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Rbireley89

Blue Specimens

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I just wanted to get some advice from my fellow trichocereus growers. Those of you with beautiful grey blue specimens how do you achieve that color. Is it more to do with your genetics? I have some beautiful cuttings I have acquired over the years that are blue but I've never grown anything from seed (90% Bridgesii/Bridgessi hybrids) that has taken on that coloration. I'm assuming it has to do with the extreme strength of the sun where I live. Lately I've been giving my plants shaded dappled light with an 1 hour or 2 of direct each day and check new growth regularly.

Thanks in advance

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Colder temps with higher moisture levels also will have an influence I've found.

None of this matters though if you can find the legendary, authentic "True Blue" from high in the mountains of P*ru :P

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Shade will get them to put on that powdery blue colour.

not necessarily, especially if the plant is lacking that particular characteristic.

I can post pics all day long of glaucus blue trichs growing in full sun, right next to bright green trichs with zero bluing.

genetics

genetics

genetics

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Some say full sun, some say shade, but I noticed that in my experience it has a lot to do with humidity, spraying the plants with water or foliar ferts (best at dawn) made even the ordinarily green ones go slightly glaucus, and made the blue ones even bluer. Now, it may be a coincidence, but the 'control' plants did not change colour.

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True zelly, but I have some cuts off the same plant where one is shaded and the other receives full sun. The shade definitely encourages the blue colour to show up, so I guess I should have said "shade encourages the genetics to express this trait in some cases".

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I am confused by the increased blue when in shade. I thought the epicuticular wax acted as a way of dealing with intense light, in particular on new growth. Why does shade increase wax formation. I remember reading a paper a while back, can not remember where but it went into much detail about the blue wax as a protective layer from intense light.

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Exactly. That's why high humidity causing glaucusness makes sense to me, water droplets on the skin would have magnifying effect, so the plant would be incentivized to produce the wax to protect from solar radiation.

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im not a cacti expert by a long way but i have noticed if you dont look at it for a year or so, dont mess with it, dont touch it, then its prolly gone a nice blue

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genetics

genetics

genetics

Which genes are responsible for the blue characteristic ?

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Interesting both the wax and colour may help with humidity. Wax is hydrophobic and the colour has an effect, reflecting light in the high energy part of the spectrum?or higher maybe I should say.

Edited by nut

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Interesting points nut, where did you find this information ?

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Let me have a look and try and find the paper that I read. My comment on the wax being hydrophobic and therefore potentially another means of protection was just an idea thanks to Berengar. Had not even considered that prior.

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www.botgard.ucla.edu html leafcolor.- this gives a little insight not specific to cacti but same concept. Forgive bad use of links. Am In Thailand and a little short on time( and brain power) to hunt down the paper.Will do soon, was very interesting.

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Should add that my personal observations in the nasty west Aus sun is very variable. I want to know myself. I gotta say recently I rescued old plants of mine, abused as hell, left to fend for selves for over half a year.Most were very frosty. Sorry not very objective but is what have seen. As is usually ask a simple question and get a bunch more questions or maybe a less then simple answer.

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another broken link....

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Wow, that article was a nice read. Concise!

~Michael~

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Sorry! Is the second time in human history I have tried to do such a thing. I'll will have to get my act together. Thanks Dood! Yes I thought it an interesting read as well!

Edited by nut

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Some of my babies are blue, some are not. even from the same clone. guess it's quite a random thing in my case.

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zelly is on the money. Genetics. some plants may get a 'furry' or 'frosty' appearance due to certain conditions (like a GH) but its noticeably different to plants that are truly blue. PC in my GH will develop a frostyness in a stripy pattern, Ill edit this post with a pic tomorrow.

what i really want to know lately is how do i get tbms to grow blue.

post-4415-0-39536200-1436489543_thumb.jp

post-4415-0-39536200-1436489543_thumb.jpg

post-4415-0-39536200-1436489543_thumb.jpg

Edited by micoz

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Its all about sun spectrum and amount. A strain thats yellow in Cali will be Blue in Tropics . Spinage will also vary wildly with spectrum and intensity. I've done lots of experimentation with this and have found its about 25% genetics, 75% environment. My Lumberjack in the Tropics is a nice green blue. I've also gotten cuts from cali that were a light green yellow, and after a year here they are almost a teal blue.

Edited by maxpower097

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I've done lots of experimentation with this and have found its about 25% genetics, 75% environment.

How to i design an experiment that will give me percentage data on weather particular observable traits are genetic or environmental ?

I understand i could just make it up and say something like X% genetic and X% environmental for this particular observable trait but i dont know how i could make these statements with any sort of accuracy.

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I've seen many large plants that have light green/yellow columns on the exposed sunny side but also have nice blue columns growing in the shade of the lighter ones, so it's definitely shade IMO.

But genetics are also important too, just look at any potted tricho collection, all receiving the same growing conditions, yet some are a lot bluer than others.

The gentler lighting of the late afternoon/early morning also makes them look a lot bluer (due to the higher ratio of U.V. light I believe)

The blue and stripy look is my favourite.

Edited by Halcyon Daze
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