Epi News San Diego Society, Inc.

April, 2012 Volume 37, Number 4

April, 2012 SDES Epi News Page 2

President’s Corner: I want to thank the dedicated volunteers who I‘m wishing for ‗April Showers‘ to bring braved the weather at the San Diego Botanical ‗Mayflower‘ or ‗Maybe‘ it is May Gardens‘ Herb Festival, Spring Sale, and flowers - for our show and not too early like Tomatomania® in March. Ron & Velma Crain, Jerry ‗Mayday‘. The show and sale is quietly and quickly Markle, and Janice Wakefield all made it through the coming upon us. As you know the theme of the show winter rains at times down pouring with wind of is Epies on Wheels. I hope you have started planning 25mph with much higher gusts, and the thunder and your display and getting your and flowers ready lightning, (that‘s ‗White Lightning‘ not ‗Pink for the show. Whether you create a display doing a Lightning‘ and there were some ‗Thunder Cloud‘) for ‗Cartwheel‘ or bring ‗Peggy‘s Cartwheel‘ it will be San Diego that was a big storm. Weather like this is fun, but your display could also be a ‗Color Wheel‘, a great for the plants, but not so much for us humans ‗Ferris Wheel‘, a ‗Spinning Wheel‘, a ‗Wagon Wheel‘ hanging outside selling epies. These members went or even a ‗California Wheel‘. If that is not enough for ‗Above and Beyond‘ for the Society by being out in you, what about doing a ‗Liberty Fire Wheel‘ or a the storm always giving their best. ‗Castle Pink Wheel‘, a ‗Ruby Pinwheel‘ (like the Please keep in your thoughts and prayers Don cover photo), or even ‗Wheel of Fortune‘ for a display. Francis who underwent surgery in March. He is It‘s going to be a great show and an event not to be recovering and doing well. Don is a long time missed. I know it will be ‗A Beautiful Day‘. I hear member and past president of the Society. He has put that ‗Sandra‘ has much planned for the show. Check in on some great displays in the past. He has continued with her for any questions, to sign up with a display to generously contribute cuttings each year toward the and/or to help out that weekend. It‘s going to be a Society‘s Mother‘s Day sale. ‗Show Stopper‘, so come and be a ‗Showoff‘ and There is a lot happening in April. We will be ‗Show Me‘ and everybody else your beautiful flowers at Earth Day festival in Balboa Park for the first time. and display. We will again be at the Cuyamaca Garden Sale. Come Speaking of the show and sale. Your Society on down and check us out. needs your help. Cuttings for the sale are needed. Please refer to the instructions on page 8 for how to Till next time – Happy Growing! mark cuttings. There is also information on the Society‘s website. Bring your cuttings to either the April meeting or to Cindy Decker‘s house at the end of the month. Every cutting makes a difference.

April Meeting Program: This month‘s program will be a special slide presentation of the Mike Hains‘ ―Castle‖ hybrids. Mike is a hybridizer from England so we are sure to be delighted with photos of epies that few of us have seen or grow here in the US..

Cutting Party replaces April’s Pre-Meeting Workshop: There will be no pre-meeting workshop this month. Come early at 6:00 to help cut, mark and organize cuttings. Remember to bring cutters, markers, directories and cuttings!

March Meeting Program Highlights: For those of you who requested sources for more information on dealing with scale and deer, Scott Parker, our speaker for March, has shared the following websites: Cycad scale http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7408.html Deer http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74117.html April, 2012 SDES Epi News Page 3

Mother’s Day, 2012

Epies on Wheels —-By Sandra Chapin

CALLING ALL WHEELS AND always extra flowers that members are happy THOSE THAT DRIVE, PUSH, SPIN OR to share. TURN THE WHEELS! The Mother's Day Remember also that if you do not have a Show "Epies on wheels" is coming soon. If display you can put up to six flowers on the everyone does just a little, it should be a big Society Table. All members are encouraged to success. Consider doing a display of your own put blooms on the People‘s Choice Table, the or helping with one of the general displays. Small Bloom Table, the George French Hybrid Or maybe you can contribute cuttings or work Table, the Newly-Registered and Seedling at the sales. We always need help setting up Tables. After judging we all gather in room and tearing down. Many hands make light 104 for a pot luck lunch. Bring your favorite work and we have a really good time while we dish to share and relax and enjoy the fellow- are doing it. If you have a great idea for a ship before we get back to the sales. Bring display but are concerned that you might not your enthusiasm, your flowers, your cuttings, have enough flowers...not to worry. There are your time and energy and we will have a wheeling good time and show! Call or email me to sign up or if you have any questions: [email protected] 858-451-1744. Get those wheels spinning and plan your display.

SDES 2012 Calendar Now is the Time  Keep plants in filtered sunlight to develop Apr 22 Earth Fair/Earth Day at Balboa buds. Park (SDES booth for sales)  If mature plants have not yet budded, try Apr 28 Cuyamaca Spring Garden Sale moving them to a sunnier position. (SDES booth for sales) April 29 Cutting Party, Cindy Decker‘s  Check newly formed buds for flowering house space May 5 & 6 SDES Safari Park Epi Sale  Do not move or disturb plants that have May 6 SBES Show & Sale budded. (The buds will be more likely to May 12 & 13 SDES Sale & Show fall off) May 20 ESA Show & Sale May 26 & 27 EpiCon XIII - hosted by SDES  Check the labels on the pots. Are they still in San Diego– Mark this as a legible? priority on your calendar!  Check for pests– snails, slugs, scale, mealy June 2 SFES Show and Sale bugs and aphids. April is an especially good Dec 12 SDES Annual Awards Banquet month for escargot– Snails and slugs seem to be plentiful this time of year April, 2012 SDES Epi News Page 4

SDES Events for May, 2012:

San Diego Safari Park Annual Epiphyllum Plant/Cutting Sale* May 5-6 9:00 a.m.— 5:00 p.m. (Saturday), 4:00 p.m. (Sunday) *Next to the Plant Trader

Come enjoy camaraderie of all the ―epiholics‖ , check out any new blooms or cuttings you may not have, and, while you‘re there, visit the epi house– a ―must see‖ during blooming season– especially in May!

San Diego Epiphyllum Society Presents:

Epies on Wheels

Annual Mother’s Day Flower Show Sunday, May 13, 2012 11:00 a.m.— 4:00 p.m.

Room 101, Casa Del Prado, Balboa Park Cutting Sales start at 9:00 a.m. on the patio

Early Bird Cutting and Plant Sales Saturday, May 12th, 9:00 a.m.— 4:00 p.m.

SDES Hosts Epi Con XIII Saturday, May 26th: Escondido Center for the Arts Sunday, May 27th See page 5 for further details and page 9 for registration form

Reminder: Take Epi Photos at the M.D. Show then bring your favorite to be judged at November meeting. Winning photos will be featured on the cover of Epi News. April, 2012 SDES Epi News Page 5 Safari Park Epi Display House —–By Jerry Moreau We had a great work party in Helping out and having fun this month were Jean March even though one got Bonner, Sandra Chapin, Velma & Ron Crain, rained out. We have a great crew of epi lovers Cindy Decker, Bill Greene, Beth Jackson, Oliver doing lots of good work maintaining the epies Lapuebla, Laurie Lasslo, Jerry Moreau, and Fred and keeping them looking good. Savage. The BIG NEWS is that the new work / propagation house was built in March. (Pictures If you are interested in joining the fun and on page 10) Now we need to install the irriga- learning a lot about epis in the process come and tion system and gravel on the ground before we volunteer at the Park. Information on how to can move the plants. sign up can be found on the website At the next work party we will be making www.SanDiegoEpi.org click on the Safari Park cuttings for the May 5th & 6th sale at the Park. tab or contact me. I want to welcome a new volunteer Victoria Lea to the epi crew. I‘m looking The next work party will be April 14th.. See you forward to continue working with her. there.

EpiCon XIII - May 26th & May 27th 2012

This year‘s international Epi event will be held in Myron Kimnach, Director Emeritus of the San Diego and sponsored by SDES. Find details Huntington Botanical Gardens and editor of The in last month‘s Epi News and on-line at SanDie- Journal, a publication of the and Succu- goEpi.org . There you will find a registration lent Society of America, gave a slide presentation form that can be downloaded and printed. on epiphytic cacti species. Myron showed slides of a wide variety of epiphytic species, arranging A Step Back in the History of them into North American or Mexican species EpiCon: Part II and South American species. He pointed out differences, as well as similarities, and empha- sized that epi "branches" are stems and not EPICON V was hosted by the ESA on June 22, leaves; a plant's leaf is a tiny scale in the areola. 1996 at Friends Hall, Huntington Gardens, San Myron pointed out that no fossil cactus has ever Marino, CA. The event was well attended with been found; however, today's most primitive over 30 from SDES attending. Each of the four species are still found around epiphytic cacti epi societies gave an update on their activities: origins in the Andes. Some of the highlights of ESA President Peggy Oberg represented ESA Myron's presentation included photos of species and talked a bit about ESA's new directory. She which have two of the three largest flowers - then introduced representatives from the other calcaratus with flowers a foot wide three societies- Tony Yanko of the South Bay (Myron said he's only seen one flower in 25 Epiphyllum Society; Phil Peck, SDES; and Vera years) and E. grandilobum with flowers a foot Ward of the San Francisco Epiphyllum Society. and half across, the day-blooming species E. laui Rudi Dorsch. spoke briefly about EPIG -- an named after Dr. Alfred Lau, the orange-colored international epiphytic group with 175 members. See EpiCon History continued on page 10) April, 2012 SDES Epi News Page 6

From our Librarian: Outside of A Dog Outside of a dog, a man's best friend is a book. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read. -- Groucho Marx British Cactus and Succulent Society has information on cultivation of various genera and a This month is tax time; maybe you've had to gallery of great photos. Ballarat Cactus and pay additional taxes this April so don't have Succulent Society in Australia has a gallery of money for buying books. In the interest of staying Joyce Carr epicactus hybrids as well as terrestrial cactus within budget, this might be a good time to revisit some information. of the free resources on the internet. All this talking of international clubs reminds me that The first place to start is our own SDES site. There are the best place to find a listing of clubs is at the Cactus some photos and lots of information on epi care, as well Mall. This site has international listings of clubs and as a calendar of events. Next, there's the ESA site, with nurseries and is a fantastic resource. If you are event listings and a large gallery of epicactus hybrid interested in terrestrial cactus, you should visit. photos – this is the place to check for photos of the brand-new registrations as well as older hybrids. The Ok, that's it for this month. Make sure to spend time South Bay and San Francisco societies also have pages with your epis, the weather is getting nice and the buds with event listings and contact information. are, well, budding.

Going back to the SDES site, there is a page with links San Diego Epiphyllum Society, www.sandiegoepi.com to all sorts of epi-related galleries, forums, and Epiphyllum Society of America, nurseries. Rather than reproduce it in this article, I www.epiphyllumsociety.org suggest you visit the site and see for yourself. South Bay Epiphyllum Society, www.mattslandscape.com/sbes/ However, suppose your interests are wider than San Francisco Epiphyllum Society, www.sfepi.org epiphytic cactus and you are interested in terrestrial CSSA, www.cssainc.org cactus as well; where can you find information? I've Henry Shaw Cactus & Succulent Society, mentioned the Cactus and Succulent Society of America www.hscactus.org here before, but there are other societies that have links British Cactus and Succulent Society, www.bcss.org.uk to all sorts of information about cultivation, growers and Ballarat Cactus and Succulent Society, propagation about cactus and succulents. For example, www.cactusoz.org Henry Shaw Cactus & Succulent Society, based in Cactus Mall, www.cactus-mall.org Missouri, has a well organized page of links. The —By Linda Sinkovic, Librarian

April 29th – Cutting Party 12:00 noon—5:00 pm

Come and join the fun! Bring your cuttings (lots of them), clippers, directory (new or old), and sharpies to Cindy Decker‘s house: 4007 S. Tropico Drive, La Mesa. Just east of 125 and off 94: (Taking 94 east, exit on Spring St, heading east; Follow signs to Campo Road—continue east on Campo Road; Turn left on Camino Paz, Right at Carthay Circle which turns into Kahlua Way which THEN turns into S. Tropico Drive. Check your map—on-line to get a clearer picture or call Cindy if you get lost! (619-698-6662). After- wards, refuel with the pizza and beverages provided. April, 2012 SDES Epi News Page 7

Why Not Aporophyllum? —- Ron Crain

As I have mentioned in previous Epi News articles, themselves help to shade the stems. Other than that, many epi growers prefer or at least are very fond of aporophyllum culture is nearly identical to that of the small-flowering hybrids. If you are one of these your regular epi hybrids. people, you might consider adding to your collection some or many of the aporophyllum hybrids. Most Aporophyllum have been around for a long time with aporophyllum are produced as a result of crossing a hybrid varieties produced back in the forties and fif- species plant of the , usually Diso- ties by hybridizers like Peggy Williams who regis- cactus flagelliformis, which was formerly known as tered ‗Peggy‘s Cartwheel,‘ a small-flowered variety, flagelliformis, hence the name, and an in 1940 and ‗Peggy‘s Red Spider,‘ a medium from epi hybrid. Others are the result of a cross between D. 1955; in the early sixties by Harry Johnson who flagelliformis and any of a number of other epiphytic named ‗Starfire,‘ a medium, ‗Temple Fire‘ and cacti species. In either case, most of the offspring of ‗Odalisque,‘ both smalls and ‗Brilliant,‘ an extra- these crosses produce flowers in the small to medium small, all in 1960; and much more recently, Helmut size range with the blooms being more numerous than Paetzold, a German hybridizer, who registered ‗Goldi many epi hybrids. They also tend to produce the more Paetz,‘ a small in 1993, ‗Angela Paetz,‘ a medium cylindrical, rat-tail-like stems similar to D. flagelli- from 1996, and ‗Nellie Paetz,‘ a small from 1999, formis rather than the flat growth that is typical of the among many others. These are just a few examples of epiphyllum hybrids and therefore make a more com- the aporophyllum hybrids that have been registered by pact plant. So, if space is an issue in your garden, many different hybridizers over the past three quarters aporophyllum might be a good choice for you. Many of a century. aporophyllum flowers are pink, red or orange al- though the hues vary widely. Aporophyllum that have been named and registered with the Epiphyllum Society of America will appear Aporophyllum hybrids tend to be somewhat spinier alphabetically in their Directory of Species and Hy- than the epi hybrids. This is because most of them brids in the general listing along with the many epi have the very spiny Disocactus flagelliformis in their hybrids. Usually the phrase ―Aporophyllum type‖ will lineage. And, also because they are descended from be included in the description and/or species like D. flagelliformis, they can generally take a little more Disocactus martianus and D. flagelliformis will be direct sunlight than a typical epi hybrid can. So, if you listed in their lineage. have a spot in your garden that is just a little too sunny for your regular epis, where they might get sun- If you have a too sunny spot or a tight spot that will burned or sun-bleached, an aporophyllum might fit only accommodate a plant that doesn‘t take up too there nicely. Generally speaking, the more spiny the much space or if you just like small flowers, give aporophyllum, the more sun it can take as the spines aporophyllum a try

Return All Perpetual Trophies! Time to dust off the perpetual trophy(ies) that you won last year and bring to the April meeting. They will be checked over, re- paired as needed, and awarded to this year‘s winners. April, 2012 SDES Epi News Page 8

produce buds instead of roots.) Cut an entire Cuttings– branch (that can be cut into 3-4 cuttings) in- The Lifeline of SDES stead of cutting 6‖ off of 3-4 branches. SDES has a well-known reputation for our ex- (editor’s note: I severely stunted the growth of cellent show and sale. There are many people my ‘Sakurahime’ many years ago by trimming who are not members but who come to our off 6” of the ends of several branches. I was a show every year just to buy cuttings. Some of novice and treated the plant as I did other these regular shoppers travel many miles just house plants– pinch them back and they’ll grow because we have a tremendous selection of cut- 2 or more sprouts at the cut… oops! It took sev- tings. They know we offer top quality, a wide eral years for it to finally begin to grow again. selection and good prices. Let‘s not disappoint Please follow the guidelines below for these people this year. marking your cuttings. If you haven‘t time to It‘s that time again. If you have a mark all of your cuttings, you can wrap those of chance to get cuttings made, bring them to the the same name in a newspaper– tape closed, April meeting.– early. Beginning at 6:00 p.m. and mark the package on the outside with the we will be labeling, sorting, and bagging cut- name. We will have Sharpie pens at the meet- tings. If you don‘t have enough time to cut be- ing to mark the rest of the cuttings. If you fore the meeting, try to cut and deliver them to haven‘t time to cut the long cutting (―branch‖) a Board Member or to Cindy Decker‘s house to size, bring the whole thing! We‘ll cut it (4007 S Tropico Dr, La Mesa) before the Cut- there. ting Party on April 29th. Sales of cuttings is Marking your cuttings: Begin the the mainstay of our club‘s treasury. This is name of the cutting at the top and write towards when we need every member who can to help the bottom. Make sure there is no writing out. If you have plants that can provide a few within 2 inches of the bottom of the cutting– it cuttings but you need help in making those will be beneath the soil when planted and for- cuttings, please call Jerry Moreau (619) 208- ever lost. Try to check for correct spelling (as 7654. is in the official directory of Species and Hy- Making your cuttings: Please choose brids‖). If you are not sure, wrap them together growth that is hardened off, not new, tender and write the name on the newspaper wrapping growth . Cuttings should be 6 to 8 inches long as you think it should be spelled. We can look and of good health. (6-8‖ cuttings will root it up at the meeting. much faster. If they are longer, they tend to Flower size: XS—extra small (under 2‖) S—small (2-5‖) M—medium (5-7‖) ML—medium to large L—large (7-9:) XL—extra large (10‖ or larger) Flower Color: W—white R—red O—orange Y—yellow Pk—pink Pur—purple  For flowers that have two colors, list the predominant color first such as Y/W or R/O  For multiple-colored flowers, pick the pre- dominant color, then ad ―multi‖ such as ―red-multi‖ April, 2012 SDES Epi News Page 9

S.D.E.S. EpiCon XIII– 2012 As of April 1, 2012 Saturday, May 26th - 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. $ 55.00* Sunday, May 27th - 8:30 a.m. to noon $ 20.00*

TWO DAY EVENT – attend one or both days - 2 Day Total $ 75.00

Day 1 8:30 California Center for the Arts Escondido, 340 N. Escondido Blvd. Escondido CA 92025

Speakers, Silent Auction, Cutting & Plant Sale, Sit-down Lunch —Circle Preference:

a) Chicken Marsala or b) Chicken Piccata

Day 2

8:30 – 12:00 Tour of Epi House and Cutting Sale at San Diego Zoo‘s Safari Park, (formerly San Diego Wild Animal Park) (Light Refreshments 9 a.m.). Price includes Admission, Parking & morning refreshments

12:00 – Lunch on your own. Visit other Safari Park Gardens or Members‘ Gardens

Please Print

Name______

Name______

Address______zip______

E-mail______Phone #______

Circle one: X I will attend only Saturday May 26 ($55.)

X I will attend only Sunday May 27 ($20.)

X I/We will attend BOTH Saturday AND Sunday ($75. Per Person)

Make checks out to S.D.E.S. – or VISA /MC accepted Send your Reservations to: Mildred V. Mikas 3502 Avenida Amorosa, Escondido CA 92029

April, 2012 SDES Epi News Page 10 Safari Park: Building the new workhouse

Safari Park Epi workhouse project: Empty building site Erecting the frame.

The frame is up– now for the shade cloth, water system, gravel for pathways, etc. Volunteers extraodinaire: Vemla Crain and Sandra Chapin

his epis, but when he and his family were moved EpiCon History (Continued from page 5) to a Japanese detention camp during World War II his epi collection was given to his good friends flower Heliocereus aurantiacus var. blomianus the Sherman Beahm family. After his release from which is sold as H. elegantissimus in nurseries the camp for reasons unknown he never returned and used as a parent for many day-blooming to his work with Epiphyllums but went on with hybrids and R. hoelleri whose flowers are embed- his landscaping career and in 1946 the year he ded in the stem and leave scars. Myron com- became a U.S. citizen the City of Los Angeles mented that some species plants are virtually awarded him the title of Landscape Architect. identical and can only be identified by their Unfortunately, there has been confusion over the individual blossoms. years regarding some of his epi hybrids. The Shirley Marneus. head of Cal Tech's Beahms featured many of his plants in their drama department and an ESA member. spoke catalogs, but some of Kado's names have been lost about ESA founding member R.F. Kado. Kado and many others were unnamed. When he wrote was a Japanese nurseryman in Los Angeles who descriptions of the plants, his descriptions were came to be well-known for the grottos he de- taken as names, something he did not intend. For signed for private Catholic families (including instance, in the ESA Directory you'll find John Barrymore and Fibber Magee and Molly), "Apricot Pink" which was a description of the the Maryknoll convents and other Catholic flower's color, but not the flower's name. facilities. He began hybridizing Epiphyllums and Shirley showed slides of some of the Kado was featured in the Los Angeles Times in 1939 for See EpiCon History continued on page 11) April, 2012 SDES Epi News Page 11

photographing epis. He gave an excellent slide EpiCon History (Continued from page 10) presentation that compared and contrasted types of film, light conditions. indoor and outdoor hybrids including 'Miss Santa Monica', 'California photography and various equipment for control- Beauty', 'Fire God', 'Yellow Violet' (named for its ling light. Dan always uses a tripod and he said bud's resemblance to a wild yellow violet), 'Snow to focus about one-third of the way into the Cap', 'Immaculata' and several shots of grottos he flower using a wide open f-stop. You'll get the designed. sharpest depth of field at f22. For color print, he Ellen Zunino. a biology teacher in Los recommended ASA 100 up to ASA 200. Angeles.spoke on "Pathways to Pigmentation" and gave us the bad news -- there's no way we can EPICON VI was hosted by SBES on May 30, hybridize a blue epi. She pointed out that there are 1998 at the Holiday Inn, Torrance, CA. Nearly very few blue flowers; birds and insects are 80 people from four epiphyllum societies attended attracted to the bright colors of reds and oranges EpiCon VI. The day-long event featured dozens to help plants distribute their seeds and pollen. of gorgeous flowers lining the entryway and a Ellen examined chemical structures and the well-balanced program that blended slides of epis interaction of pigments with light. The bad news and other with a wealth of useful is that epis simply don't produce pigments for information for the home gardener. blue and no amount of hybridizing is going to Tony Yanko, SBES President welcomed everyone turn them blue. to EpiCon VI, and introduced Dick Kohlschreiber However, Ellen pointed out the good who acted as master of ceremonies. news, that maybe some day we'll have a blue epi! It won't be through color pigments, but through German epiphytes cell structure. There are only five color pigments Dick introduced Dr. Rudi Dorsch from Houston, in birds -- brown, black. red. orange and yellow -- TX. "I always think of myself as a plant nut until and yet there are birds with blue feathers. She I get around Rudi." Dick commented. "He's a talked about cell structures and how they capture fanatic and goes around the world collecting light and reflect it at different light waves. Putting plants." a cross section of an epi petal under the micro- Rudi talked about his travels to Germany. scope, she found the cell structure to resemble a as well as England. Featured in his presentation leaf‘s cell structure. The outer most layer of cells were 12 "mystery" slides. He gave clues about the are elongated and act as prisms so light doesn't plant featured in each slide and attendees were burn the leaf. Ellen said she didn't expect this in asked to write down what they thought each one's petals, but pointed out that the jewel-like sheen name was. At the end of his program he identified we find in epi petals are caused by these long each of the plants. Included in his mystery slides cells using that microstructure to reflect various was: A) The Moon Flower - one of Margaret light waves. This is how a blue epi can be Mead's most famous paintings are of this plant. developed; by hybridizing plants with this sheen The plants' flat segmented branches wrap them- and possibly obtaining one that reflects blue wave selves closely to tree trunks. B) lengths. Ellen recommended that hybridizers start russelliana, photographed in Germany was a working with species such as Disocactus ama- plant that had been in a family for 100 years. zonicus that have this type of cell structure. She C) Two Christmas cacti were among the myster- would like to see hybridizers start using high tech ies: the relatively recently described Schlumber- reproduction such as protoplast fusion, rather than gera kautski and the yellow-flowered Hatiora growing seeds and waiting the seven plus years it epiphylloides v. epiphyllloides. D) The very. very takes for Epiphyllums. rare Rhipsalis hoelleri. This dark little reddish Professional photographer Dan Taylor purple 's native location in Brazil was the last speaker for the day and talked about (Continued on page 12) April, 2012 SDES Epi News Page 12

Welcome to our New Members! Refreshments at our General Meetings: A belated welcome to Elaine Jacques Is it your turn to bring good- those who joined us in Redlands, CA Celine Dion ies? Bring cookies, fruit, veg- February: Martinez, CA gies, or whatever snack suits Joining us in March: your fancy! Call Marj Myers Sunny Borkat Jean Perry at 619-448-3613 or e-mail her La Mesa, CA Anthony Santore La Jolla, CA. at [email protected] so she will Nesquehoning, PA. be able to coordinate the food Lori Cravalho from William Thomas brought to the SDES general Hayward, CA Shauna Russell San Diego, CA meetings. Costa Mesa, CA

plants and attack harmless native snails. Decollate EpiCon History (Continued from page 11) snails are also better in greenhouses than in fields. A recipe was given for a spray solution that kills has been kept a secret. E) Hylocereus stenopterus, snails within 15 seconds. Mix 1/3 ammonia and 2/3 the only red flowered Hylocereus. Eckart Maier has water and spray directly on the snail. The spray used this in hybridizing. doesn't hurt plants.

Alice Buchanan hybrids Natural pest management Dick Kohlschreiber narrated slides of Alice Bu- Organic gardening and pest management was the chanan's hybrids. Ethel Hurst who has been very ill first topic following lunch. Ann Schwind, owner of recently and could not attend EpiCon put the slide Garden Magic Co. in Manhattan Beach, talked show together. Alice became interested in epis about her experiences with natural pest management when she happened to stop at the nursery in Rose- and gardening. Ann interned at Huntington Gardens mead and she soon started stopping by to help with and explained that she turned to organic pest the plants. Eventually Alice and Lois Burke management after an experience with a neighbor's founded the California Epi Center in Vista (now cat. After spraying Malathion for the aphids on her Rainbow Gardens). azaleas. a neighbor's cat ran through the still-wet shrubs and she could not stop it. Knowing that the Garden snails cat would then lick off the Malathion, she decided Joe Cocke, son of well·known epi hybridizer then and there that there had to be a better way. Wressey Cocke, gave a presentation on snails which She said she found that total eradication is not the have been around 100 million years. Most of us are answer and that pesticide use eventually familiar with that persistent pest that loves to eat our breeds "super bugs" which are increasingly resistant epis -- the brown garden snail. Joe, who works at to pesticides and that leads to the production of the L.A. Natural History Museum, said there are 45 stronger, more lethal pesticides. What gardeners different species of land snails, but only two are should strive for is a healthy balance of beneficial really considered pests. How do you get rid of insects to offset the "bad" bugs and sometimes this them? Well, Joe says the best way is hand picking means accepting a small population of the unwanted them. He recommends watering the yard really well ones. "Education is the key - work with nature not and then at dark hand pick every night for a few against it," she commented. Once she discovered nights. He pointed out there are pros and cons how successful organic gardening can be, she regarding the use of decollate snails. They do wanted to teach others and took a photography class wonderfully well in ivy beds; however, they only so she could illustrate successful organic gardens in eat younger snails not the adults. And once they've her talks. Through Ann's business she tends 30 eaten the supply of young snails they will eat young gardens a week and has many satisfied clients. April, 2012 SDES Epi News Page 13

Early Season Is your current contact March Blooms information up to date? Sandra Chapin: ‗Aviana‘, ‗Bruno Forster‘, ‗Butter Have you been receiving your newsletters on time? Taffy‘, ‗Crimson Arrow‘, ‗David Wayne‘, Several issues of Epi News have been returned because of ‗Donald Raymond‘, ‗Elberta Kipp‘, incorrect addresses. Please take the time to update your ‗Farbendwunder‘, ‗Fire Flame‘, ‗Frühlingstern‘, current mailing address, phone number and e-mail address ‗F.A. Haage‘, ‗Irish Gold‘, ‗Lil Orphan Epi‘, with our membership chair, Beth Jackson . You can send ‗Orange Icing‘, ‗Orinda‘, ‗Margaret Elizabeth her a note to Cureton‘, Seedling: (‘Meadow Rose’ x ‘Labor of Membership Chair, San Diego Epiphyllum Society, Inc Love’), ‗Naranja‘, ‗Pink Organdy‘, ‗Something P.O. Box 126127 Special‘, ‗Sweet Kisses‘, ‗Tiny Flame‘, ‗Torero‘ San Diego, CA 92112-6127 Matt Chaney: ‗Elise‘, ‗Fluid Orange‘, ‗Gold Or contact her directly at [email protected] Charm‘, ‗Jills Jewel‘, ‗Jovial, ‗Monica J‘, ‗San (858) 638-0956 Juan Capistrano‘, ‗Small Talk‘, Aporocactus ‗Edna Bellamy‘, D. macranthus , Floribundum hybrid (E. floribundum: probably a hybrid of Disocactus macranthus) Cindy Decker: ‗Spring Break‘, ‗Fred Boutin‘, Details of How To Become A ‗Harald Knebel‘ Jerry Moreau: ‗Elberta Kipp‘, ‗Fern La Borde‘, Volunteer at the Safari Park: ‗Harald Knebel‘, ‗Herbert S. Irwin‘, ‗Petey Can be found on our website: Kelly‘, ‗Stripped Beauty‘ SanDiegoEpi.org . Click on ―Safari Park‖, then click on Don Patterson: ‗Coralberry‘, ‗Miss Plupp‘, ―Epi House‖, then ―Volunteer‖. ‗Mousekateer‘, D. nelsonii Allen Pellymounter: ‗Lillie Paetz‘, ‗Small Talk‘, Membership: ‗Ernst Gündchen‘, ‗Möve‘, ‗Something Special‘ Pentico Collection: ‗Bronze‘, Star‘, ‗Coralie‘, ‗Fern Single Membership $15.00 per year LaBorde‘, ‗Frühlingsgold‘, ‗Happy New Year‘, Dual Membership $20.00 per year ‗Harald Knebel‘, ‗Lady Edna‘. ‗Lil' Orphan Epi‘, (Dual is for two people, same address, ‗Miss America‘, ‗Orange Icing‘, ‗Pilland's Pride‘, one newsletter) ‗Pink Passion‘, ‗Sugar Plum Fairy‘, ‗Shotzie D‘, International Membership $25.00 per year ‗Sparkling Burgundy‘, ‗Vive Rouge‘ Safari Park: ‗Beautie Wegener‘, ‗David Wayne‘, ‗Donald Raymond‘, ‗Friedrich Adolph Haage Jr‘, ‗Harald Knebel‘, ‗Lynn Gilbert‘, ‗Orange Icing‘, Epi News is published monthly. Deadline for submis- ‗Tiny Flame‘, ‗Wedding Bells‘ sions is the 15th of the month prior to publication. Linda Sinkovic: ‗April Shower'. 'Crimson Arrow', Please let the editor know of your intention to submit 'Gold Charm', 'Herbert S Irwin' any articles by the date of the General Meeting so that appropriate space can be allocated. ( e-mail at [email protected] ) Have You Moved? If you have moved or recently changed your address, please let us know your new address so that you can continue to receive your newsletter without interrup- tion. Send it to membership – USPS or email address : (PO Box 126127, San Diego, CA 92112-6127 or [email protected] ) San Diego Epiphyllum Society, Inc. NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE P.O. Box 126127 PAID San Diego, CA 92112-6127 SAN DIEGO, CA PERMIT NO. 2646

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SAN DIEGO EPIPHYLLUM SOCIETY OFFICERS San Diego Epiphyllum Society, Inc (SDES) President: Jerry Moreau P.O. Box 126127 [email protected] (619) 208-7654 San Diego, CA 92112-6127 1st Vice President: Janice Wakefield Epi News is published monthly by [email protected] (619) 464-1086 San Diego Epiphyllum Society, Inc. 2nd Vice President: Sandra Chapin Editor- Jill Rowney: [email protected] (858) 451-1744 (209) 966-3364 Treasurer: Ron Crain [email protected] [email protected] (619) 421-4785 Epi News E-mail: [email protected] Recording Secretary: Marie Dempewolf SDES Web Site: www.SanDiegoEpi.org [email protected] (619) 573-5060 Membership queries: [email protected] Corresponding Secretary: Mildred Mikas [email protected] (760) 690-1124 General membership meetings are held Membership Secretary: Beth Jackson on the second Wednesday of each month [email protected] (858) 638-0956 at 7:30 p.m. in Room 101, Coordinator– Pre-meeting Workshops: Casa del Prado, Balboa Park Director: Bill Greene: 619-469-0673 Coordinator– Sales Events: NEXT GENERAL MEETING: Director: Cindy Decker: (619) 698-6662 April 11, 2012 Director: Dave O’Dell: (619) 670-6463 Librarian: SDES Board Meetings are held Director: Linda Sinkovic: (619) 583-1172 on the fourth Wednesday of each month Coordinator– Hospitality: at 7:00 p.m. in Room 104, Director: Bob Buchs: (858) 792-8081 Casa del Prado, Balboa Park. Coordinator– Garden Caravan; Chair- EpiCon XIII: Mildred Mikas:[email protected] (760) 690-1124 Next Board meeting will be: Coordinator Safari Park : April 25, 2012 Jerry Moreau: [email protected] (619) 208-7654