Waiting for a flower ... then two appear

[el48tel]

I have been waiting for the Setiechinopsis to flower for a few days, but thought the Echinopsis might flower not quite as soon. But a couple of moments ago they were both spotted as the sun was getting lower in the sky.

The Echinopsis is labelled as gemmata but I think wrongly.

[el48tel]

And this morning the Setiechinopsis has closed for ever .... and the Echinopsis is at its best

[Chez2]

Beautiful flowers.

[sechjoh]

Amazing flowers!

[el48tel]

And I thought that the pink Echinopsis flower was big until the one sitting next to it flowered .....

[juster]

Beautiful flowers, but the white one is really special, thanks for sharing.

[AndrewB]

Hi el48tel,

Nice flowers on your two Echinopsis.

We’re either scented, did you hybridise the two?

[el48tel]

Hi el48tel,

Nice flowers on your two Echinopsis.

We’re either scented, did you hybridise the two?

Andrew
Yes did try to hybridise these two together.
However .... (yes, you saw that coming)
1) at that time I was only 10 months into collecting and growing cacti formally, and my skill set was low.
2) the Echinopsis I thought was a gemmata, because that's what it said on the label, and I did realise that the label was incorrect, and I did find out subsequently that it was AbbeyBrook 'Electric' rather than a species.
3) 'Electric' produces fertile pollen but is otherwise sterile, so would not be pollinated by the Setiechinopsis.
4) I missed the pollination window on the Setiechinopsis.

It's on the "to-do" list again for this year. Since then I have collected a few more skills and a few more hybrids, some of which flowered last year and produced seed. I am too old to have a plan for breeding fine hybrids to finance a new lifestyle, but am sufficiently fascinated to make sense of producing something which pleases me. I am hoping that the random seedlings planted last year and the seeds I will plant in a couple of weeks will give me some satisfaction in that direction.

I have some excess seeds if you want any. edds has had some. PM me if you do.

[AndrewB]

Hi El48tel,

I expect you will derive an immense amount of satisfaction from seeing a plant you have hybridised, then grown, finally flower.

On the duration thing, look on the bright side, your not into Clivias! I’ve got seedlings of those at 7 coming on 8 years old and still a year or so away from flowering. My first hybridised seedlings are probably three or four years off flowering.

An Echinopsis can do seed to flower in three or four years.

Setiechinopsis is also a plant I would like to try hybridising, but it is preferentially self fertile, and not easily receptive by Echinopsis from what I have been told. Still, it is definitely possible!

[el48tel]

Hi El48tel,

I expect you will derive an immense amount of satisfaction from seeing a plant you have hybridised, then grown, finally flower.

On the duration thing, look on the bright side, your not into Clivias! I’ve got seedlings of those at 7 coming on 8 years old and still a year or so away from flowering. My first hybridised seedlings are probably three or four years off flowering.

An Echinopsis can do seed to flower in three or four years.

Setiechinopsis is also a plant I would like to try hybridising, but it is preferentially self fertile, and not easily receptive by Echinopsis from what I have been told. Still, it is definitely possible!

Andrew
I have a small portion of the seed remaining, which you are more than welcome to share. I have a few other seeds from other crosses.
Thank you for the challenge .... Setiechinopsis will be the subject on another brush waggle