Calling all Texicans!

[Gee.S]

Hey you guys think this might manage full sun in central Arizona?

Homalocephala texensis

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[Meangreen94z]

They seem to grow flush with the ground and use grass as partial cover in habitat. They might survive in Phoenix but will probably be yellow.

Hidden in grass. Caprock Canyon

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Exposed specimen

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[Gee.S]

Thanks! Sorry to hear that, I had high hopes it might be as tough as it looks. But that makes sense, I should have known better.

[RCDS66]

I planted this one in full sun in May last year..... hasn't grown much in size though the spines have improved and are much bigger. I think I should shift it to a shady location.

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[Meangreen94z]

Here are a couple more pictures I found, these were in high grass outside Rocksprings, Texas. I’ve seen them exposed , but that doesn’t appear to be their preference. They disappear where the grass starts to disappear in West Texas, and get replaced by Echinocactus horizonthalonius which loves exposure. They are extremely cold hardy , some areas in the panhandle where they grow have seen -15°F(-26°C).

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[jam]

They are extremely cold hardy , some areas in the panhandle where they grow have seen -15°F(-26°C).

They certainly are. For me it's the best barrel species alongside F. wislizenii. The first photo shows discoloration right after -12C/10.4F.The second photo shows the same plant in 8 days after 7 days of freezing. It's immaculate. I sense some kind of chemistry going on within its body to be able to withstand such temperatures for so long. And this one is of Tamaulipas provenance, not North TX.

[jam]

Hey you guys think this might manage full sun in central Arizona?


hc.jpg

I like the rough weathered look of this one. Seems to me it has already been getting stronger sun than it would like so perhaps half day shade or somewhere behind a bigger Agave would do the job?

[Melt in the Sun]

I grow it fully exposed in Tucson for what it's worth. No issues, no yellowing, flowers every year.

[Gee.S]

Well, I've decided to give it a try. It's closely surrounded on three sides, plus I have a big flat rock I place on top like a hat during summer for a little extra shade. If it starts stressing too much, which it may, I'll dig it up. I had a nice Mammillaria nejapensis there for many years, but it succumbed to our increasingly harsh summers a couple years back.

An aside, I now understand why I usually see these in very shallow pots. Shockingly little root system, kinda like some Mamms.

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