Echinopsis Schick hybrid 'Atomic' buds, 2 inch pot size

Description: Background on this hybrid Echinopsis 'Atomic' is really a thrilling plant. Its flowers are so intensely saturated, it's almost absurd. The insanely charged reds, purples, magentas--they just don't register properly in my photos, and my camera just kind of gives up. I suspect that there might be some Echinopsis huascha in this plant's genetics, because the flower's fleshy tube is so sturdy and stout, and the flower itself is so abruptly flaring. It's a very special plant. This is a very rarely offered Schick hybrid. The reason for this is that it very rarely buds. I know I should charge much more for this one, but for the most part, I put the same amount of effort into growing it as the others, so I charge the same. The sale specimen(s): Each sale is for a single bud. As I list this, I have the following inventory. In time any unrooted buds will root, so if you're curious about the current status of a bud (rooted or unrooted) you can message me: Five buds total: 5 unrooted buds--large buds, although a bit chlorotic at the base at current. Look at the number of buds available left to determine what is left...I will sell off the rooted buds first. So, suppose I start off the listing with 5 buds available, and I say that 2 are rooted, but when you buy your plant eBay says only 2 of 5 buds remain, you will be getting an unrooted bud. Pricing is the same for rooted and unrooted, since the unrooted buds WILL root. It's just nice to have them already started because growth will be faster. (Note that ANY root nubs on the bottom of the bud, even if it's just a mm long, counts as being rooted--it indicates that the plant has finally gotten its house in order to make a good root system.) The plants will be shipped bare root/bare bud—you do not get the soil or pot. If the plant is rooted, I’ll knock off lots of the soil, but won’t wash the bud entirely clean of soil. If you buy an unrooted bud, make sure you are comfortable with working with rootless buds. Echinopsis buds are exceedingly easy to root, of course. I just don't want you to be surprised when it arrives rootless. Within the rooted and unrooted categories, I sell the buds in order of largest to smallest. However, note that I won't list or sell ANY bud unless I'm happy with how large it is. Unless stated otherwise, all my buds are shown in 5 cm (2") pots. The sale photos show the buds being sold. I have included at least one photograph of the plant in flower, which is from the parent plant, and not from the sale plant. General information on Echinopsis hybrids In the 1930s-1940s, the expert hybridizer Harry Johnson of southern California produced an extraordinary series of beautiful hybrids involving Echinopsis, Lobivia, and perhaps other closely related genera. He gave cultivar names to the best and marketed them from Paramount California---today, these are collectively known as the Johnson or Paramount hybrids. In modern times, this work has been continued by Bob Schick, who created about 129 more impressive plants. The emphasis on their breeding programs, along with creating vigorously growing and compact, attractive plants, was primarily to develop plants with amazingly large, beautifully colored flowers. A nice exposure to some of these Schick hybrids is the Schick page at the Huntington Garden web site--google it. Many of my Johnson hybrids came to me from the University of California (Davis) Botanical Conservatory. The Conservatory was donated most of their hybrid plants in 1997 by the well-known cactus horticulturist Larry Mitich. The other Johnson hybrids came from other growers. My Schick hybrids came from The Huntington or other growers. I have only a very few hybrids from the UC Davis Conservatory that have no identifications, but are beautiful enough that I grow them. They have accession numbers like B2006.313, etc. Nearly all of these plants will fit, at maturity, in a 3" to 6" pot size. Some other hybridizers (notably in Germany) are doing more hybridization, focusing (I think) on making big big big flowers. Many of these are the big plants that I refer to as landscape cacti. They will require a 1-2 gallon pot (or more) in the future. General cultivation These plants are quite easy to grow, as long as you know a bit about cacti.The Schick and Johson hybrids grow well in light (30%) shade--they can burn if you grow them in full sun. On the other hand, the landscape-sized cacti don't mind intense sunlight. If you grow these cacti in heavy shade they don't do well. I let the plants get well over 110 F (43 C) during the summer, so they can take a lot of heat! They can take winter temperatures at or slightly below freezing, but be careful. As long as they get below 40F (5C) in the winter, they flower vigorously in the spring and summer. Some of the plants can even take a cold, wet winter, but I recommend you experiment on spares before you risk anything very valuable. I don’t water my plants from around Halloween until they start to grow in the spring…about March. They grow well in any cactus mix…I use my general succulent mix for the Schick/Johnson hybrids, while I grow the landscape-size plants in pure pumice. Of course, plants in pure pumice must be fertilized regularly. If you are curious about my soil mixes, or even want to buy a baggie of soil, check my eBay listings--I have three different types of soil available to supplement plant purchases. If you are starting with a rootless bud, pot it up in your regular mix, but water exceedingly sparingly until you see the first rootlets appear, which could take a few weeks to a few months. Once rootlets appear, treat the plant as a normal cactus. Don’t expect flowers until the plants are big enough to fill a 7.5 cm (3”) pot. That will usually be a year after you buy a 2” pot-size plant from me. Landscape-sized cacti take about a year longer. After about two years, in good conditions, a young Schick/Johnson type plant may begin to produce many lateral buds (or pups). When they are about as large as an olive or walnut, they can be detached and easily rooted. Plants in my cultivation are treated with systemic insecticides only as needed. As such, this specimen should be considered reasonably pest-free. I will NOT sell a plant if I find mites or mealy bugs on them. Note, however, that I grow it outdoors with a minimum of pesticides, and suitable pest precautions should be taken in incorporating them into your collection or landscape. The plant is adapted to bright sun in central California. However, shade it lightly for a few weeks after receiving it. I do not buy plants to quickly turn them around and resell them. I know all the plants I sell---most have resulted from normal propagation of my collection plants. If you have questions about growing them, please do not hesitate to ask. I will provide a short care sheet with the plant, too. Combined shipping, and shipping in extreme conditions If you purchase multiple items from me, I will combine them into a single box. Invariably, eBay will overcharge you for shipping, but when I determine the shipping charges I will refund you ALL the overcharges. If you are local and pick up plants at my house, I’ll refund all shipping charges. Please ensure that your shipping address will not expose the boxed plant to extreme conditions. Mailboxes in full sun can become dangerously hot, and I will ship to cold climates at your risk. During winter months, I can include an optional 72 hour heating pad—see my separate eBay listing for that. I work to fulfill orders as soon as I can. If you want me to hold off on shipping, I will, but note that once you pay I must ship within 3 days, otherwise eBay gets mad at me. If you want me to wait longer than that, message me first so we can work out appropriate arrangements. Unhappy? If there are problems with the plant when it arrives, please discuss it with me so I can make things right with you (instead of giving my eBay account a bad review).

Price: 20 USD

Location: Woodland, California

End Time: 2024-09-14T18:23:11.000Z

Shipping Cost: N/A USD