Lithops flowers!

L. terricolor "localis" in flower

WOOT!

Came home from a thesis hideaway to find that my three lithops have flowered! Took the pictures right at sunset; I really like the quality of the light at this time of day, will have to try sunset picture taking again.

I swirled a paintbrush (aka surrogate insect) around the flowers for the heck of it. I know hydrid lithops aren't supposed to be very vigorous or interesting, but I figured what the heck, why not try to get some sort of a seed pod.

L. dorotheae flowering, but stubbornly closed

My L. fulviceps has already finished flowering - I didn't take a picture of him since the flower was shriveled.

The plant that should be underwater, but isn't.

Thats right! An adult Bowiea volubilis! I've only been wanting one of these guys since high school, only recently started seeds to grow my own.

And lo and behold, there were several awesome looking bowieas at the plant sale I've been posting about for the past few days.

I was good.

I restrained myself to one.

A small one at that.

But what an awesome looking plant! And thanks to my awesome high school plant buddy for reminding me of what we called these guys as we poured over houseplant books, dreaming and plotting and yearning for unusual plants. The plant that should be underwater but isn't.

Check out the bulb (caudex?):

Sigh, I can die a happy plant collector now.

What am I going to do if all 8 of my bowiea seedlings survive? Giveaway?

New succulents and caudiciforms - Part 3

Part 1 & Part 2

Aloe ssp.

This guy was brought as a giveaway that no one else was interested in (seems like pups of this plant have made their rounds of the club before). So I took pity and gave him a home, even though aloes really aren't a strong interest of mine. Someone mentioned the species name, and of course I forgot to write it down :(

Oxalis ssp.

Not a succulent. Not a cacti. Not a caudiciform. Not sure what possessed me to pick this guy up. Love the red leaves, not sure he will survive long since I have a tendency to under-water cacti and succulents. Normal plants don't usually stand a chance with me.

Yet another euphorbia...

...neat plant! neat pot!

Crassula ssp?

I think this is some type of crassula (same genus as Jade plants)....so tiny and adorable!

Trichodiadema bulbosum - I think

This guy needs a haircut, but ignoring that - check out the roots on him! Gorgeous!

That concludes my tour of all the new plants I picked up....with one exception, one I am so excited about it deserves its' very own post!

New succulents and caudiciforms - Part 2

See Part 1

Fockea crispa?

The tag says Fockea crispa, and google seems to support that it's a fockea, not convinced its a crispa though, the leaves seem more like other species of fockea. An adorable little caudiciform! Pictures of more mature plants are spectacular. Gives me something to aim for with this guy!

Dorstenia ssp., flowering!

I have a weakness for caudiciforms if you haven't noticed already :P Love the flowers on this guy! Technically it's an inflorescence, I think. 

Jatropha podagrica seedling

After my trials and tribulations growing these from seed (undocumented on this blog apparently), a club member kindly started on for me!

A euphorbia!

Seems similar to my beloved Euphorbia obesas. Man I love strange plants!

Lapidaria margaretae

And finally for this post: a very mature Lapidaria margaretae, I tend to prefer to look of these guys when they are young and only have one or two leaves (aka they look like rocks), but couldn't pass up this old gentleman.

Continued in Post 3

Happy and heartbreaking - new succulents and caudiciforms

Above is a photo of only half the new cacti and succulents I brought home last weekend. Yes, only half....so much for my plan to not get anymore plants until I move out and actually have the room for them.

The local cactus and succulent club's monthly meeting was at the house of a wonderful lady with a massive (like she has a greenhouse!) collection. The sadness stemmed from the fact that she is elderly and moving soon - so is selling most of her plants. It was a bittersweet shopping experience - so wonderful as a new collector to have a chance to acquire some rare and unusual species (or just plain neat ones), but so heartbreaking because these are well loved plants and this sweet lady needs to give them up.

Now I feel so much pressure to keep them alive and healthy in honor of her.

/freakout!

I'll introduce you to a few in this post, and cover the rest in a follow up post or two. Lots of plant pics make great blog fodder!

Some type of euphorbia?

Not sure what species this guy is, but I'm 99% sure its a type of euphorbia. Love the leaf-shape on these...they remind me of diagrams of mitochondria. My euphorbia experience up until now has been limited to Euphorbia obesa. Hopefully other species are as easy to care for.

Huernia ssp. with a tag-along aloe

Got my first huernia this spring from a previous C&S club meeting - saw pictures of their flowers and had to bring one home. Couldn't resist a second one. No idea which species, if its rare or common, just thought it looked happy and healthy. Maybe one day one of them will flower for me. Sigh.

Haworthia ssp.

My second haworthia. Far more sterotypical than my first haworthia (H. truncata X maughanii). Again, not sure what these guys need...keeping my fingers crossed.

Continued in Part 2

Friendship and flowers

Lithops fulviceps about to fower!

Old friends are wonderful and special creatures.

Spent today catching up with my best buddy from high school - chatting about plants and art and life's ups and downs. Can't ask for a better Friday than that! Since this seems to have become a blog about green things, not personal things I wont elaborate further except to say that hopefully we will both be better at staying in contact.....although even if we don't, that's ok. There is something really to be treasured about friends you can call up after years apart and be welcomed with open arms and an open heart.

And oh joy! happydance! squee! As I was showing her my lithops collection* we found something extra awesome - L. fulviceps and L. terricolor localis are going to flower! Super happy! I had given up on expecting flowers since this is the first year I've had all of these guys. It's nice confirmation that they must be (mostly) happy.

Lithops terricolor localis also going to flower!

* my friend was there when I bought my very first lithops waaaay back in high school - she understands the addiction!

repotting Dioscorea elephantipes seedlings

There are actually two seedlings there.

(sorry about the cruddy photos - was in a rush and was a bad time of day for taking plant pics)

A plant buddy lost his Dioscorea elephantipes seedlings while away on vacation - luckily I had a spare. It's nice to be able to give back to people who've helped me so much with free seeds and advice these past few months.

Snapped these quick repotting pics before dashing out the door to deliver the seedling. 

Surprisingly long roots! And already little caudexes! (what is the plural of caudex anyway?)

All done! One for me, one to a new home. Have 3 more seedlings in another pot though, so I'm not down to a single Dioscorea.