I know I have shown you my ariocarpus before, but I have had several blooming, and they are just too pretty not to share. So, let’s look at them again.
All ariocarpus are native to Mexico and one, the Ariocarpus fissuratus, is also found predominantly in Texas, in a particular spot in the Big Bend National Park area. It is being poached, many times whole colonies at a time. These plants are very slow growers, and if you take away the older plants that will flower and make seeds for more plants, you are taking away the future of the species. The best way to insure you are not buying a poached plant is to buy on site from a reputable cactus nursery, not from some unknown person or entity online. That way you are not supporting this illegal activity. Be prepared to pay well for them since they do grow slowly, and it takes years to get them large enough to sell.
The blooming started September 25 and ran through October 24. I have five varieties of ariocarpus, but it has been the Ariocarpus fissuratus and Ariocarpus retusus that have been blooming. The Ariocarpus agavoides bloomed earlier, but, unfortunately, I found it after it had closed and missed a picture! But I did catch these open and in all their glory.
These are A. fissuratus:
This is A. retusus.
Ariocarpus are interesting plants and may not look like much to the non-cactus person, but they are special to have in the collection. I just have to be patient with them in terms of growth and flowering.
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