Re: Sexual Mutilations

Clarke Brunt (clarke@brunt.demon.co.uk)
Sat, 25 Mar 1995 15:42:01 +0000

> I have recently transplanted my _Cephalotus_ and I noticed that the
> root system was very fragile. I had to take special care not to break
> any roots when transplanting. One thing you might check is if you
> damaged the root system when you repotted.
>
> Of course, some people that just never repot their _Cephalotus_ and I
> think that I agree with them. Love it and leave it. My plant had
> been in it's pot for about 2 years before I repotted last weekend.
>
> Oh yeah, the reason why I was repotting was to put the plant in a
> better pot. I plan on entering it in the Philly Flower Show next
> year. When I went to the one this year, someone had won a blue ribbon
> in the "Grown indoors for foliage" division for a Cephalotus about the
> size of mine. I figure I'll give it a shot.

Slack's book says that Cephalotus often resopnd to repotting by
losing all their foliage, but often regrow from underground. My two
plants were repotted when quite small, and didn't mind at all. Now
they are quite a decent size, and the time will come when I have to
cross my fingers and repot again.

I've been to more Cactus shows than any other kind. Whenever I
see pictures of Cactus show in the U.S., all the plants seem to be in
decorative pots. Is the pot judged as well as the plant, and does
this apply to other flower shows? Here in the U.K. we show plants in
ordinary pots - OK, the judge might not appreciate a dirty broken
pot, but you won't get more points for having a decorative one.

-- 
Clarke Brunt (clarke@brunt.demon.co.uk)