Gymnocalycium occultum

Gymnocalycium occultum blooming in Hamilton, Ontario, October 2nd.

Seemingly just to prove the fall flowering is wide ranging across many genera my Gymnocalycium occultum bloomed again today. Gymnocalyciums are relatively easy to grow and popular among collectors. Occultum is sometimes synonymized under other names like bodenbenderianum or quehlianum. Whatever the real legitimate name should be it appears habitat plants of these types don't get much larger than 7 or 8 cm in diameter according to the literature. My plant at about 12 cm diameter appears therefore to be an unequivocal giant, the product of favorable conditions under cultivation presumably.