Mike, Yes, it has flowered for me sporadically. I've just been to look at one of my plants now. It has just two or three flower remains from last year. I think they were orangey-red, but didn't photograph. This particular plant is just as your photo, in about a 12 inch pan. Yes also, John Gander tol...

Yes - I agree; I have this plant and some variants from the same source, and elsewhere - I call it Opuntia corrugata var. longispina (all now subsumed under Tunilla corrugata).

"Chris in Leeds" above spotted new pads in the background, so here is a wider-angle shot taken today showing more of the new pads. These are increasing in size by about 1.5-2 inches each day! They stay darker green whilst they get bigger then "turn blue" from the base almost over...

ES are Ernst Specks "catalogue/nursery numbers" (nb he used the abbrev MES for his habitat collections).

Yes indeed, David. Fantastic photos. The sun has brought out the flowers well down here in Kent.

Bruce, Here is a photo of the same plant taken in August 2005, together with a "human" to show you the scale. Phil, Note the "tree ties" around some of the joints which were wired to parts of the greenhouse to keep the plant rigid and upright! [attachment 18229 OrobustaAug2005.jp...

Hi Mike, Cleisto strausii was the first columnar cactus I ever bought (for 49p in a garden centre winter sale) and the plant is still growing well today, bedded out, and having been cut down several times. Below is a photo of the current main stem taken last week. Something for you to look forward t...

[attachment 18214 Robusta_12May2009.jpg]

See further down the thread for the fruits (17th Sept) Over the last 18 months I have reduced the height of my O. robusta from the eaves down to waist height! Last year's pads have rewarded me with a fine array of flower buds (first photo from last week) with the first flowers opening today (second ...

Thank you all for your "Welcomes"! I've corresponded with some of you via PM re. specific questions. I don't currently have a sales list (later in the summer, I hope) but visitors are always welcome here.