T-rex Plants Blog
Published weekly. Ish. You can also follow along on Instagram at @trexplants
What Is Etiolation and How Can You Prevent It?
One of the most common issues with growing cacti and succulents is the problem of etiolation. But what is it, and why should you care about it? Etiolation is an effect from growing a flowering plant in too little light, whether that's just not quite enough or even...
Growing Notocactus schlosseri – Cinnamon Cactus
These are a fairly common little cactus that I've had for quite a while, and sold quite a few of. A very attractive little cactus that stay a small, manageable size, they do well as little potted plants. As with most Notocactus species, they produce huge, brilliant...
Growing Sulcorebutia arenacea
An uncommon genus is the Rebutia or Sulcorebutia genus, which can form small clusters of plants (sometimes just a single main 'head'), often with small, dense spines. They tend to stay small, developing large clusters over time, and while cute aren't always very...
How to Grow Astrophytum myriostigma
These little cacti are favorites for almost all collectors; I can't think of any growers I know who don't have at least one in their collection (or had one at some point, anyway). The lack of spines, the alien-like appearance, and something about how sculptural they...
The Giant Chalk Dudleya – Dudleya brittonii
When you see one of these growing well in someone's garden, positioned beautifully with a giant chalky white rosette in contrast against some sprays of brilliantly colored sedum or sedeveria, it's hard not to fall in love with them. And by hard, I mean impossible....
Growing Dudleya pachyphytum
These plants are, for me, one of those 'holy grail' species I've loved for years. I haven't posted about them, or any of my dudleyas, before now because I was pretty convinced I was terrible at growing them. If I keep killing something, it seems a bit disingenuous to...
Growing Browningia hertlingiana – a Beautiful Blue Columnar Cactus
When you see one of these that's been well grown and has size to it, they're incredibly striking. I first spotted them on Instagram and immediately wanted one of my own. A tall, columnar blue cactus with chiseled tubercles for the spines? Sign me up! Browningia...
Growing Melocactus azureus – The Turk’s Cap Cactus
I've waited a long time to write about these, despite having grown them for the last 5 years and selling more than a few of them on my Etsy shop. They have a reputation for being hard to grow and finicky, something I experienced myself with the first couple I tried to...
Aloe Hybrid Update – New Additions and Growth Continued
Continuing my update on the aloes and their winter growth, we're going to look at more! This post will have more of my recent additions, all within 2023. I divided multiple plants last summer, including my "purple people eater", "raspberry ruffles", "krakatoa", "mauna...
Aloe Hybrid Update: New Additions and Growth
I haven't posted an update on my beloved aloes in some time, and the collection has morphed making an update overdue! I have divided several and offered the divisions for sale at the local cactus club; some have rebounded quite well, while others are slower to...