Opuntia Blog

Delosperma seedlings, true leaves showing on middle plant

A few weeks ago I reported that my hardy Delosperma seedlings had germinated. They’ve been pretty slow growing since they popped out of their seeds; I think they were making roots. But, now they are growing a bit more and some are showing their first true leaves.

The true leaves are emerging from between the 2 cotyledons, sticking straight up, sort of like bunny ears.

The plants are doing fine under the fluorescent lights. I continue to grow them at room temperature with about 14 hours of light per day.

Coryphanthus echinus, photographed in Big Bend region, Texas

Coryphanthus echinus is a globular cactus that seldom offsets; it has bright yellow flowers. Some plants may have areoles with a porrect central spine, whereas other areoles lack such a spine. The plants are generally easy to grow and have a reputation of being cold hardy (to USDA climate zone 6).

You can read more about C. echinus here. You can purchase C. echinus from High Country Gardens.

Ariocarpus fissuratus, photo by Craig Howe

Parts of Texas are home to Ariocarpus fissuratus, a plant wonderfully adapted to harsh conditions. Its gray-green (or brownish) color help it hide among rocks where it grows (typically in calcareous soils). Much of the plant is, in fact, underground as a subterranean storage organ–a factor that also helps Ariocarpus to hide.

Ariocarpus has been placed in various genera over the years, including:  Mammillaria, Anhalonium, and Roseocactus.  You can read more about A. fissuratus here and here.