Blue Specimens

[trucha]

I'd suggest that the expression of blue is not a one-size-fits-all sort of picture.

Genetics are what is important for that really intense solid blue that stays that way even in hot sun but I'm sure growers have also noticed many of these have the potential for only appearing really blue under some conditions and not under others.

What is being seen as blue in those cases is an illusion created by the accumulation of small flakes of wax forming those cool looking patterns rather than it actually being that blue as the color of epidermis. Hot sun readily melts that waxy layer so growth in really hot full sun on those plants commonly appears to be green by comparison to shaded plants of the very same clones.

Overall I have experienced the best blue on the widest range of trichs when they are luxuriating in the shade house or when growing in a semi-protected spot.

There are a few columnar Trichs that are stay blue when growing in full sun. Even on those I can mess up the appearance of the intensely beautiful "frosty blue" parts of the color permanently through abrasion or by leaving careless fingerprints.

[trucha]

As examples:

Eltzner's rather blue trich in his former garden site a few years back:

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New growth of the same clone in really hot sun.

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Another peruvianus form from GF's collection:

First one was in a more protected spot than the other two but all three of these are growing within a few feet of each other.

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This is new growth in a hotter spot that used to be a part of the same plant shown immediately above. Still plenty of blue but not nearly as solidly expressed.

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This is the same clone but older. Notice how much blue is on the tip (which is growing in hot sun with only minor shading by a 4x4 post and adjacent cacti) and how little blue is on the older sections of the stem (this plant has two branches one of which is prostrate) The brighter green spot of new growth visible on the lower edge is actually a different plant.

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And finally the same GF clone (on the right) next to a tip of a macrogonus RS0005 that was grown near it; both of these were growing in as much sun as can be had here. That macrogonus can express blue when it is grown in a protected situation but it dramatically decreases (or even disappears) when the new growth forms in a lot of sun. The peruvianus preserves its blue much better even with sun.

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This last GF cutting shown was taken from the same plant as is shown above as Trichocereus-peruvianus_GF_17July2015_IMGP6993.JPG

Edited July 21, 2015 by trucha

[trucha]

Duplicate posting deleted by kt

Edited July 21, 2015 by trucha