[jimfoxy]

Indulged myself today and took some photos in the low Winter sunlight. Often people ask when to take leaf pullings and, also, talk about 'dormancy' for Mexican pings. Below are some Winter and Summer shots of the same plant to show examples of differences in growth between Summer and Winter. As can be seen, some pings change a lot, and others not so much (the fancy name for having different leaf growth is heterophyllous). My conditions are moist in Summer and quite dry in Winter. Natural light is used.

Leaf pullings are usually more successful from the tighter, more succulent-like Winter leaves. For me, the best time to take them is in Spring when the plant is about to start Summer growth and so has the best chance of surviving disturbance (that's my thinking, anyway). It also coincides with a sensible time to split and repot (and often this results in lots of leaves falling off that can be used for leaf pullings).

P. gigantea x esseriana
Not much difference here.


P. gracilis
Quite a bit of difference. This plant has a short flower stem and big flower relative to the foliage.


P. ehlersiae
This one always grows pretty tight for me. On the right, you can clearly see fungus gnat larvae damage to the older outer leaves which are close to the surface of the compost.


P. x "Zarniwoop"
A typical laueana style growth.


P. x "Zaphod"
I am very pleased with the gorgeous Winter rosette of this one. It is a relatively huge rosette with the old Summer leaves still visible outside of the tighter Winter leaves. I must get propagating!


P. sp Pachuca


P. rectifolia
Look how similar the Summer growth is to the Pachuca above! This is a good example of how futile it often is to ask the identity of a plant just with Summer growth; often it just cannot be done. I don't think I have mixed them up...


P. mirandae


P. 'Florian'? - it may not be but is very similar.


P. macrophylla
This forms a very tight bud-like rosette into the ground.


This post has been edited by jimfoxy: 20th December 2009 - 10:28 AM

[Iggy]

Hi Jim,

Good idea and great pics.
Well done!

Iggy

[jimscott]

Good instructional topic. Here's one more:

[Carlos Rohrbache...]

Great topic, are very hard species, good work!