zee_werp Posted February 13, 2006 Last weekend I had the pleasure of visiting the collection of a local cactus grower. He is 92 years old and has been growing cacti for about 60 years. He built his glasshouse in 1961 and has grown cacti in there ever since. Some of the plants were planted in the ground in it in 1961 as seedlings. He was a legendary dude, said that most of the columnars he had have been cut down to stumps countless times due to them hitting the roof. Though they always grow back a plenty. He doesn't grow tricho's anymore since the 'dope fiends' came and stole them - what a shame. But it was still an amazing collection none the less. And he had a couple of 30+ year old ariocarpus that he grew from seed as well as a bunch of other cool stuff. Came away with 7 neat little cacti for $5, cause the dude still grows seedlings for sale and exports his seeds to other collectors worldwide. The ariocarpi - The fissuratus (top) was about 20cm wide, the other one each head was about 12cm wide. Some more plants: Groovy lithops Some of the selection, 'standard rate' of 75 cents a plant And a very funky Browningia hertlingiana A big old T. terscheckii I noticed around the side of his house on the way out. This is one of the ones he had to chop it was pushing up the edge of his roof. The two stems are branches off a fatter old stem. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dodie Posted February 13, 2006 That is amazing. I love it! Makes me wanna get off my arse and build a greenhouse.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hebrew Posted February 13, 2006 shit yeah great cacti greenhouse i also want to get a greenhoues set up one day i spose thanks for sharing i love pics of cacti! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
prier Posted February 13, 2006 This makes me so grateful I started collecting cacti so young. I wonder how long it'll take for my terscheckii to get to that height. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wandjina Posted February 14, 2006 dig those funky lithops! what a great collection, thx for posting the photos Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Mexicali Posted February 15, 2006 there are some nice plants there....I don't know how much I like mixing the Mexicans with the Africans, but the Arios and the Espostoa are very well grown! Good on him (the grower)!!! and to you for showing us his plants!! If he's selling seedlings, could you give us his details? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zee_werp Posted February 15, 2006 yeah, the lithops were the largest specimens I've ever seen, really healthy too, and a great variety. Here's another group of them since you showed interest in them. he reckoned lithops love growing in shallow trays with a lot of plants in the same tray. Although some of the plants you can see that look like several are actually just really large old single plants. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Benzito Posted February 15, 2006 Wow! I love Lithops, but birds keep pulling mine up. It makes it hard for them to flower when they get up-rooted every few weeks. That is a splendid collection, but please, as mexicali said; could we get this bloke's details? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zee_werp Posted February 15, 2006 I am located in NZ so not sure about the logistics of sending seedlings. As I said the guy is 92 years old and I wouldn't really feel comfortable sharing his details on a forum like this, although I know most of you would want simply cool non-psychoactive cacti. What I would be happy to do though is ask him what seeds he has avaliable at the moment as he mentioned that he sends a few thousand to the UK each year. If there was anything of interest I could pick some up and send them out. He's made a few of his own inter-genus hybrids. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Benzito Posted February 15, 2006 Yeah, fair enough. If he isn't actually running a 'commercial' operation, he won't want 30 ethnobots bashing on his door. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zee_werp Posted February 15, 2006 Yeah, definitley not a commercial operation, he's just doing it for the love. An old guy keepin' on truckin' at his passion. I can't imagine the total number of hours he must have racked up of 'tinkering in the glasshouse'. Probably several years worth! By the way benzito, fucking great avatar mate. Bill Cosby!!! Smirking!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
