Echinocactus tortoise and hare

[iann]

The Echinocactus horizonthalonius v. subikii is three years younger than the plain E. horizonthalonius, but it beat it to flowering and now looks like it has overtaken it for size too. Spines are smaller though

[Diane]

It seems to flower at quite a young age, compared to the type. Mine has also just flowered, but has pink flowers rather than white (grown from David Rushforth's seeds).

[iann]

The flowers on mine are a very pale pink, slightly darker when they first open, almost white when fully open. Second one coming soon that hasn't flowered before, I'll compare the colour.

[ralphrmartin]

Here's the seedling I'm most proud of from last year (in that it's still alive!)

[iann]

Here's the seedling I'm most proud of from last year (in that it's still alive!)

Still alive is the easy bit. Getting them to germinate at all is the hard bit! Good new growth this spring though, that's a good sign. If it goes from winter to summer without producing new areoles with their bright red spines, then you're in trouble.

[ralphrmartin]

I dunno. I've had a few germinate before, and all conk out within 6 months or so. This is the first time I've got one to the one year + stage.

[iann]

Here's a growing sequence from my first ever sowing

polycephalus3.jpg (34.79 KiB) Viewed 1170 times

polycephalus7.jpg (65.61 KiB) Viewed 1170 times

polycephalus8.jpg (77.24 KiB) Viewed 1170 times

[AnTTun]

If it was me, mine would have been grafted at stage 3

[ralphrmartin]

Terrific spine! How old's that plant now, Ian?

[iann]

Terrific spine! How old's that plant now, Ian?

That's about 10 years old. They're not fast, only 2-3 new areoles each spring, less when they get big.