New arrival from Arizona (NOR)

[Moonshiner]

Just received this yesterday from Destination: Forever Ranch in Yucca, AZ. A lovely specimen of Saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea). Here are a few pics........



In the box



Safe and sound, and in better shape than my hands!



With my son Ian, who is 6'2"

[jay]

Very nice! I love seeing these giants. They are slow though.

[Moonshiner]

Originally Posted by jay

Very nice! I love seeing these giants. They are slow though.

I have told Ian that he will end up taking care of it eventually, and he and his children will probably be the ones to see it flower. I might be around by then, but most likely wont know what all the fuss is about!

[brookn]

It's wonderful!

[patticake]

Talk about pictures being deceiving! I though it was a nice little cactus in the first 2 shots! Then seeing it with your son, WOWSERS!!! That's one big- cactus!! Nice!! I love cactus, too. Wish I could grow them outside, too!

[Moonshiner]

Originally Posted by patticake

Talk about pictures being deceiving! I though it was a nice little cactus in the first 2 shots! Then seeing it with your son, WOWSERS!!! That's one big- cactus!! Nice!! I love cactus, too. Wish I could grow them outside, too!

lol....yeah, the nice little ones are down by Ian's knees! Hard to believe that those will someday get to be the same size as the saguaro is now.

Here's a shot of some of the others in my "garden". I don't have a real garden per se, I have to make do with the concrete patio. The jade in the background is 6' tall as well, and just to the left of that in the terra cotta is my new banana plant, a Dwarf Cavendish. Just a pup right now. Would love to find an orchid that will take full sun for 4-5 hours a day that I could mix in there with the rest.



The big aloe just to the left of the saguaro has a nice spike on it about 2' long. Should be pretty when it is in full bloom. Hummingbirds love 'em!

[benetay]

I think vanda fits the bill nicely since they can tolerate full sun to a certain extend.

Lovely pictures. I love them!

Cheers!

[LouisW]

Really nice succulent collection!

Originally Posted by jay

They are slow though.

I beleive 40 years before their first arms. I love going to Tucson to see these guys, the Sonora is a wondrous desert.

[fred]

yep wonderful collection

[hulaorchid]

Ditto on the great collection!

[Moonshiner]

Originally Posted by hulaorchid

Ditto on the great collection!

Thanks all! Those are the big ones.Over to the right are some of the smaller ones.



I love the challenge of keeping things alive, and then watching them flourish. It would be perfect if I could put them in the ground where they belong. I also have a few colocasia and a large Monstera deliciosa as the "Jungle" part of the garden.

[solay]

Wow that's a big cactus!!! Hope you are around to see it bloom. Even if you aren't, your kids will think of you every time they see it. wonderful collection you got there.

[Moonshiner]

Originally Posted by benetay

I think vanda fits the bill nicely since they can tolerate full sun to a certain extend.

Lovely pictures. I love them!

Cheers!

Thanks! I guess I'll start researching vandas, and then start looking for a good orchid shop near here. That Mimi Palmer is very pretty.

I think I went to school with a girl named Mimi Palmer.

[Plucky Purcell]

I'm a big fan of cacti. I like mine ugly and misshapen: it makes the flowers look better!

I'm in the process of buying a house and once it's done, I'm getting me a Oerstedella schwienfurthiana. I got an extra bright spot pick out for it.

[tansyflower]

All those cacti are better than a barbed wire fence!!

Very cool cactus (I also thought it was a little weensy one)

[Moonshiner]

Originally Posted by Plucky Purcell

I'm in the process of buying a house and once it's done, I'm getting me a Oerstedella schwienfurthiana. I got an extra bright spot pick out for it.

Looks like a winner! I might look into one of those myself. I definitely need some flowers to mix in among the cacti, add some color, etc. Thanks for the tip!

[lmartiny]

I too thought it was small in the box. But it's a big un!
I also like succulents and cacti. They seem easy; compared to orchids.
Plucky, I get odd shaped ones by default. The cat knocked a nice leggy one over last month or so. Busticated it bad! Suspect it will be a funky one alright.