A few months ago, I went to a nursery to get potting mix for my cactus, while waiting for it to be pack the owner ask me to look around and see if there are anything else that I will be keen on.
So while I was admiring his plants I notice a beautiful round cactus much like a doughnut. It was purple, plump and the texture was velvety. I immediately pick up the pot and tell the owner I must have these. To my disappointment he said that it was his personal collection and he's not selling it. However he must have sense my disappointment and told me to wait while he go and grab something. So he came back after a few minutes with a small pot with (my Frailea) and said that I can take this instead and they are of the same family/species. He taught me how to care for them and off I go.
To be completely honest up to this day I still think about that amazing purple Frailea from time to time. I've tried to find it in other nurseries but no one else had them.
Coming back to my Frailea, although they are not the one i initially wanted. These thing is such a joy to grow. They quickly become my favorite as they are easy to take care of. Plus they have tiny babies that pops up around them.
I water them once a week from the bottom and mist them once a day or once in 2 days. Depending on how hot the weather is. I also kept them in shade because while they love the warm & sunny weather. They don't seem to take the scorching sun well.
Last few weeks, something sprout up in the middle, thinking it was dust I tried to brush it off but it won't came off, so I just leave it be after a while it grows bigger and I realize that it must be flowering.
However yesterday night I saw that the bud had opened but instead of blooming seeds pop out. So I did some Googling and found out that even if Frailea does not flower it can self pollinate and produce seeds. Wonderful isn't it?
I plant to seclude these seeds and germinate them separately instead of letting them voluntarily sowed themselves beside the parent. Hopefully I'll be able to get good results.
Anyway the Frailea that I wanted is called Frailea Castanea (its still one my most wanted plant list!) and the one that I have right now is either a Frailea schilinzkyana or Frailea perumbilicata. They are really similar & I can't tell.
