Methods for distinguishing the quality of Lophophora species
Introduction: This article shares experiences about the Lophophora species of succulents, focusing on the methods for distinguishing the quality of Lophophora species. Let's dive into the introduction provided by the editor for our readers.
Lophophora species, affectionately called "fish" by enthusiasts, may not have a wide variety, but they exhibit endless variations. The main types are Lophophora, Cihuacanthus, and Argyrophyton. Due to limited knowledge, we will not discuss how to distinguish between fish species, as there is now extensive hybridization, making accurate identification difficult. Here, I will share some basic knowledge about distinguishing the quality of fish based on personal experience, which can serve as a starting point for beginners.
What makes a good fish? You can compare and identify based on the following points:
1. Warts: Simply put, warts should be large, round, plump, and tightly packed. They can be categorized into large warts, small warts, nipple warts, turtle shell warts, spiral warts, etc.
2. Hair: For the same species, whether the warts have more, longer, denser, whiter, or yellower hair is an important aspect of fish quality. Of course, some good varieties of fish may not have abundant hair.
3. Skin color: There are many types of skin colors, including white muscle, bright muscle (purple-red), special green, celadon muscle, black muscle, variegation, etc. Whether the skin color of the same species stands out more, whether the epidermis is more complete and thicker, whether the variegation is uniform, whether the锦 color is bright, and whether the contrast is clear are other important aspects of fish quality identification.
4. Globe shape: A flat and round shape is considered superior, with a round globe, orderly wart arrangement, and distinct features. For single fish, whether the globe is large and does not produce offspring balls randomly. For clustering fish, whether the surrounding young ones are larger, whether their sizes are consistent, whether the arrangement is more uniform, and not having exploded offspring balls at the top is considered superior.
5. Roots: Whether the roots are thicker and stronger, with more fibrous roots indicates a more vigorous life force. Roots that grow directly from the base are considered superior, followed by side buds, and then those that have been planted on the ground. However, in many cases, after years of cultivation, it is impossible to distinguish whether the roots are true, so roots are sometimes not a reliable aspect for quality identification.
6. Flowers: Whether the flower color is redder, whiter, whether the flower shape is larger, whether the petals are finer or wider, etc.
Lastly, a bit more about fishwith fringes: The length of the fringes can gradually increase, but the width usually does not continue to grow, which is very important. Therefore, when choosing fish with fringes, it is first necessary to choose those with a wider fringe span. Also, fish with long, hairy fringes that can bloom are considered superior. I have noticed that fish with blooming fringes are generally wider than those that do not bloom. Moreover, it is important to observe whether the shape of the fringes is smooth and natural, looking comfortable to the eye, and preferably without extra excessive small spherical offspring. Personally, I do not like the crooked, twisted, and disorganized fringes.
Image comparison 1:
Long-haired multi-haired fish: Using a "Laogui" multi-haired fish for comparison, the multi-haired fish in the first image is already quite good, but by comparing and observing, you can see that the fish in the second image not only has longer hair but also more dense, almost covering the globe. Therefore, in terms of hair, this fish is superior to Laogui's fish and can be called a special multi-haired Cihuacanthus.
Image comparison 2: White muscle fish, the first image is a common Argyrophyton, and by comparing the second image, you can see that the second fish's skin is much whiter. The third image was originally a special white muscle silver fish, whose skin color is even whiter than the second fish's, but unfortunately, due to insufficient sunlight, the white powder was not brought out.
This article provides a detailed explanation of the methods for distinguishing the quality of Lophophora species. I hope this article can help you with green plant management!