Blossfeldia

[Stoogle]

Hi,

Am planning to start some Blossfeldia seeds, would be great if people could share their experience and ideas on these slow growers. What is the average time getting them to flower?

[GregoryBulmer]

I've heard varying cases of limiting success, but it is possible. A popular method is sowing on sterilised soil in a sterilised, moist jam jar that then isn't opened until seedlings have growth to a substantial (whatever that means in terms of Blossfeldia!) size. The seed is also like dust, good luck. I've got a grafted plant flowering at the moment so might have to try it myself..

[Aiko]

You best chance (and maybe your only one) is to use the socalled "baggy method". Enough information to find on this, on this forum if you do a search for this term.

I've heard varying cases of limiting success, but it is possible. A popular method is sowing on sterilised soil in a sterilised, moist jam jar that then isn't opened until seedlings have growth to a substantial

Or a well sealed plastic bag will do (preferably two). My five year old Blossfeldias have been in the bag for two years. After two years the moisture has fully leaked out of the pots, so I had to take them out. Two years is long enough for them to be locked up.

Be smart to sow the seeds preferably in multiple pots and lock the pots up in separate air sealed containers / bags. No matter how well you sterelise the soil, there always is a chance for algae to get to the pots. A little bit is not a problem, just as long as seedlings are still bigger than the algae. If the algae is getting the upper hand, get the pots out. Keeping pots seprated prevents one contaminated pot to infect another.

After five years they are still the size of half a pea, so don't expect any speed or quick successes. I don't know when it will flower, but I reckon not before it is about one centimeter in size. That might take another ten years for my plants. So my first guess, it will take 15 years from seed to flowering. Ungrafted, of course. I don't like grafted plants...

[DaveW]

This one on it's own roots was raised from seed by the late Tom Jenkins and must have been about 6 years old when I got it. However from the rate it grew for me it must have been between 12-15 years old when the picture was taken. Unfortunately it died a few years later. The coin is approximately one inch across. A grafted plant will be that size in 4-5 years.

I did get a Strombocactus, another minute seeded plant to germinate on damp sand in a petri dish, but after a year it was no larger than a pin head and eventually died.

[Aiko]

Actually, Strombocactus are a lot quicker. Also adviced to sow them via the baggy method and keeping them locked in for multiple years. But I managed to grow one without locking it in, and is now at the age of 6 about two to three centimeters in diameter.

[KarlR]

These are 3.5 years old on own roots. The biggest is ca. 1.5 cm and the other around 1 cm. They only stayed in a bag for about six months or thereabouts, due to algae.

They flowered for the first time this spring and now I'm waiting for the fruits to mature

[Ali Baba]

Mine were sown 7 years ago and are in their 3rd year of flowering. They are very slow at first, best sown via the baggy method, and kept in the bags for 2 years if you can.
I agree with Aiko, Strombocactus are much quicker!

[ralphrmartin]

I've got some self sown seedlings, from a couple I had in the same pot. They are exceedingly slow.

[Stoogle]

Thank you for sharing your photos and experience. I’ll let you know if I have any success!

[Aiko]

Looks like mine are ultraslow, if I compare mine with the pictures shown...