Copyright © Claude Bourleau. All rights reserved.
Eulychnia saint-
If you want to contact Willy, send him
a mail at :
Some views of the collection of Parodias.
You will notice that they are really prolific
flowerers !
In 2002, Willy fell back in love with Weingartia. Today, his collection has about 300 of them. When you see the space that Willy has at his disposal to house his plants, you realise that it is a real challenge ! You see on the photo, in the background, the main greenhouse in which grows an important part of the collection of Parodias, "some" seedlings and some plants of other genera.
On the right side of the main greenhouse, on a table, another small greenhouse full of Parodias. Behind it, on the ground, not visble on the photo, one more small greenhouse also full up with Parodias.
In the foreground, a home-made construction. The base is an aluminium table that can be seen in the nurseries. Willy added the glazed upper part. It is very simple to take out some panes of glass. So by hot weather the plants are literally in the open air ! The Weingartias are in this construction : they occupy about half of the room. The other half is full of Parodias again !
Can you imagine the ingenuity that Willy needs to gather all those plants just in the main greenhouse for the winter ? ! ! !
The main greenhouse and its annexes
General view of the Weingartias
Another view of the collection
W. fidaiana
W. lanata
W. longigiba
W. neumanniana
W. sp. HS 164
(orig. Copavilque)
W. neumanniana MN 172
W. neumanniana
W. neumanniana
W. pilcomayensis
W. platygona
W. pygmea
W. westii
W. westii
W. westii
Some plants in flower !
The relief is there already !
My impressions
French is not Willy's mother tongue. But this is not a problem for him : he's able to discuss with you about anything for hours in this language !
Willy is a passionate person and I felt that he is very obstinate. If things do not go the way he wants them to, he will be looking for
a solution until he gets one ! I'm sure that his scientific training gave him this trait of character.
This probably explains the beauty and the good health of his collection and also the incredible results he gets with his seedlings.
I spent very good moments in his company and I learnt a lot.
In addition, the collection is wonderful. So yes, without hesitation, the visit is worth the journey !
In addition, the collection is wonderful. So yes, without hesitation, the visit is worth the journey !
Some Lithops.
The beginning of a new passion ?
May 20 and June 24, 2009
Willy's interest for cacti started in 1974. In 1976, he installed a greenhouse for his collection of Parodias et Weingartias. In the early eighties he got rid of his collection of Weingartias and really specialized in the genus Parodia.
At the time, Parodia was not a very well known genus and was not very popular and it was difficult to find new species. So, Willy started with sowing. At the beginning, his technique was based on what he had read but very soon, discovering the bad results he was getting, he realised that he would not ever succeed. He started, then, to develop his own technique. And finally got really unexpected results with those rather rare species.
Willy has probably today one of the most complete collection of the genus Parodia. These days, he is still growing plants that he has sown many years ago. If those plants are not unique, they are certainly at least very rare in collection !
Neoporteria nigrihorrida
