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caudex1

Fat plant flowers

caudex1
16 years ago

Pterodiscus

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Fockea angustifolia

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Avonia alstonii pink

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Avonia alstonii white

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Ceraria pygmaea

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Pachypodium decaryi

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Pachypodium densiflorum

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Leuchtenbergia principis

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Comments (28)

  • ariole
    16 years ago

    Many, many great pics.

    I really like the pink Avonia flower.

    Al

  • pirate_girl
    16 years ago

    Very cool blooms you've got there, I esp. like the Pterodiscus. I'm only so-so for some of these fat plants, these blooms do help me see a bit more why folks like them.

  • caudex1
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    For me the blooms are icing on the cake, it's the caudex,
    pachycaul trunk or tuberous roots that draws my admiration.

  • paulzie32
    16 years ago

    I'm beginning to admire everything about them! Thanks Caudex1! I Love both of your Avonia. The green parts look like little cedar branches.... But the trunks are like scaly vases that hold them! Is that just the way it appears in your pic or is the trunk that tapered?
    The Flower on the Fockea angustifolia is really awesome! So Unusual!
    Isn't the Leuchtenbergia principis a cactus? I think I had one like that many years ago... but no trunk on mine.
    Awesome Collection!

  • caudex1
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    paulzie,
    The Avonia base does taper, but the camera exaggerates it.

    Othonna pinnata
    {{gwi:311973}}

    O.pinnata open
    {{gwi:475469}}

    Pachypodium brevicaule
    {{gwi:311972}}

    Boswelia nana
    {{gwi:311970}}

    Uncarina peltata
    {{gwi:475470}}

    Ipomoea platensis
    {{gwi:475471}}

    Ipomoea holubii
    {{gwi:475472}}

    Fouquieria fasiculata
    {{gwi:475473}}

    Adenium multiflorum
    {{gwi:311975}}

  • flora2
    16 years ago

    Your pictures take my breath away. Truly beautiful.
    Thanks

  • paulzie32
    16 years ago

    Absolutely! Your Pics are Great! I'm sure the plants have a lot to do with it though! ;-) But you do take great pics!
    Now, what's the difference between your Ipomoea and the Morning glory seeds people plant and grow in their gardens? The Leaves on the Ipomoea holubii look very different... and do you just lift the tubers above the soil line?

  • caudex1
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    The common morning glory is Ipomoea purpurea, but there are many varieties from around the world holubii is from South Africa, platensis is native Paraguay.

    Here's an platensis that I slowly raised the tubers.

    {{gwi:475474}}
    BTW, I made the pot.

  • paulzie32
    16 years ago

    So, you do just raise the tuberous "roots" of most of these plants?
    The definition of caudex is The thickened, usually underground base of the stem of many perennial herbaceous plants, from which new leaves and flowering stems arise.
    So I guess so? I never knew. So I suppose I could technically use a sweet potato!
    I was in WalMart Tonight and they had some small trees (only about 2 feet tall) that had very thick trunks/roots.. but they looked more like strangler figs or some type of ficus... they could have been bonsais, but they weren't trimmed or trained and were in about 1gallon pots... maybe a bit smaller. If I had room, I'd have bought one.

  • caudex1
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Usually I leave the tuberous roots/caudex buried or if I purchase a plant that has been exposed I rebury it. I'm not sure why but having it/them buried increases the girth faster.
    Once it gets to a the size I want then I start raising it. Just have to protect the newly exposed roots from the sun, they can burn very quickly.

  • stanofh 10a Hayward,Ca S.F. bay area
    16 years ago

    The common 4 O'clock(Mirabilis) can also be raised. Cheap and fast fat plant.

  • roxxanne
    16 years ago

    Tell me about the 4'Oclock. I normally grow these from seed in my yard but read recently they are tuberous. What do I need to do to raise them as a fat plant?
    Roxanne

  • caudex1
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    roxxanne,
    I would leave in the ground for a few of years for it to gain some size quickly. Once it is raised the girth increases slows.

  • reiver
    16 years ago

    They are all so amazing! Thank you for sharing and for having such a good eye for photography. The Ipomoea holubii is my favorite. The hole in the middle, is that a trait, something you did or just a lucky accident of nature?
    Thanks,
    Mike

  • xerophyte NYC
    16 years ago

    caudex1

    Have you ever attempted to give Adenium free root run during the growing season to bulk them up, and then pull them out of the ground and root-trim for winter containerizing? I would like to try that myself next spring, but I have yet to encounter anyone who has attempted it first.

    x

  • caudex1
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    I've thought about it, maybe next year I'll pick up a small one and see what happens. That reminds me, I have a few A.socotranum seedlings....

    One I will bed out for sure next spring is Adenia pechueli. Saw a photo of one that was put in with a 1in diameter and 8yrs later it's has a 10in diameter.

  • xerophyte NYC
    16 years ago

    Where'd you get the socotranums? Are you sure they're not the 'thai socotranum' which are really arabicum?

  • caudex1
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    I got them from Miniatree Garden in Tempe AZ. They had some 3/4" x 1 1/2" seedlings during the summer. They look like socotranum, but I've never seen thai socotranum seedlings.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Miniatree Garden

  • xerophyte NYC
    16 years ago

    I was asking because the true A socotranum are extremely rare and are expensive when available. The only time I ever recall seeing them for a reasonable price was when Huntington Gardens offered seedlings for $35 a few years back in limited quantity. If you were to look for one today, seedlings could fetch $100+, much more for larger plants.

    Thai socotranum are not rare at all, they are a strain of A arabicum that make a fat caudex and superficially resemble A socotranum. The real A socotranum are winter growers and are leafless most of the summer.

  • caudex1
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Never said they were cheap ;)

    >>>"The real A socotranum are winter growers and are leafless most of the summer."

    That would explain why the leafed out after the summer heat.

  • fayruzf
    16 years ago

    wanted fockea edulis asap please let me know if ur selling im from uk bham uk england will pay post etc also price

  • greenlarry
    16 years ago

    Fantastic,I love caudiciforms,flowers or no!

  • radovan
    16 years ago

    caudex1 , your plants are amazing, I wish I am your neighbour so I can visit you every day. Very good work!

  • treehaus
    16 years ago

    Caudex, if you do not mind my asking, I would love to know about all of your neat earth-hewn looking pots - I see the one you made, but what about the one containing Ipomoea holubii? - did you make it too? Does the material you made the pot from confer on it any special characteristics you like your pots to have? It's not hypertufa is it?

  • caudex1
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Did not make the container the holubii is in. The pots are made using earthenware clay, and tend to use the darker colors more often. Have tried some glazing but haven't been happy with them. I like the course texture as most of my pots are made that way.

    Usually I make the pot with the plant intended to go in it. The container I just finished was made with my large Cyphostemma juttae in mind. The pot measures 19in wide x 14in deep x 9in tall and the juttae is 21in tall x 25in spread x 14in diameter at soil level.

    I've made a couple of small hypertufa years ago but nothing lately.

    See link for more photos.

    Here is a link that might be useful: more pots

  • donger
    16 years ago

    Caudex1
    That Lichtenbergia is amazing. Mine just flowered for the first time this summer. I finally have a house that gets too much sun in the summer for some plants. A good problem to have if cultivating cacti.

    Enjoy,
    Shawn

  • treehaus
    16 years ago

    Thanks for sharing Caudex, those are truly fantastic.

    Mike

  • caudex1
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Pelargonium hystrix
    {{gwi:475475}}

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