Pilosocereus Royenii has Set Fruit and Flowered Again
Fruit 
Peruvian apple cactus 
Pigeon peas 
Well, it was a success! Self-pollination with the expert advice of a botanist in AZ and those 3AM wanderings into the backyard resulted in fertilization and the first fruit on this cactus. The Royen’s tree cactus is busting out in a conveyor belt of buds, flowers and now fruit that should contain genetic clone seeds if I can keep the critters from getting it first. The second flower opened last night and was even prettier than the first. In the past two weeks the growing tip of the stem has become an ever-changing activity center full of intriguing protuberances with inspiring shapes, colors and functions. I’m not sure how many fruits one stem can hold but we’re hoping for at least ten this season, if it can be done. No donor pollen yet but the call is still out there. I cover the flowers with a mesh baggie until late morning to keep pollinating insects from creating accidental hybrids. The giant sphinx moth with eyes glowing red in the lamp light elucidated that threat as it hovered over at the huge Peruvian apple cactus blooms an acre up the hill. Apparently, these can travel a very long distance.
The various food beds continue to develop, with some crops passing peak while new ones are emerging in their place after recent plantings. The perennial crops continue to gain in size and height for the long haul. Pigeon peas and bananas pictured above have surpassed our expectations in this first year, while the peach circle bed filled out into a lacy green cylindrical volume of black eyed peas growing into the fence mesh.
It’s a lot to maintain, especially while compromising with frequent and unpredictable weather interruptions, but always worth it. As I stubbornly continued to mow the house lawn today while an approaching thunderstorm blew in (after replacing a broken belt and spent deck blades), just before the driving rain and Mom were to shut me down I imagined – “unlike the Craftsman I’m riding, there’s no warranty for replacement on this tool in the event of a lightening strike”. I rounded the last pass out front to see her standing there, arms folded and pointing my way toward the barn. Snack-thirty smooths over everything.
jvfreeman
James V. Freeman is an established visual artist (oil painting) with a deep interest in natural history, plants and farming. He has had numerous solo shows, a solo museum show, an upcoming museum show and his work has been featured in many publications to date. He currently has a studio in Williston, Fl at the family farm and homestead, "Cactus Island", and as a farmer, specializes in growing columnar cacti of the Caribbean and Gulf countries as well as the aquatic Madegascar Lace Plant. James and his mom Sharon manage and develop the permaculture homestead.
6 Comments
Linda Bergman
love the buds and fruit! Momis always right. We want to keep you around!
James V Freeman
Hahaha! Thanks. I got a heavy dose of “the look” my Mom, for bad behavior. It’s so easy to get bold and careless, even though we had a bolt hit a backyard tree in Estero.
Suzanne Lindsey
I had no idea hybrids were a threat! Beautiful photos. Glad you came in before the storm!
James V Freeman
Thanks, Suzie. I’ve had a number of flowers but this one blew me away. Some dealers and hobbyists love hybrids and there is a market for them. Others, including me, want to keep each species, their special attributes and provenance authentic. With a night visitor moth bearing pollen from a cactus of a different species within the genus, you don’t get to know what your’s is crossed with. Some conservationists see it as a threat to maintaining critically endangered species populations in small areas if nearby gardeners have closely related species that could potentially contaminate the wild gene pool. I’ve heard about field DNA test kits but know very little about them and not sure I ever want to take it that far. Some genuses such as Echinopsis and Trichocereus hybridize naturally within their shared ecologies, and Trichocereus has a major botique hybrid fandom among cactus alkaloid stoners. I cringe at the thought of using a cherry picker vehicle to bag off flowers on my tall, old specimens when I’m 80, or even put frost cups over the tips in Winter.
Cathy
Wow, great progress and love the beautiful results. Sounds like these “babies” will be calling to you at all hours to keep them healthy and authentic? Power on…I think you get more done by 10am than I get….LOL!
Wasn’t there a 90’s movie where the main character is waiting in the storm for lightning to strike the SAND and make unique “art sculptures?” Ha! Don’t be THAT guy!
Not sure if you have time or if maybe you want to “leave your work out THERE” but you might really love this series I came across this week –
AFRICA’S HIDDEN KINGDOMS S1E6 Smithsonian Channel (HULU streamed)
It highlights the Kogelberg Floral biosphere (amazing diversity) with insanely varied plants doing crazy things found no where else on earth.
I fell in love with every showcased bloom! And actually, it’s an incredible series about South Africa.
Once again, very entertaining write-ups..
James V Freeman
Thanks for the show info, Cathy, will check it out. African cycads and a few succulents from South Africa get me excited. I get a few days break until next flower after a fourth flower shift yesterday/today, and maybe better sleep. Nice compliments on the blog – thanks!