Bargains indeed, especially as both are in good condition. Often by the time the chain stores reduce the prices of their cacti they are pretty much unsaleable. Mammillaria hahniana, the white plant, has several forms but those with the long white hairs that contrast the deep pink flowers are my favo...

I'd agree with Parodia ottonis. These can form nice clumps, which look superb with many heads in flower.

An online dictionary defines mostrose as:- "(botany) Having an abnormal, distorted and disfigured growth of the body (especially of a cactus)" Therefore any growth that is abnormal for the species could be described as monstrose, including unnatural spiralled growth. By way of expansion, ...

One more question, will the Notocactus/Parodia produce more offsets? If the smaller heads are indeed offsets, more will grow in time. Sometimes, commercial growers create artificial clumps by placing several plants close together in a single pot but you will be able to tell when you repot. Most P. ...

Liz M wrote:Tina, what is the fourth one of your pictures. I love the spiral on it, does that really qualify as monstrose?

With a singular, circular growing point and no crested growth, I'm not sure it's monstrose or cristate but it is an aberrant form ... and I agree with Liz M, it's very attractive.

I have no idea about the succulent but the second plant is almost certainly Rebutia muscula (a form of R. fiebrigii according to New Cactus Lexicon) or Aylostera muscula, if you prefer (it has hairy floral tubes). The third plant is either Parodia mammulosa (formerly Notocactus mammulosus) or someth...

Interesting thread. I spend a lot of money on my plants but, and its an important point; I dont smoke dont drink dont gamble, spend little on cloths, dont go on holidays, not bothered about a new car and happy that I dont have any women in my life other than my long suffering wife of 42 years.(Ones...

i would be happy to pay the price this one went for: http://cgi.ebay.com/Crested-Trichocereus-peruvianus-rare-cactus-ariocarpus-/320719963499?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4aac66456b Afraid I would have given something like that away or swapped it, I hate monstrose cacti ... I guess beauty is ...

I find a high pressure garden sprayer set to jet rather than spray more controllable but otherwise I would agree with everything already said.

It's definitely a Melocactus and I would go about 80% with M. neryi, based on appearance and the species normally available commercially. The marks are most likely residue from fertilizer or insecticide and normally wash off quite easily. There was a very good thread a while ago on the different typ...