they are pretty slow growing.
mine bloomed after 10 years with me and it was a big plant when I bought it: about 18".
it's called night blooming cereus - the flower opens for just one night.
it needs south window to bloom. mine is now in the west and it stopped blooming.
here's the photo of the biggest one I've seen in Bronx botanical garden in nyc. don't know how old it is.

Hi guys! I'm pretty sure we're talking about 2 different plants. I'm not huge into cacti but I do have a 'Ming Thing', or what was sold under that name at L O W E S. I don't think it ever gets that big. I know there are at least a few different types of monstrose Cereus.

Here's my 'Ming Thing', had it for about 3 years, happily lives indoors near a south-facing window, has grown imperceptibly. I included this salty little fish for reference... chomp, chomp!

I have had my plant a year or two, and I don't know if it is the same as yours, hanzrobo, but I have definitely seen some growth on mine.

Christopher

tom_termine,
Not sure if yours is the same as my plant, but whatever you have there, it's impressive! Has it ever bloomed for you?

petrushka,
Well, I hope mine doesn't take more than 10 years to bloom... it's only about 4 inches tall! It's too bad the closest botanical gardens here doesn't have cacti or succulents, I'd love to see something like that in person.

Ryan,
Wow, that's tiny for 3 years of growth. :P I put mine outdoors with my other cacti so maybe I'll notice some growth by this time next year hehe.

Christopher,
Even if it's not the same, do you have a photo you'd like to share?

Planto

Planto, my photo is in my first post above...

Christopher

Christopher,
Oh... ah ha... ah... ha... Sorry about that. This is why I should go to bed when I'm tired instead of attempting to read. I do remember seeing your picture and responding to. *sigh* And, I re-read your post from last night... you were mentioning to Ryan you weren't sure if it was the same as his... not directed to me and Ryan.

Again... Sorry, I apparently should have called it a night sooner than I did. Your monstrose has quite a bit of growth on it already IMHO. I should post a photo of mine. I'll do that later. :)

Planto

yep, mine is a different cereus, but they all have similar giant flowers that open for 1 night only.
I looked up 'ming thing' it seems to be a dwarf variety. 12"-18". also for some reason some sites state part-shade for it.
I guess in AZ everything needs part-shade :0.

petrushka,
Oh, that's nice to know about being a dwarf variety. I don't think I'd have the room for anything as tall as some of the previous pictures. Hehe, our patio probably feels like AZ in August. I have it with my other cacti, but it's in a more shady spot with a couple succulents.

Planto

I have looked at this plant on the logees website and i SHIVERED!!!!!!!!! I can see why this plant is a good collectible but it is not a plant to make it in my beautiful succulent collection

Teen,
I couldn't find it ('Ming Thing') on Logees, are you referring to the two Epiphyllums they have (night blooming cereus)?

Planto

I had one for a few years. Grew very slowly and looks different and was told it was Cereus peruvianus Montrose, then Cereus fernambucensis f. cristate. I cut it up and gave out all the pieces here and on another garden web site. Supprised no one post theirs here yet.

Ok, here's a picture of my 'Ming Thing' as promised.

Planto

Stush,
That's one large cactus! Granted, I'm not surprised... you have some rather large Sans. :)

Planto

So maybe mine isn't a 'Ming Thing' as it seem to be branching out, not staying in a small clump...

Christopher

Christopher,
Yours looks like one to me. I don't know much about these (hence the OP), but yours just looks like a taller version of mine IMHO.

Planto

Here is my "Ming THing". What do I have to do to make thiss thing grow!!! He is pretty in the setting sun.
{{gwi:543845}}

Posting a bit late. I might have bought mine around the time this was posted if that counts. Mine is marked Cereus 'Ming Thing Mini'.

When I first looked it up, I couldn't find much info. I still don't see much info. I figured it must be kinda rare but I see it being pushed at our local garden center. At least what appear to be three different sources or brands. I could have bought a bigger, bushier one than mine, for about three dollars but I passed. One is enough..but looking at the blooms on this post, lol, now I almost regret that I didn't grab another.

Anyways I must be doing something right. It hasn't died yet. It wants to grow roots in the air along its base. I'm keeping it under direct fluorescent light and watering when it feels dry or the pot gets really light when lifting.

I like that mini. The others arent really my taste.

I like little trees myself

I noticed that the flowers were monstrose as well, I have never seen one in flower. I have seen several. Those all look great. Norma

Richard

Very nice tree...btw, do you sculp too? Or is it my imagination - something dark on your table/shelve (on left of the photo) looks like a face to me...Rina

Rina

No I don't sculp what you see on the shelf is a pair of rolled up glass gloves I use to repot cactus with.
succulent are my only vise
Richard

gloves!...I am seeing things...lol
Rina

Here's mine. Been a very slow grower for me, too.

{{gwi:111167}}

{{gwi:543846}}

Hello,
I have recently acquired four Ming Things and two Curiosity plants. This afternoon I noticed white spots on all the plants and wondered if anyone knew what I was dealing with. I have never owned these plants before and thought perhaps it was mealy bugs but that scenario does not seem to fit the picture.
Any input would be greatly appreciated.

My ming thing does not have white fuzzies so I think they could be mealies. You could always try to kill it with alcohol and a systemic and see if it goes away.

Just found this thread. Violet, did you ever discover the source of the white fluffs on yours? Looks like part of the plant to me, just more of them than usual.

Then promptly dropped it.

Mines 3 years old

Just go it one last week,so ugly they are great..nice to see all your pics so I know what I have to look forward to!

That's so incredible kris!

Why does it seem like mine is really dark green) maybe it's the lighting on the camera.

Any idea how to reproduce more lady fingers

Sooooo, back to Lowes I go to pick up the tiny one I saw yesterday. Thanks a lot, alkh86. As Sugi said on another thread, you guys are killing me here.

here is my monster. i was fortunate enough to spot this jewel while working. i was turning around in my work truck in a nice residential area and asked the homeowner if i could have a clipping. here he is in all his glory. the crested area is about two and a half feet across.

Amazing crest. Mine is starting to grow but ever so slowly, but , I think it is picking up speed.

Has grown 3/4 its size since.

Nice! Mine is a steady green, whereas yours seems almost variegated. Or is that just the camera?

ez

Adam, that's a great plant. To keep it looking good, your soil is going to need less bark (like almost all) and more drainage materials, like cutting your soil with half perlite or pumice or granite chips. People go to extraordinary lengths to make a perfect soil (having done so myself and seen it many times, it's easy to geek out on) but a cactus needs better drainage that that soil would seem to provide.

I was thinking the same thing after doing some research. I really appreciate your input. whats your favorite cactus soil recipe?

What my favourite is is thirds of sifted top soil, Turface MVP and granite chips, but those aren't always easily available, so the screened-for-large-bark-chunks potting soil, cut with half perlite, is usually something that's pretty easy to acquire. I have a British cactus book from the 1950s that list 27 different recipes for cactus mix, depending on the genus of cactus grown, but that's I think going off the deep end (however, reading it is fascinating!).

This is mine. I suppose they are an "acquired taste," lol.

I love the strange and unique.

I inherited mine and it’s maybe doubled in height over maybe 20 yrs.? 😊

I've had mine for at least 17 years. It's super slow growing. I should fertilize in spring summer but I don't.

I should have read the original question which is now 13 years old. Okay, the original question was for Cereus validus monstrose aka Cereus forbesii monstrose aka "Ming Thing". Someone in the thread started showing photos of Cereus peruvianus monstrose, a different species entirely.

I have seen at least three shape forms of Peruvianus.

First type has multiple stems going relatively straight up:

Second type has multiple stems coming from the ground at an angle outward:

Third type has a large base stem, and multiple arms emerge from that common base:

I prefer the third form, and I own one about half the size of the one in the online photo I posted here.