SAN GABRIEL VALLEY CACTUS & SUCCULENT SOCIETY COMMUNIQUE OCTOBER 2018 San Gabriel Valley Cactus & Succulent Society COMMUNIQUE

An Affiliate of the Cactus & Succulent Society of America October 2018—Volume 51, Number 10

The next Cactus The next meeting of the and Succulent San Gabriel Valley Cactus Workshop will meet Wednesday, and Succulent Society October 17 will be Thursday, October 11 at 7:30 pm at 7:30 pm in Ayres Hall in Ayres Hall at the at the LA County Los Angeles Arboretum in Arcadia. County Arboretum.

Topic: Winter Seed Workshop IN THIS ISSUE Club Information ……………………………………...page 2 Notes from the President ……….…...pages 3 and 4 Mini –Show Plants for Thursday, Refreshment Reminder ………………………….. page 5 October 11 This Month’s Program ….. ………..……………...page 6 Cacti: Cactus of the Month ………… ……..pages 7, 8, and 9 Parodia and Succulent of the Month ….………....pages 10 and 11 Notocactus Calendar of Upcoming Events……………...….page 11 POM and Workshop topics………….……….....page 12 Succulent: Mini-show results from September………..page 13 Conophytum and flowering Mesembs

1 SAN GABRIEL VALLEY CACTUS & SUCCULENT SOCIETY COMMUNIQUE OCTOBER 2018

SGVCSS LEADERSHIP TEAM 2018 Material in the COMMUNIQUE Tom Vermilion, President publication may be reprinted by Gunnar Eisel, Past President nonprofit organizations (unless Vince Basta, Vice President such permission is expressly denied in a note accompanying the Louise Guerin, Secretary material) provided proper credit is Margie Wilson, Treasurer given to the SGVCSS and the Irene Chew, Director 2018 -2019 author, and that one copy of the Richard Salcedo, Director 2018 -2019 publication containing the Donn Muhleman, Director 2018 -2019 reprinted material is sent to the Gunnar Eisel, Director 2017 -2018 editor. Reproduction in whole or part by any other organization or Sharon Sedillo, Director 2017 -2018 publication without the permission Kal Kaminer, Director 2017 -2018 of the publisher is prohibited. Manny Rivera, Winter Show Chair John Matthews, Winter Sales Chair Tom Glavich, Inter-City Show Chair Jim Hanna, CSSA Affiliate Rep Gunnar Eisel, Website Chair Woody Minnich, Program Chair Tori Wilson, Membership Chair Cindy Arakaki, Librarian Richard Roosman, Newsletter Editor

Note** Join the San Gabriel Valley Cactus & Succulent Society. Membership dues are $20 per year. Your dues can be paid at the next meeting or mailed directly to: Tori Wilson 501 San Luis Rey Road, Arcadia, CA 91007 Make checks payable to SGVCSS

2 SAN GABRIEL VALLEY CACTUS & SUCCULENT SOCIETY COMMUNIQUE OCTOBER 2018

Notes From the President (Tom Vermilion)

At the September meeting, I mentioned that the Arboretum will be having a special event at the end of the year. Here’s some more info. Our meeting dates for October remain unchanged. The regular meeting will be on the second Thursday of October, Thursday, October 11. The workshop will be on the 3rd Wednesday of October, Wednesday, October 17. The Arboretum’s special event will start at the end of October and no other evening events will take place on Wednesday through Sunday for the remainder of the year during their event. We have alternate dates for our meetings in November and December. The November meeting will occur on Tuesday, November 13th. The workshop will occur on the following Tuesday, November 20th. The December meeting will occur on Tuesday, December 11th. There will NOT be a workshop in December. These three meetings will be downstairs in the Palm Room. Our holiday party will be Tuesday, December 18th, in Ayres Hall. More information about the party will be announced at the meetings and in the newsletter.

THE BIG NEWS IS THAT THE WINTER SHOW HAS BEEN CHANGED TO THE WEEKEND OF SATURDAY, JANUARY 12 AND SUNDAY, JANUARY 13.

3 SAN GABRIEL VALLEY CACTUS & SUCCULENT SOCIETY COMMUNIQUE OCTOBER 2018

Notes from the President (Tom Vermilion) (continued)

Our elections are coming up. Nominations will be accepted in November and the election will take place at the December meeting. At the last board meeting, the SGVCSS board discussed changing the by-laws. We currently have term limits for the treasurer and secretary positions. The current wording of the by-laws says: Section 6 No officer or director shall hold more than one elective office nor shall any officer be eligible to serve more than more than two consecutive terms in one office. This means that our current treasurer and secretary would be forced out of of- fice. We would have to replace both our secretary and treasurer. The SGVCSS board voted to change the wording of section 6 so that our treasurer and secretary will not be forced out of office.

Proposed New Wording of Section 6: No officer or director shall hold more than one elective office. No officer shall be eligible to serve more than two consecutive terms in one office except Treasurer and Secretary, who will have no such limits.

When the by-laws are changed, we must get the approval from the members. So all of the members attending the October meeting will have the opportunity to vote to accept the change in the by-laws.

4 SAN GABRIEL VALLEY CACTUS & SUCCULENT SOCIETY COMMUNIQUE OCTOBER 2018

REFRESHMENTS The membership list has been divided into ten lists. For OCTOBER, if your last name begins with S please bring refreshments Please have snacks ready by 7 pm. Some ideas: brownies, burritos, chips & dip, cookies, cupcakes, M & M’s, pizza, sandwiches, trail mix, etc. Of course, we welcome snacks brought by anyone, even if your last name does not start with S.

REFRESHMENTS Schedule for 2018: February — last name beginning with A or B March — last name beginning with C or D April — last name beginning with E, F, or G May — last name beginning with H, I, or J June — last name beginning with K or L July — last name beginning with M August — last name beginning with N, O, or P September — last name beginning with R October — last name beginning with S November — last name beginning with T, U, V, or W

5 SAN GABRIEL VALLEY CACTUS & SUCCULENT SOCIETY COMMUNIQUE OCTOBER 2018

October 2018 Presentation Gunnar Eisel's interest in cacti and Gunnar Eisel succulents can be traced back to his "Beauty in the Eye of childhood infatuation with photo- the Beholder: graphing night-blooming cereus flowers Our Wonderful and a few unfortunate encounters with and Weird Hobby" opuntia glochids. His interest in cacti became intensified through many It is easy to see what attracts people to annual trips to the Anza-Borrego desert. roses or African violets. However, if one asks C&S enthusiasts what they Born and raised near Heidelberg, like about cacti and succulents, one is Germany, Eisel has taught music at bound to get very differing answers. CSULA, CSUF, Whittier College, and At first glance, people are surprised Fullerton College. He recently retired at the variety of striking shapes, tex- as music professor at Citrus College in tures, and unworldly features one sees Glendora, where his students were at our C&S shows. However, our ap- frequently subjected to his rantings preciation grows deeper as we become regarding cacti and succulents. more sensitized to the subtleties of An avid C&S collector, he serves as our plants. With some plants, it’s love General Manager of the Cactus and at first sight. With others, we may Succulent Society of America (CSSA). wonder what all the fuss is about. Our appreciation of our plants often changes as we become more familiar with them. We may even discover that plants which first attract us often align themselves with aspects of our personalities. Beauty in the Eye of the Beholder will explore what to look for as we broaden our appreciation of C&S. To paraphrase author Neale Donald Walsch, “growth begins at the end of your comfort zone”.

6 SAN GABRIEL VALLEY CACTUS & SUCCULENT SOCIETY COMMUNIQUE OCTOBER 2018

Cactus of the Month little water year round. Some of the October 2018 more tropical species need protection Parodia and Notocactus from colder weather to prevent scar- Article and photos ring, but most will take normal South- by Tom Glavich ern California winters without protec- Notocactus and Parodia are now tion. generally considered to be Parodia are easy to grow from seed. the same genus, and in modern refer- Seed is available for nearly all the ences all Notocactus have been species, generally with variants from moved into Parodia. The original specific localities. It’s worth exploring distinguishing characteristic was the the differences in form and spination red stigmas in the flowers of Noto- by growing the same species from cactus, and the yellow stigma in multiple locations. The seedlings look those of Parodia. The distinguish- very similar, but diverge more and ing characteristic between the two more as the plants mature. The seed genera were redefined over time as germinates readily and can grow into a more and more intermediates were show quality plant in just a few years. discovered, eventually becoming a Vegetative propagation of the cluster- minor difference in the attachment of ing types is easy as well. Cuttings taken the seed to ovary. If you have a Noto- during the late spring and early sum- cactus, you can enter it this month mer root readily and show new growth labeled as a Parodia. before the season is over. Parodia has swept up several other The main difficulties encountered with genera, and is likely to grow and these plants are the ones common to all swallow a few more as botanical and cacti: mealy bugs, spider mites, and genetic studies continue. fungal spots. Mealy bugs can be kept Parodia are South American Cacti, away by keeping the plants clean with the center of the genus and keeping ants away from the pots. in Brazil and Argentina, but with Spider mites can appear at any time. members throughout the Eastern side They can do a lot of damage during the of the Andes. Most are easy to grow, winter when plants are kept dry, and growing freely in the spring through less attention is paid to them. A peri- the fall, and going more or less odic hosing will help keep spider mites dormant in the fall. Some will flower away. A rose miticide will kill them, as in mid-winter, and given their native will the much less poisonous Volck oil. environment, most do better given a

7 SAN GABRIEL VALLEY CACTUS & SUCCULENT SOCIETY COMMUNIQUE OCTOBER 2018

Parodia and Notocactus (continued) Parodia maassii has dense spination, often colored. It is native to Southern Bolivia and Northern Soaking the plants in dish detergent Argentina. will take care of spider mites, but Parodia penicillata from Northern this is not a recommended treatment Argentina has very dense radial spines if the plants are dormant. Fungal that stick out from the body. This is a spots and creeping crud (also a very unusual species that is easy to fungus common to many South grow. This is another species whose American cacti) growing from the growing point always points base can be kept at bay by keeping towards the sun, giving the plant a the plants in growth as much as pos- leaning appearance. This can be sible, by fertilizing regularly, and by avoided by frequently turning the keeping the growing area clean and plant, or it can be emphasized as part debris free to allow as much free air of the unique character of the species. movement as possible. Parodia schumanniana grows to Great Parodias more than a foot in diameter. This is Parodia chrysacanthion from an extremely variable species, always Jujuy, Argentina, is a solitary globose having deep ribs, but very different species with great spines. supination. Parodia (Notocactus) lening- hausii from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, is easy to come by and with patience and care becomes a very impressive species. It is nearly columnar, offsetting from the base, with short yellow spines. The grow- ing tip always leans towards the sun (much more so in California than in its native Brazil). Give it root room and lots of fertilizer to grow and spread.

Parodia mueller-melchersii Photo by Tom Glavich

8 SAN GABRIEL VALLEY CACTUS & SUCCULENT SOCIETY COMMUNIQUE OCTOBER 2018

Parodia turecekiana, named

after the late Victor Turecek, a long time club member, comes from western Uruguay and northern Argentina. A great species that is readily available. Parodia leninghausii Photo by Tom Glavich from Wikipedia

Halloween cactus from dreamstime.com

9 SAN GABRIEL VALLEY CACTUS & SUCCULENT SOCIETY COMMUNIQUE OCTOBER 2018

Succulent of the Month Potting mixes vary from straight pum- October 2018 ice to a mix made famous by Conophytum and Steve Hammer and called Mabel Mix. flowering Mesembs This is one part plaster sand, one part Article and photos pumice, one part Miracle Grow Water by Tom Glavich retentive potting mix, and one half part vermiculite. The author has his Conophytum are one of the most in- mature plants in this mix and likes teresting of the Mesembs. They are they way they look. They should be small plants ranging from single head- lightly fertilized once or twice a year. ed specimens that rarely exceed half an In habitat these Conophytum often inch in diameter to larger clusters that grow in cracks in rocks, where the can grow to several inches in diameter. roots can reach deep and are protected They are winter growers flowering at from excess heat. Fog condenses on the start of the growing season, which the rocks and runs into the cracks for California is September through providing additional water. They can November. Many are relatively easy also be found exposed in desert pans to grow while some are fiendishly and fully exposed in quartz fields. difficult. They want a warm, fairly dry summer rest and a cool wet winter. The bilobum and bilobum type They go dormant in the late spring to species are easiest. They grow fast early summer and develop a pale skin and are a good entry into Conophy- that eventually turns papery. When tum cultivation. They are hard to kill this happens, they want little water, and are very tolerant of abuse. Some but appreciate an occasional misting. conophytum have very small heads, They often grow where summer fogs (less than an eighth of an inch in are common, providing occasional diameter). These are difficult when cooling mists. In cultivation a light young, but easier as they mature misting every 10 days or so during the into clumps. summer months prove beneficial. Although Conophytum is the main During fall and spring, weekly water- focus for this month, there are many ing in fast draining mixes is beneficial other mesembs that are flowering and less frequent watering when in around this time. They are welcome as slower draining mixes works well. well. Look for some Lithops, Faucaria, They love being exposed to the rain, and many others to appear. but too much of a good thing can lead to split heads and rot.

10 SAN GABRIEL VALLEY CACTUS & SUCCULENT SOCIETY COMMUNIQUE OCTOBER 2018

(Conophytum continued) Conophytum obcordellum from There are three pictures with Ursprung, South Africa. This species, this article. The first shows a as with many of the Conophytum, has Conophytum bilobum, many local forms in cultivation and cultivar ‘Betty’, grown for its many cultivars and selections based flowers. The two bilobes are on pattern and color. easy to see. Photo by Tom Glavich

Photo by Tom Glavich

2018 CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS BAKERSFIELD CACTUS & SUCCULENT SHOW & SALE SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13 from 10 am to 5 pm SUNDAY, OCTOBER 14 from 11 am to 3 pm St. Paul’s Church, 2216 17th Street, Bakersfield Free admission and Parking Information: 661-831-8488

PALOMAR Cactus & Succulent Society FALL SHOW & SALE SATURDAY, OCTOBER 27 from 9 am to 5 pm SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28 from 10 am to 3 pm San Diego Botanic Gardens, 230 Quail Gardens Road, Encinitas Information: [email protected] or 858-776-7216

11 SAN GABRIEL VALLEY CACTUS & SUCCULENT SOCIETY COMMUNIQUE OCTOBER 2018

San Gabriel Valley Cactus & Succulent Society Workshops

February ...... Pelargonium March ...... Rebutia, Sulcorebutia, and Weingartia April ...... Spring Seed Workshop May ...... Vegetative Propagation June ...... Coryphantha and Escobaria July ...... Staging and Show Preparation August ...... Sansevieria September ...... Ariocarpus October ...... Winter Seed Workshop November ...... Conophytum and flowering Mesembs

Plant of the Month: Cacti Plant of the Month: Succulent

Feb Single Head Mammillaria Pelargonium Mar Rebutia, Sulcorebutia, and Aeonium Weingartia Apr Small cactus staged as mini Small succulent staged as mini May Buiningia and Uebelmannia Gasteria June Coryphantha and Escobaria Euphorbia not endemic to Madagascar July Echinocereus Sansevieria Aug Favorite cactus Favorite succulent Sept Ariocarpus Fouquieria Oct Parodia and Notocactus Conophytum and flowering Mesembs Nov Best staged Cactus Best staged Succulent

12 SAN GABRIEL VALLEY CACTUS & SUCCULENT SOCIETY COMMUNIQUE OCTOBER 2018

MINI SHOW RESULTS FROM SEPTEMBER 2018 MEETING

Open Division— Cactus First place — Cindy Arakaki — Ariocarpus fissuratus Second place — Frank Nudge — Ariocarpus agavoides Third place — Frank Nudge — Ariocarpus retusus furfuraceus Third place — Cindy Arakaki — Ariocarpus kotschoubeyanus

Intermediate Division — Cactus First place — Louise Stack — Ariocarpus retusus

Novice Division — Cactus First place — Richard Salcedo — Ariocarpus retusus

Second place — Amanda Erlanson — Ariocarpus retusus ‘fat form’ Third Place — Alex Sierra — Ariocarpus fissuratus Third place — Sharon Sedillo — Ariocarpus fissuratus

Open Division — Succulent First place — Manny Rivera — Fouquieria diguetii Second place — Manny Rivera— Fouquieria splendens

13 COMMUNIQUE Newsletter of the San Gabriel Valley Cactus and Succulent Society c/o Richard Roosman P.O. Box 5222 Huntington Park, CA 90255

FIRST CLASS MAIL

If you have a cactus or succulent related event that you would like to have announced in the COMMUNIQUE, forward the information to the address below. Please verify the event date. Articles, Notices and Corrections can be sent via email to: [email protected] or via mail to: San Gabriel Valley Cactus and Succulent Society Newsletter Editor, c/o Richard Roosman, P.O. Box 5222, Huntington Park, CA 90255. Material must be received by the 20th of the month to be considered for publication in the next issue of the COMMUNIQUE.