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Cacti & Succulents

No Longer Crested. King Ives Overgrown. Now Just a Fred. A Beheading?

5 years ago

Hello,

My Cristata 'Crested' Graptoveria has grown three normal, rounded, stems from the flat crest. I know Cristata to very variable. I know this particular Graptoveria to be variable. I am thinking of cutting those three stems off at the crest in hope that grows from that continue to be crested. The problems is I end up with four Fred Ives. There are enough him in the world. Our local Cactus & Succulents had their fall plant sales. Most members were trying to flog him. Most had very little luck. I found one, not mine, when I got home. When I notified the neighbour, she said to me, "Finders Keepers". Oh Fred (sigh) what to do with you?

Place your bets, will he give me crest? If not, I will splice him down the middle and then divide those pieces in half, maybe one of them work out. Or maybe I will end up with even more of that bastard. He started as one with three crested stems. The other two are still crested.

No Longer Crested. King Ives Overgrown. Now Just a Fred. A Beheading May Help? · More Info

No Longer Crested. King Ives Overgrown. Now Just a Fred. A Beheading May Help? · More Info

No Longer Crested. King Ives Overgrown. Now Just a Fred. A Beheading May Help? · More Info

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Comments (6)

lisasfbay9b
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Cut the normal heads of, cutting just where the flat, crested/deformed stem starts. You should get more cresting this way. If it were my plant, I'd leave one of the fred heads to "feed" the plant while you wait for the cresting growth to push out, Then you can remove the last head down to the flat stem. It may help you to understand what cresting is, it's really just super crowder rosettte production, for all practical purposes. You can create your own crested plants, some easier than others, but over time with selective pruning. head removal will cause pupping or branching, fairly close timed removal over time will cause exponential branching to become cresting...
gardengems
Original Author
5 years ago
Thank you. I didnt wwait for a response, since I had already divided the plant in the summer. I currently had two. The plant that was originally the middle has kept to form, both outside ones have often sent off regular branches.

So, I just chopped it in two pieces leaving the stem. I stuck the cuttings in a corner out of the way. I believe they dried to death or i just chucked them out. The stump will soon also be trash.

The last side piece of the original division continues to remain crested, as well as continued the fast vertical growth of Fred Ives. It to is probably soon looking at a garbage bin.

I really do hate this cultivar, as well as most xGraptoveria.
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lisasfbay9b
5 years ago
Well wonderful So glad to help with advice on something you hate and plan to, ugh, chuck out. SMH
gardengems
Original Author
5 years ago
Ohh, I'm sorry. Your advice is not lost. It is lesson learned to use in the future. I do have and will have crested plants in the future. I am going to try out creating one using your advice instead of one just happening. I always had a hunch it was possible doing it on purpose, but no one I've asked ever could confirm. Thank you.
Jennifer Liebo
2 years ago
Did you toss the plant ? It could have been gorgeous. Fred Ives is a favorite of mine . You can grow crested ones by leaf propagation. Just be rough with the leaf . Meaning , don’t be careful when yanking a leaf off to propagate. It’s funny to see how you hate this plant . But now , almost 4 years later , it’s way over priced . You could sell all the ones you don’t want these days ! 🤣
rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
2 years ago
I don't think she hated it - just it is such an easy grower! I even left some in ground, in the garden last fall. Snow & freeze took care of it...I tried to sell some, given away more. I still have too many. Including few crests...

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