Notocactus

The Genus Notocactus is found in Southern Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay and Argentina.

Notocactus leninghausii (top picture). This cactus used to be included in the genus Eriocactus which contained short-columnar cacti with yellow stigma. Now, Eriocactus is a sub-genus of Notocactus and Notocactus itself is being merged with the Genus Parodia which precedes Notocactus. This arrangment is not getting down well with students of this genus. To begin with seeds of Parodia are much smaller than those of Notocactus. N. leninghausii was discovered by Frederico Guilermo Leninghaus, a Brazilian collector.

Notocactus graessneri (Second picture) used to be called Brasilicactus graessneri. Plants of this genus have small flowers and contained two species. Discovered by Robert Graessner and is named for him. N. graessneri is now placed as a subspecies of N. haselbergii. Thus, the name now reads as N. haselbergii ssp. graessneri, unless of course one accepts Parodia as the genus. Confusing isn't it?
N. graessneri, like N. leninghausii has a tendency for the upper stem to lean to one side.

Named for Hugo Selmer Schlosser, Notocactus schlosseri (third picture) is a charming plant and can be expected to flower after three years from seed. N. schlosseri hails from Uruguay. Plants have red spines and can be expected to grow to 20 cm in height.

Notocactus buiningii can be easily distinguished from other Notocacti by its sharp bluish-grey ribs. It remains solitary and is known to have shallow roots.

Pictures supplied by Jason Fenech. Information supplied by Amante Darmanin

Hoya carnosa

The wax plant or Hoya carnosa is named for Thomas Hoym which was the gardener to the Duke of Northumberland at the end of the 18th century.

The Genus Hoya is found throughout Eastern Asia and Australia and there are more than a hundred species. Hoya is closely allied to the Genus Stapelia and Ceropegia.

This particular species prefers slightly acidic soil. Propagation is either from seed, air layering, stem or leaf cuttings.

Propagation by stem cutting is the easiest. The stem cutting should be dipped in rooting powder and placed in compost, after removing the lower leaves and left in a humid place.

Leaf cuttings should contain part of the petiole for best results.

Maltese soil is not well tolerated with this plant yet it seems to thrive well in our gardens. A spoonful of vinegar added to about 10 liters of water can help reduce some of the alkalinity of the soil and produce more shiny leaves.

Picture taken by Jason Fenech.