Today’s selection feature more images from a family property in the Southern Tablelands in New South Wales, Australia.
Each visit brings more photogenic surprises. 🙂
Things That Attract My Eye – Part 36
Tag: petals
A Real Beauty!
Almost a year ago, a fellow Cacti & Succulent lover gave me a cutting of the plant below and it has just flowered for the first time.
Like some of my other Cacti flowers, it is a nocturnal-opening flower and it was such a joy to be greeted by this flower when I walked around the corner of the house a few days ago.
When I saw it initially, I thought it had opened fully however, much to my surprise and enjoyment, it opened up even further during the day.
To identify it, I posted a some photos and a question in the Members Only Facebook Group of the Cacti & Succulent Association of Australia. It has been identified as a ‘Peniocereus serpentinus.’
I am so looking forward to seeing the plant’s next flower bloom.
Till next time!
Written by David Johnson
30 November 2023
Silky Petals Shine
Celebration of Life
Summer Beauties
Well, it’s been the best Spring/Summer for blooming Cacti flowers that I’ve had in quite a few years!
Here are a couple of more beauties…
The series of 3 images is from a Notocactus variation, and the Yellow flower is from an Echinopsis variation.
At the end of the flowering season I shall put together a post showing all the flowers that have bloomed from my Cacti and Succulents this time around.
Looking forward to the next beauty!
Written by David Johnson
15 December 2022
Orange & Yellow
Say ‘Hello’ to my latest Cacti flowers, from my Parodia Mairanana!
I was walking up the side of the house (that we just moved to) and something caught the corner of my eye…it was the gorgeous colour of these flowers.
My Cacti and Succulents (before we moved) had grown to 160 plants. Some of them were duplicates, most not and I have realised that my hobby was getting out of hand. We intend to buy a house next year, however, after the latest move I have come to the conclusion that I need to downsize my collection.
We had a garage sale before moving and I sold/offloaded about 50 plants, reducing my collection to 110. This is still a lot of plants to move, particularly when you consider the size of some of the plants and the pots.
I am going to bite the bullet and pick out my favourite say, 30 plants and have another garage sale.
I also think that I am going to change direction slightly in terms I what future Cacti and Succulent plants I will buy, i.e., I think I will aim for the smaller, flowering plants. There will still be some columnar plants but mainly smaller Ball-type ones.
Written by David Johnson
28 November 2022
More Beauties!
It has been a bit of a challenge posting in this past week as we are in the process of moving. Always a fun task, not!
Following on from my last post, I can excitedly report that two more of my Cacti and Succulents have flowered in the past week.
The first is an Aylosteria pulvinosa. It is only a small Cacti plant measuring 5cm across and has had pups and the flowers in the image are (apart from that flowered last week) the first full crop of flowers that this plant has produced.
The second plant to flower this week (in fact it bloomed today), is an Epiphyllum Hybrid which is sometimes mistakenly called a ‘Dragonfruit’ plant, according to the Cacti and Succulent Association of Australia. I joined the Society nearly 12 months ago and am learning a lot.
I love the rich, Red colour of this flower which really contrasts well against the Green foliage of the plant.
Two more beauties from my collection that have flowered so far in Spring.
I am so looking forward to the rest of Spring and Summer!
Written by David Johnson
12 November 2022
A Fleeting Beauty!
One of my other hobbies is Cacti and Succulents. As mentioned previously, I have had them as an interest for the last 45 years (since I was 14).
I’m not an expert by any means and although I collect them I do not regard myself as ‘true collector’, like a lot of the people that are in the Cactus & Succulent Society of Australia, which I joined during the last Covid lockdown in 2021.
I enjoy their uniqueness and beauty.
Yesterday, one of my Ball Cacti, of the Echinopsis variety, flowered for the first time ever and I thought that was worth of a post.
The stem of the flower has been growing for a number of weeks and leading up to the point of flowering, there is always great anticipation, particularly when you don’t know what colour the flower will be. I walked out the side door yesterday and upon walking past our cattery that holds our single Cat, Miri, the flower came into full view.
I never tire of this type of flower’s exquisite beauty! It begins to open nocturnally and we are blessed with its beauty in the morning. The flower only blooms for 24-48 hours, then its gone. A fleeting beauty.
Written and photographed by David Johnson
4 November 2022
When Creativity Comes…
