Feb 09 Communique.Indd

San Gabriel Valley Cactus & Succulent Society COMMUNIQUE An Affi liate of the Cactus & Succulent Society of America, Inc. February 2009 - Volume 42, Number 2 February Meeting: President’s Message Thursday, I hope that everyone who could, came out to enjoy that glorious February 12 at 7:30 pm day at the Huntington. Perfect weather, succulents in bloom, fantastic. I for one appreciate the efforts that the staff and volunteers (several SGVCSS members included) of the Botanical Gardens expend for Meetings are held on the those of us in the C&S hobby. 2nd Thursday of the month Mark your calendar - July 18 is the date for our trip to Lotus Land. at 7:30 pm in the Palm Room, More details will be forthcoming. Los Angeles County Arboretum, We attended the Haworthia Hoedown last night, excellent turn- Arcadia. out. Thanks Patty and Rene Caro for adding a little spice to the Study Group. The plants that members brought to share and to trade were great. Mini-Show Plants: We hear that Jim Hanna is on the mend after 15 days in the CACTUS: (continued on page 3) Ceroids This Month’s Program SUCCULENT: Gasteria Our speaker for February will be Tim Nomer. Tim is very famil- iar for those who attend any of the C&S shows in the area. He and his wife, Anat are seen at all of the shows photographing the plants. He Study Group: will present a digital slide show that will highlight recent San Gabriel Study group will meet on Wednesday, and Intercity shows. His interesting perspectives on what makes a February 18th in the Palm Room, plant worthy of a second look give us all a hint at how better to prepare Los Angeles County Arboretum at our plants for shows. 7:30 pm. The topic will be: Gasteria In This Issue Material in the COMMUNIQUE publication may be reprinted by nonprofi t President’s Message . 1 organizations (unless such permission is This Month’s Program . 1 expressly denied in a note accompany- Study Group. 2 ing the material) provided proper credit is Mini-Show Results. 2 given to the SGVCSS and the author, and Book Review . 2 that one copy of the publication containing Plants Of The Month . 4 the reprinted material is sent to the editor. Calendar of Upcoming Events . 7 Reproduction in whole or part by any other organization or publication without the permission of the publisher is prohibited. 1 February 2009 COMMUNIQUE Study Group Book Review Wednesday, February 18th • Genus Gasteria Namaqualand and the Richtersveld, Nature’s The study group is an informal, hands-on learn- Spectacular Canvas - Volume 1 ing experience that is fun for expert and novice alike. Reviewed by: Buck Hemenway Come and learn from the experience of others. We Martin P. Heigan are always happy to share our knowledge. 2008 78pgs. Meetings are held the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 7:30 pm in the Palm Room at the LA Coun- The author’s fi nal line “go where the air is clean ty Arboretum, 301 N. Baldwin Avenue, Arcadia. and the streets have no names...” perfectly describes this fantastic part of our world and his exquisite pic- Mini-Show Results torial review of the fl ora of Namaqualand. Tucked in the Northwest corner of South Africa, Cactus – Mammillaria Clusters this semi-desert region is home to a dazzling array Beginner of plant life. Mr. Heigan’s book brings the spring 1st Brian Le M. spinosissima blooming season to life. 2nd Anne Keegan M. pattersonii It’s a small book at 78 pages, but the quality 3rd Tricia Kangrga M. duwei of the photography is excellent and his descriptions Intermediate and local knowledge anecdotes are interesting and 1st Dodson/Birgh M. thornberi thought provoking. As a traveler to this far away 2nd Cindy/Calvin Arakaki M. plumosa place, I highly recommend this invitation for more. 3rd Barbara Hall M. duwei Advanced Available at: www.amazon.com ($79.95) 1st Buck Hemenway M. bombycina www.blurb.com ($65.95) 2nd Rita Gerlach M. species 3rd Buck Hemenway M. karwinskiana ssp. nejapensis Succulent – Othonna & Senecio Beginner 1st Minh Au S. vitalis crest 2nd Anne Keegan S. longifl orus var. madagascariensis 3rd Tricia Kangrga S. desfl ersii Intermediate 1st Cindy/Calvin Arakaki O. euphorbioides 2nd Barbara Hall O. fi licaulis 3rd Dodson/Birgh S. barbonicus Advanced 1st Alan Hooker O. euphorbioides 2nd Manny Rivera O. retrofracta 3rd Buck Hemenway O. euphorbioides x Refreshment Signup cremuophyllum These club members have signed up to provide Be sure to take a look at the Club’s website at www.sgvcss. refreshments at our January meeting. com. Thanks to Gunnar Eisel for managing our website. If William Molina you wish to receive your COMMUNIQUE on-line please Barbara Nolan notify the editor at [email protected]. Pat Swain 2 February 2009 COMMUNIQUE President’s Message Congratulations to our newly-weds - Mike and Ana (continued from page 1) Wiznev were married in early January. We’ll have a meeting of the Board of Directors at hospital for heart by-pass surgery. We all wish you a Coco’s (corner of Colorado and Michillinda) before speedy recovery, Jim. the Study Group in February (18th). Plan to be there There is a good list of upcoming succulent events at 6:00, we’ll be able to eat (if you wish) and do busi- on our web site, you can always fi nd it there if you’ve ness at the same time. misplaced your list. The next big event is the Winter Show and Sale in San Diego on February 14. Buck Hemenway DESERT FORUM AT THE HUNTINGTON BOTANICAL GARDENS Aloe “David Verity” Horace and Hank enjoying the day Notocactus bloom Aloe ferox Boojum trees SGVC&SS LEADERSHIP TEAM - 2009 Buck Hemenway, President Cindy Arakaki, Board Member Jim Hanna, CSSA Affi liate Representative Horace Birgh, Vice President John Matthews, Board Member and Plant Sales Chair Rita Gerlach, Treasurer Phil Skonieczki, Board Member Woody Minnich, Program Chair Anne Keegan, Secretary Karen Ostler, Board Member Bill Gerlach, Membership Chair Manny Rivera, Board Member and Ralph Massey, Board Member Liz Alba, Library Chair Winter Show Chair Tom Glavich, Intercity Show Chair Gunnar Eisel, Website Chair 3 February 2009 COMMUNIQUE Plants Of The Month rows. It is easy to grow, but can topple in wet soils during windy conditions. Enter your specimen plants in our monthly mini- show. It will help you prepare for the real shows and Myrtillocactus geometrizans is fairly rapidly give you an additional opportunity to show others your growing species that branches quickly. It is from cen- pride and joy. If you don’t have any of these species tral Mexico, but does great in California gardens. It is of plants you can learn about them at the meeting. easy to grow, makes a wonderful blue stemmed accent in any garden, and requires practically no care. CACTI OF THE MONTH — CEROIDS Ceroid or columnar cacti are not a closely related set of genera, but a lumping together of all the cacti that are much longer than they are around. Ceroid cacti vary in size from a few inches, as in the aptly named, Pygmaeocereus to the giants like Pachycereus and Carnegiea (Saguaro). Most are robust growers, given adequate water, fertilizer, room for root develop- ment and support. They expect more nitrogen in their soil and more water than most globular cacti. They do well in normal cactus soil, as long as they get additional fertilization. Propagation is generally by cuttings or seed. Cuttings need to be dried well before planting. A few weeks are the minimum for some of the larger Myrti llocactus geometrizans columnar species. They do best if dried in an upright position. If placed on their sides the cut end rots easier. Cephalocereus senilis is the popular ‘Old Man Seed of columnar cacti are readily available, and are cactus’. It is surprisingly diffi cult to grow into a large particularly enjoyable to grow. While all of the globu- specimen, subject to rot if it gets cold and damp. It is lar cacti are the size of a pea, many of the columnar native to Hidalgo, Mexico. cacti are fi lling the pot, and an inch or more high. If grown from seed, many will not tolerate crowding for Carnegiea gigantea or the Saguaro is another long, and demand their own pot. This is particularly large plant, this time from Arizona, with a few in Cali- true of Oreocereus, which will quickly stop growing if fornia. It does well in California gardens, at least until there is more than one plant per pot. it gets large, but it is very slow. A look through any of the references listed below gives many genera names that are rarely seen Popular South American Ceroids — in cultivation. This is because the plants take many years to reach fl owering size, are only really happy Cereus are found in much of South America. in the ground, and get too big for pots in any case. Cereus peruvianus, found in many Southern California Some genera are very popular, and these are described gardens, has been cultivated for over 400 years, and is below. not known in the wild! Popular North American Ceroids — Cleistocactus is one of the most beautiful genera of the columnar cacti. These slender plants branch Stenocereus (Lemaireocereus) marginatus is a from the base, and have dense spines and often wispy wonderful garden plant. It makes straight thick stems hair. They are easy to grow, and quickly set fl owers from the ground, with short spines in neat orderly that are usually long red tubes sticking out through the spines.

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