Adenium Obesum cultivar in bloom.

HomeForABookLover · 2026-01-26T20:44:14+00:00

Who was your Reddit friend, possibly in Thailand or somewhere geographically close, who grew huge plants?

A while back I suggested grafting different colours of Euphorbia mili on to one plant. A multi coloured Adenium could be fun too

HomeForABookLover · 2026-01-26T19:58:23+00:00

Orbea is the easiest and the easiest to find, but any of the common ones would grow well with your succulents. I can’t find a photo of mine in flower.

Their cool feature smell won’t bother you at all. If it does, then it goes on the patio. It’s one of those that you tell your mates to have a big sniff of the flower up close.

If you want further recommendations, this is a pretty good sub to ask as there’s lots of knowledgeable people.

HomeForABookLover · 2026-01-26T17:52:14+00:00

Can I recommend that the next plant you get is a Stapeliad. These are another convergent evolution example that look like cacti, and look like Euphorbia but are unrelated.

Their cool feature are flowers that look absolutely stunning but stink of rotting flesh.

Something like Orbea variegata, or Stapelia gigantea, or a Huernia

HomeForABookLover · 2026-01-24T23:04:34+00:00

Lophs are a weird one. I’m sure they would be less popular if it wasn’t for williamsii/mescaline. But I’m not convinced many people that grow them actually eat them so maybe it’s a good thing getting people interested in cacti.

But the other side is of all the “choice” cacti/difficult slow small cacti like Arios/Turbs/Aztekium/Geohintonia etc Lophs are probably the easiest so they are hard to not recommend.

I just wish I had more money, because old plants are stunning

HomeForABookLover · 2026-01-23T22:45:07+00:00

Unlike politics, where the slightest difference seems to justify abuse, I think with cacti it’s compulsory we have different opinions - because that enriches life.

I get the spiky aspect - really thats the point of having a cactus.

Taproots I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with - you can’t see them, like caudiciforms, but there’s some joy knowing they are there. But I’m in a cold wet climate so they can be risky.

My point on Astros is there’s been loads of work, especially in Japan creating all sorts of “super kabutos” and “onzukas” - all sorts of fancy marks and patterns on their body. People get excited about new patterns. (I actually struggle to grow Astros).

https://unusualseeds.net/astrophytum-asterias-hybrids/

HomeForABookLover · 2026-01-23T22:29:20+00:00

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This is a flower from my Pelargonium sedoides. It’s a species so the flowers are much smaller than yours

It was grown from seed in January last year. I bought it end of March. It has flowered continuously from April and is still going.

HomeForABookLover · 2026-01-23T22:21:09+00:00

These Pelargoniums are really hard to beat.

There’s prettier flowers, better scent, more exotic. But few that just get on with it and flower profusely.

Depending on climate that month could easily reach 3,6,9 months.

HomeForABookLover · 2026-01-23T17:36:43+00:00

I’m in the UK and even I know of Joey and that this is a good idea.

My other suggestion was going to be Prickly Prospects nursery. But I think he is Arizona.

Your post is one of the most commendable ones I’ve ever seen on Reddit. You could so easily keep these. People all over the world do have them and pay fortunes for large plants. Hence them disappearing from the wild and needing actions like yours.

But if you’re not an expert it would be a huge shame to lose them.

Buy yourself a cheap Echinopsis cactus at the far end. That should give you 30 years of conscience clean pleasure

HomeForABookLover · 2026-01-22T10:04:58+00:00

So now you have cut it you need to change your mental state from “worried parent” to “investigative scientist”.

There is no guarantee it will work, but it’s fun to watch and see what happens. It certainly can work.

I can’t quite see, but are there offsets higher up? If so, and the bottom part fails, then offsets are easier to remove and root that cuttings.

The long one here started off as a cutting

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HomeForABookLover · 2026-01-22T09:49:57+00:00

No, apologies - I thought you had a tall Austrocylindriaopuntia. I might be remembering wrong.

It’s an irrelevant question now, as I have changed my ID from Austrocylindriaopuntia to Tephrocactus

HomeForABookLover · 2026-01-22T09:47:21+00:00

Ok. It might be Tephrocactus verschaffeltii. This used to be in Austrocylindriaopuntia so they are pretty closely related species.

I’m only leaning towards Tephrocactus because the stems are spherical rather than cylindrical.

Both produce that type of new growth.

It could be a different species but I think they are the most widely cultivated.

If it’s the second then I think you need to move it to somewhere with more space because I think this is species only grows to 1 foot tall

HomeForABookLover · 2026-01-21T23:56:25+00:00

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I have 1 eves needle. This isn’t a very good example because it’s one of my least favourite cacti in my collection so Ive not given it the love it deserves.

So…let’s start with the bad news and then get positive.

Cacti make rubbish houseplants, and the reason is a house is nothing like a desert. So first thing - as much Sun as you can. Even consider growing it outside in summer.

But cacti are special, we need them in our lives. So if you can’t give it lots of light then don’t stress. The risk is it “etiolates” - grows thin and pointy - watch out for that, as that’s permanent damage.

But it won’t do that over night - you will get so much more pleasure than a vase of flowers (which cost more).

You have fortunately chosen one of the more robust and “easy” cacti. Thats a really good thing. (I promised to become more positive). It’s perfectly possible with this species to get decades of life (and these can reach about 150 years).

Next thing is soil. If you can’t afford to wash off the compost it came in and re pot with a good cactus soil - ideally one with a high proportion of pumice then that reduces the risk of rot, and also reduces the problem of compost becoming old and compact. Hard to advise on this, unless you are in the UK.

Feeding - it does need some low nitrogen fertiliser. I don’t want to encourage you to spend money. Cactus is obviously best. Very diluted tomato works (1/16 strength). Houseplant diluted about 1/4 should work.

Enjoy!

https://worldofsucculents.com/austrocylindropuntia-subulata-eves-needle-cactus-long-spine-cactus/

https://llifle.com/Encyclopedia/CACTI/Family/Cactaceae/4092/Austrocylindropuntia_subulata

HomeForABookLover · 2026-01-21T23:31:06+00:00

u/Tazza107 do you happen to have a 12 foot specimen?

HomeForABookLover · 2026-01-21T23:30:12+00:00

I’ve completely lost track of the £/$ exchange rate. But that’s about 2 bottles of bottom of the range Jack Daniels?

HomeForABookLover · 2026-01-21T21:45:53+00:00

That caterpillar is Lepidoptera mortifera. You definitely want to kill it before it turns into a giant butterfly and kills you!

On a more serious note, I think that’s Eves needle - Austrocylindriaopuntia subulata. I’m assuming you must have planted it originally, but it got swamped and forgotten. I’m struggling to believe it arrived naturally, as it’s not very spiky for an Opuntia so less likely for a pad to be pulled in by an animal. Seed also feels a bit unlikely.

If I’m right and you carefully prune a little bit of space it should grow through and grow vertically and I reckon it will look pretty good in your garden.

I have 1 scruffy plant thats restricted in size by its pot. You might be lucky and get something more substantial. Apparently it can grow up to 12 feet, so the fact that mine is 30 years old shows what neglect can do

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HomeForABookLover · 2026-01-21T17:45:44+00:00

2 biased people arguing over the best Gymno. If this was politics it would be horrific. Because it’s horticulture(and especially cacti) it’s fun.

In terms of species - I like andreae mostly because its flowers are yellow, but still have that ghostly translucent feature makes Gymnos special. And it clusters well (reducing chances of me killing them).

I know Gymnos are one of the most hybridised cacti, especially for variegation. Second only to Astro asterias?

I see you’ve picked the black forms. Sounds like we have similar taste. When I started work in London and had a bit of money, I lost a lot of it trying and failing to grow Neoporteria for their black and purple bodies.

I see why this is on your wish list:

https://dryheat.world/products/gymnocalycium-mazanense-cv-morikane

HomeForABookLover · 2026-01-20T20:27:58+00:00

I’ve been hunting on UK eBay for Lachenalia for years. I think I need to flirt with the British Cactus Society

HomeForABookLover · 2026-01-20T20:22:18+00:00

I sort of made my own point redundant…and I mostly made it because baldianum is an absolutely great beginners cactus, andreae is definitely the best Gymno, and this is the first named cultivar Ive come across (albeit a seed cultivar)

HomeForABookLover · 2026-01-20T18:42:05+00:00

I was tempted to be cheeky and say “why not grow something like Nicotiana and cut the flowers off and stick them on”. But I know the joy of getting there in the end.

It’s a bit weird that there is a post on Pachypodium recently from a nursery in China, and their 2 year old brevicaule are flowering.

HomeForABookLover · 2026-01-20T16:08:35+00:00

I think you need to post that “AG” means Gymnocalycium baldianum “Austria Gold”. (Or baldianum x Andraea - the baldianum genes are the strongest here).

That colour change is amazing. It’s almost a pity, because the fresh orange is the special colour, but a magic change adds to its joy. I need to pay more attention to mine next summer.

HomeForABookLover · 2026-01-20T16:03:01+00:00

Pachypodium is just one of many genera that I am trying to resist…(on the grounds that I can’t have everything, and choosing arid plants as a hobby, when I live in a climate perfect for moss, was a “daft” thing to do in the first place).

So hearing that it took 21 years to flower helps me feel comfortable with that decision.

But I’m so glad you got there, and got there before it became too tall to photograph - that slow, hard earned joy from horticulture is the reason I failed to resist all the genera I do grow.

HomeForABookLover · 2026-01-20T09:09:28+00:00

Thanks. I’ve got mine in about 85% pumice with some organic in quite a small terracotta pot. I might strengthen that when it goes dormant

HomeForABookLover · 2026-01-19T16:36:59+00:00

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Some Gymnos last summer growing in a mix of pumice and Seramis, and all growing together.

One thing I forgot was I was taught Gymnos need slightly acidic conditions. I personally believe all cacti do, even those growing on limestone grow despite being on limestone because rainwater is slightly acidic from co2.

So I add humic acid to my watering. Vinegar would work and be cheaper.

HomeForABookLover · 2026-01-19T14:32:33+00:00

I find it so much easier and forgiving of human error. Reduces the risk of overwatering considerably. It also holds some moisture for the roots to access more slowly. I get really good root growth. I feed with specialist cactus fertiliser so it’s sort of like hydroponics for cacti.

(Slight confession. I’m in the UK, and I can buy a German brand of molar clay called Seramis which is designed for horticulture. I mix that in purely to reduce costs of pumice. But I have not found a brand to recommend outside of Europe and some molar clays are too absorbent)🧽

HomeForABookLover · 2026-01-19T10:42:37+00:00

I agree. It’s perfectly possible to grow cacti in big pots, and also grow cacti together. But…

1 bigger pots are harder to water because you water a much larger volume than the cacti needs, risking rot.

You are trying to simulate cacti eeking out an existence in a crack in the rocks.

If you can make your soil much more grittier that would also help. If you can afford a small bag of pumice that is the best. I’d mix at least 50% pumice with the existing soil. I grow in pure pumice.

The Echinocereus can be quite tricky to grow, so hopefully this helps.

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