spray, etc., but they always reappeared.
The nursery told me the only way to get rid of them was get rid or all the old soil and then the plant had to be doused to kill all that were on the plant.
1979, do you have good drainage? Like to put a few rocks on the bottom on pots, so the soil doesn't get all bound up and stagnant with sitting water.
Yes 1979. Took that huge plant outside, tipped it over gently and pulled it from it's pot that it was welded to, used the hose and worked all the soil from the roots until it was completely bare and clean.
Had to get some nasty stuff from a nursery, can't remember what it was but it was specifially for the mealy buys, sprayed and doused, about three times and let it sit like that for about an hour, then sprayed it really clean with the hose.
Repoted in new soil, rocks on the bottom and it must have loved it's new found freedom without those darned mealy bugs.
For years I cleaned them off as I saw them, with my fingers by rubbing or q-tip and soapy water, or alcohol, all kinds of stuff .. soapy water when watering and spray, etc., but they always reappeared.
The nursery told me the only way to get rid of them was get rid or all the old soil and then the plant had to be doused to kill all that were on the plant.
Yes, the soil has good drainage. I'm using just a generic/conventional house plant soil. After I planted the cuttings, I did noticed soil for sale meant specifically for succulents, with a picture of a CC on the package, but it was too late, they were already planted. When I water, I allow the soil to become fully damp. The water seeps into the soil, but I don't saturate the soil with a lot of water. I've noticed the soil will stay damp for quite awhile after that, at least a week sometimes, particularly during the summer when there is more humidity in the air. In the winter months, it appears the soil dries out much quicker. I even tried an eye dropper for awhile to get the soil just wet enough, because I was so concerned the tips of the leaves that were in the gound would rot, which did happen on a few previous occasions.
These mealy bugs have me concerned now. I wasn't even sure it was bugs, but after reading that you as well, would use a a q-tiip to remove them, it sounds like the same thing. The plants that I have with them are cuttings that have taken hold, that I bought from a florist. Not the cuttings that I started myself. I do have some house plant insecticide; I wonder how this would work? The idea of "destroying" the root ball; bringing the plant down to nothing but loose bare roots, then replanting in new dirt, in a new pot sounds like it would be torturous for the plant. I'm surprised it can survive it?? But, I can see the point when you have no alternative, which I think is where I'm at.
Also, I have separated cuttings that were planted that had started to root, and then tried to gently replant them and they died.
I have another odd question. Can you actually tell when a CC is dead? The reason is because sometime the leaves crinkle, but do not wither and die completely. The leaves don't grow either though. I'm just wondering if this could be what the plant does when it is stressed? Or is it really dead? I fear that some of my cuttings I started last March are gone, I'm hoping they might come back to life.
All in all, it sounds like CC cuttings should be started in water first perhaps, then planted in dirt once they sprout roots?
I could use some help with my Thanksgiving(?) Easter(?) cactus. At Christmas (?) you can see in the first picture that it bloomed. Actually it was the first time in 4 years that it had done so. Now, the leaves are falling off in pieces, 3 and 4 at a time. And nothing has changed. Its position, the watering regimine. It sat in front of a drafty window all winter, now its receiveing springtime sunlight. You can see, I hope, that the leaves are looking bad. There does not appear to be any mealy bugs on it. Suggestions anyone? Your help is appreciated! Thanks! PS- Do they need a alot of pot room to grow?
The soil looks old and compacted. Try repotting it with a nice airy mix. These jungle cacti are epiphytes in the wild, they need a soil that really breathes.
This is the only plant with the african violet that lives and blooms for me. All i do is water once a week
leave it away from any draft and cold, and each christmas it blooms. I think they enjoy sun, and cool
no drafts. My mother also had good luck with them, they were hung in a window, with light, and she also watered one time per week, if the soil did need it. Other times she would when it was warm
either place them in a bag and dark place, then bring them upstairs. Or she would when it was summer
hide them outside, behind a bush til fall. Maybe try the bag and dark place and see what does happen!
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(?) Easter
(?) you can see in the first picture that it bloomed. Actually it was the first time in 4 years that it had done so. Now, the leaves are falling off in pieces, 3 and 4 at a time. And nothing has changed. Its position, the watering regimine. It sat in front of a drafty window all winter, now its receiveing springtime sunlight. You can see, I hope, that the leaves are looking bad. There does not appear to be any mealy bugs on it. Suggestions anyone? Your help is appreciated! Thanks! PS- Do they need a alot of pot room to grow?
