Anacampseros tray (14 pics)

I can not believe it's been 2 years since I had my big sowing of Anacampseros. Around the same time I got the majority of the adult plants, even though I've been growing several Anacampseros and Avonias for years before that. But 2 years ago there was this spark of interest that resulted in a whole tray of plants. 

The seedlings grow very slowly but what a delight it was to watch them! From the generic blobs they have developed into all those different shapes. It's not very easy to take pictures of them because of all the white fluff. If I don't change the settings on my camera to darker shades all I get is white shapes with no definition. Once I do, the photos turn out too dark. But at least the hairs are sharp and visible this way. 

They seem to have made it through the dark winter fine even though An. vanthielii have been struggling. I have not watered them since months and they still stretch for sunlight. I hope they will look better in Summer. Another thing I have not figured out yet is why the "white column" types of Anacampseros tend to lose bottom leaves. That's why I'm glad that my younger "column" seedlings grow so slowly and are still at the "white ball" stage in their development. Hopefully by the time they grow up I'll have a better understanding of what they need. At the moment they are just adorable.

As usual click on the pictures to see full size and the full names, locality data and catalog numbers will be within the file name. 

An. baeseckei are just tiny fluff balls.

Another An. baeseckei, which are tiny fluff balls with curls.

These are fluff balls with even more curls (Anacampseros sp. (albidiflora)). These three species will probably have troubles retaining the bottom leaves later on.

These An. namaquensis look like they are covered in snow. So cute! They look a bit different from what I have in mind when I think of An. namaquensis but they are still small.

These An. namaquensis are more like it. I really like it when these plants grow rather flat instead of going up. These seedlings are like a soft carpet. 

The below An. filamentosa ssp. filamentosa seedlings are just as wonderfully flat and in no hurry to grow vertically. So snug against the pumice stones.

An. filamentosa ssp tomentosa have larger features but the long wavy hairs that wrap around the whole plants are wonderful.

An. arachnoides have perfected the cobweb look. I'm quite proud of these as they have this  distinguishing scruffy look. They'll do even better with more sunlight.

This pot of another An. arachnoides species is even scruffier. Nice.

There might be some cat hair mixed in. Mila walks on my plants a lot.

Not much hairs but a pretty color: Anacampseros rufescens 'Sunrise'.

I can only recommend you to grow these. I've had so much fun with them.

Other news (8 pics)

So what else was going on on my windowsill in August?

Well, the most amazing and surprising thing was the awakening of Monilaria scutata seedlings! I couldn't believe they are alive after all this time. None of my other attempts to grow Monilaria went on this far. These must be some tough seedlings. First the "beads", then the "bunny ears". All by the book. Very exciting!

Then, I have transplanted Anacampseros karasmontana, the fluffy greenie. It has developed really fat roots and I wanted to give it more space.

It has flowered and developed seeds, too. Out of last year's seeds I already got a bunch of seedlings.

The older Anacampseros seedlings are looking more like adults every day. This Anacampseros arachnoides is very attractive when kept dry.

The white fluffy Anacampseros baeseckei are growing into towers. I do believe somewhere between fuzzball and the below is their best look. I have older and longer An. baeseckei and they started to look kinda strange. I might need to re-root them.

Anacampseros namaquensis are really hairy and really flat. Love them!

Avonia papyracea ssp papyracea, hatched in November last year, are still so small. Strong though. I have a good feeling about them.

Flowers in August (12 pics)

It's been too long! I've been mostly ignoring my plants this past month and consequently the blog. But I was still taking photos of the flowers whenever I could catch them. They are a rarity on the windowsill and always deserve attention. Luckily lithops flowers are still fully open when I come home from work (resulting in some dark and eerie photos as usual). And conophytum flowers last for several days making it possible to catch them on weekends. 

Conophytum flowers are a welcome change to the usual white and yellow of the lithops.

Here is some orange I've never seen before. Conophytum x marnierianum (MG1430.35)

Conophytum fulleri was flowering beautifully. 

Conophytum pellucidum v. pellucidum 'pardicolor' ex. de Boer. I've had other C. pellucidum flowering but didn't catch them.

Conophytum bilobum ''deodum'' (MG1419.3)

As for lithops, I've had some flowers on L. bromfieldii lately.

Lithops bromfieldii v. insularis 'Sulphurea' (C362)

Lithops bromfieldii sp.

Lithops gesinae v. annae (C078) was growing 2 buds but aborted them for some reason (a rainy week might have changed its plans).

Two Adromischus marianae v. herrei (green form) had grown impressive inflorescences that are hard to capture on a photo. 

Anacampseros are still flowering from time to time. These An. retusa seedlings, for example, growing more flowers now. Unfortunately they don't seem to want to open them. But they do produce seeds. 

And Crassula ausensis ssp. titanopsis is going crazy. The flowers are normally underappreciated so here are some close-ups :)

Sunday flowers to lighten the mood (7 pics)

I wanted to post something on Crassula cuttings but in the end decided in favor of a flower post. Just some light Sunday afternoon entertainment :)

Lithops gracilidelineata I grew from seed has opened its first flower today and it's small and neat like the plant. It took it 8 years from seed to flower. I'm not complaining. Flowers are an exception, not the rule here. I never expect them but they are very welcome. 

Avonia quinaria ssp. quinaria has opened the only flower it produced this year. It had too many petals and I ripped one to allow it to open fully. Beautiful flower as always. I'm glad it opened at all... unlike other Avonias.

Avonia ustulata are producing many seed pods but the flowers never open. Any idea why? I assume not enough sunlight or maybe the fact that there is no direct sunlight in the afternoon. Unfortunately the same thing happens to the An. retusa flowers I was looking forward to. They open just a couple of millimeters wide and then close. The seed pods are nice and full though.

Anacampseros karasmontana, the greenie, has been flowering. Very very cute flowers. The round edges and the spread petals look similar to Av. quinaria's, a simplified version. And I really need to show you pictures of the roots underneath. They are quite remarkable! 

And of course the Frithia pulchra! Such intense colors.

In other news, Conophytums are starting to wake up. Every year it's a relief.

Desert flowers (8 pics)

We're having a real Summer here. Yesterday on the windowsill the temperature went up to 43°C and the plants are loving it!

One of the Avonia quinaria ssp. alstonii plants has opened 2 flowers and I could catch both for a photoshoot. I tried to self-pollinate them but these plants are not that easy and normally two specimens are required. 

Avonia quinaria sure have beautiful flowers. They are the same size as, say, An. lancifolia, but the stamens make all the difference.

Other Anacampseros are still flowering but the little guy below has caught my attention. It is an An. sp. going under Am258 in the atomic-plant catalog. A slow growing little fuzzball with a short inflorescence and cute pink flowers.

Also, I am very excited to see this nameless Anacampseros bloom for the first time here (FYI, it is listed as SB684, Springbok). I have 5 plants. They all seem to grow side branches this year. And one is growing an inflorescence out of such a branch. The branch is barely visible which makes the whole appearance really strange. As if flowers are coming out of the plant's side where they don't belong.

Anacampseros flowers (10 pics)

And again - Anacampseros flowers! Sorry guys, it's their season :)

Unexpectedly, several of my 2 years old An. vanthielii seedlings have recently flowered. Well synchronized, too! The flowers are flashy and large and I most likely will have seeds to offer this year.

Others were flowering, too. Here is a flower of an An. arachnoides...

... and this one is of a nameless specimen I suspect to be An. filamentosa.

And there are more flowers coming. Another An. sp.

One of my 3 year old An. filamentosa ssp namaquensis seedlings is growing its first inflorescence.

And even this tiny one year old An. retusa fa. rubra is trying to keep up.

Avonia quinaria ssp. alstonii is growing a couple of flowers, too. A lot to look forward to!