Monday, January 14. 2008
We Get Questions
Q: Peter,
Since you are experiencing a dearth of questons and have had to resort to asking and answering them yourself, I'll help you out.
What source do you suggest to keep up with all the latest reclassifications of cacti? Also, what is your very favorite cactus and why?
Inquiring minds want to know.
Aiyana
A: Aiyana-
Thanks for the questions! I wrote my own questions really just for the fun of it, to spice up the blog.
But for your questions:
1. We use "The Cactus Family" by Edward Anderson (2001), which we also used to sell but it is now out of print. For recent name changes, we just go with the flow, changing to current names when it suits us, and using older names too. Basically, we don't always agree with new names and don't try to keep on top of it in the short term (sometimes they change back!) but wait 'til it feels right to us. The Cactus and Succulent Society of America (CSSA) keeps up with changes in their journal.
2. My favorite cactus changes depending on the season. We have so many we grow from little seedlings to big guys and then someone comes in and buys it! It's really about the challenge of growing them into specimens. But I do like the Operculicarya decaryi (not a cactus) with its tiny shiny leaves and its great name (say it out loud), and the blooms on the Ortegocactus macdougallii, although it is a pain to grow and must have limestone in its soil mix.
-Peter
Since you are experiencing a dearth of questons and have had to resort to asking and answering them yourself, I'll help you out.
What source do you suggest to keep up with all the latest reclassifications of cacti? Also, what is your very favorite cactus and why?
Inquiring minds want to know.
Aiyana
A: Aiyana-
Thanks for the questions! I wrote my own questions really just for the fun of it, to spice up the blog.
But for your questions:
1. We use "The Cactus Family" by Edward Anderson (2001), which we also used to sell but it is now out of print. For recent name changes, we just go with the flow, changing to current names when it suits us, and using older names too. Basically, we don't always agree with new names and don't try to keep on top of it in the short term (sometimes they change back!) but wait 'til it feels right to us. The Cactus and Succulent Society of America (CSSA) keeps up with changes in their journal.
2. My favorite cactus changes depending on the season. We have so many we grow from little seedlings to big guys and then someone comes in and buys it! It's really about the challenge of growing them into specimens. But I do like the Operculicarya decaryi (not a cactus) with its tiny shiny leaves and its great name (say it out loud), and the blooms on the Ortegocactus macdougallii, although it is a pain to grow and must have limestone in its soil mix.
-Peter
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who old am i
We take all kinds of questions here at Cactus Blog, including mysterious anonymous ones in the comments.
A: Your age is the same as the age of a piece of igneous rock multiplied by the age of the planet circling that star over there divided by the age of the last particle of sand to be discovered. In other words, 36.
A: Your age is the same as the age of a piece of igneous rock multiplied by the age of the planet circling that star over there divided by the age of the last particle of sand to be discovered. In other words, 36.
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