hey Lachy,

unfortunately the trichos were an unexpected encounters and i did not have my camera on me at the time.
here are some peruvianus cuttings i acquired off said plant:
http://forum.auscactiforum.net/cactus-succulent-identification-f16/tassie-tricho-id-t601.htm

hydro ario:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fRUJWJsMc_M/SWa4r1vu4vI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/HYQm-i0HoUk/s1600-h/213003AA.JPG

ortego in water:
http://www.bcss.org.uk/forum/read.php?1,116343
(scroll down)

oh and how could I forget.. that's right years ago i saw an Opuntia growing on the side of a river!

near the yarra.. i think it was somewhere near warrandyte.

it was growing, i'm serious, right out of the side of the bank, completely submerged to the depth of half the "trunk" by running water.. just like a willow tree.
It was thriving. Opuntia aquatica.

Wow, that's impressive. This all seems to throw a spanner in the works when it comes to the conventional wisdom that these plants supposedly don't like having wet feet.

Well just to chuck two cents more in, there is a O.ficus-indica near me that grows 30 cm above the water line of a tidal creek so that is salty water its sitting in year round. It is ancient and fruits well!
And regarding grafting anyone: I have the Carnegia if you have the Trich.... No hang on that doesn't sound great..... but seriously the Carnegia are about an inch diameter perfect for this spring grafting season approaching anyone interested? It would make for a good long term trial I think.

What size and type of stock would you recommend for a Carnegia of that size? I might have some sitting around...

Just the usual, long lived cold, wet tolerant fast growing. Probably something that doesn't offset too much and can get to a good size. You may want a stock that is a bit wider like T.pasacana but it would be worth a try with just about anything. Who knows the results could be really worth while as the Carnegia are truly aristocratic plants.

I've got some pach x scop (I think... Bunnings plants are a bit iffy). I'm going to see if I can find pasacana, although I don't recall ever seeing any for sale.

Darn it, we need a Police emoticon ! As in the Cactus Name Police - it's Carnegiea not Carnegia - everyone seems to leave out that poor second e ! Including Koehres !

Talking of plants in water etc, somewhere on the net (and I couldn't find it again just now) there is a neat habitat photo of Mammillaria theresae plants in a frozen puddle ! Not something I'd be willing to try with my plants!

Back on subject I have a Saguaro that's about 3-4 inches tall and even at that size it's just so sloooow...

As for grafting it, well some people are just graft crazy I reckon , but who knows, maybe if you push the seedling hard enough you'll end up with something like this -

Yeah... the person who grafted that one Nav needs their head read. It looks ridiculous and the graft union is beginning to break! Shody work indeed Or maybe someone has already tried to severe it to take home and graft onto a big grusonii understock or something

I reckon it's just become sentient and is saying hello to the world. Either that or it's trying to summon the mothership so the giant cactus-aliens can begin to take over the world!

Nice pics Navajoa and I think this is the photo you are talking about. Half way down on the right.

http://www.cactuspedia.info/schede/MAMMILLARIA/Mammillaria_theresae/Mammillaria_theresae/Mammillaria_theresae.htm


Oh and I would be very interested in grafting a seedling Cryptocarpa I have plenty of fat stocks

Yeah awesome pic Navajoa... the crest is flowering too.


I'd be keen for a Carnegiea seedling too crypto.
I have a decent T. scop about 45cms and a 90cm cereus peruvianus that should do the job I'm thinking.

I'll make sure all of you who have an interest in grafting the Carnegiea get them. Probably better to send them out around spring time when it is good to graft.

Yep that could have been the one HN !

Crypto, sorry, you still lost points for putting the "e" in the wrong spot!

The flowers are pretty impressive too, if you can get up close to them ! Usually they're a couple of metres above you !

Fortunately there is no cactus spell checker,Nav, or your considerable talents in this field may be redundant