If you want to feel a bit safer about not rotting the unrooted cut trunk, you can let it air dry for a longer period of time by setting it within a 15 gallon sized black plastic nursery can and allow the leaves to support the plant's trunk within the pot. I've done this with mature cut Agave attenuata, and left it in a bright shaded spot for a couple of months to form roots before replanting. This extra step may not be necessary for you in southern California, especially if you have good draining soil and not pure clay. Now is as good a time as any if you don't get frost in your garden, as this species is pretty much in active growth mode year round. I find that chopping the mother plant is often a necessity when it has been forced into a space too small to accommodate its natural tendency to lean out towards the light as it grows. They do reroot pretty easily, although you may lose some of the older leaves from moisture stress until it forms new roots. I usually cut the trunk so that there is at least a foot of clear trunk below the lowest leaves, and also remove several circles of older leaves after cutting, as they are likely to wither and yellow in any case.

Hi Phoenix, The short, unfortunate answer is no. The longer answer is this - Since I didn't know much about cacti or succulents when we moved here, I read up a bit online and it seemed most people's problems were caused by overwatering. We've not watered too much, and maybe have even neglected them too much by not watering enough. I've not put any fertilizer on them, just left 'em alone, and hoped. But this is the year where I'm determined to get them to bloom, or at least learn what the secret is to get them to bloom *next* year. I had to drive all over Tucson yesterday and whilst doing so couldn't help noticing there's cacti blooming all over the East, Central and in my Westside neighborhood, but not my yard :/ Do you know any good books on the subject of cacti?

Hi Taco Truck, It looks like you have Euphorbia tirucalli in the strip - IMO, that's a liability as it exudes sap that's a chemical irritant/burning element. It's a plant that you don't want around moving people so much, but if everyone's aware of it, it's an awesome plant for the landscape. I love your idea about the strip, and it would be great to have that as an open garden, but IMO, that's the best place to have softer plants, or at least ones that won't cause too much pain. LzdDr, Again, great pictures of the progression - wow, to plant out C. juttae and others like that and watch them explode in growth!

Due to time constraints, I was only able to visit one nursery during my weekend visit. We went to Grigsbys. This was a typical place where their main emphasis is mail order or wholesale, not retail. That means it is not very well kept, plants are not very organized and parking is very limited. You wander up and down the place, walking through several greenhouses, then if you find an interesting plant; it is not for sale, because it doesn't have a price tag on it. Anyway, I purchased three plants from them. First an Euphorbia Aeruginosa, minor an Euphorbia Genoudiana and finally, a Pachypodium Namaquanum Thank you to you all who gave me the info. in finding this place. I will go back if I happen to be driving thru the area or visiting nearby.