Dawn, it looks like you had a lot of new growth there.

Hi Dawn
This is one of my favorite Melo also. Very rewarding plant but can be slow to produce that contrasting red cephalium.
thanks for sharing

Pijaya

Always beautiful, Melocactus azureus is quite variable in shape and epidermal coloration.

sub-columnar form
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Intensly blue coloration
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James Pickering

The blue that you see is what the plant looked like when it was in the sun. Now that it is indoors it is loosing that blue color. Those are beautiful plants you have. At what age will these start to form the cephalium?

Dawn

Dawn, you wrote:

.......... At what age will these start to form the cephalium?

I haven't kept precise records, Dawn, but it seems to me five years or so.

James

OK thanks. That is what I thought. By looking at my plant, I am guessing it is about 3 maybe 4 years old. I got mine from Oldman Cactus in the spring and was sent as a substitute. He sent me a large one. I just hope I can keep it alive for the winter. I don't really know a whole lot about these. I do know they like to be kept warm and like some humidity, right?

Dawn

Dawn:

Visit these two pages for some answers to your questions:

http://jp29.org/cegen.htm

http://jp29.org/cecu.htm

James

James, thanks for those links. They were very helpful. I now have a chance now with my Melocactus.

Dawn

BTW, Dawn, I am not so sure your plant really is M. azureus -- the epidermal coloration is atypical for a seedling of this species. It may be M. levitestatus, M. pachyacanthus, M. glaucescens -- etc.) Still, as is always the case with seedling/juvenile Melocactus, it is hard to give a reliable attribution.

James

The plants is 4" tall right now. Of the 3 names you gave me, seems closest to M. glauescens. Here I go again with the guessing games. Thanks for all your help.

Dawn