September 2024 - Rarities

[ChrisR]

Thanks Ian for picking one of my favourites too as winner of the August competition.

Sorry if it has but at a glance I can't see this as a previous topic so I'm suggesting "Rarities" or something from your collection which is considered rare or unusual in cultivation for the September competition.

I love the diversity of Crassula as a genus and have a large collection now, some of which are rare or even unknown in general cultivation. Here's my contribution to start the August competition. Crassula fascicularis is hardly grown or even available in cultivation. I hope to remedy that that propagating this for future distribution.

[bobblackbird]

A Euphorbia Leucodendron cristata

[IamFof]

As a member of the NSW C&S Society when I lived in Oz, I often went on organised visits to collections in other cities.
When I visited a collection in Newcastle, north of Sydney, I spotted a small Geohintonia mexicana, unfortunately not in his sales area.
Speaking to him about his plants, I mentioned the Geointonia, and asked if he might have another he would consider selling.
His reply gobsmacked me. The said he had had it for over 2 years and it had done absolutely nothing, and I wanted it, I could have it for $2 (approx £1).
I really wasn't happy at that price and tried to haggle him UP to $20 but no he wouldn't move on price. I VERY reluctantly passed over the cash, and went home with a VERY big smile on my face.
In the time I had it, before I left Oz, it did grow, albeit extremely slowly, but never flowered for me.

Now I am back in UK, I would love to get another, but I realise that with just a windowsill, I don't have the right conditions, but...... (any offers?)

[Aiko]

Try them from seeds. Seeds are easy to obtain. Fun to grow (but slow), and for seedlings growing in a window sill is okay. Maybe once they are getting bigger and need more sun, you might have a greenhouse?

[MatDz]

A minuscule 10 mm wide, 3 years old Haworthia truncata var. minor, Tafelkop, SA. Seeds from Fanda Vesely, CZ (Haworthialand). Slightly etiolated, but we're working on it.

I am not convinced it's that of a rarity, but I don't see them often for sale or even displayed anywhere.

The stick on the right is just that, a stick.

H. truncata var. minor, Tafelkop

[Paul in Essex]

As rare as it can be - a unique natural hybrid between Agave montana and A. mitis. There are other examples of this cross but they don't look like this one.

[ianstrutt]

Acharagma aguirreanum - critically endangered in the wild and known from only a tiny area of Coahuila, Mexico.

[MatDz]

I might have lucked out here by accident!

A recently collected, soon-to-be-described tuberous Euphorbia species in a greenhouse of Rikus van Veldhuisen (of the u4ba.nl fame, shared here with Rikus' blessing):

Edited adding the genus in bold above

[Herts Mike]

Maybe not rare but seed grown to this size makes it a rarity?

[Cidermanrolls]

I’m not a great fan of monstrous forms, but I do like this one, hardly ever seen in collections as far as I’m aware.
Turbinicarpus krainzianus minimus mons..
I just wish it were easier to keep in great condition. Since this picture was taken it’s suffered the loss of several stems, but it’s still alive and kicking. Fortunately, cuttings root quite easily, if slowly.