Based on that conversation with Evelyn, I thought one of the best ways to depict these prickly beauties is when they are in flower, hence, this quick second edition on cactus blooms. The first one was just a few issues ago, when the early summer ushered in the first wave of succulent flowers. Well, the wave continues as many plants are producing bud and bloom now, even as we prepare to usher in the wettest part of the year. And flowering is one sign of a healthy cactus plant. The unfortunate thing is that Johann was not available to take these photos as he and his wife Marga were out in Sorsogon swimming with the whale sharks. That was some experience, and Johann took some great photos of those big fishes which I hope will be published in this paper one of these days.
So I had to take the photos depicted here today. The quirky thing about taking cacti in bloom is that it is quite difficult to "schedule a flowering photo session," at least for me. One or two plants may be in flower at any given day. If you’re lucky, maybe you could have up to a dozen or so in a day. These photos were taken over the last three weeks. These show a range of genera, from the popular Mexican mammillarias and South American gymnocalyciums, to the rare and exotic strombocactus, turbinicarpus, epithelantha and lophophora. Many discocacti and other cacti are flowering as well, but I’m saving those photos for a future article.
It never ceases to amaze me how Mother Nature works. Here are these plants known mainly for their spination and form, yet they also produce these beautifully delicate and colorful flowers when the season and conditions are right. In my book, cactus flowers are the most beautiful in the plant kingdom, although rose and orchid collectors are sure to contest this ferociously. While I have difficulty flowering certain plants that other growers have no problems with, I also am able to flower certain species that others have great difficulty with. Sometimes, I can’t help but feel that it’s the plant which chooses me, rather than me choosing the plant.
One of my very favorite plants is Turbinicarpus alonsoi. This plant was only recently discovered in the Mexican desert by a boy named Alonso, hence its name. Alonso originally thought the plant was an ariocarpus, but ariocarpus don’t produce spines while this plant has quite a few, weak ones which can easily come off if one isn’t careful. This plant is still a rarity in collections worldwide. I have had no trouble with my two plants. They thrive in hot and humid Metro Manila, flowering profusely over several months beginning in April or thereabouts. And the flowers are absolutely spectacular, a very deep violet pink. In the photo, I purposely took the shot with the flower bud just about ready to burst open but not in full bloom. I did not want the flower to hide the plant, so one can see and appreciate the contrast of color amid old, weathered spines and wool.
Another plant that has caused some difficulty for growers in the cooler, temperate northern climates is Mammillaria schiedeana and its various forms. Many cactus books caution against over-watering. In Europe, the flowers on this plant do not appear until autumn or even late autumn. Somehow, this plant thrives in Metro Manila. I give it quite a bit of water in the hot summer, even drenching the plants overhead every so often. I have seen plants of this species flowering in great profusion in my friend Lily Manzano’s excellent collection. For me, this plant begins flowering in late November, and keeps right on flowering until the summer months.
One of the highly treasured rarities in the cactus world is Obregonia denegrii from north-eastern Mexico. This plant, with its flat triangular tubercles, looks like an exotic artichoke or even a pine cone. It produces a tremendous amount of white wool at its growing apex, particularly when it gets older. From this thick bundle of wool emerges its white to cream-colored flowers. My plants never fail to flower for me each year even as many other collectors worldwide struggle with this plant. Of course, I have struggled with some of the more common mammillarias and notocacti, which others have no problems with. Like I said, it’s the plant which chooses the owner and not the other way around, or so it seems. But give me more time, and I’ll figure out these little rascals.
I did say that flowering was an indication of good plant health. Yet the Mammillaria bocasana pictured here was a bit maltreated by me over the year. I kept it in a corner in my greenhouse which receives less direct sunlight during the year. The result is that the plant has etiolated somewhat, with the newer growth and spination being far less robust and strong. And yet the plant is flowering profusely, even as I write this article. The picture only shows one open flower but with several buds around it. When I last checked, the plant had actually produced a ring of its beautiful yellow flowers with the center red streak around the new growth and is quite a sight to behold. Funny thing, really. Quite quirky, in fact…
One final observation for now on a cactus plant’s propensity to flower or not to flower. Cacti in general really have a harder time with our constantly hot, humid climate, as I’ve said countless times in the past, and they need the stark contrasts of hot days and cool nights in order to produce flowers in abundance. Having said this, I have observed that certain plants I have reared as seedlings and which are now maturing flower quite readily. This has been the case with the temperamental genus turbinicarpus. T. roseiflorus has a flower which rivals that of T. alonsoi in sheer beauty. I have had this plant for many years and first obtained it as a young seedling. It has done exceptionally well for me so far. The T. polaskii pictured here was raised from seed by my good friend Peter Bangayan and flowers without fail several times over the summer each year. The same is true for other seedlings I have. These seem to have acclimatized better to our local climate. Some, like the seed-grown polaskii (I don’t know why I think of the director Roman Polanski when I look at this gorgeous plant) have never known any other growing climate except Metro Manila’s.
The only problem for me is I just don’t have the patience to raise cacti from seed. Many are so slow-growing that it would take years and years under my growing conditions for these plants to reach even half their current sizes. I prefer to buy a mature or almost mature plant, give it the best care I can possibly give it under my constrained growing conditions, roll the dice and hope for the best. The funny thing is that certain plants which I’ve lavished with constant TLC (tender loving care) have ended as rotten mush, while others which I have even ignored for most of the time, like the Mammillaria schiedeana, flourish with a vengeance.
This hobby is really quirky much of the time. Come to think of it, life itself is pretty quirky most of the time too. I guess that’s what makes it more interesting and challenging for all of us.