My first Lophophora Williamsii :)

[InnerPathsToOuterSpace]

Hi all,

A few days I received my first Lophophora Williamsii from herbalistics. It is roughly 40mm in diameter which would make it around 3-4 years old. Here is a photo:

Potted up in about 40% cacti/succulent potting mix (osmocote brand), 30% perlite and 30% crushed up brick. A shallow layer of rocks on the bottom of a terracotta pot and some rocks on the soil surface too as seen in the above photo. I gave it a decent water after I potted it up.

Any tips from the loph growers on the forum is welcome, how often to water, good fertilizers, etc.

For lack of originality I think I shall call him Mescalito!

Cheers everyone

[Sallubrious]

Nice!

I bet you can't stop at one.

Normally I wouldn't water a Loph in after re-potting it. The roots get bruised from the trauma and can be susceptible to rot if they don't get a bit of time to recover before you water them. It should be OK though. Seedlings are a bit different and can perish if they don't get a drink within a few days after re-potting.

Lophs really don't need much water at all once established, so normally it's best to err on the safe side and underwater them. Some people have nice healthy Lophs that get a lot of water and fertiliser but they can split under some circumstances. If under watered they just contract slightly but recover quite fast when they get a drink.

Everyone has their fertiliser of choice, I tend to supply nutrient to mine in the form of liquidised rock dust with an occasional taste of very mild fertiliser with a balanced NPK. Lophs have bacteria on the roots that can digest rock so high NPK levels aren't really needed. Mine don't grow as fast as some peoples but they flower their tits off and are very healthy.

To make the rock dust liquid I put crusher dust in a bucket and fill it with water. The fine particles that get suspended in the water is used and the heavy sediment and large particles sink.

Edited December 20, 2013 by Sally

[mimzy]

Hi Innerpaths!

I've only recently delved into Lophophora sp. myself, but I'll share a few things I've had to learn the hard way.

1.) Lophs don't like big changes in light conditions. If you are going to put him outside, introduce him slowly and make sure he's only in a spot that will get filtered light, or 2-3 hrs of sun per day. I've had a few burn.

2.) Get rid of top dressing. It tends to keep the soil moist after watering and lophs hate wet feet.

3.) Don't water two often, maybe every 2-3 weeks in the growing season and very rarely (if at all) when dormant. Consider bottom-up watering.

Beautiful plant you have there, enjoy!

[InnerPathsToOuterSpace]

Thanks Sally and mimzy. Damn about the watering after I repotted him... oh well, too late now, fingers crossed that it doesn't damage the roots.

I won't water for a couple of weeks now. He is going to be an indoor plant, kept next to a big sliding door that faces onto a north facing verandah. No direct sunlight, just indirect.

[Philocacti]

One it flowers and fruits. Germinate the seeds and graft the seedlings to pereskiopsis. Your grafts should start producing flowers in 4-6 month. The you'll have a steady flow of lophophora seeds

[incognito]

Don't kill it with love!

[InnerPathsToOuterSpace]

Thanks for the tips every one. That sounds like a good plan Philocacti, I would like to produce more down the line to give to a few friends as well as add more to my own collection.

[hostilis]

I started about a year ago and now I've started producing my own loph seed and planting/grafting them. You'll be surprised how easy lophs flower. They're the only cacti I've had flower so far.

[frozenthunderbolt]

I started about a year ago and now I've started producing my own loph seed and planting/grafting them. You'll be surprised how easy lophs flower. They're the only cacti I've had flower so far.

are they self fertile, or reliant on another loph to pollinate them? If reliant on another Loph can you use one that is clonaly identical or would it need to be from a different seed (so to speak) Cheers

[hostilis]

As far as I know there is a "Southern" and "Northern" form. One of the forms isn't always self fertile, but the other is always self fertile. You may want to ask one of the experts, but all of my plants so far that flowered set seed from their own pollen.

And as far as I know, if a plant is self sterile then it wouldn't be able to be polinated by a clone from it on separate roots.

Edited December 25, 2013 by hostilis

[Philocacti]

From what I've read

L. williamsii are self fertile

L. diffusa are not

So you'll know if it's williamsii or not when it flowers ;)

[frozenthunderbolt]

Thanks guys!

Mine's a Loph caespitosas on a pedro. about 10cm wide - hope it will flower in the not too distant future - got bunch of trich growing as future grafting stock for the pups it is currently growing

Edited December 26, 2013 by frozenthunderbolt

[Alice]

Ah yes, a proud mother/father your are, I know that feeling. Very nice

That's a pretty decent size too. Makes my first look like a pimple!

[Philocacti]

these are links provided by nookie about the topic, thanks man

read all about jourds at these links:

http://www.shaman-australis.com/forum/inde...ost&p=86510

http://www.shaman-australis.com/forum/inde...ost&p=86673

http://www.shaman-australis.com/forum/inde...ost&p=96541

http://www.shaman-australis.com/forum/inde...st&p=166324

http://www.shaman-australis.com/forum/inde...st&p=166335 ms smith

http://www.shaman-australis.com/forum/inde...st&p=166633 trucha

http://www.shaman-australis.com/forum/inde...st&p=166713 trucha

http://www.shaman-australis.com/forum/inde...st&p=166740 quoting "mexicali"

 

Here's the original discussion on The Nook

http://www.thenook.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=76390&st=0

Hope that helps

[solomon]

another good read on Loph breeding: http://www.kadasgarden.com/CLophophoracross.html

[Philocacti]

So in kadasgarden page it says that his attempts to make a cross between williamsii and diffusa failed. However, I always thought that they can inter-pollinate and produce seeds and that's why I got rid of my diffusas, so I don't get any hybrids.

Can someone elaborate plz.

[InnerPathsToOuterSpace]

Just thought I'd add to this thread, it's been about two weeks since I received my Loph and was wondering if I should give him a bit of water? The soil medium is completely dry and the loph is a little soft to the touch (if I lightly push the edge of my fingernail into the skin it will will leave a little imprint for several seconds before it disappears) which I read is common when they are ready for some water. It has been around 30 degrees celsius for the past few days too.

Also, is it best to water from the bottom - such as leaving the terracotta pot in a dish of water to soak up from the bottom up?