Recent photos of E. vivipara

Chris43 wrote:

Escobaria is a often overlooked genus, but I think the plants are very interesting. Not many genera that can claim to exist from Canada to Mexico! That about 2000 miles, or 3200kms. Maybe only Opuntia as a genus beats it, and it has so many different species. With Escobaria there are much fewer species, and of course E.vivipara is just an amazing plant from a distribution point of view.

These words remind me that I have made some fresh pictures of this cactus in Drumheller area, Alberta.






They are growing literally together with Opuntia polyacantha, other wide spread species here.




At the tops of larger stems buds could be seen but no flowers yet.

Escobarias are quite rear in that region, I think even close to northern limits of the species. I found them at the tops of these eroded grassy hills, facing south - on sunniest and driest spots.

The bloom finally began this weekend. We found lot of plants in flower after a sunshine replaced rainy morning yesterday. Here are some photos we made:















Bright flowers made otherwise unnoticeable and hidden in the grass plants easy to spot. Nice views!

Hi agrippa, Nice to see some good looking plants in habitat, with a bonus of Vivipara's large flowers too. It's finished flowering for me in the uk at present. I miss it's wonderful scent when I walk into the greenhouse first thing in the morning. Derek.

O yes, the odour.. It could be felt from a meter or two above, esp. if several flowers ware open. Could not resist to stick my nose inside like these bees. It reminds that of large-flower Mammillaria.



I also mentioned some plants with light-coloured whitish central spines like this one but most there had rusty ones.

And finally a plant in my rock garden opened a flower today.



And another one in a week later with two flowers.

Magnificent - oh to have such plant on the hills here!

so beautiful plants !!!

Last one opened for this summer?