The other Mesembs I got in Essen mostly have familiar names but also some that are new to me. I'm very excited to grow them all on the windowsill.
My experience with Cheiridopsis was positive so far so I got more of them. Actually, thinking of Cheiridopsis, I imagine rather large plants but the ones I got are so small I could confuse them with Conophytums. I'll try to keep them in this size and shape.
This one is a Cheiridopsis, too! Who would have thought!
There are also two quite different Antimimas. The first one looks just like the Antimima fenestrata I already have now, all covered in dried up leaves, which is a relief. The second one I'd never take for an Antimima at all. But it's a cute little tree.
The young Nananthus margaretiferus came with a promise of beautiful flowers.
The Glottiphyllum neilii is the most compactly grown and intensely colored Glottiphyllum I've ever seen.
I also got a couple of tiny Trichodiademas. I'm still figuring them out. They seem to grow very slowly here.
The Ruschia unidens should become bushy in time.
The other plants are completely new to me and I'll have to read up on them first. The Hereroa looks like a pigmy version of an Ebracteola.
Chasmatophyllum musculinum seem to have beautiful see-through dots but the color is more of a Rabiea.
Erepsia lacera is something completely different with those razor blades for leaves.
And the Drosanthemum I can't even properly get into a picture. It looks very delicate and I'm afraid it might dry off those tiny leaves easily. Not sure if it means it should be watered more or not.
Finding out when to water is the big challenge. I am slowly organising my greenhouse so plants with the same watering requirement are grouped together.
ReplyDeleteI imagine in a greenhouse much better organization is required :) On my windowsill it is a little easier to keep track, not that many plants. In the new book I bought there's a handy table for watering so I'm going to roughly follow it.
DeleteRika,
ReplyDeleteWhen looking for info on Cheiridopsis excavata you may want to check Ihlenfeldtia excavata because I believe Heidi Hartmann moved it to that genus in 1992.
Really? I see how it could be viewed as a Cheiri. The features are quite similar. Thank you for letting me know :) It makes this purchase even more exciting!
DeleteWonderful and weird new plants and excellent photography as always, Rika!
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot Marla! I'll do my best to give them a good new home :)
DeleteI'm still looking through your list of new plants. One that's quite interesting is the Drosanthemum. I have grown speciosum but used it primarily in my outdoor cactus garden. It would have been too large to grow as a potted windowsill plant. Many Drosanthemums grow as upright, or dwarf shrubs, and can get quite tall and leggy if not receiving enough light. The spring flowers can be spectacular and the leaves are covered with large water filled cells quite appropriate for "ice plants'.
ReplyDeleteIf you plant manages to receive enough light and grow well, you will probably have to perform a bit of pruning to keep it from getting too large. D. floribundum is used as a groundcover in frost free areas of the world, and can cover large areas. Although it grows naturally in winter rainfall areas of South Africa it will accept water most of the year when temperatures are warm and skies are sunny.
Your plant may be a bit of a challenge for you in terms of keep the growth from getting too tall and scraggly. I look forward to see how you handle it. You learn by growing new plants. Enjoy the experience.
I don't know. The Drosanthemum I have before me has such tiny leaves and is all in all so filigree, I can't imagine it would grow large or spread anyhow. Instead of pruning I am way more worried it will dry out or not grow at all... It's mostly sticks with several little leaves on them. It really freshens up the windowsill though and I love it :)
DeleteI'll definitely keep you updated. As I am of course curious myself!
Wonderful plants! I am looking forward to see how big this Drosanthemum gets in a year. Apparently, they grow very fast. I love the photos. Any more? I can look at them all day long.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much :) It's pretty exciting to try growing new plants. I bought many conophytums but there's nothing to show yet. I'm going to start watering soon and then I'll myself (hopefully) see them for the very first time, haha :D
DeleteSeeing the Drosanthemum now I somehow really doubt it can get big but we'll see :)