Epi News San Diego Epiphyllum Society, Inc.

February, 2014 Volume 39 Number 2

February, 2014 SDES Epi News Page 2

President’s Corner: SDES Calendar of Events

February is here and hopefully along 2014 with it will come some much-needed rain to those of us who live in February: California, after an extremely warm and dry 12 General Meeting January. This makes the third year in a row we’ve 15 Work Party at the Safari Park had mild January weather, if I remember 26 Board Meeting correctly, with this year exceptionally so. While 28 Del Mar Spring Hm/Gdn Show most of the rest of the country has been experi- March encing bitter cold, wind and snow, we Califor- 1 Work Party at the Safari Park nians have been wearing out our summer clothes. 1-2 Del Mar Spring Hm/Gdn Show This weather has been somewhat confusing to our 15-16 Tomatomania and Herb Sale epies, with many cultivars not known to be off- San Diego Botanic Garden season bloomers are now surprising us with a few May , a tease for the show they will give us in 3 Cuyamaca Spring Gdn Sale April and May. Still, the epies would surely 3-4 SDES Sale– Safari Park appreciate and benefit from a drink of pure 4 SBES Show rainwater. Let’s hope we get some rain by the end 10-11 Mother’s Day Plant Sale of March or early April because if we don’t get it 11 Mother’s Day Show by then, our rainy season is pretty much over and 17 EpiCon XIV hosted by ESA we’ll have to wait until November! 18 ESA Show September The busy month of May is only three months 13-14-15 Del Mar Fall Hm/Gdn Show away and so it is time to start thinking about sales events, our Mother’s Day Show – ‘Hats Off to Epies’ and the other epi-related events coming up before we know it! We should be conscious that as the spring activities increase, we should Inside This Issue schedule our time wisely so that the work is spread out among many people and no one Calendar of Events 2 becomes overloaded. I’m sure everyone will pitch Get Your Facts First 4 in and help to make these annual events a success as they always have in the past. We have a great Mother’s Day Show 6 team! New Members 7

Looking forward to Spring… Now is the Time 5 Off-Season Blooms 7 President’s Corner 2 Ron Programs 3 Safari Park Report 3 February, 2014 SDES Epi News Page 3

Safari Park Epi Display House –By Jerry Moreau

We had a great and productive work party in Your help is always needed! The more volun- January. The weather was perfect, starting out teers we have at the Park the better for the epies cool but warming up soon after and never and the display. There is much to do, so getting too hot. We continued to organize and whether you can do a lot or a little, everyone is alphabetize the in the workhouse, pulling welcome and all work is appreciated. If you out all the duplicates for future sales. We can’t volunteer, how about making a donation of continue to repot and “up-pot” plants that need it some sort? Money is always helpful, but help and fertilize them with blooming fertilizer. could also take the form of doing research and grant writing or donating equipment and sup- Helping out these past work parties were Ron & plies. Velma Crain, Gina Contreras, Cindy Decker, Marie Dempewolf, Bill Greene, Beth Jackson, If you are interested in joining the fun and Judy Johnson, Oliver LaPuebla, Betsy & Jerry learning a lot about epis in the process, come Markle, Michal McKee, Mildred Mikas, Jerry and volunteer at the Park. Information on how Moreau, Terri Trzcinka, and Janice Wakefield. to sign up can be found on the website can be Thank you all! Your help is greatly appreciated. found at www.SanDiegoEpi.org click on the Safari Park tab or contact Jerry at The next work parties will be February 15 and [email protected]. March 1st.

Meeting Programs

Pre-Meeting Workshops Join Ron in Room 104 at 7:00 pm to learn basics of epi

culture and other related botanical information.

January Program: At our meeting in January we had fun and learned more about Epi’s. We started the show, er program with “Epi Jeopardy”!! Our contestants Cindy Decker, Jerry Moreau and Oliver LaPuebla answered epi related questions compiling points as they went. Winner for the evening was Cindy Decker winning homemade cookies!! Our other contestants received lovely parting gifts of cookies also, but they each had one less cookie than our winner!!! The stumper for the evening was the answer, “Four”. Can you guess the elusive question? After the game ended our contestants spent the remaining program fielding questions from the floor. Thank you to Cindy, Jerry and Oliver for helping us play Epi Jeopardy!!!

February Program: February 12th was George French’s birthday (1915). This month is a perfect time to remember him, and celebrate with a photo journal of his numerous epi hybrids. Linda Sinkovic will share a dvd of George French Hybrids. February, 2014 SDES Epi News Page 4

From our Librarian:

Get Your Facts First -- Linda Sinkovic

“Get your facts first, then you bloom. Both have scalloped or corrugated can distort them as much as you leaves, and both are referred to as 'Ric Rac please…” -Mark Twain ' due to the leaf form.

Breaking the Ric-Rac Code If either one is in bloom, there would be no Since Rhipsalis mesembryanthemoides is confusion. In my yard, S. anthonyanus blooms in currently in bloom in my back yard, I was July, E. anguliger blooms in November, and the tempted to write about it this month. But as forms are quite different. However, much as I like Rhipsalis, I don't want this column November has passed and July isn't for a while, to become “Rhipsalis Of The Month” club. so which did I buy, S. anthonyanus or E. Instead we'll talk about my recent purchase at anguliger? Walter Andersen's Nursery, and my guess about how to tell two apart. I bought an E. anguliger. Well, I am pretty sure that's what I bought. Although the leaf form can For those of you not in San Diego, Walter be very similar to S. anthonyanus, in my Andersen's *1 is a large, old fashioned nursery experience S. anthonyanus always has small where everyone knows a lot about plants. Rare hybrids and species of all sorts of plants can be found among the standard varieties. Occasionally you can find epiphytic cactus for sale there; in the past I've picked up anthonyanus and Selenicereus chrysocardium plants as well as various Rhipsalis and others. Sadly the plant labels typically are no more specific than 'Epiphyllum sp' but S. chrysocardium is pretty distinctive and can be easily identified. However, S. anthonyanus can be tough to distinguish from Epiphyllum anguliger when they are not in spines between each leaf corrugation. Such spines may be found on E. anguliger as well, but they are less prolific. My plant does not have many of said spines. My plant also has rounded corrugations and a raised 'line' down the center of each leaf; again, not conclusive but it does resemble an E. anguliger I already own. Also, it doesn't really look that much like any of the S. anthonyanus plants already in my yard.

Of course as we are all aware, the proof is in the flower. So let's hope that this next November I

continued on next page February, 2014 SDES Epi News Page 5

Now is the Time  Continue to watch weather reports for that are dry with those that have soggy freezing conditions. Do not prune frost- potting mix. damaged foliage until all threat of freeze  Protect against strong sun. Don’t has passed. allow plants to be exposed to intense  Watch for snails and slugs. sunlight. Even the winter sun can damage epis. Unseasonable warm  Promote good bloom in mature epis temperatures, extra water, and/or shade with a low-nitrogen fertilizer (0-10-10). may be needed. Epis love to be misted Reapply regularly if you use a liquid. when the air is dry.  To promote new growth on newly-  Protect budding plants from bud drop potted or immature epis, use a higher by not moving the plants. nitrogen fertilizer (5-10-10)  Plan your Mother’s Day display.  Check plants to see that all are receiving the winter rain. Switch those

Breaking the Code (Continued from page 4) be nice to be able to think that I finally broke the Ric Rac Cactus Code. have some E. anguliger blooms on this new plant. I hope so, as I already have plenty of S. I'd love to hear what you think about the anthonyanus plants. I don't know if this spine differences between S. anthonyanus and E. counting technique is actually valid. But it would anguliger, and if we can ever definitively identify them without being in flower.

One more thing. Last month I talked about . Janice Wakefield let me know the meaning of the species name is “hairy fruit”. Thanks Janice!

Enjoy this month and any off-season blooms in your yard.

Notes: *1 I'm talking about the Point Loma Walter Andersen's, located in the old aircraft factory

Mother’s Day 2014– May 10-11 Hats Off to Epies!!

Be thinking about your display! There are myriads of possibilities and lots of blooms will be available! February, 2014 SDES Epi News Page 6 Mother’s Day Show- May 11, 2014: We doff our hats to the Epiphyllum! --Jill Rowney

“Hats Off to Epies”, this year’s Whether your imagination takes you to the Mother’s Day Show theme, offers much variety for displaying Baseball epiphyllum blooms. Many people field venture to the Casa del Prado on Mother’s Day explicitly to purchase epi cuttings and plants. But many others come to revel in the array of magnifi- cent color with hundreds of epies from all mem- bers’ collections making their way to room 101. The theme only adds to the fun. Figuring out a way to display the blooms in a thematic setting can really stretch your creativity and imagination. the When I lived in San Diego, I used to spend many Rice Field hours pondering the possibilities. Sometimes ideas came out of the blue, and sometimes they sort of grew.. My favorite type of display was to create some structure out of foam core-- or, better yet, something larger out of those sheets of .5 inch foam insulation from Home Depot.. Those always became floor displays-- but what fun to construct! (You know, clear, silicone caulking acts as an adhesive and spray paint can “erode” the surface, giving it a “rougher” texture.

In thinking about the theme, if I were building a display (which, given the distance to travel, I most likely won’t), I might consider:  A hat rack- how about all those Easter Bonnets adorned with epies? or the Preschool Playground,  A scene from Alice In Wonderland with the Mad Hatter? If I were totally insane, I would consider building a floor display: perhaps a huge “epiphyllum” tree with a stack of hats at its trunk and a monkey lifting one off depicting a scene from the children’s book, Caps for Sale.

So, you see, the sky truly is your limit and the guide is to have a great time!

let it soar and start planning your display.

February, 2014 SDES Epi News Page 7

From the desk of the Welcome to our New Members! Membership Secretary --Beth Jackson John Ainsworth San Diego We received a nice note from Linda and Craig

Van Note: Gary Brandfellner Every month we look forward to receiving Long Beach, CA the newsletter and have learned so

much. We really like the section about what Carmen Finger to do for your epies that month - what to St. Cloud, MN feed, when to cut back and what bugs to look

out for. Theo Moore

La Mesa, CA A hearty “welcome back” to renewing mem-

bers. We are very glad that you find value in Tim Paule being members of our Society! Lakeside, CA

Off- Season Blooms in December Psst!! Think...Hats!!! Marie Dempewolr: ‘Argus’, ‘Vanilla Sunset’ Beth Jackson: ‘Fern LaBorde’, ‘Ruby Pin- Membership: wheel’, Winston’ New memberships as well Renewals can be Robert Kuettle: ‘Gold Charm, ‘Lollipop’ processed at our secure web site: Mildred Mikas: ‘Campfire’, ‘Curt Paetz’, https://squareup.com/market/san-diego- ‘English Rose’, ‘Epi Society’, ‘Hawaii Calls’, ‘Light & Bright’, ‘Midget Ringer’, epiphyllum-soc ‘Möve’, ‘Opening Night’, ‘Rosette’ Jerry Moreau: ‘Harald Knebel’ Lynn Nills: ‘Gene Lund’ (Bloomed Xmas Day) Don Patterson: ‘Pixie Dust’ Single Membership $15.00 per year Allen Pellymounter: ‘Eddie Huey’, ‘Harald Dual Membership $20.00 per year Knebel’, ‘Lillie Paetz’, ‘Something Special’ (Dual is for two people, same address, Pentico Collection: ‘Fringe of Gold’, one newsletter) ‘Frühlingsgold’, ‘Möve’, ‘Star Charmer’ International Membership $25.00 per year

Safari Park: ‘Beautie Wegener’, ‘Carmon Epi News is published monthly. Deadline for submissions Paetz, ‘Crimson Arrow’, ‘F.A. Haage Jr.’, is the 15th of the month prior to publication. ‘George’s Favorite’, ‘Harald Knebel, ( e-mail [email protected] ) ‘Jungend’, ‘Knebel's Glück’, ‘Litega’, ‘Mary Betty, ‘Möve’, ‘Orange Julius’, ‘Rampage’, ‘Tiny Flame’ Details of How To Become A Linda Sinkovic: Epiphyllum pumilum, 'Felcino Volunteer at the Safari Park: Fairy’, Hatiora salicornioides, Lepismium Can be found on our website: SanDiegoEpi.org . Click on “Safari Park”, then click on “Epi House”, then houlletiana, Rhipsalis mesembryanthemoides “Volunteer”. 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

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

If your address label is marked with a colored pen , your member- ship renewal payment is due .

SAN DIEGO EPIPHYLLUM SOCIETY OFFICERS San Diego Epiphyllum Society, Inc (SDES) President: Ron Crain P.O. Box 126127 [email protected] (619) 421-4785 San Diego, CA 92112-6127 1st Vice President: Velma Crain Epi News is published monthly by [email protected] (619) 421-4785 San Diego Epiphyllum Society, Inc. 2nd Vice President: Sandra Chapin Editor- Jill Rowney: [email protected] (858) 451-1744 (209) 966-3364 Treasurer: Janice Wakefield [email protected] [email protected] (619) 464-1086 Epi News E-mail: [email protected] Recording Secretary: Cindy Decker SDES Web Site: www.SanDiegoEpi.org [email protected] (619) 698-6662 Membership queries: [email protected] Corresponding Secretary: Laura Johnson [email protected] (619)-206-2155 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, Director: Marie Dempewolf: [email protected] Casa del Prado, Balboa Park Director: Bill Greene: [email protected] Director: Oliver Lapuebla: [email protected] NEXT GENERAL MEETING Director and Coordinator– Garden Caravan: February 12, 2014 Mildred Mikas: [email protected] (760) 690-1124 Director and Coordinator Safari Park: SDES Board Meetings are held Jerry Moreau: [email protected] (619) 208-7654 On the fourth Wednesday of each month Coordinator– Sales Events: At 7:00 p.m. in Room 104, Cindy Decker: [email protected] (619) 698-6662 Casa del Prado, Balboa Park. Librarian: Linda Sinkovic: [email protected] Next Board meeting: February26, 2014