Any Schlumbergera spp. fanatics here?

[drcevnl]

Hi Dave, yes i can ack that this specific 'easy' clone is far by easier to grow.

Schlumbergera lutea has some do and do not's. This is my list:

Do:
Put in shade, only some morning or evening sun is allowed
Use an airy soil
Fresh air (outside) wehenever possible
Winter temperarture between 5-15 Celsius

Do not:
Let them dry out completely (once it happens it is difficult to get them going again)

ruudt

[DaveW]

Thanks Ruud, I have the "easy clone" from you I think so will see how I get on. I am now growing some of the epiphytes in mesh "pond pots" or "pond baskets" to see if the extra aeration for the roots helps since the roots are often exposed or just in moss on trees in hanitat:-

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from= ... s&_sacat=0

[uzbeck]

Ralph, you say you grow yours in Sphagnum. Would that be moss or peat? What else do you add?

[ralphrmartin]

Good question. It's mainly sphagnum moss (80% say) with a little sphagnum peat and grit (10% each say).

[uzbeck]

Thanks Ralph. I have some rooted cv cuttings,I will give it a try. Up until now I have grown my cultivars in straight Orchid compost. Results are pretty good but the compost now seems to be going mouldy - perhaps it is too old.

Peter

[ralphrmartin]

I've tried that too, but orchid roots are much bigger, and the particles in it seem too course.

Bulb fibre might be a better bet.

[DaveW]

The Orchid compost may be going mouldy since there is actively rotting material in it. However Orchids probably grow in actively rotting material in habitat. Whether epiphytic cacti do I am uncertain, but it would seem that they grow in similar detritus in trees that orchids do, so whether that mould would affect them I am unsure?

I am trying epiphytic cacti in Orchid compost (seems to be mainly coco peat with burnt coconut shell) plus some cat litter, sphagnum moss and forest bark. It looks more like the start of a compost heap but time will tell if they like it since I am trying to reproduce something similar to what they grow in habitat in. They are also planted in in open mesh pond pots.

In any case these days with partly decomposed garden rubbish replacing peat in "JI" composts, I expect we can expect those composts to go mouldy in time too!

[uzbeck]

Ralph and DaveW thanks for your comments. Both make a lot of sense if you stop and think about it. The compost certainly looks odd compared to what I grow most other plants in, a variation of Ray Allcocks suggestions with 60/70% minerals.

I too am looking for some pond planters as long as they are not too big.

Peter

[DaveW]

An old thread, but does anybody know who Ehler was? Did he collect the small form of S. russeliana or just distribute it? The joints are really small compared to the flower, whereas in the original plate the joint to flower proportions were larger.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/sunset_view/26408406773

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schlumber ... ._1839.jpg

The following is a Google translation of a Dutch website:-

"The growth sites of Schlumbergera russelliana lie approximately between 1300 and 2200 meters in the Atlantic rainforests in southeastern Brazil. At the lower growth sites there is an overlap with the areas of Schlumbergera truncata. It is assumed that there are also many kinds of hybrids (intermediates) between the two species in nature. For that reason, there has certainly been confusion in the past about whether a particular plant is a true Schlumbergera russelliana or not.

The most convincing is the fruit. This is known by Schlumbergera Russelliana 4-5 in shape and green/yellow, while in Schlumbergera truncata it is pear-shaped and red. With intermediate shapes the fruit is red and red in color.

The reason that this plant is not found so often is probably because it is more difficult in culture. In addition, material from these plants is not often offered on stock markets.

There are some clones in circulation. An example is Hunt 6484, some of which have doubts as to whether this is a true Schlumbergera russelliana. A fun is a form known as Ehlers small form. A shape with very small edges, but not much less large flowers."

[Tony R]

The only Ehler I know is
Dr Nesta Ehler - a german - don't know whether female or male.
Published various papers in the literature with Rauh and Barthlott.
I think she/he was a scanning microscopist?

Another interesting list of people is:
http://cssaarchives.com/MOVERS%20AND%20 ... 0WORLD.pdf