Same species?

[ltecato]

Hi. I hope I can get the photo link to work right. I've been growing Mexican pings for several years now. About a year ago I found out how easy they are to propagate, and since then I've gone a bit crazy and now have so many plants that I'm running out of space for them.

I'd assumed that all these plants were the same species or cultivar. All I know about them is they came from garden stores in those transparent plastic packages. One person suggested it might be the Pirouette cultivar. But recently I noticed that some of the plants had a different growth habit: many smaller leaves rather than a few larger ones. This photo illustrates what I'm talking about:

picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/tp1VlSM4rcXmwKRlH4kBrQcWbimfhrxZI8P_Z3XNM54?feat=directlink

Both plants are clones, about the same size and age. The rosettes are about 2 inches in diameter.

What I'm wondering is: Are both kinds the same cultivar? I tend to think not, but I also know that the same species of plant can take on different forms, given different cultural or environmental variables. However, I treat all these plants more or less the same. They get equal amounts of light and water.

Thanks in advance for any comments or insights.

[hal]

My guess is it's the same plant showing winter and summer growth. In winter many Mexican pings go dormant and produce lots of smaller succulent leaves. I have pings of the same species go dormant at different times.

It doesn't look like Pirouette to me - that's usually much redder with squarer leaves. Looks more like laueana, or possibly one of the many moranensis varieties.

[ltecato]

Thanks Hal.

[unstuckintime]

I would agree, it appears that the one has gone into its "winter dormancy."

And I can sympathize with your "propagation frenzy," I have more P. 'Florian' 's then i know what to do with!

[jeff]

wait for the flower ;D

it is more easy to determinate the species or the hybrids by the flower morphologic caracters .

jeff