Above: the plant and its flower
Below: overdoing the blooming
Echinopsis
hybrid 'Charlemagne' was so excited to bloom for the first time, it
exceeded its abilities. The flower was so large it fell off the plant
as it opened. The flower is 5" (13 cm) wide, the plant is 2" (5 cm)
wide. I put it in a small glass with a bit of water.
Wonderful glowing gold color. I've had another Echinopsis for a few years, a seedling of unknown heritage picked up at Bach's in Tucson, that blooms a beautiful but less impressive white.
This gold is far beyond that.
What a glorious flower, from such a little plant!
I first became enchanted with Echinopsis flowers at the Huntington Desert Garden, so enchanted as to buy a few plants. I'm wary of cactus spines and as a result very reluctant to grow cacti, but the flowers are--wow.
Aloes are not spined but toothed. The blooming "season" here runs from fall through winter to late spring. Although I have at least one summer-blooming Aloe (A. reitzii), it isn't old enough to bloom yet. So the season in this garden ends with A. pseudorubroviolacea and A. aff. camperi.
Aloe pseudorubroviolacea's so far solitary, 4' (121 cm) wide rosette has two large multiple-stemmed inflorescences this year. The display is the best ever.
That is Aloe thraskii in the background; it blooms in early winter.
A pseudorubroviolacea's flowers angle outward when they first appear, but as they develop they curve downwards and inwards when opening.
Aloe aff. camperi flowers are fully open now. It too is putting on a show.
On the front slope, quite a show.
The Grevillea 'Moon Light' and the Aloe are starting to merge.
I am unsure if this is the "normal" bloom time for A. brevifolia. It is producing a flower stem in the garden for the very first time, although it's been here several years. It was always too dry to bloom. Given better conditions, finally, its ready to produce. A finally hurrah from the Aloes.
Amazing what a little care will do.
Wow dear Hoover that is such an amazing and beautiful bloom for such a small plant, how excited you must be and the colour is gorgeous. The white Echinopsis blossom is also lovely. Your garden is a mass of colours of yellows, oranges and reds, the Aloes are ablaze with colour.
ReplyDeletexoxoxo ♡
I always thought of cactus as foliage plants, never as blooming plants, but the flowers are quite spectacular.
DeleteOh that Echinopsis flower...I swoon.
ReplyDeleteIt's something, isn't it?
DeleteThe color of that Echinopsis bloom is wonderful! My pink-flowered one seems mostly bloomed out now. Your photo of the baby bloom stalk on the Aloe brevifolia sent me outside to check my own but there's nada.
ReplyDeleteThe Aloe has been getting weekly water--that must have done it. I've had that species at least six years, this is the first bloom.
DeleteROFL!!! Your image of the echinopsis overdoing it just made my day! Do they always shoot the bloom stalk out from the side rather than the tip?
ReplyDeleteI was a little worried about that photo. ;^) No, sometimes from the side, sometimes from the top, judging by my other Echinopsis plants.
DeleteYou have to admire that little cactus commitment to blooming, as well as the beautiful bloom. Your aloes are gorgeous too. I like the hint of yellow in the second one.
ReplyDeleteIt was a surprise--hybrid vigor. The Aloe show has gotten better every year--as roses do when they establish.
DeleteMe he quedado sin palabras de l belleza de la primera floración y los Aloes fantásticos.
ReplyDeleteMe alegro de que haya disfrutado de las fotos!
DeleteThat is the the most beautiful echinopsis flower I've ever seen. Now you have me looking for one. I'm a sucker for cactus flowers.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it amazing? And from such a tiny plant!
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