Golden Barrel Cactus & Thimble Cactus

The Golden Barrel Cactus is officially an Echinocactus grusonii, or ... some people call it a mother-in-law's seat! My Golden Barrel is almost 14 inches in diameter. When I planted it three years ago, I believe it was only about 10 or 12 inches. When it reaches 15 inches, it should start to bloom yellow flowers followed by seedpods but since mine isn't in full sun, it might not.

The Golden Barrel is beautiful to look at with its long yellow spines and geometric shape. I have mine planted in a location where light moisture is constant; therefore, I water it only for fertilizing purposes which is maybe twice a year. In the winter, I hope and pray that it doesn't get any extra water and keep it warm on those nights that it gets below freezing. As a result, there are a few brown places on the cactus that have been caused from the water/cold conditions but all-in-all I think it looks pretty good.

The Mam- millaria saboae f. haudeana is more easily named the Thimble Cactus. This is one of my newest additions and the cactus, itself, is fairly new to the cactus market. It is supposed to produce large dark pink flowers. It grows slowly into a clump and will have to be brought inside for the winter unless it is kept very dry during the cold months. The small offsets which form the clumps can easily fall off. I have removed several of these offsets to try and start them in another container.

The Skinny Oreocereus

What a mouthful! This is an Oreocereus pseudofossulatus. I think I'll call it the skinny oreocereus! This plant branches out and forms a small "bush." It grows fast and will produce red/purple flowers after 10-15 years. It has wispy wool and strong spines. I have treated it as needing normal cactus watering and I have it in a pot outside. It wintered indoors. With the exception of a bare spot at the base of the plant, it is doing fine. It was included in the cactus garden that I mentioned I bought 3 years ago. I separated it on its own last year.

Hi! It's me. GG. The Las Vegas Cockapoo. I have to show everyone out there my new "do." My Mom finally gave the evil lady with the clippers the go-ahead to "take it all off!" Well, my Mom showed a little mercy and told the lady to leave about an inch all over. ... Actually, I kind of like it. Ever since I came home from the groomer 3 days ago, my Mom and Dad haven't been able to keep their hands off me. I like that even though I try not to show it. I really just like my tummy rubbed but I'll take a little back and ear massage as a good substitute. Oh, and I have to admit that this "do" is a lot cooler than the last one.

Old Man of the Andes

This is my Old Man of the Andes or Oreocereus celsianus. Let's just call it the Old Man! (Oops! I can't! There's another one of that name.) It hasn't grown much from when I bought it about 2 years ago but the book says it can reach ten feet tall and four inches in diameter. That's probably if you plant it in the ground in a sunny spot. I did plant it in the ground for last winter. It did fine, kind of dormant. But, I was a little worried when it didn't perk up with the warmer weather so I transplanted it back into a nice pot.

It needs very little water and full sun but, here in Las Vegas, full sun in the heat of the day is too much. So, I have it where I keep all of my potted cacti outside during the summer. It gets a few hours of sun in the morning and a little in the evening but not in the middle of the day. If the heat reaches over 110-115 degrees F, I will probably bring most of the cacti inside. There is no need to stress them out that much. Even though cacti have a reputation of being a hardy desert plant, there are species that take a lot of heat and there are species that don't like it so much. The "desert" part of their existence just means that they can survive without water for some time. It doesn't mean that they prefer that!

GG's Favorite Lookout

As the original Las Vegas Cockapoo, it is my job to oversee the goings on of the household. Sometimes this requires a bird's eye view. (Ooo, did someone mention birds?) No, well, anyway, as I was saying, sometimes I can't keep up with the comings and goings and busying around that my Mom and Dad are up to; especially if they are going up and down and up and down the steps. (Ha! Bet you are surprised I knew what to do with a semi-colon, huh?) When that starts happening, (the up and down part), I just lie at the top of the steps and watch. After all, that is part of my main job, to watch. The other part of my job is to basically be cute.... I got that covered. I think I'm ready for a job expansion.

Bishop's Cap

This plant is an Astrophytum myriostigma or commonly known as a Bishop's Cap Cactus. It is unique in its shape and doesn't get much bigger than a melon. The white speckles are actually its spines which are quite "user-friendly."

Someday, I hope, this cactus will produce large yellow blooms that are around 2.5" in diameter and that last 2-3 days. I have two of these. The one above has been in a pot all winter and still looks plump. I watered it about once every two weeks during the winter inside the house. Now, I need to water it about once a week while the pot spends the summer outside.

My other plant spent the winter outside in the ground. I think it is doing well but I transplanted it into a pot recently anyway. Our temperatures were mild last winter, dipping below freezing only a handful of times. This plant flattened out a bit with the cold temperatures but has since recovered somewhat. Its red color is normal for the outside treatment of cold then hot environment.

Euphorbia Obesa

The Euphorbia obesa, as pictured above, is commonly called either Basketball euphorbia, Gingham golf ball, or Hottentot's hut. Euphorbias are a species of succulents that produce tiny flowers that lack petals. They also produce a milky sap that could irritate the skin or cause blindness if not handled with gloves. To stop the flow of sap on a "bleeding" plant, you can immerse it in warm water. This particular euphorbia is spineless and is usually olive green with pale green or mauve markings. It is slow-growing and becomes slightly columnar with age. Tiny leaf "flowers" come from the crown during summer months. It does well in the sun or shade but needs a dry winter during its dormancy.

Update on Pine Cone Cactus

My pinecone cactus is growing very fast right now. Remember that little nub that I called an offset before? Well, that would be the large "pine cone" at the base of the plant now! And there are three more growing at the top of the plant. I am excited that it is growing so fast!