ID on a Lidl cactus

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SmallCake
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ID on a Lidl cactus

Post by SmallCake »

Couldn't resist getting this bargain cactus from Lidl today. They labelled it and several ferocactus latispinus as Mammillaria :roll:
Can anyone ID it?
IMG_20210227_113134__01.jpg
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Re: ID on a Lidl cactus

Post by Herts Mike »

Looks like a Melocactus to me.
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Re: ID on a Lidl cactus

Post by fatich »

Melocactus sp.
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Re: ID on a Lidl cactus

Post by RAYWOODBRIDGE »

Agree with the 2 posts above looks like a Melocactus but you might have to wait a while before it is possible to pinpoint the species name.
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Re: ID on a Lidl cactus

Post by SmallCake »

Fantastic, thanks everyone for the fast replies!
Melocactus would explain the poor root system. Hopefully I can keep it alive long enough to find out which species/get a cap.
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Re: ID on a Lidl cactus

Post by Ernie »

I bought one of these today. £4 in a ceramic pot! It certainly is a Melocactus probably matanzanus. Its a snap for one I already have. It should be starting to show its top hat by now! Time will tell.
The labels in all the plants I saw on sale today did not match with any of the plants!
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Ernie
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Re: ID on a Lidl cactus

Post by Ernie »

I picked up another Melocactus today from Lidl.(At £4 it's a no brainer) My last post is very wrong. There is no doubt the plants are well grown healthy Melocactus azureus. I mentioned to the shop manager that the labels on the various Cactus plants on offer are incorrect. All marked Mammillaria which they are not. He photographed them and intended to contact head office.
Makes a mockery of the plant passport system. Each label had a plant passport number on for mammillarias!
The Melos will need to grow a bit before starting to don a top hat!
I will post a picture of both plants in the morning.
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Re: ID on a Lidl cactus

Post by Ernie »

Here they are repotted. As purchased they were in plastic pots inside ceramic pot holders
The one on the left is much bluer than the other but the photo does not show that. They will now live in the bedroom with other Melos. If these are not Melos I will eat my cephalium
P1010537.JPG
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Ernie
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Re: ID on a Lidl cactus

Post by Ernie »

Just got back from the same Lidl shop. I bought the remainder of the Melocactus. Seems nobody wanted them.
will probably give a couple to the local branch when we get back to meetings. There's a plant raffle every month.
I have seen the same plant, in the same plastic pot- minus the ceramic pot holder being offered on ebay this week at £12. Some enterprising individual may have seen a way to make a profit. I wonder how the Lidl supplier/grower makes any money on these, £4.49! :eek: They are big plants.
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Re: ID on a Lidl cactus

Post by RAYWOODBRIDGE »

Ernie ; Edelcactus the supplier only need to make a few pence per plant, Lidl have over 6800 stores in Europe alone, and it would seem every store had two trays of Melocactus plants. I cannot remember if there was 6 or 9 plants per tray but either way it is still a lot of Melocactus.
The outer grey pot ( which did not have a hole in the bottom ) sells for more than 4.49 in a garden centre. :shock:
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