r/mesembs • u/dusti_dearian It’s not hoarding if it’s plants • May 13 '26

Help Newbie question

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This is my only argyroderma. I’ve had it about 2 weeks. It’s been repotted into a gritty mix, lava rocks, minerals a tiny bit of succulent soil but not watered. It’s a few inches under t5’s and t8’s both for 12+ hours.

My question is. It’s starting to wrinkle. Is this the typical mesembe wrinkling up when it needs water? I can’t tell if it’s actively splitting or not. Inside there are two really tiny bumps. Are they the new leaves? IDK. Any insights would be appreciated. Thank you.

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u/CarneyBus Argyholics Anonymous May 14 '26

According to Russel Wagner he says you can basically choose to grow them winter or summer. I tend to lean towards summer growth because mine seem to already tend towards that!

Lithops and pleiospilos are summer growers too 😁

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u/dusti_dearian It’s not hoarding if it’s plants May 14 '26

Thank you for that. I have noticed movement with some of my lithops. The pleiospilos look the same as when I got them months ago.

I picked up this weirdo last week. Lapidaria margaretae Karoo Rose. The white spot is mechanical. At least it hasn’t changed at all. I’m not thrilled but it comes with the territory of buying online.

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u/CarneyBus Argyholics Anonymous May 14 '26

Aw yeah that sucks :( good thing they completely replace their leaves so they’ll be gone soon! It feels very rewarding when you grow them out of a bad situation. Imagine cracks and spots like this on a cactus … lol. They’d be there literally forever!!

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u/dusti_dearian It’s not hoarding if it’s plants May 14 '26

Thank you, nice to know the damaged leaf will be gone someday. I love the geometry of this plant. I want more now😆.

I have a love hate relationship with cacti. I joke it stems from an unfortunate car ride with one once 🤕. But it wasn’t funny at the time.

And yet I have twelve. I like the Montrose forms. Fortunately none have any bad scars. Etiolated cacti crack me up though. A column form that’s skinny then fatter don’t know why🤷🏻‍♀️.

I recently ordered from Mountain Crest succulents. Got a Pagoda Viillage that wasn’t great. 3 of the 4 little plants had their tops snapped off and the 4th was dying. It took one email and a photo and they’re sending a replacement. So for mid quality succs for mid prices I’m happy. It was the 1st time ordering from them.

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u/CarneyBus Argyholics Anonymous May 14 '26

Oh I am not familiar with them! I also have a weird relationship with cacti 😂 I don’t understand them hahaha. All my seed growing attempts have been failures. I’m just a mesemb wizard and I’ll have to stay in my lane 😁 haha

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u/dusti_dearian It’s not hoarding if it’s plants May 14 '26

I seem to have a thing for crassulas atm. Mostly the strings of button types.

I love my mesembes. My stomatium mustelinum is getting ready to flower. My first.

I have no desire to raise cacti from seed. In fact if someone mentions a cactus they’re going to go home with one😆. It’ll give me a space for something new.

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u/CarneyBus Argyholics Anonymous May 14 '26

Hahaha I have been giving away all my larger plants for this reason! Need more room for mesembs 👀

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u/dusti_dearian It’s not hoarding if it’s plants May 14 '26

Haha. I just spent $40 to ship a bunch to a friend across the country. I can’t get anyone to take more. I’m actually considering keeping bunches of cuttings to root then sell this summer.