Ian - Indeed that is wet haydite. I should snap a pic of it dry for comparison. I find it quite attractive in my mix and have used it for top-dressing on a couple of "dressed up" plants that I know have sharp draining soil below. I used to use Turface, which is also an excellent grit, just not as attractive. NY - Trying to ship 40lb sacks might get expensive. I suggest that you let your fingers do the walking! Start with your local parks and recreation dept. Get a number for the dept. that maintains the ballfields. Where you find baseball, you will find turface or haydite. Also, haydite has a website that will assist you in finding the closest retail dealer. Here's a couple of addys to read up on it. www.haydite.com www.youkoubonsai.com/haydite.htm SnB gave you the reason why these type products are so desirable in soil mixes: "this type of top dressing tends to suck up the water more than straight grit. This may make it easier to see when there is still moisture in the soil, which can be handy with winter growers. It will also make the soil dry out faster since there will be continual evaporation from the surface instead of it drying out and trapping moisture." And what it does as top dressing it does throughout the soil when used in your mix. It's smooth and uniform, allowing for quick drainage but holds a tad of moisture for the plant to draw on. It dries quickly and is very is to "read", though as Ian pointed out, it is not 'the soil' that needs water but 'the plant'. HTH - Jo

Not a cactus, but you're very right is a Euphorbia. I don't think it's E. enopla. Thats a thinner plant. Maybe Euphorbia pentagona:). This is were it gets confusing because I see pentagona and enopla get sometimes confused as the same plant, but enopla I have and is thinner. From what I've read pentagona has 5-6 ribs. Where enopla has 6-7 ribs. From what I can see yours has about five. So I'm going with E. pentagona;). There is Euphorbia ferox, but I have that one and it's more rotund;). Oh ya I have to let you know because I would have a guilty conscience if I didn't. When cut or bump this plant will ooze a white fluid. Reminds me of watered down Elmer's glue. This is toxic so keep off skin and away from mucous membranes:). People have gone to the ER because of this stuff. Where your PPE. There you have been warned;).

Can't help on the cactus, I don't know much about them but I think you are right in suspecting that the Euphorbia is a hybrid. It reminds me of meloformis more than obesa, though

It is, as Kara ID-ed it, Senecio stapeliiformis. No hard spines, no hard ridges and flowers - if any - very different from euphorbia or cacti. Here is my plant. One of the stems was broken, but now is growing a new 'arm' (photo on left). I stuck damaged tip into gritty mix, and it already rooted and also seems to grow a new 'arm' (photo on right):