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aloebot10a

Calibanus surprise.

aloebot
5 years ago

I will be putting this Calibanus hookeri in the winter show in the seed grown plant category. I was expecting to find a 3-1/2" to 4" caudex. I was pleased to find a 5" to 6" caudex. I have about 20 more 2 gallon pots of these. I now realize I must move them up to 5 gallon pots soon.





Comments (17)

  • Rob Blomquist
    5 years ago

    Nice, and totally show worthy.

    aloebot thanked Rob Blomquist
  • tanpexoctics Willis
    5 years ago

    Very nice aloebot one of my favorites I got about that many but not near as impressive I keep on dreaming/

    aloebot thanked tanpexoctics Willis
  • aloebot
    Original Author
    5 years ago

    Thanks Rob and Tan. You probably noticed this is really smooth skinned. They grow faster with the soil level at the leaves. I've noticed that they don't produce the thick bark until they are exposed to light or the weather. Plants I have that have popped up a little above the soil line show the fissured bark. I believe the growth will slow down once this starts.

  • tanpexoctics Willis
    5 years ago

    Yeah that's way mine are to . most of mine are buried. Be nice to have ruff bark one ,but going be a while for me , I have to keep mine potted

    aloebot thanked tanpexoctics Willis
  • reggie
    5 years ago

    Fabulous. Can’t wait to see it in person. Best of luck at the show!

    aloebot thanked reggie
  • aloebot
    Original Author
    5 years ago

    This plant won the Blue Ribbon in my intermediate class. It was a nice surprise. I drove about an hour north and bought 25X 6 gallon squat pots to transplant my other 2 gallon mysteries. I hope the rains will slow down soon. I will need to hack off the circle of rootbound mess at the bottom of each of these. I won't do that until the possibility of rain and rot are past tense.

  • aloebot
    Original Author
    5 years ago

    Reggie did you miss the show? I didn't see you Saturday.

  • cactusmcharris, interior BC Z4/5
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Phatman Bill,

    Such a nice surprise when your caudex exceeds your expectations; that pachycaul isn't pining for the fjords. But I must ask you - do you have one PIG'd, 'cause if you don't, you're missing out on way-beyond-expectations growth.


    aloebot thanked cactusmcharris, interior BC Z4/5
  • aloebot
    Original Author
    5 years ago

    Jeff, I have 7 planted in raised beds. They are my seed producers for the most part. I think I might dig one or two this spring to see what's up.

  • cactusmcharris, interior BC Z4/5
    5 years ago

    What do the seed look like?

    aloebot thanked cactusmcharris, interior BC Z4/5
  • aloebot
    Original Author
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    These are fairly ripe seeds. They eventually turn grey after they fall off the inflorescence. They are about the size of a pea.


    Male flowers on the lower right. I have a couple known males. This one is in a bed. When these start to flower I position the known female plants next to the males and either air currents, ants, or something else transfers the pollen.



    They start out green and then turn red. And yes, that is the ubiquitous Kalanchoe photobombing.

  • aloebot
    Original Author
    5 years ago

    This is one of the raised beds. It has a couple bought (2 on left) and a couple seed grown (2 on right) plants. The 2 bought plants I thought were one plant when I bought it (them). They were crammed into about a 1-1/2 gallon pot at a Box store. One caudex was sort of growing around the other. I am interested to see what it looks like now.

  • aloebot
    Original Author
    5 years ago

    Paul, that is funny. Whatever it takes, lol. It seems one of my favorite Genera of plants is just not that popular with succulent enthusiasts. Maybe if they knew this was related to Beaucarnia there would be more interest. I got hooked when I saw my 1st gnarly trunked plant way back in my 20's.

  • reggie
    5 years ago

    Hey aloebo, I was there for most of the day. I saw your blue ribbon and all. I looked for you but to no avail. Congratulations on the fine specimen.



    aloebot thanked reggie
  • cactusmcharris, interior BC Z4/5
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Reggie, he doesn't have a mustache, I've heard, so he's less dashing in appearance.

    Bill, have you checked out Miles' catalogue lately? Once upon a time, he had an alleged cross of Calibanus and something else that he was selling. I had one, but it died in the interior freeze I had a few years back.




    aloebot thanked cactusmcharris, interior BC Z4/5
  • aloebot
    Original Author
    5 years ago

    I haven't seen one in Miles' listing. Peter has a Calibanus x Beaucarnea that he sells ($). What I would really like to find is the other species of Calibanus. I wouldn't mind finding the dwarf species of Beaucarnea either.


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