Cactus Blog - Page 5 of 211

Cactus Blog Archives

We Get Sick Cactus Questions

Posted December 15, 2017 9:54 am & filed under Questions.

hey there…. i was wonder if you could help me with my cactus…. we had mealie mites and i used a insecticidal soap. then this started to happened and fast. could it be corking? i don’t think its root rot. i dealt with that before. is there something we can do to save it?
Could we cut the bad out of the cactus and callus it and replant? the tops don’t seam to be infected..
thank you for any help you can provide!!!
Gene

It looks to me like you have 2 plants with the same problem. After the infestation, which the soap didn’t fix, the plants would have been susceptible to infection.

I would recommend getting the 3 of them out of that soil, and repotting the 1 healthy one on its own. You can take tip cuttings of the other 2 if you can cut above the infection. When you cut, if the flesh is clean and white then you can let it callous over for a week before planting. Since it’s winter I recommend Sulfur Dust on the cut end to help prevent fungus. If the cut end is not clean then keep cutting upward til you get to clean flesh, or if the infection is all the way through the plant then it is not saveable.

Peter

Cactus Cupcakes

Posted December 14, 2017 6:48 pm & filed under Travel.

Are you wondering why no nobody in New York has offered a holiday cupcake party with a cactus and succulent theme? Cupcake Decorating Workshop by The Sill has you covered, if you are available and in New York next Tuesday only. Nice!

I wonder if they teach you how to make delicious cupcakes, or just how to decorate any old cupcake.

You will learn how to decorate cupcakes like a pro.

OK! No good cupcakes, only decorative frostings. I mean, I assume they don’t prevent you from using delicious cupcakes, but it’s hard to say for sure.

And what if you’re a beginner….

This class will be good for beginners who want to explore their interest, and for semi-professionals who want to develop new skills in buttercream design.

Berkeley Succulents in Full Bloom

Posted December 9, 2017 9:49 am & filed under Berkeley Succulents.

Aloe arborescens in full bloom

7th St., Berkeley

Oh, those winter blooming South African Aloes! They do come and bloom at an auspicious time of the year.

Christmas Tree Cactus

Posted December 5, 2017 6:08 pm & filed under Cactus.

Austrocylindropuntia subulata fa. monstrose is the Christmas Tree Cactus.

Big Blue Succulent Leaves

Posted November 25, 2017 11:02 am & filed under Bay Area Gardens, Berkeley Succulents.

That’s an Echeveria “Blue Dude” right there! It’s an older style hybrid, so you know it’s back in fashion now. Hurry before it cycles back out.

Succulent Wreaths

Posted November 24, 2017 8:31 am & filed under Cactus Jungle, Succulent Wreaths, Succulents.

Succulent Wreaths, now at your local friendly Cactus Jungle, Berkeley

Video Streaming of the Cactus Jungle

Posted November 22, 2017 4:06 pm & filed under Blogs.

Live Stream!

Save the link here.

Tiny Flowers

Posted November 18, 2017 10:01 am & filed under Photography.

Those are some very small, tiny, Crassula perforata flowers. So small that in person they just look like dead flowers. But no, up close they are alive. ALIVE!

Road Kill Cactus

Posted November 17, 2017 10:40 am & filed under Cactus.

Consolea rubescens is the flat cactus known as the Road Kill Cactus
…
Because it’s flat!
😍 👏 🐝 🦋

Interesting Framing

Posted November 14, 2017 10:35 am & filed under Photography, Succulents.

Aloe ferox at the Cactus Jungle on a sunny day.

It’s all good.

Common Name: Cape Aloe

Single large toothy rosette on tall stalk, outdoor up to 8ft.

Hardy to 20-25F

Full Sun to Part Sun

Black Rose

Posted November 12, 2017 11:51 am & filed under Cactus Jungle, Succulents.

Aeonium “Schwartzkopf” is a classic, selling well at the nursery every year, forever. It is beautiful, it is tall and lanky, it is a large rosette this time of year as winter moves in. Nice!

Saturday Morning Succulents

Posted November 11, 2017 9:27 am & filed under Photography, Succulents.

What’s the best succulent for a Saturday morning? Some might say a Euphorbia anoplia is appropriate for a Saturday morning.

Friday Whippet Blogging

Posted November 9, 2017 8:55 pm & filed under Whippets.

It’s Jason!

Small Succulent

Posted November 7, 2017 8:35 am & filed under Plants in Production.

Crassula “Chiquito”

Common Name: Dwarf Red Carpet

Origin: South Africa

Description:
C. radicans “Chiquito”

Spreading groundcover to 6″ high, small ½” paired leaves turn red in sun; tiny yellow flowers

Cardon

Posted November 4, 2017 12:21 pm & filed under Cactus.

Pachycereus pringlei

Common Name: Cardón

Origin: Baja California

Description: Tall and spiny to 40ft. with 2ft. trunk, slow growing. Edible fruit, medicinal stems.

Temperature: Hardy to 25F

Los Altos Euphorbias

Posted October 20, 2017 7:33 am & filed under Bay Area Gardens, Reader Photos.

We recently delivered a giant 9ft tall Euphorbia “Ammak” down all the way to Los Altos. At least we thought it was giant. It sure looked giant in our store greenhouse!

But as you can see it is the small Euphorbia there! They’ve been growing them for many years and the new one looks tiny! Nice.

Thank you for our new 9ft Euphorbia Ammak. She is settling in nicely next to her larger family members!
Best,
Lorilynn

Gorgeous Tiny Stapeliad Flowers

Posted October 18, 2017 9:06 am & filed under Photography.

Cynanchum marnierianum

Amazing little flower, but look there’s 8 more buds too!

The plant itself is all hanging bare stems. Practically a “stick plant” I’d you ask me.

Prickly Pear Pests

Posted October 16, 2017 10:16 am & filed under Questions.

Hi-
I got this guy from you a couple months ago. I’m worried it has developed a fungus. What do you think those dots are?
Thanks!
Stephanie

Stephanie,

That is Scale, a small hard-shelled insect that sucks the juices out of cactus. We recommend spraying with natural pyrethrins. We sell Don’t Bug Me which will kill them on contact. They have a hard outer shell so you can clean them off with a spray of rubbing alcohol which will break down the shell, and then use a soft brush to wipe them off. Be careful not to scrape the cactus.

Peter

Berkeley Yucca Garden

Posted October 10, 2017 8:40 am & filed under Berkeley Gardens, Berkeley Succulents.

Heinz Street, Berkeley

A nicely blooming Yucca in the Aquatic Park Gardens with a beautiful red Leucadendron in front. Sweet!

Aeoniums, Berkeley

Posted October 9, 2017 11:19 am & filed under Berkeley Succulents.

Heinz Street

Aeoniums in a rock planter, as seen in Berkeley

Star Cactus

Posted October 8, 2017 8:47 am & filed under Cactus, Photography.

Ariocarpus fissuratus vibrantly blooming in autumn.

Common Name: Star Rock, Chaute

Origin: Big Bend, Texas; Mexico

Description: Slow-growing to 10″d; hairy center; summer blooms; keep dry in winter

Hardy to 25F
Full Sun
Extra Chunky Cactus Soil
Low Water

Umbrella Flower

Posted October 7, 2017 10:23 am & filed under Photography, Succulents.

Ceropegia sandersonii has giant umbrealla, or parachute-like flowers! Very unusual vining Stapeliad.

Common Name: Parachute Plant, Umbrella Flower
Origin: Mozambique, South Africa, and Swaziland
Description: Vining Stapeliad with massive unusual parachute-like flowers.
Characteristics:

Hardy to 45F
Part Sun
Low Water

Blooming Cactus Flowers

Posted October 6, 2017 1:21 pm & filed under Cactus, Photography.

Beautiful Ariocarpus retusus flowers!

Ariocarpus retusus

Common Name: Living Rock Cactus, Seven Stars, Chaute

Origin: Mexico

Description: Highly variable, possibly through hybridizing. Slow-growing to 10″d; hairy center; summer blooms. Keep dry in winter

Temperature: Hardy to 15F

Crassula “Buddha’s Temple”

Posted September 28, 2017 8:01 am & filed under Nursery, Succulents.

People ask if we have Crassula “Buddha’s Temple” available and for a number of years we’ve had to say “no”. Until now. We finally have a real crop ready, to size and on the floor and ready for sale. Nice! Hopefully we will be able to keep these growing on for years to come so that anytime anyone anywhere (Berkeley, Oakland and the San Francisco Bay Area) wants one we will have it available. Now and forever.

Nice!

Crassula “Buddha’s Temple”

Miniature square-shaped vertical stems to 8″, drops bottom leaves

Hardy to 25F
Part Sun to Part Shade
Low Water

If your garden yearns for crazy, colorful, drought-hearty plants, the Los Angeles Cactus and Succulent Society aims to satisfy at its first Fall Sale Sept. 16 in Encino.
A variety of cacti and succulents are up for sale. (Calvin B. Alagot / Los Angeles Times)

I say, “Woot!”

Dragonfruit Recipe

Posted September 4, 2017 7:00 am & filed under Cactus, Recipes.

I found this delicious Dragonfruit Sherbet recipe from our local Berkeleyside!

It’s been a very hot weekend (Record heat throughout Berkeley, San Francisco and Oakland? Yes!) so it’s what you want. Right now.

Incredibly addictive, this sherbet offers a celebration of refreshing and complementary flavor in every spoonful. The cool dragon fruit is faintly milky, citrusy and herbal with its gentle infusion of lemongrass. Meanwhile, the strawberry layer offers a hint of tartness and a welcome trace of classic berry sweetness.
Dragon Fruit Sherbet with Lemongrass and Strawberry
Makes about a quart
1 1/2 ounces (about 1 1/2 stalks, depending on size) fresh lemongrass
3/4 cup canned light coconut milk (not full-fat)
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 ounces fresh ripe strawberries
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons light, somewhat neutral liquor of your choice, at least 80 proof (think vodka, light rum or a clear fruit brandy)
2 1/4 to 2 1/2 pounds dragon fruit (about 3 medium dragon fruit)

As always, click through for the full instructions.

January 2020
M	T	W	T	F	S	S
« Dec
		1	2	3	4	5
6	7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18	19
20	21	22	23	24	25	26
27	28	29	30	31

Cactus Blog Archives

Cactus Blog Writers

Categories

Blogroll

Garden Links

US Constitution

Videos

We Get Questions