Don't worry Rod!

I find it fascinating to see them perk up and start bursting through last year's skins. I watered on Sunday and you can already see the effects.

With space at a premium there are other more interesting Thelocacti I would be considering finding room for before this one. Interesting nevertheless to see it.

I watered all my Conos on Sunday. Quite a few Bilobes are starting to flower and I was concerned that if I didn't start watering the smaller bodied species might be under threat, particularly with the weather continuing to be around 30°C+ for the rest of this week. The lack of any rain in the foreca...

I used to use Phostrogen, but I got fed up with it absorbing moisture in the air and becoming a horrible mess in the packet.
I converted over to using Chempak 8 a year or so ago and the improvement in appearance and growth of my plants has been dramatic.

I would never go back to Phostrogen now.

Berchtii is definitely one of the best of the more recent introductions. The combination of the grey-black body and the large off-white flower is hard to beat.

Detlev,

I would be extremely pleased to receive a cutting or two from you.

I would be happy to pay for the cutting(s) and also the postage costs, of course.

Thank you, gentlemen.

Muchos Gracias!

I acquired this plant from someone moving away from the area.

Anybody able to provide any I.D. clues?

It has never been found again anywhere near the location given for it, so it is something of an anomaly.

It should be subsumed under Monvillei, but it is such a distinctive plant when in flower that it deserves a place in any Gymnocalycium collection.

A couple of photos of possible interest.