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South Africa, 2025

Cleistocactus strausii

Cleistocactus strausii is one of the most widely grown species in its genus, admired for its erect growth habit (not sprawling like many of its relatives) as well as for its beautiful dense white spines. We have quite a few different forms of it, with the flowers varying it how long they are as well as how furry they are. To illustrate this variability, I have photographed one with very long slender flowers and one with much shorter and furrier flowers. Both are delightful!

-Brian

ruthbancroftgarden

Oreocereus celsianus

This tall-growing cactus occurs at high altitudes in the Andes of Peru, Bolivia and northern Argentina. Its common name is "old man of the Andes" because of its long white hair, but it also has a good compliment of stout spines that project out of all the whiteness. The upper photo shows a plant in flower, while the lower one shows the yellow fruit, which is light yellow, lumpy and smooth, looking almost like it was made of plastic. Within are the small round black seeds.

-Brian

wiley-treehouse-gardens

South Africa, 2025

wiley-treehouse-gardens

Quince, 2026

wiley-treehouse-gardens

Chinese lantern plant. South Africa, 2025

wiley-treehouse-gardens

Breathtaking wild succulents.

South Africa, 2025

climbhighsleeplow

Red Stems / Hawaii

ruthbancroftgarden

×Puckia 'Sparkle'

The × at the beginning of this name means that it is not a true genus, but rather a cross between 2 different genera - in this case, Puya and Dyckia. Its parentage is said to include Puya laxa, Dyckia platyphylla, and Dyckia fosteriana. It would be hard to guess how these 3 might combine, but i find the flower color to be hard to square with this listed parentage. How did it get pale yellow petals, when those of P. laxa are blue-green fading to dark purple, while those of both Dyckia species are orange? I guess we will have to chalk it up to the mysteries of mixing genes. Puya and Dyckia are both in the Bromeliad Family and native to South America.

-Brian

jillraggett

Plant of the Day

Saturday 11 April 202

In the ‘Life Before Flowers House’ of Cambridge Botanic Garden, UK, there is a display of a range of early-evolution, non-flowering land plants. These include the spore-bearing lycophytes, or clubmosses, with a basket of Huperzia squarrosa (tassel fern). This epiphytic species grows in the rainforest canopy on moss-covered branches and requires humidity.

Jill Raggett