The 300 Collection
The 300 Collection — Where to Begin?
Often the question I ask myself when embarking on a new hybrid line...
In this post, we’re diving into the 300 collection — a series of Lobivia hybrids developed right here at Spine City Nursery.
Unreleased and unnamed.
Why “300”?
Simple — it’s where this group landed in our reference book. The name stuck.
These are all Lobivia hybrids, bred in-house, selected across years of growing, testing, and sometimes heartbreak. Not every hybrid is a stunner — far from it. Out of 100, you might, if you're lucky, get 1 or 2 that are truly something special.
At its peak, the 300 collection included a massive number of plants. Over time, we phased out all yellow and white flowers, as those colours aren’t pursued in our program.
🌱 The Selection Process
The work starts long before a plant blooms. Every hybrid at Spine City goes through stress testing — a process designed to weed out weak growers early.
Many growers are familiar with hybrid vigour, where the best traits from both parents shine. But hybrids can swing the other way too. Plants that grow weakly, attract pests, or lack resilience? They’re removed from the line and discarded.
Some flowers are hard to capture — this one’s no exception. Intense colour, generous blooms, and green accents that make the pink absolutely pop.
🌸 Named Varieties from the Collection
“Ti Amo”
I love you.
Bright, romantic, and full of character.
Lobivia cv. Marshmallow
Soft and sweet!
A gentle bloomer with a classic charm.
Lobivia cv. Embers
A bloom that burns with passion.
Vibrant orange petals glow like a sunset, warm and unforgettable.
🌞 So... Are They Difficult to Grow?
Not at all. Lobivia are among the easiest cacti to grow. No fuss, no obscure tricks — just a few fundamentals to get them thriving.
☀️ Light
They need good light. Indoors isn’t enough. While they’ll tolerate intense conditions, fully exposed plants may scorch — it won’t affect flowering, but it can make them look a bit rough.
💧 Water
During active growth and flowering, water generously — weekly, or even twice weekly.
These hybrids are bred for big flowers and lots of them. It’s common for them to go a little squishy during flowering — their roots simply can’t keep up with the energy output. This doesn’t harm them.
Unreleased and unnamed.
🌿 Feeding
No need to overthink it:
- A general-purpose soluble fertiliser in spring and autumn is plenty.
- Add a seaweed tonic (like Seasol) a couple of times in the season to support overall health.
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Seaweed is a tonic, not a fertiliser — it’s a supplement, not a substitute.
LV.2
Above is one of the parent plants for the 300 collection.
LV is a whole other collection and a story for another day.
🛒 Where to Get Them
The 300 Collection confirmed flower plants are always in high demand and short supply.
Mixed selections are offered from time to time, again in limited amounts.
When available, you’ll find them under Lobivia and Blooming Legends.
Looking for more? Shop all cacti and succulents in our store.
🙏 Thanks for Reading
Hope you’ve enjoyed this peek into one of our favourite lines.
We’ll share more stories from the hybrid house soon.
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