Aporocactus flagelliformis cultivation

[MikeT]

Is Aporocactus mallisonii a good species?

Never heard of it until I saw a post there now on Facebook. Or is it some sort of a Disocactus hybrid?

I can’t find much on it.

It's a hybrid, so should be Disocactus x mallisonii. It's D. flagelliformis x D. speciosus. Stems are quite a bit thicker than flagelliformis, fewer ribs, and less flexible (more easily broken). Flowers are larger than flagelliformis.

Typo corrected: Disocactus NOT Discocactus

[habanerocat]

Thanks Mike.
How hardy is it, do you know?

I don't have any Disocactus as they don't tend to be very hardy, if I recall correctly.....

[MikeT]

Thanks Mike.
How hardy is it, do you know?

I don't have any Disocactus as they don't tend to be very hardy, if I recall correctly.....

Both flagelliformis and x mallisonii survived the 2010-11 winter in an unheated greenhouse (many other previously hardy plants didn't) and had been fine without heat for years before that. Since then I've installed a heater to use when predicted temperatures are below -2 or-3C. Neither of them has ever seemed upset by cold. The only proviso is that they are dry at the roots. I haven't tried either outdoors, but if you check back on this thread, Herts Mike has kept his flagelliformis outdoors for years and it thrives.

[Ali Baba]

Thanks Mike.
How hardy is it, do you know?

I don't have any Disocactus as they don't tend to be very hardy, if I recall correctly.....

Just to add to Mike’s reply, Disocactus speciosus is quite tolerant of low temperatures, as is Disocactus phyllanthoides although the latter will get brown spots if cold. Disocactus crenatus is very tough. I tend to keep mine warmer than 5C in the winter but that’s because they share a greenhouse with more tender plants. In the past they have all been down to around 4 or 5 C with no obvious problems apart from the aforementioned spots on phyllanthoides (which seem to develop anyway despite keeping the plant warm)

[habanerocat]

Thanks for the above posts.
Informative rating.

[TomInTucson]

Thanks Mike.
How hardy is it, do you know?

I don't have any Disocactus as they don't tend to be very hardy, if I recall correctly.....

Just to add to Mike’s reply, Disocactus speciosus is quite tolerant of low temperatures, as is Disocactus phyllanthoides although the latter will get brown spots if cold. Disocactus crenatus is very tough. I tend to keep mine warmer than 5C in the winter but that’s because they share a greenhouse with more tender plants. In the past they have all been down to around 4 or 5 C with no obvious problems apart from the aforementioned spots on phyllanthoides (which seem to develop anyway despite keeping the plant warm)

Good information. This conversation has led me to include Aporocactus on my next seed order to ADBLPS.