These are some dormant pseudobombax at Tropiflora...they are really fat. And huge! But very slow growing, as I'm told and valuable when they're big...so, if it gets too big, maybe you can make some money!

karmatree said:I'm a web and graphic designer, and that picture on Ebay is Photoshopped! I won't go into the boring technical details but I'm 100% positive every single picture in that first slide is altered.

I bought a Titanopsis calcarea....a WHILE ago. I got really frustrated with it because it did absolutely nothing. Seemed like it was shrinking even. It was baking out back in the Florida sun in a pot with a lithops and a litttle round cactus. I read they are a "calcicole"...a plant that thrives in alkaline, calcium rich soils...So, I plopped him in a row of Sansevierias that are growing in crushed shell. There's your calcium, little guy, now do something!!!

He doubled in size and bloomed! Bloomed over and over..here's two pics I took last week...new bloom developing. Always pinkish to start, then opens up to a yellow flower.

• Concrete Leaf Living Stone (Titanopsis calcarea)
• Uploaded by karmatree

Good info and thanks for sharing. Too bad they are photo shopped. That blue one looks so interesting. No telling what seeds they actually send you.

@Tarev,
I believe your Gasteria is 'Little Warty.' I apologize if someone already pointed that out.

Planto

Hi Planto,

Oh, that's okay, there were references online to the name on the tag (Gasteria Marble), but not in other sites that I usually trust more. For now, I am sure it is Gasteria, and will go with that. Gasterias do well in my area, and often if the succulent is native to South Africa, I am reassured it will thrive well here. I do not get too bogged down with actual cultivar names...at times the names get changed later anyways.

Thanks for posting about your Titanopsis, Kate, that is something I should consider when I repot.

Tarev,
Haha, that's true. And I swear there's two cultivar or three names for the same exact plant, it just depends on what book or website you read. How annoying!

Planto

My pleasure....any succulent that fails to thrive in my care always gets tossed somewhere odd, and subsequently does really well! But I'm ok with that! I'll share my accidental successes whenever they happen. I take no credit whatsoever, though!

This morning, I noticed something unusual with this Euphorbia milii..little deep marks/gashes up and down the stem. Hope it is not bad...has anyone seen something similar happening to your crown of thorns?

I've been without one of my meds for two days because my pharmacy hasn't been able to get it. I felt real depressed last night so I took my evening meds early and went to bed early. I feel better today. The medicine I don't have is my antidepressant and ocd one.

But on the bright side my Pseudobombax ellipticum is coming in the mail today.

tarev said:This morning, I noticed something unusual with this Euphorbia milii..little deep marks/gashes up and down the stem. Hope it is not bad...has anyone seen something similar happening to your crown of thorns?

I don't have any experience with this one but in the last pick I see what looks like new growth sprouting out of the dark spots. Maybe the black is scarring from opening up for the new growth from where past growth was? Just a theory.

Oh yeah, I see it Audrey..maybe it is! Just so weird seeing those pock marks. Will see if new ones do show later.

adamgreen said:I've been without one of my meds for two days because my pharmacy hasn't been able to get it. I felt real depressed last night so I took my evening meds early and went to bed early. I feel better today. The medicine I don't have is my antidepressant and ocd one.

But on the bright side my Pseudobombax ellipticum is coming in the mail today.

Adam, it is not always the case, but I have studied diet for many years and part of your diagnosis could and probably is nutritional deficiencies. If you have a crockpot make you some bone broth. At night to help you sleep take two magnesium malate or take a bath in Epsom salt. This is not about cactus or succulents so if you would like to know more send me a P.M. I have cured many of my own issues by changing to a grain free anti inflammation diet. Bone broth is the corner stone and keeps me happier and healthier than I have ever been. The doctor will never tell you about the source of conditions and usually just prescribe people pharma pills that only mask a problem rather than taking care of you.

Looking forward to seeing your new plant. Any luck with rehoming your tree aloes? Here is one of mine.

Diet is one of the most important parts of living. I have improved myself simply by eliminating just all those sub-sugar stuff. After a few weeks and I feel great. I hope it keeps up. Now if I can only loose about 150 lbs. Sugar and corn oil is next.
Stush

what do you mean by 'sub-sugar stuff' - just curious?

All sugar is bad stuff that helps feed all kinds of bad things in the body. First step to a better diet and life in general is get rid of all sugars, fast foods, and hydrogenated oils. I have gone further than this in my diet, but I tell ya, it added years to my life. It was like I got new joints in my body. I got really really sick and had to figure out a change.
I garden for a living and as a passion and was always in pain and it was getting worse. I needed new knees and my hands would ache at the end of the day. When I eliminated things I was eating all the sudden everything changed. The scary part was I did not realize how much pain I was in until I felt better. My mind is sharper and I can lift heavy boulders for hours with no pain. I am not a medical professional. I have just done a lot of research and have had really great results. I have not had a cold in years now.

To get back to the thread I will include some succ pics

I think Stan means sugar substitutes, aspertame, truvia, etc. Not trying to talk for Stan again, but just my guess.

Planto

I would avoid those anyway; mostly chemicals... I like my food purer than that.

That's always a good idea. I'm not sure certain diseases and conditions haven't come about in our "day and age" because of all the added chemicals in our foods and such.

Planto

Our much needed rainy storm is approaching..thankful in a way for my morning compost mishap boo boo, I realized I have to move the smaller succulent containers in a safer spot, and remove some of the plants on the brick ledge; then adding more pumice on some of the containers. Sometimes feels like a conundrum..do I hide the succulents indoors or not. I have no covered patio, but they do need the rain, so dry here this winter, so fingers crossed. The days are a bit longer now, and with the winds, hope if it does rain later, the succulents will dry up faster.

Planto,
Thank you again for clearing up what I meant to say. I have used sugar substitutes for many years and never lost any weight. Just kept increasing it. My bones and joints seem to ache for many years now. I am diabetic and overweight. Blood pressure is ok and so is cholesterol thank God. Pain got so great I couldn't get out of bed at times. That was not me. I worked in a coke and Iron mill for 40 yrs. and worked over time on top of that and rebuild my house by myself from ground up. New foundation to brick/siding with landscaped 1/2 acre yd. I still can't cut the grass now. Sorry for off topic. But that is why I am into house plants now instead of hardy out door plants. I am improving. Slowly but surly. At least I think I am on the right track.
Stush