Autumn Cactus and Succulent Show at RHS Harlow Carr 23/9/2023 - the photographs

[Benjy]

The Copiapoa Solaris was a well-deserved winner, Colin Norton used to have a row of six of them, all in nice clusters and probably imports, but it's rare to see a plant nowadays with more than a single head.

Agreed, the solaris is superb.
There are also many huge specimens shown online from Australia, from 1996 R.Schulz seed.
I don't consider C.solaris that rare though, I have around 250 myself all grown from habitat seed.
(although not as large as the show plant)
But, I do like to create many 'multiple offsetting' plants in any Copiapoa species much earlier,
I do it by chopping heads off 3cm Copiapoa seedlings, creating much faster growing clumps in much less growing time.

C.solaris at 10cm.

[Tina]

Super Benjy, I took the advice & have a very small 3 headed plant now.
Most of us don't have seedlings to experiment with

[el48tel]

I think one would have to agree that there were many other plants in the Show, equally worthy of distinction, many plants of great age.

[Benjy]

I think one would have to agree that there were many other plants in the Show, equally worthy of distinction, many plants of great age.

I personally prefer seeing plants without any competition involved, just for the enjoyment of the hobby.

[el48tel]

I think one would have to agree that there were many other plants in the Show, equally worthy of distinction, many plants of great age.

I personally prefer seeing plants without any competition involved, just for the enjoyment of the hobby.

However there are people who prefer to compete. Without the competition there would be no opportunity to see so many different plants assembled at one time. My love is that of photographing plants, often a challenge in itself.

[Tina]

Hi All,
Have a newbie to the collection, arrived in a mixed tray with no label.
I think its copiapoa solaris- bigger aeriloes that are a bit dusty, a friend thinks its echino lindsayii.
Whats the consensus ?

OOPS - sorry I searched cop solaris & didn't notice the title of the thread,

[Diane]

Tina, I don’t think it’s E. lindsayii, which usually has blackish spines, can’t comment on whether it’s a Copiapoa though.

[Tina]

Hi Diane,
Even echino lindsayii are variable but so are copiapoa, a poor shot of a few of mine on a top shelf ( why rough photo).
I'm really pleased with it, just not sure where it needs to go after its repot.

[Simon S]

Definitely C. solaris imo, Tina (lovely spines) the E. lindsayi - or lindsayorum as I think our labels should be, are equally beautiful. Gorgeous plants.