Hi Curtis, There is one person in the UK cactus fraternity who has been selling these in the past, I assume he still does and that's Doug Sizmur of Kent Cacti, 35 Rutland Way, Orpington, Kent, BR5 4DY, Tel 01689 836249. No website or email. He will I believe be at the Havering Cactus Mart in May. Th...

On the subject of plastic bags and seed germination Ken, of Pete & Ken the retired cactus nursery at Ash, near Canterbury, Kent, always raised the most intersting and successful of seedlings in this way. Granted that things were on a larger scale than the average grower, his seeds were sown in m...

I was a little surprised Julie, when you reported that there used to be two societies, one for cacti and one for succulents - when was this? There used to be two societies of Cacti & Succulents which merged into one in 1983, is that what you are thinking of? The only other society dealing entire...

Stuart,

How on earth can you justify your comments about the American journal being better than the British! There are so many typos, incomplete articles, reviews. It's about double the price of the CactusWorld, but I will concede that you get six a year instead of four.

Hi Ian, Sorry about your spot of trouble. I do not know if you are keeping these plants indoors or out, but the bottom part of these grafted plants, the stock, is particularly cold sensitive and this may be the cause of your problem. Solution for the affected plant is to cut with a clean, sharp knif...

Hi Iann, I know I'm ancient, said I was retired, but Vatricania has been distributed in the wholesale cactus trade and hence through the garden centres for many years and is still being sold as such today. I do have one in my greenhouse, standing some 10 feet tall, and it has been flowering for some...

His Ian, Welcome to the all absorbing hobby of cactus & succulent growing. I have had the hobby since I was sixteen and now at just over retirement age I am as deeply into it as I could be. Your plants are I think:- 1. Vatricania guentheri 2. Euphorbia horrida 3. Opuntia brasililensis 4. Mammill...

Hi, thought I would add my fourpennyworth here and say that your XPachyveria has definitely got Graptopetalum as one of the parents judging by the flower. Still makes a nice plant though.

Hi, this is my first post on any forum. I love Mesemb plants, but not exclusively, Conos and Lithops being my favourites along with Dinteranthus. My BCSS membership number is 15866, and live in the South of England. When I first saw Ian's plant my first reaction was - here's someone who never looks ...