Signs of summer

A few shots of plants in active growth at the moment. First up is the business end of a Cyphostemma (5 inch pot). Those leaves are about 2 weeks old. The plant sits there half the year leafless, waiting for summer to do its thing.

Alluaudia with about a month of new growth. The young spines are sort of rubbery.

If you look closely at the leaves, you can see that the primary leaves are oriented horizontally, while the secondary leaves lower down are oriented vertically.

The six-legged visitor is a frequent companion of new growth. The ants bring in mealies and aphids. A few days after I took this picture, I picked a couple of mealy bugs off the plant. Since I don't use a lot of pesticides, I have to keep an eye on where the ants are most active.

The new growth on this Pachypodium is all at the base... 3 new branches down there (green stems in the picture). Last year this plant suffered an aphid attack right before it started new growth. So far this year it's been clear, maybe because I ended up dosing it with imidacloprid.

I have a Alluaudia procera also but planted in the yard. It can get big.

One day I hope to get my plant in the ground, set it loose and see what it can do. Yours looks great. How fast does it grow?

I think it's been in the ground for about 8 years. I have a Didierea madagascariensis I want to plant in the ground also but can't find a spot for it. It's about 4 feet tall.

I hoped my Cyphostemma juttae wasn't dead even though it had no leaves for 6 months. Taa-daa!

It is magical how these plants wake up this time of year. It never gets old. You have to sort of take it on faith (for a long time) that they will decide to sprout new leaves.

When your plant is nice and leafy, you might consider a bigger pot. They enjoy a little extra growing room during summer. I use a pretty rocky mix (maybe 50%) so I don't have to worry about overwatering.

No kidding! I didn't know it might want a bigger pot. I just had a repotting frenzy but left this little guy alone, thinking its pot looked ok. But, now I'll find a bigger pot for it.

It is magical, isn't it! I live much farther north where it gets snowy in winter, and I'm used to plants taking their cue from a strong winter season of cold and snow and darkness. This bit where the plants found near the equator can figure it all out is truly amazing, especially here, where it is so different.

This plant comes from a place at about our latitude (Namibia) so in that sense it must feel at home here. But we have wet winters and dry summers, which is the opposite of what the plant seems to prefer. So it's not much of an advantage in the end. I am guessing the plant chooses the time when the days are getting their longest to wake up and do its thing.

A few plants here that are leafing out for summer. The first one needs a repotting soon (currently in gallon pot). Last one is clearly confused and hopefully will not abort for its usual summer dormancy.

Hey Baja, those are great! What is the second one?

That is Euphorbia poissonii. Here are some of her offspring (about 1 year and 1 week of age, respectively).

Here's a few of my caudiciforms that have started growing with the heat. They are in the shade though! The 1st is a Pachy and 3rd is Adenia glauca and the 2nd, 4th, and 5th are all various Euphorbias. The 4th and 5th ones look somewhat alike but are different varieties. The 4th has leaves that are about twice the size of the 5th.
Thanks for the inspiration to show them Baja!

The veins on the leaves of that second one are very striking. It's impressive to me how well all those plants are doing in the shade. There must be magic in those little clay balls!

Yes, these plants really like the aeration for the roots. Even though there is no direct sun on them, they are on a south facing patio back about 5 feet and that Arizona sun is very bright!

I keep most of those plants under a south facing overhang. It sounds like a similar setup to yours, just not all the way back in full shade. They get the morning and afternoon sun but not the harsh midday rays. In the winter they get more hours of sun because the sun is lower in the sky, and I think they like that even when they are dormant.

A few days ago I discovered this new branch. A good omen!

My Cyphostemma juttae is growing since the post of May 27.
By the way, does anybody know if the mottling on the leaves signifies a problem?

I'm curious, too. I have not seen spots like that before. Is your plant getting any sun? Here's mine looking leafy in its new pot.

Yours looks excellent! I love how big the leaves are - way out of proportion to the size of the plant. Aren't they great!

My plant is getting 1-2 hours of direct outside sunlight a day now but never more, Then it goes inside on the south window sill to hang out with the rest of the gang.

momlady: It looks like it could use more sun in WA. I don't know what the spots are though. Do you have it in a loose potting mix? It should be.

Hi Nancy, sorry to be so slow responding. We just euthanized our dog Hildie this week, and for the last couple of weeks I've been distracted caring for her and making the big decision. We sure will miss her.
Yes, we definitely need more sun. We are about to hit the sunny season and I'll start putting the plants out on the deck. I can't wait!
I will be repotting it soon in a bigger pot and with a looser potting mix, per your and Baja's recommendations. The spots don't seem to hurt anything; so far, so good. Thanks very much for your suggestion.
Here's the latest pic. It's really going to town.

Here's my Adenia fruticosa acting all happy for the summer. I love the shape of these leaves.

Sorry about your sweet dog! I know how hard it is to let go of them.
I love the Adenia fruticosa and need to get one of them. The leaves are so pretty. I have an Adenia glauca that has nice leaves too.