Flowers versus offsets ... a newbie question

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el48tel
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Flowers versus offsets ... a newbie question

Post by el48tel »

In the few months I have been collecting, I have learned how to get a plant to send out offsets, and how to harvest offsets, and how to set them to root. I have bought and acquired plants which are offsetting on their own and plants which are flowering.
But does a plant with a disposition to offset (or damage to the growing point) also flower? Do its offsets acquire the same disposition to offset rather than produce flowers?
Endeavouring to grow Aylostera, Echinocereus, Echinopsis, Gymnocalycium, Matucana, Rebutia, and Sulcorebutia. Fallen out of love with Lithops and aggravated by Aeoniums.
Currently being wooed by Haworthia, attempting hybridisation, and enticed by Mesembs.
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KarlR
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Re: Flowers versus offsets ... a newbie question

Post by KarlR »

In my experience, plants that offset more than is usual for the species will rarely or never flower. I have a monstrose Neoporteria of some form that creates an offset out of every single areole. Will never flower. And I've had Echinopsis eyresii clones that will offset profusely and create flower buds that always abort.

The offsets turn out the same as the parent plant.

I don't think damage to the growing point will cause this though. More likely some genetic disorder or maybe a virus. I had a monstrose Lobivia famatimensis which would also offset profusely with some heads looking normal, some partly deformed and some heads completely monstrose and misshapen. It never flowered either. I'm not a fan of such specimens so they rarely live long in my collection.
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habanerocat
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Re: Flowers versus offsets ... a newbie question

Post by habanerocat »

Generally I would say no. Offsetting and flowering are just a sign of good health.

You guessed this was coming, however, I had an Echinopsis for many years that offset profusely and never flowered. I lost all of these plants during the bad frost of about eight years ago, bar two small offsets. So this time round I've allowed one to continue offsetting while I keep removing the offsets from the other one.

So just this week, again you guessed it, the one with no offsets has produced a flower bud, the other just more offsets. I'll post up a photo if the bud develops in time.

Could be just down to the good summer last year, as I've never seen so many flowers as this year. We'll see what happens......
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KarlR
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Re: Flowers versus offsets ... a newbie question

Post by KarlR »

I should add that some phenotypes of a species will offset profusely and still flower, while other phenotypes of the same species will not offset or only sparsely. Lophophora williamsii is such a species.
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el48tel
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Re: Flowers versus offsets ... a newbie question

Post by el48tel »

I think I get the gist of this .... there is no rule and no explanation.
Endeavouring to grow Aylostera, Echinocereus, Echinopsis, Gymnocalycium, Matucana, Rebutia, and Sulcorebutia. Fallen out of love with Lithops and aggravated by Aeoniums.
Currently being wooed by Haworthia, attempting hybridisation, and enticed by Mesembs.
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el48tel
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Re: Flowers versus offsets ... a newbie question

Post by el48tel »

As I have been planting up and repotting this afternoon I think I have confirmed my suspicions ... no rules ... one Echinopsis is budding AND offsetting. Found the bud on the non visible side ... pups are on visible side.
Endeavouring to grow Aylostera, Echinocereus, Echinopsis, Gymnocalycium, Matucana, Rebutia, and Sulcorebutia. Fallen out of love with Lithops and aggravated by Aeoniums.
Currently being wooed by Haworthia, attempting hybridisation, and enticed by Mesembs.
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