Andean treasure

Maihuenia poeppigii cluseup

All cacti seem to have miraculous flowers, but there is something about this pale moonlight shade I find especially pleasing. The genus Maihuenia has been assumed to be closely related to Opuntia, although I understand that recent analysis shows they may be a much more primitive: like Pereskia, but unlike Opuntia, Maihuenia keeps its leaves year around--a charming trait for a cactus! I'm talking true leaves now, not stems (the skinny green lozenges between the spines below)... 

 

Further back

This plant at Sandy Snyder's garden blooms reliably and profusely every year.



A plant at Sandy's

For many years I thought this was about as big as these were apt to get in cultivation...then last week I visited Bill Spain, son of John Spain, who wrote a hardy cactus tome... 

 

Bill Spain with champion Maihuenia

 Bill brought John around to see me ten or more years ago, and apparently I shared a pot of this Maihuenia at the time...



Maihuenia poeppigii over 1 meter across!

He planted it and it has spread to almost 50" across! I have seen this plant in the central valley of Chile where it got a foot or two across. I have seen pictures of this taken in the Andes that show it forming large masses--but I am sure this plant is the champion Maihuenia in the Northern Hemisphere!

Thank you, Bill, for letting us visit--and sharing so many cuttings of this(and a lot of other gems too!)