Bob Sobelman, Jordan Valley, Israel

6. Turbinicarpus alonsoi crested form

My name is Bob Sobelman and I'm a member of a kibbutz. It is located in the Jordan Valley, to the south from the Sea of Galilee. I have been a member [of the kibbutz] since 1970. I have been collecting cacti for approximately 25 years.

The summer here is very hot and the temperature can reach 44 degrees Celsius. The average summer temperature is approximately 38 degrees C. Summer lasts from May until the end of October. We have two spring seasons. The night temperature can be in high 30-s in summer and at this time almost all of cacti are dormant. I must be very careful not to overwater them.

I do a lot of grafting, probably as much as 2,000-3,000 grafts a year. The last few years I have concentrated on 'Super Kabuto' and the Turbinicarpus genus. I have greenhouses of total 100 sq. meters. Sun radiation is approximately three times stronger here than in Europe so I must be very careful when I move my plants.

I hope you will enjoy the pictures of my plants. I don't have many variegated cacti, mostly I have crests.

20. Astrophytum asterias cv 'Super Kabuto'	23. Astrophytum astrosenas sk	24. Astrophytum myriostigma
38. Astrophytum myriostigma cv. 'Onzuka'	45. Astrophytum myriostigma cv. 'Onzuka Kiko'	47. Astrophytum senas sk
48. Astrophytum senas sk	49. Astrophytum asterias sk	50. Astrophytum senas sk
56. Astrophytum asterias montrosis	59. Astrophytum myriostigma onzuko kiko	64. Echinocereus reichenbachi f. variegata