Norwich branch have organised 2 visits in the past. The first was about 20 ago when one of our members had direct contact with Nigel Taylor (the Curator of Kew at the time) and the second was in 2013 when I believe we just contacted Kew direct. I think Kew are normally quite accommodating to special...

I use a small stiff artist paint brush with some neat washing up liquid and then rinse through with a fine hose jet. I find this works well with stiff spined Fero's.

In the past I have found that ants will do good clean up job but this takes time and obliging ants!

Echinocereus Rigidissimus is very susceptible to mealies but also displays another trait which affects this species more than most. The white flecks in JonNo's pictures definitely look like mealy infestation and (I might be mistaken but) there also appears to be a patch of sooty mould developing whi...

My thoughts: 2nd picture top row left to right 3rd plant is F. Glaucescens bottom row 2nd plant could be F. Latispinus 3rd picture top row looks like F. Stainesii Pilosus and probably F. Cylindraceus bottom row middle plant is another F Glaucescens and plant on the right looks like a younger F. Stai...

I'm pretty sure the first Fero with the Grusonii is F. Electracanthus (Histrix). It looks identical to the head of my oldest surviving seed grown plant sown in 1978.

Red, white and blue - with a bit of imagination!

Agave Potatorum cv. Kichiokan

I've just noticed I can't spell - these should of course have read 'Decipiens' and 'Tephrocactus'

The Tephro hasn't flowered for a couple of years but it seems to have at least another three buds coming this year.

Pterocactus Deceipiens and,
Teprocactus Articulatus v. Oligacanthus

My guess is Neochilenia Occulta or Huascensis? The thin flower petals suggest to me that there is an element of hybridisation. Nice plant though.

Yes, it's difficult to change names from what they were acquired as but at least it's prompted me to repot the neglected plants and I might add "(Unguispina?)" to the label.