Five Years and Counting: A Big Thank You to My Readers!!

I can't believe I've been keeping this blog for 5 years! I'm so happy you've found a spot to learn more about Tillandsias and Mesembs, and share in my gardening adventures. I hope you have enjoyed the posts on all sorts of sundry and various things of passing or abiding interest to me, your humble blogger!

Our celebrity Mesemb, Babytoes

So a big shout-out to my readers and followers, and a big bloom from Babytoes, perhaps the first internet celebrity Mesemb?? Or is that going too far? ;-)

And yes, I still grow Lithops. I've come to feel, however, that it's best to support policies and laws that support their wild environment, where they grow best. Growing them at home certainly improves their fan base and helps more people become aware of how precious and amazing these little plants are. So let's grow some more! I think we can all agree on more Lithops in the world....

My sand dune at night. Painting by MRobb

Lithops!

Mesembs in bloom

Learning about all sorts of Mesembs and cacti is a wonderful hobby, and I'm going to continue, most likely, for the rest of my life. Tillandsias are native to my area, and frankly, I'm running out of space to grow them, as they are extremely happy in my home and garden. So you'll be reading more about them, too.

Tillies!

Los Tres Amigos.

And my artwork and pottery continue, so thank you for your wonderful compliments.

So have a wonderful weekend walkabout, and once again, thank you so much! See you soon!

Lithops in the Mist

Quite by accident, I came to note that Lithops, at least young Lithops, like a nice morning mist. The young Lithops that I grew from seed are about 2 years old now, and they live near my Tillie Towers, which get a daily morning misting:

Detail of a Tillie Tower

I've noticed that the pots of Lithops that get the accidental misting have been regenerating with greater strength and resilience than those that don't get the mist. So I've started misting all of the Lithops several times a week. It makes sense that they would enjoy some good morning dew, as in their native desert environment, that would be a good way to get a little water, and dew is not unusual in the desert in the morning. We have had lower humidity here in the last year or so, and even though it's a tropical zone, the house seldom rises about 40% humidity. Do any of you mist your Lithops?

Do Lithops Use Abscisic Acid? You bet!

What's this? Alert Gardener Jim (who is growing more alert all the time, it seems!) sent me this intriguing snippet from the journal Science and I couldn't help think of our hardy Lithops (and other mesembs and cacti, too):

ABA Tells Roots To Stop And Then Grow   Jason D. Berndt  Science  6/6/14

"Plants initially grow a primary vertical root. The primary root then puts out horizontal lateral roots, which help to anchor the plant and take up water and nutrients from the soil. But to make the most of precious resources, plants use the hormone abscisic acid to stop lateral roots from growing in times of drought. Zhao et al. found that after a time, plants resume lateral root growth. This process paradoxically also uses abscisic acid, which binds to a different receptor and triggers changes in the expression of genes involved in resuming lateral root growth."

Sci. Signal. 7, ra53 (2014).

Lithops Abstract, MR

 Lithops guardians have noted how our favorite mesembs keep a sturdy tap root regardless of weather and soil conditions. And most of the time, that's all they have. But when moisture appears in the form of brief rains or heavy fog/dew, a Lithops can grow fine lateral roots in an astoundingly short time. The new roots take up the available water, then degrade as conditions go back to normal (bone dry). And now we know how that happens!

 

My Catasetum Returns, a Lithops Has Outgrown its Home, and the Last of the Sunflowers

Due to a family tragedy, I haven't blogged recently.

Last spring I bought a Catasetum tenebrosum at last year's Orchid Festival. It's a very unusual orchid and the orchid enthusiasts told me it was a bad idea as a "first orchid". But I loved the unusual, cassis-like perfume of the almost-black petaled flowers (that contained a hint of cat pee), so I sprung for one (they ain't cheap!). Here's a photo from 2013:

Catasetum tenebrosum blossoms, MR, 2013

Catasetums have large pseudobulbs and require strict growth and rest periods. Their blooms have a tendency to explode, showering local humans and animals with pollen. They are the phoenixes of the orchid world- they seem to die rather horribly after blooming, then, the next spring, they begin to come to life again. During its dormancy, I occasionally remembered to sprinkle mine with a few drops of water, and that was all I did. Then, starting in May, I saw a little bit of green growth at the base of a pseudobulb, and some new greenish root growth. I began to water it and fertilize it a couple times a week. It grew. I watered it everyday, fertilized it twice a week. It grew more! The leaves are growing lush, and an inflorescence has appeared. "Cat" is getting ready to bloom!

Catasetum tenebrosum revivifying (MR2014)

The orchid enthusiasts were pretty surprised this was happening; I was a bit of a newbie's sensation at the Orchid show this year. I'd like to state for the record, though, that in general, I 'm dreadful with orchids. But hey, I guess I'm learning. It can happen, right?

Now here's a Lithops that may need a new pot. What do you think??

They look so lovely and camouflaged in this pot, however, I'd like to keep them as is for awhile. Lithops in general do not take kindly to re-potting. They might not forgive me....

And here's my last sunflower of the season. It was a short season this year, as winter ended late, and spring ended early. And hey, I'm Zone 10 now, right? But every sunflower had a chance to bloom at least once before the killer heat and vicious mites bumped them off. This is a lovely saffron-colored decorator's variety. In general, the Russian Mammoths were hardier than the "boutique" varieties I tried this year, so I may go back to them next year. Not sure yet.

Let's All Breathe: The Oxygen Corner

I was shocked and saddened to learn that oxygen levels in some of our megacities have plummeted to around 12-15% (USA's OSHA says that oxygen levels below 19.5% are hazardous to our health). Clearly, we need more plants, particularly if we live in a megacity. As I've written before, I believe Tillandsias have a unique role in our future. We can keep so many of them indoors, and, without the fuss of dirt, they filter our air and give us oxygen! That's why some wise Chinese are using Spanish Moss as full window-screens in their apartments, and why I keep growing and talking about Tillandsias to anyone who can tolerate my monologues....

A small room in our house was lacking plant life, so I created an "Oxygen Corner":

Some great books (on gardening and botany of course), a row of lovely Lithops, and then Tillies and African Violets (because they are so pretty) make this corner fun. I made the ceramic tiles to hang the Tillies on, and I've also got an orchid on the right, because their flowers smell like coconut, which I love. I really don't know to what extent this little corner filters the room's air, or how much oxygen these little plants add, but it's a lovely corner to contemplate when reading, and I figure, every room can use an oxygen corner.

The Annual Garden Tally: So What Am I Growing, Anyway?

I finally got around to my annual plant tally this week, and here are the results:
Type of Plant/Number of Plant

Lithops: 48. About a third now live outdoors in the ground rather than in pots. The seem to like it out there.

Tillandsias: 97. Yup, I'm closing in on 100. Good grief, somebody stop me! Most live indoors on my CD tower scaffolding, with about 7 living outside. Here's a shot from watering day (done outdoors, obviously).

Mesembs-That-Are-Not Lithops: 28
This includes quite a few Pleiospilos, Aloinopsis, Argyroderma, Marlothistella, and of course, Babytoes (Fenestraria). Others, too. About half live indoors, and half live outside.

Cacti: Mostly Mammillaria or hairy types, 17 all together....

So that's the tally, and obviously, I'd better get to watering these guys! Though my plants don't demand a lot of attention, with this many, it does add up. But hey, there's always room for one more, right? And we all need oxygen....

It's Time to Play...Spot the Lithops!

We all know that the genus Lithops is colloquially known as "Living Stones"- but it's fun to review once in a while why they have that name....

Nobody here but us stones....

This is a section of my outdoor succulent garden. Desert plants are rarities, and many creatures want to munch them to obtain nutrition and precious water. The cactus at top left uses spines very effectively to ward off famished critters.

Lithops use camouflage as their primary defense. Each species and subspecies lives in a uniquely colored and textured environment in southern Africa. I could not hope to duplicate the exquisite camouflage ability of Lithops in the wild, but I can manage to hint at it:

And here are some examples from my indoor Lithops garden:

And now for something completely different...a Mammillaria gracilis, trying not to be seen.

Spines and camouflage, awesome! 

A Great Read for Mesembs Gardeners: Steven Hammer Online

I confess, I am a Steven Hammer fangirl. This man just amazes me with his incredible knowledge (firsthand) of growing mesembs of all kinds. Back in 1995, he published one of the most thorough articles on growing Mesembs, with a particular emphasis on Lithops and Conophytum, in the US-based Cactus and Succulent Journal. It's now online thanks to NYU, and I have been reading it in sections (and trying hard to apply the knowledge therein) for over a year. I hope you all take a look, if you haven't already done so....

https://files.nyu.edu/ms689/public/AGM.html#sec12

And now, a few mesembs photos from my increasingly organized archive:

Clockwise from top- Argyroderma, Crassula, Faucaria, and the Inevitable Blooming Babytoes

Blooming Lithops Basking in the Sun

And here's the man himself:

Steven Hammer, Mesembs Expert

Happy gardening, everyone!

Playtime!

Last month, I made a pledge to myself to spend more time with the photos I already have, and to stop piling on so many new ones. I've been doing...okay with that, I guess. I have been using my old manual Nikon (an ancient film camera), and it's been lots of fun. And I've started learning Corel PaintShop Pro, also fun. Just playing around with some of my favorite Lithops and Babytoes shots has been an interesting experience....

A Bold, Posterized Babytoes, MR 2013

And an even bolder Lithops in blue. I did say blue was going to be the in color for Lithops this year, didn't I? Hmmm....
OK, back to the photo lab before Monday intrudes!

April Fools' Day Limerick For Lithops Lovers

Lithops Love

There was a Lithops of the Karoo,

Who discovered his love was not true.

Shocked when he discovered

Her with her suave lover,

He left her and fled the Karoo.

A Lithops raised in Nantucket

Was carelessly thrown in a bucket.

Escape seemed quite hopeless,

But rather than mope, this

Bold Lithops just drilled through the bucket.

Now both Lithops were greatly enraged,

One cuckolded, one harshly caged.

Seething with disdain,

They met on a train,

And a devious scheme they both staged.

The first Lithops flew to Nantucket,

And found the blockhead with the bucket.

The Lithops said, “Mac,

You’re a talentless hack!

We Lithops can't live in a bucket!”

The man thought he was going insane,

And proceeded to hop on a plane.

He committed himself,

And the plants on his shelf

Never dealt with his bucket again.

The other one went to Karoo,

And tracked down the first’s love untrue.

He tore her house down,

And said with a frown,

“Now both of you are in a stew!”

After two sorrys and a goodbye,

Each Lithops did heave a long sigh.

Their grievances settled,

Each had proven their mettle,

But their glorious poet had died!

R.I.P. Lithops Limericist,

His last poem presented for your reading pleasure.

Lithops Releaf-a-Rama in Full Swing!

Lithops aren't the most dynamic plants in the nursery. They mostly just...sit there looking pretty. And weird. But once they get into their regeneration cycle, there's just no stopping them. It's Releaf-a-Rama!



Lithops Re-leafing Party

 The change can happen very quickly. The old plant looks dull, faded, a little wrinkly, as though it's not really paying attention to anything. That is deceptive. Within just five minutes, they can POP! and new leaves appear, looking fresh, colorful, and lively. It literally took just five minutes in the sun for this particularly enthusiastic Lithops to come out:

Lithops grow and change mostly at night. I suppose releafing can be an exception.  All this sunny growth reminded me of my favorite Haitian painter, Levoy Exil, and I painted a sun in his distinctive style to mark the start of growth season:


Le Soleil (Hommage a Levoy Exil), MR, 2013

  Hope your week is going well, and see you for the Weekend News for Lithops!

Pensive Tuesday: Lithops, Not Lagomorphs

Easter season and Spring Break are upon us! Just a public service message from Lagomorphia today:

I support our local rabbit rescue shelter, so I am sending out the word at this time of year, don't buy someone a pet bunny as an Easter gift unless you know they can handle a ten-year commitment to a pet that is as wonderful as, and as high-maintenance as, a cat or dog. Most pet Easter bunnies are soon abandoned to be killed by a car or predator, or die quickly because they are fed the wrong diet (they eat hay and greens, and that's it), or are confined to solitary prison in a small cage in a backyard or garage. That's just so wrong. Instead of a bunny, how about a chocolate bunny, or better yet....

A blooming Babytoes! Or even...

A cheerfully flowering Mammillaria! Or even...

Lithops! Those leaves do look a little like bunny ears, now that I think about it. Let's start a new gift-giving tradition for the spring holidays. It's sure to catch on eventually....

Repotted and Lovin' It Part II

So for Thoughtful Thursday, I decided what to write for next Pensive Tuesday. It will be about...dirt.

But strangely, my post on re-potting has proven to be one of my most popular. People from about 20 different countries have read it. OK, so re-potting is good fun, it's action-packed, it's a special time for me and my plants. And since I've finished quite a few more pots recently, I've been doing a lot of it. The one above is for 3 of the young cacti I started from seed last year. The seeds were labeled "Cactus", but I think they could be Mammillaria. Let's hope so.

Here's a repotted Crassula. Though it was only re-potted about 10 days ago, it's grown so much in that time that I've already started its next, larger pot. Good grief, curb your enthusiasm, Crassula!

These Lithops marmorata, aka "The Brains" look symmetrical and tidy in their new pot. And this tiny julii (about 1.5cm tall) was so exuberant, it got its own tiny pot (about 5cm tall) as well:

This next pot is here simply because I'm proud of it. No idea what's going in it yet. It's the terracotta clay with malachite glaze; I'm quite smitten with this combo.

And finally, more malachite glaze, this on white stoneware. The sculpture on the right is part of a family project. Any family member or friend that visits me on my sand dune is encouraged to (ie: strongarmed into) making a garden sculpture for my garden. This one is my father's first sculpture ever. I love it!

For Repotted and Lovin' It Part III, I'll probably show the incredibly messy areas where I actually re-pot these guys, and make the pots! You may be shocked....

Weekend News For Lithops

Here's a real beauty of a Page 3 Lithops, repotted at last....

L. lesliei albinica

This is Lithops lesliei albinica, and despite the unusual golden/green coloring, these are fairly easy to grow. This one has just finished re-leafing, and deserved a new, bigger home. The pot is is terracotta earthenware with a malachite low-fire glaze.

And here are the seedlings that are just about a year old now:

Some of these will be ready for new pots with deeper soil in just a month or two. So off I go to make more mesembs/cacti soil mix. Have a great weekend!