Bloom Watch #1 – Her Majesty’s Resilience
May 23, 2018Hello Everyone,
Hope you all had a good year. It’s that time again for the Queen and she is showing her resilience. Although it has been dry and warmer than normal, she is producing buds. There are some at stall size, but most are small or just beginning. Right now it looks like it could be a pretty good year provided they hold and go at the same time rather than popping off one or two at a time like they did last year.
We have had some pack rat damage, but the majority of the plants have done alright. It appears that the plants native to the property and those salvaged from the wild are doing the best under the current weather conditions. The plants that were nursery grown and in the ground for less than two years have suffered some, but with a little luck they will come out of it.
The interesting thing so far this year is happening in the Queens court.
Peniocereus marianus (left), Peniocereus johnstonii (right)
The Peniocereus marianus along with the plants in our greenhouses bloomed early in February, and the plants that were outside bloomed early to mid-March. Mine at home had four flowers on March 5 and three on the March 10. My Peniocereus johnstonii bloomed April 16 – 26 with a total of eighteen flowers. My Peniocereus viperinus had six flowers between April 20 and May 9. The Peniocereus serpentinus has been flowering for the past month, while the Peniocereus fosterianus, oaxacensis and tepalcatepecanus are all budded up and progressing nicely.
Peniocereus viperinus (left), Peniocereus serpentinus (right)
Hope you enjoy the update and the beginning of another year where the Queen will be in charge and I will be trying to get her to communicate her intensions so we can all get together for another wonderful night at Tohono Chul in honor of her annual show. Looking forward to seeing you all this year.
Until Next Time – Lee Mason, Director of General Services, Tohono Chul