I am interested in all Varigate,crest and monstrose cacti. I have a small part of my collection which i dedicate to these wierd and unusual freaks of nature. An interesting book on the subject is Gorden Rowleys TERATOPIA for more indepth detail. I sow thousands of seeds each year in search for something different have come across lots of freaks but most die before i get a chance to graft them as looking over thousands of seeds you can miss the odd white seedling or strange growth form. From normal parents of no varigation you might be lucky to get one in a thousand but from varigated parent you might get ten% if your lucky. I will post some photos of varigates i have not many but also intersted on anyone elses views or experiences. Also maybe some inter breeding results or crosses luv to see some nice pics.

Ferocactus diguetii

Some crests the large noto leninghausii cost $6 for the two large ones and $4 for the smaller one. Bargain i thought it was at the C and S society of SA november show.

Wow... that's a Noto leninghausii crest? I woul never have picked that from the photo. They're some real beauties.

i saw those leninghausii grafts at the show and thought about buying them. i have a crest at home that you can have i think it is an opuntia maybe it is on own root.

Ill be cutting the big crests up in spring and a piece is yours darren.

found a photo of that crest i have...i think it might be opuntia or cylindropuntia... maybe C. Prolifera?

Check out this Leuchtenbergia Principis seedling.

Whoa... what's going on there? Is it going to be a double-header or is it a crest forming?

I think that maybe the original growing point was damaged it then started to grow two heads from this there are now more heads growing from the two new heads a total of six heads in all. I am interest to see how this grows i spotted it in my friends collection he gave it to me so we both will be interested how it grows thought of grafting but i think we will leave it on own roots.

That is a really beautiful pachanoi crest... It's a shame more of this sort of material isn't in cultivation in Australia.

should i lop this off & graft it?

Yes, I too think that Hybrids tend to variegate and/or form cristates!





These are from self harvested astrophytum seeds.

Sulco crest