mini blossoms on small Rebutia

It is hard to get a good shoot of these tiny blossoms on the Rebutia. They are on the under side of it and can't quite get good enough light. Not sure but I think this is its third year in my garden and the first time to blossom. Xuling

Those are not the flowers on R. krainziana. I've never seen buds look like that before either.
It almost looks like your plant has spider mites. I seem to see webs on it. Is that possible?

well I just took my magnifying glass out and took a good close look (it isn't a very good magifying glass). But I can see the little buds formed by the little tight leaves. Several pots of small C/S were under the glass top patio table all winter and hence have spider webs on them but no infestation of anything harmful. They are varying sizes of very small to tiny and circle the lower half of the plant. Maybe the name tag is wrong because many of mine are. But I will bet my bippy that they are flower buds. I will monitor them by taking photos and will take a pic of my eating my bippy if that is the case!!! Xuling

Well, buds usually do circle the lower part on most Rebutia. It will be interesting to see the beautiful flowers when they come along.

Here are two photos from today showing the growth of the flower buds. Xuling

and the 2d pic

They sure are coming along nicely. Your going to enjoy the flowers. The color on rebutias is vibrant and they last more than a day... a big plus!

those are stunning flowers thanks for the pic. xuling

although very slowly, the buds are growing. I hope they bloom. Xuling

five days later the flowers don't look much bigger. I hope they don't die without opening.
xuling

"bippy"!!!!!! Gosh, I haven't heard that for MANY years if not decades. I think you gave away your age a little with that one xuling! LOL!

Sharon

And I have no idea why I used the word. I don't think that I have for years. But as to my age, I have been 23 for the decades that you mention :) Xuling

In reading my Spanish Reader last night I came upon a great line as to my age: 'Soy veintitres años de edad y muchísimas meses más'.
( I am 23 years old and manymany months more). I have been looking for that line for years, decades! xuling

This message was edited May 30, 2010 4:31 PM

The little flowers are slowly growing.

For future reference, if you want a big show on your Rebutias they need a fair amount of really cold weather. They don't flower well for me here, but do a pretty good job east of here away from the Bay where it gets a lot colder in the winter and a lot hotter in the summer.

then I should have left them outside in the freezing cold we had? (they were under the patio table). or do they need long term cold, like daffodils and tulips? xuling

Rebutias can take the cold as long as they're kept dry. After all, they come from high altitudes. This includes those which used to be called Sulcorebutia or Weingartia. They should be able to take temps down to at least the mid-20s under these conditions, according to John Pilbeam.

of course this little one is in a planter with some non cold hardy plants. just my luck. if i get a few more then they can have their own planter i suppose. going to post the current pics from today later. getting close to blooming. Xuling

here are two pics from today. the necks on the little flowers are growing and several outer leaves looked like they were starting to open a little. xuling

This message was edited May 30, 2010 4:33 PM

the whole plant

The Rebutia finally bloomed, with 3 spectacular flowers, and several more on their way.
Xuling

and a different angle

and a semi-closeup

Aren't they spectacular? The one I showed blooming on May 10th has just opened a couple more buds too.

Beautiful flowers!

Five blossoms open today. Xuling

another pic

close up

The other flowers withered away and now these two new ones came to bring more light and color into the world. Such miraculous things. Xuling

How long does each flower last in Windsor, CA?

kind of spends a day opening, 2 (maybe 3) days open and a day shutting down.
xuling

That's longer than here by a day or so. I guess it's the 110° here.

I do suspect that is it. But we have had a cooler than usual spring so that may help the longevity. Today is 85 and the next few days are to be in the 90's so any blossoms will not be long lived I am sure. Xuling

these newer blossoms are just as beautiful as the first ones. xuling

Don't you just love this cactus? I think Rebutia is my favorite.

In two weeks I am going to be visiting the nursery where I bought a number of smaller C/S. Hopefully I won't spend too much. Xuling

This Rebutia is exhausted from all the blosoms that it produced. It feels a little soft, maybe it always was, I don't know, but it has the strange colors on it, more browns and less green. is all this normal? Or did this catch something. it is softish but not soggy.
Xuling

This message was edited Jun 27, 2010 4:33 PM

Hi xuling, Well I still think it looks like it has spider mites like I said at the beginning of this thread. If that's the case they will certainly suck the life out of it. It should not be softish at all and not brown like that either. Did it get too much water this spring in some way? I would spray it with neem oil for mites for sure. On second thought I'd probably take it out of the soil first and see how the roots and lower plant are. If they are okay, then I'd put it in a pot for now and spray with neem oil and keep an eye on it. Let it dry out before watering again. If it is really soft and roots missing, then it will be very difficult to save it.

Your earlier comments about the spider mites had been forgotten in light of all the blossoms, but I do remember now. I have been going to do some moving around in the three circular C/S pots I have, which the Rebutia is in, so I guess I can take this opportunity to take it out and check it. Is this an ok time of year to move C/S around to new locations? or to be moving them at all? xuling

I move them around at any time of the year. I just have to be careful about watering when I'm done.

I agree with faeden.