Bizarre Plants, Ming Thing, Pretzel and Caterpillar Beans

Does anyone in Zone 8 or 9 raise the Cereus peruvianus monstrosus also known as the Ming Thing? It's one contorted outrageous looking plant but unlike other Cereus this one seems to sort of ooze up out of the soil and appears totally alien and freakish. How about Caterpillar Beans, the hairy things that look like coiled caterpillars? Pretzel Beans that are twisted like a pretzel and are edible? Thinking of getting these three for my DW who is always looking for something unusual in plants but would like to know a bit more about them first.

Charlie

I've not tried nor ever seen any of these, but they sound kinda fun. I'd love to serve my DH a plateful of caterpillar-looking beans... ; > )

Charlie - were you having a bad dream when you came up with these???? Perhaps the OJ had spoiled!!!!!

Just looked them up on the web. E-bay had caterpillar bean seeds $2.99 for 25 seeds and the ming thing is really weird looking.
Hope you get some for Yolie. They are different I'll say that.
Bonnie

AG, I don't want any of those beans on my plate. They're hairy little devils and look way too realistic when they're young and still green. We have a good friend that I know is going to be served a salad this fall with those things buried in the middle of his veggies.

Now Jean, you know better. The OJ was good and cold but an additional ingredient might have jumped in the jug..........or something....maybe. I was asking about real live plants. Thanks for bringing that white Texas Star to Yolie. She has lots of reds and Keith had promised her a white one. However, he THOUGHT she wanted one of the metal stars like you see all over Austin. He was in Texas a couple of weeks ago and hunted all over Dallas/Ft. Worth for a big white metal star, came back and apologized for being unable to locate one. Wish you'd seen his face when he found out she wanted a shrub he could have found in FL.

Bonnie, I ordered those seeds and more for Yolie. I think she'll get a kick out of them. I also sent for the heirloom pleated tomatoes and some giant peppers that are supposed to take our heat and humidity. Let you know how they turn out later.

Charlie - I'll have to snag a few of those seeds/plants!!!! And a Red TX Star.

Charlie,
Appreciate any report on peppers cause I haven't been able to grow any for years now. Plants get up fruit starts and they wither away.
Strange cause I used to grow them here.
Good luck with those seeds.
Bonnie

Well Plant Thang, When I read Ming Thing was a different kind of Night Blooming Cereus, I had to have it. I was moving the end of my reg NBC and knocked it's little bloom off!:(
The fellow is selling from Jacksonville. He requires minimum $10. So I found these Zapotec Pleated tomato Incan heirloom-30 seeds-loves heat drought-tolerant.
This is what they look like.
Sidney

That is a very "interesting" tomato!!!! Wonder if DH would eat 1?

Sidney,

Seeds are in and Yolie's going to be growing (trying to grow) the Zapotec and the Purple Calabash tomatoes, both are supposed to take heat, humidity and even drought. Very interesting looking things too, almost as ugly as the Black Krims she raises. If she gets the Ming Thing seeds to grow, I know she'll hold one for you if you wish. (She's never forgotten about all the Coleus you gave her) These seeds came from Claremont, CA, wish I'd known someone in Jax was selling them.

Bonnie, the peppers are the Giant Gold Marconi and the Acongagua, they do good in TX but I can't find anyone raising them in FL. We'll see what Yolie can do with them here. The tomatoes and peppers are old heirlooms, if they make it here, she'll be saving seeds.

Work's a calling so gotta pick up the tools again. Dang it!

Charlie

Thanks for the info. Charlie.
Hate to say it but we have a bunch of that potatoe vine in our backyard starting up. I remember the large group you had in your yard. I herbicided them yesterday with Big & Tough from Tractor Supply. I hope it kills them so I can pull them out easier. Don't want them to spread. I remember what you said about them. UG!!!
BTW that red passion vine you gave me is going up the tree I wanted it to and hopefully someday in future it will bloom. Will send you pics when it does.
Bonnie