Now I see why it’s called Igniflorum

[Roatavator]

Taken in same lighting conditions, same phone camera, photos untouched.

[AnTTun]

Now thats one heck of display

[el48tel]

AnTTun said it well

[Terry S.]

Yes, a very good plant. It is of course a hybrid as most conos with orange/red flowers are; it shows hybrid vigour too. I thought the name "igniflorum" was usually applied to a much larger-headed clone, similar to x cupreiflorum. This one is something like my hybrid 'Adele' which is a cross of C. bilobum ssp. altum with a purple-flowered cono.

The two photos do have different exposures which has led to wash-out of the second image. However, cono flowers often do get paler as they age.

[Roatavator]

Hi Terry
It was from Abbey Brook collection ABCN4707. With my very limited knowledge I’d assumed it to be a bilobum hybrid.
You’re right, exposure is different now I check. But paler photo (2nd) is the earlier one, the top photo was taken today. I’m in the greenhouse every day and the early flowers in September were paler, today’s flowers are really bright.

[Tina]

Superb , how big is that pot

[Roatavator]

Thanks Tina.
It’s in a 9 inch bowl. I bought the plant at the 2008 National Show. Abbey Brook had a sale stand there. It was three or four heads then. These do have a tendency to become leggy with age and this one looks pretty scruffy in summer when the heads shrink and the stems are visible. I did have a Louisae which was a bit bigger than this but it had got so scruffy I broke it up for cuttings a little while ago.
Buying a few Conos at the national is what started me off with them. It’s now turned into an obsession, but not one which I’m turning to eBay to satisfy!

[Terry S.]

Nine inches! Please don't make any other comparisons, but this is enormous for a cono. I don't think that I have grown one past the 7 inch pan stage and kept it looking decent. Abbey Brook have not been great at maintaining and naming their cono collection and their nomenclature sits firmly as it was 30+ years ago with lots of old names that are not currently in use.

Cono prices on Ebay are set by the Asians. I have conos for sale at European prices when I give talks at this time of year and will have a couple of trays available at the Haworthia Convention at the weekend. They always sell much better than any haworthias I might take along. The cognoscenti are probably saturated with haws already.

[Roatavator]

To be perfectly honest Terry, I’m no expert at all when it comes to growing Conos. I suspect I’m more generous with compost, feeding and watering than I should be. This is by far the largest Cono I have, although I have got a fairly big Wiggetae, also Abbey Brook and also I suspect an out of date name.
I’d never dare buy an expensive plant by auction, I’d probably kill it! I’d much sooner buy a single head cutting and have the pleasure of raising it. I must confess I’ve sold a couple of mature plants recently on the site, but only to fund more cuttings!

[Tony R]

Cono prices on Ebay are set by the Asians. I have conos for sale at European prices when I give talks at this time of year and will have a couple of trays available at the Haworthia Convention at the weekend. They always sell much better than any haworthias I might take along. The cognoscenti are probably saturated with haws already.