These dorotheae took their time to regenerate. They haven't been watered for 8 months but still change their leaves extremely slowly. Well, the main thing is they do.
These are also "de Boer" but from a different source. Depending on the light conditions they can be really chocolaty dark. This year not so much.
Hey Rika,
ReplyDelete8 months without water? Is that even possible???? also, deBoer is not an cultivar, right? If its not a cultivar, shouldn't it have a cole#? The only dorothea that I can get my hands on are the 124, 300 and the F357(again, F is a symbol that Frik du Plooy uses for all his plants).
JL
Sure it's possible. The plants have old leaves to feed on so why would they need water? :)
DeleteYes, de Boer is a cultivar. It doesn't need to have a Cole number to be one. If the ancestors weren't the ones described by Cole or simple didn't have the documentation to prove they own a Cole number why would a cultivar, produced from those plants with special features, have a Cole number? Should I develop a cultivar I may as well call it R1, haha XD
I bought the first two plants on the photo from Mr. Shimada directly. The plants below are from a Succulent Expo in Tokyo.
Very colorfull and happy faces :) Eight month is not a problem. If the growing conditions are soft then the lithopses can use their water very efficiently.
ReplyDeleteTrue. :) These guys don't even try to hurry. But they do look healthy so far so....
DeleteHi Rika,
ReplyDeletewonderful looking Dorotheae! 8-D I haven´t watered mine for approx. 8 months either! However my specimens don´t change their leaves at all! They only become wrinklier at their base which is not a good sign. :-( As 80% of all plants I´ve got from Cono´s Paradise can´t survive under my care all my Dorotheae (C 300 & C 124) will of course eventually die! The only chance I have is getting some from Uhlig Kakteen or raise from seed. Too bad - Dorotheae is one of my favourites.
I just have to wait until the declining Cono´s Paradise stuff is finally dead to have new space for new sowings...hahahaha...so much fun...*haiiiii!!!!* B-§
Best regards
Andy
Hi Andy,
DeleteCono's lithops are used to pumice, maybe that's the problem. I know you say they rot in pumice at your place but I still think you don't give it a proper chance ;)
Small 5x5 pots, pure pumice, sunlight. I water my plants a lot and nothing's rotting because pumice dries up in no time if the sun is shining (and even if not). Raising from seed is best anyway. Buying adult plants makes sense if you buy a lot of them and are ready to lose some. I also still buy adults from time to time but my own seedlings have better shape and almost never make troubles with regeneration and such.
Have you picked inside of your wringled dorotheae?
Well, I don´t know I have even wondered if the pumice I purchased from Kakteen Haage could be contaminated! No matter what pots I use my Lithops don´t make it in pumice! :-( And as you know I have the 5 cm square pots as well...."Rübenwurzlertöpfe"... :-P
DeleteThat´s the point, Rika: Obviously you have to calculate losses when you purchase Lithops (and other Mesembs)! I wasn´t aware of that before. Let´s say: If you want to keep 5 Lithops lesliei ssp. burchellii then order at least ten... ^^ ^^ If you have bad luck you end with zero nonetheless! ;-) I have become cynical by the time, that´s right!
No, I haven´t picked inside the Dorotheae yet. I am already thinking about to check if there´s perhaps a healthy new pair of lobes... :-S
Regards
Andreas
I always get my pumice from cono's paradise. It probably needs cooking before usage (to kill off all the bugs) but I'm too lazy for that. I use it just like I receive it. But I use the same pots as you. ;)
DeleteIf you want more than two plants you really should sow. I currently have 47 (out of 50 seeds) 2-year-old burchellii I have no idea what to do with. :D
I normally buy 2-3 plants of the same kind if I buy adult lithops. And have had much better results with plants from a local flower shop (if they're grown well, not overfed of course) than specialized nurseries. They do well if the conditions change to the better.
Drücke dir die Daumen mit den Dorotheae~
Ah, thank you for publishing my (disappeared) comments. 8-D Blogspot may not like anonymous commentators however I don´t join any social networks at the moment - some like Facebook and so for good reasons. ;-) But for me there is also no need to have an account at a social network. I was already thinking on starting my own blog, seems to be a lot of fun, particularly if you make new contacts with other bloggers. But I don´t know for how long I will still keep plants...it´s all on the ropes!
DeleteAnyway, I´m at least posting under my real name, so I´m not totally anonymous and you (Rika) know exactly who I am...^^
Oh yes, I´ve rinsed the Haage pumice under the shower and then baked it in the oven (at 100°C) before using it.
You have a surplus of Burchellii???? Well, send them to me (is there still space in the chocofesh box? *lol lol lol*)
Strangely I know someone in Ingolstadt who like me grows mainly carnivorous plants but also Lithops. He got all his plants from Cono´s P. and they are performing fine in pure pumice and in large balcony boxes outside in his garden... *blink*
Ingolstadt may be a few degrees warmer than Bremen. :-S
Some are just blessed and some are cursed (obviously)! ;-)
Sincerely
Andreas
No problem, I'll just check the blogspot spam ordner to publish your "suspicious" comments now and then ;) Let me know, if something disappears again.
DeleteOh don't say that! You're not cursed. :) Have some patience and grow the species that grow well at your place from seed. I for instance try not to grow salicola and julii (even though I still have a couple of julii around), because they don't grow well under my conditions. There's planty of other beautiful and grateful species to grow!
Maybe with the next order from cono's you can order some pumice (it's only 2€ after all) to see if it works better? Might be worth the try... :)
My burchellii are still small but I think they'll be ready to travel by next year. Lithops don't grow as fast here as in sales-oriented nurseries ;) I'll let you know~
What wonderful looking dorotheae! I'm glad it's one of the species which do well in your conditions. 8 months without water is an illustration of how truly remarkable they are ☺
ReplyDeleteThanks! :)
DeleteIt certainly looks like dorotheae like it here, yes. And btw, I still don't water them. :D And the new leaves look firm anyway. At this rate they might get only one watering a year... but if they want it so, who am I do disagree with that? We'll see...