Last and final post for tonight, I promise ;)

1. I got these 4 today, because the colours caught my eye, I understand that they come about from irradiating and grafting the colourful cacti bits on top. Do these colours last or do they fade? Are there any specific tips for keeping them colourful like this or is there lifespan limited? Is care for them the same as any normal cactus?






2. I got this lithops the other day, because well, I've never had one before and I like them, although I have seeds I haven't dared try them yet and besides, I hear it can take 1 - 2 yrs to get them looking more like lithops and less like dull seedlings so have a while to wait anyway but my question is, is he okay like this? Some lithops I see are burried right down in the soil, can I keep him indefinitely up out the soil like this or should I at some point repot him burrying him more? As an aside, does anyone know what type of lithops he is?




3. I've had this lot a while and would like to put some names to them, they seem quite common as many garden centres/DIY places have them but they only ever advertise them as misc cacti and never name them. I've numbered them to make referencing them easier ;)

Hi Xefan!

Nice collection!
I dont have answers to all of your questions, but regarding...

Question 2: I have no idea what kind of Lithops that is (how large is that anyway? Looks HUGE?!)
The container you have it in may cause it to rot if there are no drainage holes. With my succulents, I use a fast-draining, porous medium. I allow them to dry out then water very thoroughly (water is running thru the entire pot.) If your container has no drainage I would probably move it to another container that can drain, or else you may end up with a mushy plant.
Here is also a handy website for lithops: Lithops Info

Question 3: I believe the ID of succulent #2 is "Euphorbia horrida".

Hope this helps!

Rob

I have never grown the grafted cacti, but I believe the colour is permanent and remains. However, growth is limited by the ability of the basal section to photosynthesise, as the colourful graft does not have any chlorophyll of its own.

Your Lithops needs a well -drained container as pointed out. It also needs a dormancy period in winter, October-May, where it gets no water, at this time of year it should be looking quite shrivelled already. I would repot into a normal drained pot (do not water in) with at least 50 percent grit in the compost, put in a sunny position and not water until the old leaves have shrivelled and the new leaves have come through.

Plants number three is an Opuntia of some type.

The general point your plants seem to be well-watered, cacti rarely need water over winter.

Rather than being irradiated, the coloured Gymnocalycium are natural mutations. As Stephen says, they are incapable of photosynthesis and therefore depend upon the stock plant in order to survive.

Hi,with the colored forms they originated as a sport on a normal plant . the life span is as was said dependent on the stock to photosynthacise sufficiently to support
the scion or colored section, if that gets too large it will kill the rootstock. the best thing to do is buy any fast growing cactus,cut off the top,remove 1 small piece off
o the colored form,cut the bottom off of that & using a couple of large rubber bands (this is all i ever used) secure the scion to the rootstock making sure that at least 1
edge of the woody centers line up. this way you can increase your plants & make sure you have a spare if one is lost to the plant gods. the graft should take in
6/8 weeks. use plenty of newspaper when handeling cacti. have lots of fun.. Bob. B.