Euphorbia ferox

Okay okay I know its been a long time since Ive posted anything.

I Had to move and now I'm in a completely different climate than Colorados High Alpine Desert, with a wopping 245 days of sunshine per year.

Now I'm in a Basin. Where the natural soil is Alkaline and there's about just over 300 days of sunshine each year.

Anyway.

More posts on what Cacti and Succulents I was able to keep for my travel and their growth coming soon!


Onto Some interesting Cacti!

Euphorbia Ferox 

This is not a recommended plant if you have animals that like to chew on plants.

 
Family: Euphorbiaceae

Scientific name:  Euphorbia ferox
Described by Dr. Marloth in 1913

 Euphorbia ferox belongs to a group of plants, together with the closely related species Euphorbia pulvinata and Euphorbia aggregata, which can be recognised by their striking growing-shape.  They consist mostly of compact, multiple-branched and heavily-thorned cushions. These species are closely related, and for an outsider it's very difficult to distinguish them. There are differences though. The english nickname "pincushion" says enough.

Origin: South Africa, Great Karoo area (the distribution-area starts in the east around Graaff Reinet, and from there to the west until Beaufort West. )

Habitat: At some locations it is the most dominant vegetation, often growing together with Euphorbia esculenta and Euphorbia mammillaris.

Common Name: Pincushion Euphorbia 

Synonyms: Euphorbia caespitosa

Decription: Small spiny succulent shrublet branching at the base, it will form rounded clusters up to 60 cm in diameter.
Stem: It has columnar spiny succulent green stems, about 5 cm in diameter.  The stem looks like a green corncob with thorns.  Ribs are linear with minimal cross-channels.
Leaves: Tiny, ephemerals.
Spines: The spines are indeed solitary sterile peduncles.  They are very numerous, about 6 mm apart, stout, spiny rigid, 1-6 cm straight , reddish turning purple and finally grey.

 

Winter

Summer

Propagation: It is propagated by cuttings (It branches enthusiastically, and offsets are readily available).  If you remove an offset, remember to let it dry for a week or so, letting the wound heal (cuttings planted too soon easily rot before they can grow roots). It is better to wash the cut to remove the latex.

 

Warning: As with all other Euphorbias when a plant get damaged it exudes a thick white milky sap known as latex. This latex is poisonous, and may irritate skin.  Pay extreme attention not to get any in your eyes or mouth.
Cultivated plants must be handled carefully.

Flowering

Denver Botanic Gardens

Today I went to the botanic gardens to explore. And its a rather large place, I will have to go again and get more pictures. I freaked out when I saw they had a larger Cacti section, I'm excited to see if they have more..

There are a lot of pictures, I will have to upload some at a later time.

Please leave any comments or questions below, even about you own plants!

 

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Red Barrel Cactus

Other Variety of Succulents

   

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Some type of  Black Beetle Definitely a pest of this succulent

Another Black Beetle

Center is a Madagascar Palm

Madagascar palm and other Succulents

A Flowering Succulent

Another Black Beetle

Zebra Hawthoria top center

Two Golden Barrels (size of basket balls)

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Prickley Pear

Brain Cactus'

Some Prickley Pear Variety

Another Prickley Pear Variety

 

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Arizona

Last summer I went on a trip to Arizona, again. We visited several places.

The Grand Canyon

I had never been there before so it was a decent experience. Except for camping. screaming children, generators all night.. I cant call it "camping."  We slept under the stars in the back of the truck.

Montezuma's Castle

Which looks incredibly fake. They 'restored' it some years ago, by the time I took this picture. But as you can see, the coloration of the restoration is not at all the same colors.

I was very disappointed.

Sedona

We stopped in, we took a scenic route through the mountains :) which made me happy. We were getting information on winerys and things to do or hotels etc etc. places to eat. Seems that Sedona is very uppity. Like Highlands Ranch, or like Miami. However that is at first glance.

Not so sure about all the "mystics" and "supernatural healing" but I knew I did want to check out the 'Vortices'. But we were looking for somewhere to sleep before everything got dark.

I had got some pretty pictures though.

Lowell Observatory

Went on a couple tours there. They had this layout that they spent a lot of money on to give you a visual of the distance of the Planets.. Which the examples of the planets were just put in, right before they declared Pluto wasnt a planet.. Mr. Lowell would be Pissed!

My Favorite Places was this Cactus gardens Store just outside of Jerome, AZ. I cant find it on the map, or in any listings, but they let me take pictures of the cacti in bloom and the gardens area. I would have bought some but the plants would have had to travel several miles in a truck.

Agave

Coral Cacti

Water lily pond

Brain cactus

Inside the Gardens

Outside the gardens

Golden Barrel - Approx. 20 Years old (right)

Peruvian

Teddy Bear

Just right outside City limits Jerome, AZ Exiting the Gardens