Two fraileas in sync

Two of my fraileas opened up their buds yesterday a little past high noon, and I had to scramble for quick photos as the flowers are typically short-lived and the sun is burning brightly overhead, which made photographing plants quite uncomfortable (even a burnt gardener needs to stay in the sun for as little time as possible).

Species from the genus Frailea are popular due to their small sizes and their large yellow flowers, which only open during the hottest and brightest days. When temperatures and light aren't ideal, the flowers stay closed and self-pollinate, a condition termed as 'cleistogamy'. Cleistogamous plants have flowers that either do not open or, if they do, open very slightly. When Frailea flowers do open, these are often autogamic, or self-pollinating. This means that seeds are eventually formed even without the flowers getting pollinated.

All my fraileas are grown in a purely mineral mix and exposed to the elements, without any overhead protection. Watering is carried out about once a week, although it can be as long as 10 days before they receive water again, and then only in the form of overhead spraying. These are not given any access to fertilizers, and the plants are doing fine without it.

Frailea pumila

This form is what has been called 'Frailea carminifilamentosa', due to the carmine spines, but is really just a variant of the variable F. pumila. Another similar plant is F. rubrispina, which is differentiated mainly by the red coloration on the new spines. It is also best regarded as a variation of F. pumila.

The flower was open for only about an hour before it started closing again.

With Mt. Sembrano in the background.

Frailea schilinzkyana

This is a variable species and the one illustrated here is what has often been referred to as 'Frailea grahliana'. Frailea friedrichii is also regarded as a synonym of F. schilinzkyana.

This plant did not form seeds the last time it flowered. Maybe this time it will decide to do so.

Many species of Frailea retreat below ground level during dry periods, aided by their contractile roots. In this photo, the extent of retraction can be clearly seen, with the plant already at a marginally lower level than the substrate.

Whereas there are people who would cross-pollinate different species with one another to take advantage of synchronous flowering, I opted not too. Some hybrids can be particularly interesting, but I prefer pure species.

Mt. Maquiling looms in the distance.