Cactus Blog 

We recently got back from a botanical adventure in Costa Rica. We visited as far south as the jungles around Quepos and up into the cloud forests of Monteverde, and along the dry areas near Arenas Volcano (plus the pacific beaches near Jaco). So I’m going to be posting pictures, lots of pictures of plants we saw on the trip. I’ll try to identify species where I can, with the help of my trusty “A Field Guide to Plants of Costa Rica.”

We saw a lot of jungle cactus (indeed!) and orchids in bloom and tillandsias and begonias, and what do we have here? Why, it’s a Peperomia.

Peperomia rotundifolia

You can really see how these climb the trees in their native habitat. Seems a bit different than what we normally see in a hanging pot. Plus we have some bonus Tillandsias, of which I’ll have more to say later. We saw some really nice Peperomias in bloom, and I assume I’ll have some of those pictures too, if you’re nice to me.

Well, this is the last of my posters, now that the change of administration is complete, I feel like I can obamify our logo.

So I haven’t seen the movie Pineapple Express, but apparently there’s a crucial cactus scene. From R-Views in Melbourne, we get this review of the DVD just out.

Best scene: Our two stoned heroes strap a guy to a chair for questioning. Then, to make him speak, they threaten him with a cactus. The great thing about the scene is that the cactus threatening act does not take center stage and does not grab for screen attention; it’s a subtle gesture done in the background, as if cacti are common truth elicitation devices.

So I suppose I have to go see this just for this scene and report back whether this review is accurate or not. Oy, what I do for you, my loyal readers, both of you.

Pereskia grandifolia

I may have already posted this picture, but it’s worth a second look on this joyous occasion.

Still more from Obamiconme.

Vintage Sahuara Cactus Umbrella Stand

Vintage Cactus Umbrella Stand, measures approx. 12 1/4 x 10 inches.

Now that is something to see there. A dead saguaro stump that’s been converted to umbrella-storage-usage. But not just any dead saguaro stump conversion, but a vintage dead saguaro stump conversion. Nice. And it’s for sale, if you like. Now I don’t personally have any use for this fine vintage product, but you might, so I thought I would share it with you.

From Obamiconme comes this, just in time for the inaugural.

That’s Hap jumping off a cliff.

In this edition of We Get Questions, I lay it on the line when a Euphorbia gets advanced rot.

Hello,
I have what I beleive is a Euphorbia based on the pictures on your website. Recetnly the plant starting turning a blackish color on some of the branches, they would then drie up and droop. I don’t know what is causing it and it’s starting to spread to other branches.

Is there anything I can to do stop it?

Attached are pictures of the top portion of the plant.

I cut off the other branches that had dried out. The plant sits near my front door and has been there for several years. And then all of a sudden, these problems started.

Daniel

Daniel,
The plant has caught an infection, probably a virus, and it looks like it is too late to save it. You can try to save some uninfected branches if you like. Cut them clean, spray with hydrogen peroxide, let sit for 2 weeks, and then plant them in dry soil to root. Don’t reuse your existing infected pot or soil, use fresh and clean materials only.

Sorry I don’t have better news.
Peter

It makes the news when a cactus in Singapore blooms, and well it should!

Madam Sharon Goh, director of Candy Floriculture, a nursery in Thomson Road, says: ‘Younger-generation customers are looking for something unique…’

To cater to this new demand, nurseries all over Singapore are also importing a plethora of unusual plants, such as pitcher plants and cacti, for Chinese New Year.

Both are not particularly auspicious, since the pitcher plant is carnivorous and some cacti have sharp spikes. But nurseries have put a new spin on them.

Mr Lee Meng Kwan, assistant general manager of World Farm, a nursery in Bah Soon Pah Road, says: ‘The pitchers hold water and water to the Chinese represents wealth.’

The cactus plants are topped with a flower that is the colour of Chinese New Year – red.

OK, so let me get this straight. The cactus are not blooming, but to make them more palatable to a chinese audience they’re gluing red paper blooms on top. It’s an outrage! I won’t stand for this sitting down!

We do actually get some people in the nursery telling us that cactus are not good feng shui, and I say to them, “pah.”

But then they buy the large Sansevieria cylindrica for good luck and all is forgiven.

I found this interesting webtool to obamify your picture. What this has to do with cactus is for you to decide, but I’ll be presenting a few new posters that you can enjoy until the inauguration.

Hi Peter & Hap,
 
In August I finally had success in fertilizing two of my Echinopsis.  Now the fruit has dried and opened.  What do I do with the solid clumps of seeds to prepare them for planting?  How long are they potent?  When is the best time of year to plant them?  What supplies will I need to pick up the next time I stop by your store?
 
Thanks,
Maya

Maya,

Your seed can be freed from the dried fruit mass by gently rubbing it on a paper towel until the seeds separate from the dried fruit. Then you can sort of blow across them and usually the fruit bits weigh less that the seed and it blows away leaving the seed. Start with a gentle puff and see what it will take so the seed doesn’t go flying! 

When you have the seed separated you can plant it all or save some for later, as long as you keep it dry and cool. Most cactus seed can last for years and still sprout. We start our seeds early spring, so in the next month or so it is a good time of year to plant them. We use domed seed trays filled with cactus soil, we scatter the seed on the surface and then barely cover with crushed Horticultural Charcoal (this acts as both a cover mulch and helps keep algae and mold growing on the soil under the high humidity of the domed seed tray. the charcoal also has chemicals in it that make the seeds think there has been a fire and it is a good time to sprout). 

Next we mist the tray heavily with water, cover with the dome and put under lights or in bright, diffused light in the greenhouse. An east facing window will also work. But be careful if you use a west or south window as they can cook the contents of a covered seed tray. 

Good luck and happy planting.

What with the new President coming in and all (soon…), the Senate has passed a bill to expand wilderness areas, including a larger Joshua Tree National Park:

In California, Joshua Tree National Park (above) would expand under the legislation along with two other areas in the state. (Gabriel Bouys / AFP/Getty Images)

Nice picture of yuccas. Any cactus being saved too? Indeed!

Joshua Tree National Park cactus garden is one of many wonders in the high desert. (Gabriel Bouys / AFP/Getty Images)

But is there anything the SF Chronicle can tell us to go along with these pretty pictures? Why, but of course!

This bill would designate as wilderness some 190,000 acres of scenic and ecologically sensitive desert land in the mountains of Riverside County adjacent to Palm Springs, including large chunks of Joshua Tree National Park….

The designation of 80,000 acres of additional wilderness in Joshua Tree National Park would protect the high, moist Mojave desert habitat, which supports Joshua trees, and the lower, warmer Colorado desert ecosystem, where Cholla cactus is prevalent.

We have a little cactus our then ten year old, now 23 year old, son bought while we were in Texas.  it is about seven inches tall, in a little terra cota pot, has sent out, in the past year, two little tiny baby branches that are now nestled in the pot, too.  The initial plant has fallen out of the little pot last month while we were moving,now the bottom of it looks sickly to me, some yellowish coloration coming in. How do I nurse it back to full health??

Set hubby’s toothbrush next to it for your size referencing! What kind of cactus is it, and must I cut it apart?? to save it?

thanks much… I look forward to your insight and guidance!
Deb

Deb,
The cactus needs to get into a bigger pot with fresh soil. It is hard to tell what species it is since it has been underpotted (and also probably it wants more direct sunlight), and thus it’s growth is a bit unusual. However, the key issue is the yellowish color at the bottom. If it is soft there, then there is rot started. If it is as firm as the rest of the plant, then it is fine.

If there is no rot, then carefully repot into a bigger pot with fresh dry well-draining cactus soil; keep it dry through the winter. Around late March, you can add some kelp meal to the soil and start watering on your normal schedule.

If it is rot, then to rescue the plant you will need to cut the top of the plant off above any rot and check to make sure the cutting has no rot on the cut part at all. Spray the cut end with household peroxide to help it heal. Let the cutting dry for 2 weeks, and then plant in fresh, dry soil in a bigger pot. Keep dry until late March, and then start watering on your regular schedule.

Good luck, and let us know how it goes,
Peter

Special Hatchling New Caledonian Crested Gecko Edition

There are 2 babies in that photo, hanging onto that succulent pepperomia, and each other. We are very proud for their parents, since the parents aren’t, since the babies of course had to be separated immediately.

Benjamin went to work for a couple weeks in a San Francisco office. He seems to have taken to it very well.

I wonder if he’ll ever want to work at the nursery again?

LATE UPDATE: He moved! New Position! Amica approves!

Backpacker Magazine reveals the secrets of camping, including getting water from a cactus in the desert.

FIND WATER ANYWHERE

Make a solar still… Stuff a plastic bag three-quarters full with green vegetation (grass, cactus). Place it on a sunny slope with the vegetation at the top of the incline, so evaporated moisture drains to the bottom. Either way, a quart-sized bag will yield two to three tablespoons in average conditions.

That’s not a lot of water, but it’s not nothing either. Let’s hope you never have to try this minimal technique.

There’s a new plant wiki in town, Plants.am – Plant Encyclopedia and Gardening Wiki.

Let’s explore.

Venus Flytrap. Nope, page doesn’t exist yet. Maybe you could fill them in?

Cactus. Well, that’s interesting. The page starts off by borrowing photos and text from Wikipedia.

Wikipedia: A cactus (plural: cacti or cactuses) is any member of the spine plant family Cactaceae, native to the Americas. They are often used as ornamental plants, but some are also crop plants.

Plants.am: A cactus (plural cactus, cacti, or cactuses) is any member of the succulent plant family Cactaceae. They are often used as ornamental plants, but some are also crop plants.

I see some differences there. Just not a lot. But then, it’s a new site. More will come, I’m sure.

Just in time for the inauguration. From the Chicago Sun-Times, we find out that there are a few hardy colorful succulents that can help to brighten up even a midwestern winter.

Let’s face it, the… dominant tones of Midwestern winters (are) the grays and browns of barks and branches, of decomposing leaves, and of organic mulch on frozen soil….

(One) option is a group of succulents known as hens-and-chicks (Sempervivum spp.). Hardy to Zone 3, when growing in full sun and very well-drained soil, plants form slowly-spreading colonies of evergreen plants.

Homeowners today can select from a wide variety of… ground covers that will add vital shades… shapes and textures to their winter landscapes.

This is true.

Cornell Ave.
Aeoniums

These are some scrawny looking aeoniums from a picture I took last summer. they were dormant back then. Can you tell? I’ll bet if you went back now they would look different. The miracle of gardening.

Fremontodendron ‘Pacific Sunset’
flannel bush

Let’s see what the good folks at Calflora have to say, shall we?

Showy hybrid flannel bush which grows in a broad “V” to 20 – 30 ft. tall. Covered with orange-yellow cup-shaped flowers for a long period in spring. Requires full sun and plenty of room. Best if not watered once established.

That seems about right. But then, what do I know?

The Houston Chronicle tells us that 2009 will feature more cactus at all the finest restaurants.

Food trends 2009: A simply happy new year
As recession takes hold, look for comfort foods, less complicated cooking and a few sprightly innovations

…The new year also will see the rise of Asian noodles, Peruvian dishes and drinks, ginger, cactus, certified fish, affordable wines, garam masala flavors, smoked flavors, maple syrup, organ meats and the growing use of eggs.

JULIO CORTEZ: CHRONICLE
Say yes to nopal; look for cactus in food and drink.

I’ll believe it when I see it. But I am intrigued by this ginge, cactus dish idea.

Hi
I stumbled across your blog while looking for info on a cactus, the euphorbia ammak variegata or golden candelabra. I just got my boyfriend one for Xmas. We live in Southern Nevada, where it gets extremely hot in the summer, he planted it outside with all the other cactus he has, but it has gone all limp and has been ‘sweating’ . We have had extremely cold temps right now, like 26 to 30 degrees at night and think this is most likely the problem. Should we dig it back up and bring it indoors or what would be the best way to take care of it? Thanks so much, and we will be checking out your blog now that we have found it!!

Penny

Penny,

If you are getting down to 26 it has indeed been too cold for an E. Ammak to be outside unprotected. They can take light frosts, but get pretty damaged with real freezes. Either move it in-doors or wrap it with old-style c-9 Xmas lights (the big ones that give off a little bit of heat) and then wrap it lightly in a frost blanket (a spun breathable fabric sold as a season extender at garden centers). If your E. Ammak is “sweating” sap be very careful, as the sap is poisonous and if it gets in your eyes it is a trip to the emergency room! If it has frozen hard it will have tissue damage and may start turning black and rotting, you may need to nurse it through to save it. Keep it dry and warm it up if you can. If rot starts you may need to trim off the infected parts with a knife and then douse the cut parts with hydrogen-peroxide, but again be very careful of the sap, it hurts and cause nasty rashes if it gets on the skin.

Good luck,
Hap

Is that an offensive common name? It’s the other common name for the same common plant compared to yesterday as the “Mother in Law’s Tongue.” So here’s another cultivar for you to gaze upon, and compare.

Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Moonshine’

A silver-leafed master of the low-light home.

ABC News fills us in on the latest consumer products you can buy to help keep the eonomy out of depression. However, what with the severe recession and all, this may be asking too much of you.

So first, let us tell you what you have won*

Who says you need a green thumb to make your garden grow? The Easy Bloom Plant Sensor takes the guesswork out of planning and maintaining a perfect garden.

The device, which looks like a tall, thin plastic flower, can also help diagnose why a plant is not doing well or how much water is needed in a certain area. So if… your Christmas cactus isn’t blooming in that kitchen window, you’ll soon find out why.

You plant the sensor anywhere in your yard where you would like to grow a plant, and let it soak up the environmental data — soil moisture, sunlight, drainage — over a 24-hour period. Then pull it apart and plug the USB end into your computer’s USB port (I’d probably clean it off first) where the sensor data is uploaded to the EasyBloom Web site.

This seems like a lot of effort to find out that your christmas cactus needed more darkness 3 months ago to be able to bloom now. But remember, this is for the good of the economy.

*won the opportunity to spend money on, that is.

Is that an offensive name? Anyway, here’s a smaller, more compact cultivar to the ever-popular houseplant.

Sansevieria trifasciata ‘Hahnii’

Some say this might even be hardy outside here in the Bay Area. Maybe as cold as 30°F. Seems possible, but I haven’t tried it.

Benjamin is still in Santa Cruz with his sister Amica and cousing Jaxx. When he gets back maybe we’ll have some group portaits for you. But not today.

Here, have an engraving to hold you over.

“Othello and Desdemona” Artist: P MacQuoid. Engraver: R Josey

I wonder what that other non-whippet dog is? Maybe a terrier. A dachshund? Eh, whatever, this is friday whippet blogging and that’s a very pretty whippet with a bow there.

LATE UPDATE: Benjamin and Amica, photo by Dani!