Yes it is rather different. May I pls. ask where you got it? Quite nice, I think it may be Sans francisii.

May I ask are you new to succulents or Sans? I ask 'cause generally one doesn't water a succulent on repotting, one waits a day or two to allow any damaged roots time to heal & help avoid potential problems like root rot.

Strange looking mix, What kind of soil is that? What's the powdery white stuff up top? What's the white I see at bottom of pot?

Nice find, may it do well w/ you.

It is a Sans francisii, I got it from Out of Africa's website. Sans are new to me but I've grown other succulents for a while now. I must be lucky in that I've never had an issue with rotting after repotting.

I mix two parts peat, two parts potting soil and one part coarse sand. The white you see at the bottom is just a reflection of the plastic tray it's sitting on for any water that runs out.

Why did you take it out of their mix? They're a reputable, knowledgeable succulent source & I'd expect they used appropriate mix.

Sorry Rob, I would have left it in their mix for a while & let it adapt to your home first.

Generally speaking, neither peat nor potting soil are recommended for succulents, sorry to say. I would have used 1 part potting soil & 2 parts perlite or pumice.

What's the white, powdery stuff up top pls.

Sand and the perlite that is present in the potting soil. My laurentii has been in this mix for two years now with absolutely no ill effects.

I'm still curious why you'd take it out of it mix & what that white stuff up top is. That doesn't look like perlite, just dust, not helpful.

You've answered why many who grow C&S don't use potting soil (contents like peat & sand).

Well, good luck w/ your handsome new plant.

I was going to say, I saw one on 'Out of Africa' as well. I purchased many plants from them over the years. It looks nicer than the one pictured on their web site.

Robdb8

that is a nice lookin sans, never saw that before..

i too water my sans after repotting or even division and seem to have no issues with root rot. When I divide, I usually cut all roots and rhizomes in sections with a machete as opposed to pulling apart and have had no issues. I divide this way with gingers, heliconias, grass....you name it.! For sans,, I then water immediately and let dry out. For gingers and heliconias, I will water immediately and keep moist for a week at least then back off.

Where are you growing Saltdesert, it sounds like maybe outdoors? I grow indoors only, maybe that makes a difference in that respect.

I’m growing in Hawaii outdoors. Yeah I think with the quick evaporation here, it is no issue. But I have seen many Sansevieria grown in wet locations in Hawaii with moss and ferns growing on the plant in a wet sticky soil. It probably has to do with the temps too.

Actually, Stush, now that think of it, the one time I've seen this plant in person was at Norma's house.

I had helped turn her on to Hoyas & she had a mini-Hoya meeting hosting abt 8-10 of us (maybe 2005). Was lovely, meeting a whole group of folks, swapping cuttings, seeing how some out in CA grow their Hoyas in strong sun which sort of bleaches out their green to a paler, semi-sickly palor, but encourages blooms more.

There was a small pot of S francisii on top of a piece of furniture in the room where I slept over. I'd never seen anything like it either. Small but sort of shrubby, quite a distinctive form, I recognize it immediately.

I'm not someone to go on EBay, but this beauty is something I might consider ordering for myself & have shipped, tempting!!

Robins,

May I pls ask where in the country you are that you've got a local grower offering this?

Thanks Rob, for the memories & the inspiration, I'll have to check out OOA's site.

Karen, Out of Africa is a mail order nursery and not on Ebay (as yet). I have ordered many times from them and they are top rated.

I found and bought one of these this year at Ikea. it is smaller than the one you have though but I like it.

Nice thread. Love the new plant so much, Rob.

Karen -- I live in a small town south of Sarasota FL. There is a local grower -- I don't even know who he is. He raises succulents and Sans (has his own greenhouses, I understand) and then sells them through a local nursery. I have bought Sans francisii, nitida, boncel, masoniana, several different kirkiis, crocodile rock, ballyii hybrids and more from him. I think what he does is buy off eBay, propagate like crazy and then pass his plants on to this local nursery for sale. I must admit -- I don't always think he labels correctly so I do my own research about 25% of the time. Also, I have lost a number of plants from him too easily. OTOH, the ones that have grown have REALLY grown. Nevertheless, he represents a wonderful source for me and I am grateful -- I get unusual and generally healthy plants and I can actually SEE THEM before I buy them. How lucky is that?!

Wow, that's awesome... Since I'm in a zone 7, I just luck up and find them in local greenhouses or garden centers and usually they're just common varieties and cultivars.

Stush, I had forgotten about Out of Africa and didn't realize they have been a source of sans for you over the years. I'll have to check their website and see what they have to offer. What's the name of that fellow, or his biz name, in Texas that grows perfect sans? Think I've seen him sell on Ebay in the summer. I hope you and plants are surviving winter so far.

Robinswfl, regarding the grower you're buying sans and succulents from in the Sarasota area, I doubt this is the same individual but years ago I bought both from a man named Robert Arias at his plant sale booth at Selby Botanic Garden and University of Fla at Tampa Botanic Garden. Interestingly, Robert told me he knew the famous African explorers/collectors John Lavranos and his wife before they passed. He said he often received collected plants from them, which he then propagated and sold.

I'm not familiar with a sans called Crocodile Rock, is it another type of succulent?

Russ

Stush, I only mentioned EBay as you'd expressed regret somewhere over spending on something there (was it the A Walmsey?). Sorry, if I was confusing.

I know OOA is a nursery, seems you missed my earlier comment upthread.

"They're a reputable, knowledgeable succulent source & I'd expect they used appropriate mix."

Robin, thx for answering, I was just curious. I see a fair amount of diff Sans. in my plant group, but never this one or in local stores.

Russ, I only purchased succulents from OOA. They only list one Sansevieria and it it the one purchased above.

Sorry, I don't recall any from Texas. Might have to go over my purchases to see.

Karen, Fault was mine. Sorry. I still look at Ebay but mostly it is a waist of money. I did got some fantastic deals but rarely. Trick is to bid at the last minute and hope you get it. Bidding too early only raises the price up too high. And shipping is way too expensive. Some ship First Class which is way cheaper but most send Priority Mail which is the most easiest and costly.

Stush, I checked OOA and they're also listing pinguicula for $12. They sure offer a lot of neat succulents, many euphorbias are interesting plus Haworthia Fat Albert is especially choice. I've grown H. ubomboensis for years, they list it as a variety of limifolia, which is new info.

A few years ago the Texas grower posted pics somewhere that showed rows and rows of perfectly grown sans in his greenhouse, all spaced out the same distance on benches and in the same size clay pots. Looked very impressive. I remember his prices were a bit high but seemed worth it for the quality, however I haven't bought from him.

Have you heard of any recent word on Juan Chahinian? Anyone else know anything about him? I worry about him since he's getting up in years, last I heard his eyesight was very poor and someone was helping him post sans on Ebay. It's too bad he didn't produce more books on sansevierias in his lifetime.

Karen, looking at OOA's plants on their website, I see what looks like large pieces of pumice in their mix, or possibly white-colored pebbles. It'd be interesting to know what their recipe is, altho it might not work for all parts of the country.

Russ

Hello Russ. I purchased many of my Haworthias from OOA. Got just what they pictured. Very pleased with them.

Sorry to hear about Juan.

I just posted a reference on a Sans book out of Indonesia but it's in another language. Google translate changed it to English but don't know if the book is also in English. It's in post 'Many lovely pictures of Sanseveria'.

Stush, that's quite a bunch of gorgeous sansevierias. I think the language is Russian, the author's name Peter Lapshin is familiar to me but I can't recall where I've seen it... probably a different website.

I wish I had the knack of growing sans of that quality, not a blemish, perfect in every detail. I noticed pics of Twisted Sister, I used to have quite a few but lost them all over the years. One was from a nice lady in Ireland, she called it Twist, the rest were from other sources. That's one sans I've really missed having, if you ever see a source please let me know.

I don't know how they grow Gold Flame so well, they're definitely as difficult as the Golden Hahnii's with almost no chlorophyll.

Thanks, Russ