THE TIME-LIFE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF GARDENING
CAC T I & S U CC U L E N TS by PHILIP PERL and THE EDITORS OF TIME-LIFE BOOKS
photographs by ENRICO FERORELLI
THE TIME-LIFEBOOKS, ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA TIME LIFE
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BIZARR
If horticulturists were to try to
and Montia lamprosperma; manage
develop a group of plants per-
to survive north of the Arctic
fectly suited to the life style
Circle. Though cacti do not occur
of the 20th Century, they could
naturally to any great extent in
do no better than nature has done
the cooler regions of the coun-
over millions of years in coming
try, many different species can
up with the cactus and its fel-
be cultivated in those areas if
low succulents. Though it is not
rapid drainage is provided; it is
quite correct to say that these
the combination of wet soil and low
plants thrive on neglect, they do
temperatures that often kills them.
require far less care than most
Cacti and succulents are able to
other plants-a characteristic to
thrive in a variety of environ-
be admired in today’s hurried
ments because their spines and
world where few people can devote
tough skins make them highly
as much time as they would like to
resistant to pests and predators
gardening maintenance.
and because their stems, leaves or
Furthemore, cacti and succulents
roots can hold large amounts of
often are among the few plants
water over long periods of time.
that thrive in today’s centrally
All members of the cactus family
cooled and heated homes, many of
are succulents (from the Latin
which seem as dry as the Gobi
word succulentus for juice or
Desert.
sap) but most succulents are not
Not all cacti are des-
ert dwellers, however, though it
cacti. Succulents, defined by this
is true that the greatest variety
moisture-storing ability, come
of sizes and shapes is found in
from many botanical families. The
desert species; some are ¬at home
agave, for example, is a membe¬r
in the trees of a tropical rain
of the amaryllis clan, and the me-
forest or on a sandy ocean beach,
dicinal aloe, popular as a natural
while others are hardy enough to
unguent for the treatment of bums,
withstand frost. Among other suc-
is a member of the lily family.
culents, at least two, Sedum rosea
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Another succulent, the columnar
and flamboyant. Its flower is not
euphorbia, resembles the cereus
only more luxuriant than those of
cactus in color, size and shape.
many other plant families (each
But close examination of the
blossom of the orchid cactus Ho-
two plants reveals an important
nolulu Queen contains more than
difference: the spines of the
800 stamens), but it appears to
cactus grow from areoles, small
be even more spectacular because
nublike structures that dot the
of the austerity of the back-
plant in regular patterns. Flow-
ground upon which it appears,
ers and new growth also sprout
much as does the orchid. (In the
from the areoles, which in some
case of many otherwise homely
cases provide insulation and are
orchids, the flower is the only
used to identify species of cac-
reason for cultivating the plant;
ti. The spines on the euphorbia
in the cactus, the flower repre-
and other succulents do not grow
sents an additional dividend.)
from the body of the plant.
STARTING SPLENDOR
from areoles; they come directly
The blossoms of one tropical group, the night blooming cerei,
Generally, though, there is little chance of mistaking the fleshy, frequently fuzzy and often breathtakingly color-suffused leaves of most succulents for the stark angularity and swollen stems of a spine-laden cactus. Despite the fact that the cactus requires little water or attention, it does more than merely bring us its unde-
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a term covering some 30 genera, are famed for their size. Those of the queen-of-the-night, for example, are a foot long and 8 inches wide. Despite their size, cactus flowers are often shortlived (one glorious night in the case of the queen-of-the-night) and sometimes unbearably fragrant (the same queen-of-the-night will, during her fleeting reign,
manding qualities and, like some
release a vanilla fragrance that
dull and pathetic relation, ask
will make your home smell like a
us to put up with it because of
confectionery store).
them. The cactus brings us beau-
Not all cactus flowers are as
ty that is simultaneously spare
short-lived as the flashy noc-
CACTI & SUCCULENTS
All cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are cacti. What makes a cactus a cactus is not a lack of leaves, a swollen stem or even spines. The distinguishing mark is a small, rounded cushion-like structure called an areole (left). From these areoles grow spines, hairs, branches, leaves and flowers. Other succulents, such as the euphorbia at right, may be dead ringers for cacti in all other respects, but their lack of areoles disqualifies turnal cerei. Most will live as long as a
them from being members of the
week, and some of them will last considerably
Cactaceae family.
longer. The peanut cactus, for
example,
whose inch-long segments appear to be flopping lazily over each other in the pot, produces vivid red flowers in the spring and keeps them in bloom for as long as a month.
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Though their beauty and ease of culture entitle them to unqualified admiration, cacti possess another sterling attribute: their remarkable ability to adapt to conditions that once threatened to them the way of the dodo bird.
mountains trapped moisture-laden clouds, resulting in the formation of arid regions in areas that once had received bountiful rainfall. Trapped in this violently changing environment, the wily cactus forerunners responded by changing the conventional plant appurtenances of leaves into spines, which, with less surface area, lost less moisture through
Consider the problems facing ictus some 40 million years ago.
transpiration. Gradually, cacti
At that time deserts as we know them today were born as a result
transferred their food-processing
of the upward thrust of mountain ranges and equally drastic changes in wind currents. The newly risen
functions to expanded stems in which they could store large quantities of water. Although cacti are relative newcomers on the evolutionary scale, they have gone further than any other plant in adapting to an environment that is harsh and low in soil nutrients.
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CACTI & SUCCULENTS
ment that is harsh and low in soil nutrients.
are relative newcomers on the evolutionary scale, they have gone further than any other plant in adapting to an environ-
Gradually, cacti transferred their foodprocessing functions to expanded stems in which they could store large quantities of water. Although cacti
SOME IDEA OF WHAT CACTI MUST HAVE LOOKED like before they evolved into their present form can be gained by studying the Pereskieae, one of the three tribes (Opuntieae and Cereeae are the other two) into which the cactus family is divided, rather as the ancient Romans were divided into Latins, Etruscans and Sabines. The pereskia, typical of its tribe, bears leaves, but next to the leaves on the stems are groups of spines. Pereskias, like many other plants, grow in
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both evergreen and deciduous variet-
large middle number in the three-num-
ies. Their most popular use is as a
ber formula used in describing most
vigorous understock in the grafting
plant foods-15-30-15, for example)
of the various “holiday� cacti, such
will improve your chances of getting large, lemonscented blooms and even an eventual gooseberry. The wrinkled pereskia (so-called because
as
the
Christmas
and
Easter
spe-
cies. And in the Southwest they are used frequently as garden shrubsand sometimes in boundary hedges.
The fruits of the Barbados-gooseberry pereskia are esteemed as a delicacy throughout the West Indies. Also known as the lemon vine, the plant makes a handsome hanging basket in temperate-zone homes. With its glossy, red-tinged leaves, it rather resembles the almost indestructible and therefore widely admired grape ivy. It requires a moist soil except in winter, and will reveal its cactaceous qualities only when forgetful fingers touch the undersurfaces of the leaves and brush against the lurking spines. Month-
its leaves are crumpled) produces bright red flowers and requires the same high-phosphorus diet. All pereskia flowers are borne on stalks, unlike those of other cacti, which grow directly on the plants. Pereskia saccharosa has huge purple blossoms, and looks, with its flowers floating upon a sea of shiny leaves, far more like
phosphorus content (indicated by a
a rhododendron than a cactus.
Image credit: All products/FoggyDog.com
ly use of a fertilizer with a high
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BEAUT SHAPE BY AD VERSI 0012
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BY group of plants. Some, like the rare Arrojadoa rhodantha, look as the mind’s eye expects a cactus to look - with their prickly green columns stabbing skyward. Others, such as Lithops summitata, look more like rocks than plants - in fact, the many species of Lithops are called living stones. Both forms are the result of millions of years of selective evolution: Arrojadoa shed its leaves and adapted a columnar shape to store precious moisture in an arid environment; Lithops buried itself for the same reason.
BEAUTY SHAPED ADVERSITY
There are stranger shapes among the succulents than in any other
Regardless of what brought about their present forms, though, the bizarre-looking succulents opposite and on the following pages share a beauty that might have been shaped by the hand of a whimsical human artist instead of by nature.
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Although many succulents, such as the glowing green Aeonium tabulaeforme opposite, are prized for their beauty, in or out of bloom, some have evolved forms that are admired strictly for the way they enable the plants to survive in their respective environments. Fenestraria rhopalophylla and Haworthia maughanii bear leaves that have translucent window0016
CACTI & SUCCULENTS
like tips to admit light. Both species are shown here growing aboveground, but in nature only their tips are usually visible. Another succulent, Anacampseros papyracea, has scales that admit light while keeping out excess heat.
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Many gardeners new to the pleasures of cactus growing are unaware of the numerous species that lack the familiar pads, barbs or columns of the Opuntia microdasys or the Arrojadoa rho-dantha. “Some people just will not believe that this is really a species of cactus,� says one veteran grower in describing Rhipsalis pilo-carpa, a tree-dwelling tropical plant. And while not even a novice would mistake a spiny Mammillaria or Monvillea for a marigold, many cacti masquerade in forms that have for centuries confounded and delighted professional botanists.
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LIMAT
COPING WITH THE CLIMATE
Approximately 100 million years ago, much of the western U.S. was covered with water and
the land masses were steamy
thickened leaves, stems and roots
hothouses teeming with fantastic
to store the modest amounts of
plants. Forerunners of cacti and
moisture that came their way.
other succulents had large, lush leaves.
About 40 million years ago, the high mountain ranges that still exist had formed barriers
Some 60 million years ago,
that trapped almost all Pacific
mountains began to rise, leaving
rainfall on their western slopes.
new land masses in their wake.
Plants to the east had to become
The moisture-laden air blown in
even more specialized in the dry
from the ocean was cooled as it
interior deserts. Thickened stems
went up the mountains; clouds
took over the job of producing and
formed and most of the rain fell
storing food and the leaves that
on the western side. Lands to the
lost too much moisture from within
east of these low-lying mountains
disappeared. Outer skins of the
became drier. The ancestors
stems became tough and waxy so the
of today’s succulents evolved
plant could hoard moisture.
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“Grotesqueness of form or habit is rarely found in combination with floral beauty in the vegetable world,”
blooming plants that close at dawn.
But it is well worth some extra effort to witness cacti in bloom.
Unlike most flowers, cactus blossoms are typically short-stalked and show
wrote British horticulturist
little difference between sepals
Lewis Castle in 1884. But such
and petals. Springing from the
combinations do exist and, Castle
areoles of the cacti, the flowers
went on, “no family affords more
display forms ranging from flat
remarkable examples of this union
cartwheels to deep funnels. Many
of widely divergent qualities
blossoms contain hundreds of stamens
than the great and peculiar Cactus
so sensitive they contract at the
order.” Cactus flowers, oftentimes
slightest touch of an insect.
mounted on prickly pedestals, frequently rival all other flowers
Easy-to-bloom cacti such as species
for size, fragrance or color.
of mammillaria, notocactus, parodia and rebutia require only slight
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Day-blooming cactus flowers often
attention beyond a basic regimen
rely on striking colors such as
of eight hours of light a day and
glossy reds, oranges and yellows
occasional watering. Maturing as
to attract pollinating insects.
soon as a year or two in some cases,
Night-blooming blossoms generally
they will reward you annually with
are a waxy white, employing as
their flowers.
a lure a highly potent fragrance
Some cacti generally take more
reminiscent of vanilla, honeysuckle
time to mature and demand extra
or hyacinth. Since the plants’
monitoring. Melocactus matanzanus,
period of unfolding is short and
for example, will bloom only after
often occurs at odd hours, catching
four or five years of careful
cactus blossoms when they are open
cultivation, temperatures that never
can be a challenge. If you are
drop below 60° and enough soil for a
busy at work, you may miss the
large system. In time, even the most
day-blooming plants that shut at
reluctant cacti can be coaxed to
sunset, and it is all too easy to
their true colors as the Cinderellas
sleep through the opening of night-
of the plant kingdom.
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THE MANY USES OF
Possibly even more important in
economic terms than the opuntia, and certainly more so than the
saguaro, is the agave, sometimes
called the American aloe, a genus of 300 species of succulents that includes the century
CACTI
named
misleadingly
plant, which
actually takes only 10 to SO
years to produce its enormous
flower clusters on stalks up to 30 feet high. More valued for their produce than for their beauty are the henequen and
sisal
agaves, which yield fiber used in making rope. A pair of
agaves
that supply the raw material for alcoholic beverages is much appreciated by Mexicans: the pulque, which can be potent
made
into a
wine, and the tequilana,
whose fermented mash produces tequila, a distilled spirit of legendary strength.
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Happily for gardeners with limited
lumnar cereus. The fascinating baby
outdoor space or an inhospitable
toes, a native of southern Africa,
winter climate, many cacti and oth-
hides underground, showing only a
er succulents need only a place in
half inch or so of its flattened
the sun to thrive-even a tiny win-
tips. These tips are translucent
dow sill will do. Some succulents,
and serve the same function as win-
in fact, can make do with little
dows: they admit light, enabling
sun, but most require at least
the plant to feed itself despite
four hours exposure a day. You are
the fact that most of it is cut
courting disaster, or at least the
off from the sun’s rays. Baby toes
disappointment of never seeing your
understandably needs steady and
succulents in bloom, if you raise
strong light; without it, the plant
them in surroundings that do not
simply disappears into the soil and
satisfy this modest need.
eventually dies. Some gardeners pot baby toes so that most of the plant
One succulent that will grow well
is exposed to ensure that it gets
without any direct sunlight at all
enough light.
is the sansevieria, or snake plant, and thus it is not surprising to
From the negligible height of the
see its clumps of mottled green
baby toes the succulent fancier en-
spikes, which look rather like
ters a world of increasingly larger
inverted sabers, providing gener-
specimens. However, at a time when
ous masses of dazzling greenery on
the acceptable height of a residen-
north-facing window sills. Grow-
tial ceiling seems to be descending
ing most other succulents in such
precipitously, few indoor garden-
gloomy surroundings, however, re-
ers are likely to have much use for
quires the use of artificial light.
outsize plants, and unless you have a private ballroom, you ought to
Depending upon the amount of avail-
limit your acquaintance with the
able growing space, you can raise
family giants to those growing out-
succulents in a simply staggering
doors in the Southwest, where they
range of sizes-from the tiny baby
can be admired in all their glory.
toes to the towering 65-foot
co-
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CRA- CKED CL A Y POTS
REMIX
There are, nonetheless, many rea-
roots to get the air they need.
sonably tall cacti, such as the
Nonporous plastic pots retain
organ pipe, that can be grown in
moisture, which is fine for ferns
the most cramped apartment. If
but potentially lethal for suc-
you have your heart set on a gi-
culents, since too much moisture
ant saguaro, be of good cheer.
may initiate rot at the roots
Potting a saguaro generally stops
and undersides of the plants.
it from developing the wide-rang-
Thus, if you have a succulent in
ing root system it requires to
a plastic container, it should
increase in size. In any event,
be transplanted to a clay pot as
it may take these monsters 10
quickly as possible, without dis-
years to grow to a height of 4
turbing the soil around the roots.
inches in their native habitat, and 250 years to reach 50 feet.
Whether it is new or has pre-
Should your potted saguaro appear
viously housed one of your own
to be headed toward its full nat-
plants, a clay pot should be well
ural size, you can donate it to
scrubbed with soap and hot wa-
the nearest botanical garden and
ter. If some of your clay pots
settle for its little cousin, the
are badly cracked or chipped, do
old-man cactus that so delighted
not throw them away. Instead,
Parisians a century ago.
break off large pieces and place them over the drainage holes of
Whether your collection revolves
your usable pots. With a hammer,
around several spectacular sagua-
crush the remaining portions of
ros or is built on a more modest
the cracked pots into gravel-like
scale with smaller succulents,
bits to be used as drainage lay-
the way the plants are potted
ers. To avoid flying chips and
can spell the difference between
clouds of dust, wrap the shards
failure and success. The best
in an old towel before crushing
home away from home for a cactus
them. Of course, if you have no
or other succulent is a clay pot
broken pots to smash, layers of
with a large drainage hole at its
gravel will do.
bottom. The porous clay allows
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ll ex ey wi h t e c , sin looking at it, repotting a cacoutor so they e r o years ef oil b taintus, particularly a large one, is the s e con h t t s u f a h s o nfine a tricky business and requires bone he co t w ul of o f n gr o o teasp gea bit of advance preparation. If Add a avera o t ers. g in e spr you have ever tugged fruitlessly in di in th nches i meal 8 (4 to e at a barbed glochid embedded in pots s hav d e z i plant s e h t til your fingertip, you are already dimen r) un h c amete u s aware of the need to plan ahead. ined y ap-
As you might gather just from
Wear leather gloves and have a pair of tongs ready, as well as a rag or rolled-up newspaper, using them to hold the plant in position while you are pouring the soil mixture over its roots. Tamp the soil frequently with the blunt end of the ton gs.
Do not water a newly repotted cactus or other succulent immediately, even though your experience with other plants has made immediate watering practically a reflex action. A succulent should be given a rest of at least a
week after a change of pot before it is watered. Very young plants are exceptions; their soil needs to be dampened immediately after repotting. Fortunately, most succulents are very slow growers and will need to be repotted only every three
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CACTI & SUCCULENTS
atta t the g a h t cryin sions e b o g. A t n i r t a t e o p r rep o f most t e b ou f will ner i ontai c plant s t of in i
h e 1 inc rtabl comfo about f o and s a b it ha it. round a l i so when mind n i ar to be word y aint; e k restr The s i i ojave act the M ing c r l e l t i a f w em to rned of th en tu h e g b u o y en bl u proba As yo have t r e ing. r e Des t a r overw membe sh by n, re a c to mu g n ateri 95 the w eady d l e i e alr w r a i ut cact old o some can h that d n a o. ater or tw ent w isit v per c a s u mis are if yo cacti t s even o m when ough nter, is en i w h t n n I mo ce a small t, on n a m r n the i do e s he t tho s). T ll bu r les o for a s e h l 2 inc at al ots ( est p ering t a w of ants point he pl t y l p n e o ke bes to they ter i n h i c w u m in o e ing s of th rivel h s m rest e fro h T htly. growunsig ively t c a come s tus i about a cac , r a e water y d e e very l n d wil nt is n a a l p g e in If th ater week. eed w n a y e a m onc r, it Condi oweve h , g week. a youn s me ee ti ness r thr e dry o v i o s w s t ce as ex such s n o ti
or high temperature may also make more frequent watering necessary. The best way to tell if cacti and other succulents are getting enough water is to study their appearance: they should be plump and well filled with water. If they are puckered, increase their water ration, wetting the soil thoroughly each time. If the pot is standing in a saucer, pour off any water that drains through.
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PIC-
Hanging wire baskets for succulents must be large enough to accommodate the lining of sphagnum moss that contains the soil. Generally, such a basket should be 4 inches wider than the plant’s root ball.
Ball-shaped succulents usually grow best in containers that fit them with very little room to spare. Pot a round succulent in a container with a diameter that is only one inch wider than the width of the plant.
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CACTI & SUCCULENTS
as the height of the plant.
plant in a container that is half as wide
prosper. As a rule of thumb, pot a tall
undersized containers awkward and may not
Succulents that are potted in oversized or
- KING THE PER -FECT POT
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Both shaped by and shaping the Western wilderness, cacti and succulents are so much a part of that vast landscape that their careful arrangement in indoor gardens, whether in a thimbleful of sand or planted wall-to-wall, can conjure up images of towering saguaros and big barrel cacti. The forms that such a patch of cactus country may take are limited only by space; not only can a great number of succulent species be grown readily indoors, but the plant bed and surrounding room can echo the desert’s colors, textures and shapes.Because cacti and succulents tend to grow slowly, an inte-
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CACTI & SUCCULENTS
in its tiny scale and sculptural form. Many slow-growing succulents are ideal for dish gardens, since the plants need larger quarters only every two or three years at the most. Dish gardens can boast a saving in money as well as space, as one enthusiast explains: “I can create in a dish garden for a few dollars what a wealthier person might create for several thousand dollars on a couple of acres.�
On a somewhat more extensive scale, light-loving succulents can fill an entire window sill; the copper-lined planter on page 32 is strewn rior desert landscape may endure for years
with pebbles between the plants, echoing a
to come. Given fast-draining soil, the dry
desert vista and making the setting seem far
air common to most homes nowadays and plenty
larger than its 3.5 by 7 foot size. A simi-
of sunlight, some species will even reach
lar space-stretching effect can be achieved
the same height and flower as profusely as
by setting off the desert tones of a modern
their kin in the wild. Most importantly
interior with a few large succulents in pots
for the overworked gardener, many have such
resembling boulders. The most ambitious indoor
similar horticultural needs that taking care
gardeners can complete the picture with actual
of them indoors is almost child’s play.
desert materials and walk-through roomful of
Where space is at a premium, a Lilliputian
cacti and succulents such as those that are
dish garden provides a desert scene striking
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HEADI FOR T BEST ROUN0036
CACTI & SUCCULENTS
ING THE
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THE ULTIMATE INDOOR CACTUS & SUCCULENT GARDENS
CACTI & SUCCULENTS
0038
For the ultimate in indoor cactus and succulent gardens, adventurous growers can condense the landscape of the desert into a single sunlit room with hillocks, pathways and plants forming a Western panorama fit for a Hollywood set. Careful attention must be paid to soil and climate conditions, but if you can provide a hothouse environment that simulates the weather in the West, you can have a true desert view in any area of the country.
An extraordinary indoor cactus and succulent garden on Long Island harbors about 2,000 species in semiarid splendor. Provided with a complete sunroof and a 3.5 by 7 foot roomful of sandy soil, the succulents not only grow vigorously but also reward the gardener with unfailing flowering.
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CACTI & SUCCULENTS
Succulents bring to the outdoor
you might expect from its name,
garden the same virtues that
odoriferous blossoms, and bears
they possess indoors-flamboyant
orange fruit somewhat like that of
flowers grown rather effortlessly
the prickly pear.
on bizarrely handsome plantsand since some are hardy enough
Many subtropical succulent garden-
to stand temperatures as low as
ers sing the praises of the silver-
40° below zero, they have a place
crown cotyledon, a shrub about 3
in almost every garden from New
feet high that has ruffled white
Mexico to Saskatchewan.
leaves, and the purple aeonium, a black-leaved succulent of about the
The outdoor succulent garden
same height. As a ground cover, one
can easily be brought eastward,
crassula, string of-buttons, will
especially to the Gulf Coast area,
twist its matched pairs of leaves,
although many species of cacti
which appear to be endlessly strung
must stay in their native desert
to each other, generously underfoot
because they cannot stand intense
in your garden.
humidity. This is hardly cause for dismay, however, since there are
In rainy and warm regions, a fast-
many species that will not only
draining soil is essential for
thrive in the East but also produce
growing succulents, and water must
flowers just as splendid as those
have a place to drain away from
of their desert relations.
moisture-sensitive root systems. If possible, choose a sloping
A profusely flowering cactus that
site, but if necessary, you can
thrives in high humidity is the
provide proper drainage by creat-
queen-of-the-night cactus, which
ing sloping beds where none exist
bears large white night blooming
naturally. Begin by digging out
flowers and frequently forms large
the bed to a depth of at least 6
colonies as it scrambles over
inches; fill the excavation with
the ground or climbs up walls
rocks, broken bricks or old ma-
and fences. Another warm-weather
sonry. If you have a mixture of
cactus, called the fragrant
materials, use the rubble on the
harrisia, produces large and, as
bottom and the rocks in the top
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layer, so some of them can protrude. Limestone
boating enthusiasts in the New York area
is particularly good for this purpose because
are not astonished to see the wild yellow-
it will also help to keep the bed alkaline, as
flowered Opuntia humifusa mingling freely
cacti accustomed to the alkaline soil found in
with beach roses and marsh grass along the
arid regions prefer. Finally, add a mixture of
shores of Long Island Sound. The northern
1 part soil, 2 parts sand and 1 part humus or
gardener can, with equal subtlety, intro-
leaf mold to form a fast-draining mound. Suc-
duce a bed of hardy cacti into a garden or
culents growing in rainy regions will need a
keep several plants in containers outdoors
more nourishing soil than those in arid areas,
the year round without upstaging the gar-
so add V2 cup of bone meal for each gallon of
den’s other inhabitants.
the planting mix, but their care is otherwise the same. Watering is necessary only in dry
There is not, to be sure, a great variety
spells.
of hardy cacti and other succulents available to the northern gardener, but there is
Gardeners who live in cooler regions of the
certainly enough to tempt you to try your
country do not usually attempt outdoor cactus
hand. There are, for example, at least a
plantings. Some people perhaps reason that a
dozen hardy species of prickly pear rang-
sudden uncommon outcropping of cacti in the
ing in height from that of a blade of grass
suburbs of northern cities might appear in-
to that of a medium-sized tree, an equal
congruous. Many northerners, though, prob-
number of hardy sedums to use as ground
ably just do not know that many hardy cacti
covers, a great number of sempervivums and
exist, since they are not widely visible or
several hedgehog cacti with flowers of al-
available. Yet cacti can be artfully blended
most blindingly brilliant colors.
into the northern landscape, which is, after all, what nature itself does. Beachgoers and
0042
CACTI & SUCCULENTS
TIME LIFE
0043
suchern t r o n the try. coun l in a e i h c t cru the s of more gion troy n e s e r e v d er is e will the warm soil ness ide the t v g e o n n w r i i and rain To p d t is st-d ribe cold nts. an i e h f l t o A fa desc u c n n s c o e a u i d s t d ar na a be ther nt g ombi cule ny o make he c a t m , s , d t it s an plan out actu our c With y r y o f an age s of on page 55, except that you should add 1 part gravel to rain d root e l ssib o p the basic planting mix to make it drain even faster. best
Cacti grown outdoors in the north should also be mulched with pebbles, which are both useful and decorative. They will reflect warmth from the sun to the plants, and will
0044
CACTI & SUCCULENTS
also help to keep the bases of the plants dry. Gardeners
unaccustomed
to
working
with
out-
door cacti should not be alarmed to see their plants begin to shrivel as winter approaches Indeed, some will keel over and play dead until spring. This phenomenon occurs because the plants reduce their water content as a protection against freezing. Northern gardeners need not become upset, either, at the sight of a light covering of snow, which is actually beneficial to the plants, though heavy accumulations that threaten to break a cactus should be brushed away.
Despite
the
visible
dormancy
of
its
deni-
zens, the succulent garden does not present a dreary appearance in winter, and is surely a less dispiriting sight than last summer’s vegetable or flower garden. It is, instead, of a piece with other areas of the garden where trees and shrubs have retreated into themselves and are awaiting the return to active growth signaled by spring.
TIME LIFE
0045
A SUMMER OUTDOORS make a mound of rubble, sand and
Northern gardeners who gravel (page 55), then dig holes
are unwilling to subject
large enough to accommodate the
their cacti,however
pots and sink them to their rims.
hardy, to the blasts of
Your succulents should be placed
winter, or who simply
just
prefer to enjoy them as
indoor display, with the tallest
indoor potted plants
specimens toward the back of your
during cold weather, can
bed and the smaller ones toward
compromise by moving
the
the entire collection
as
they
front,
would
where
be
they
in
will
an
be
visible from the house, so that you may enjoy them from indoors
to the superior growing even while you are busy washing
conditions outdoors when dishes
mild weather sets in. An
indoor
collection
must
be
acclimatized
gradually to bright sunlight-a week in partial
or
cleaning
windows.
A
semblance of permanence can be achieved by filling in the spaces between the pots with gravel and
shade, a week of half days in the sun, then full sun. If you are moving only a few potted succulents outdoors, simply dig holes larger
a few larger stones to create an approximation of the surroundings
than the pots and sink the pots to their rims in gravel. For a larger collection of such plants,
0046
CACTI & SUCCULENTS
in
which
desert
cacti
grow.
If your containers are not eyesores and you prefer not to sink them into the soil, arrange them in an attractive grouping. Some growers keep hardy cacti outdoors all year long aboveground in clay pots filled only with gravel. One cactus that responds well to such treatment is the California grizzly bear, one of the prickly pears, which has enormous 4-inch flowers And is very spiny. It can
0047
TIME LIFE
safely be left outdoors for the winter.
Choose a spot for this temporary planting that receives full sun for at least half a day and enjoys good drainage. A patch of yard where the grass grows sparsely is a good place for this grouping, as are the ragged edges of driveways and walks.
nt ou le th of u i c w p c g m su in en lu e v c b e in uc a d s t s n t er al a y st ou as en er rd re th f t , e d v a e i l h w um ar oo se es nt d t g r i r e d e a s e s ar er l lp en oth ny mo n ly a h k a w r o s m t a o ci of y ic y en ro la nt a e f n h h g u b a asp s ma tic -c we ve pl as y na ve ap t ie nd r a e l ha y c w a t a h i s o e r pa a e th n mp ts he l gr ri en te T i e ar a l h n , n ca r e o s la v a a s . a d t f y t e e u o pl aw si ic n dp en bl sy th me y t e l f a Yo r a o n e d o e t s n cu li il ac on bu nd ar pott ox t su pro the as va i a pr g a h b y u e ns rs nl s our ow ed b e of res, o b re ke o a u c ve e m y t i t Th ct ng wind lter ti ctu ar ch no a u a i e . d c tt e r p f lf d In an sh st d ap el ha oo . a n pu s d w e a n t o a d s it l ve ns wo re ou d n e i d e el h n i a e s w a a y . g e r u s a s nt ma es th ng ho a o l f c o i , of e er ho at ts th uld in e r o e a r e p ac ag ho xtu nt of c e n s o to c th ai r mi r rt d r o e d c a e d o p nt un f ti it td lf a o s m u a a o o h npl ar li pl dai r y l t n r u t e o l, a d A n yo en av el l s n h r w . p i t g de or rs e n o wi f e t e s o a wo , in ui ar ti g n a q c n s i nt dy s le o si gh ga o r r l d u u a c u o ( ne co pHo st ll d tr x s de su i o a o u r w o a e b t ga n he dw ) on w n i t n e s t o e r s ha le t n sh nd ev t o d u e i e i h w ol , b e l ev gl ar l e l n E w ng s ne ab ag wi se lo si rpo gh sto er . s u u n e es a o e ve pu un at id tr lim of r e r v c th re me is ro g nd o h a p n o m n t o i g f po ds r r av a, ity ra u n a o h f c a f f e h tu lin y nc a on n, ly a pl f e i k o u pl t ng w l l a i o a f n s e de in r ea th se ma l ro l o ou p a h r e w i w o h f t a no ic r o ck d ef t o d n n ga r d an rou be k e c t g a ro la il ack e o e r s b th ly s e gy i os er Cl n i ta a ey rs Je
de si ly ll al hi ton y ui ti , ck s s en ro t at l nv a gh go al co ou on d to in th e e an n ta or r s us m io un e la or ho b it mo on s cu d w. gh dd hi ta r i y re a mo b ec fo ne ve to in d at sp ed ly ie th a , d wn s us on env , an la vo ha ho . ew s e fa no rs vi er bl he ow a n lo so c ow ve e nd co a mi fl ri us is en a If th ca of en be or th e b s l rd n. t an bo ge i l a p g de no g t an wi r a r nd in ha ck ga ve a t ts id de ro o ha e ck t en ov wi es u op ro t ul a pr on yo sl ve g en cc st a in of ha in rr su If w h e e e es in u Ne y s a o it et ag bl s y w d e rd dr li se le a On ha stfo s, wn os ti p l en rt re t. can fa n Al be fo rd st i a a w ef ya po y t in no g g ll il ur l in bu in ra yo ti o rt en tu a wh un rd na st r, s ga e ha ct en e ur rd rf yo ga pe
S U O R H O F U O C
0048
CACTI & SUCCULENTS
g-
e er d wh en ot r bl sp ou y a ll rf wi ga o se rm e oo fo en , th hy ch rd ng ap e, id , ga wi gr ig l ar re o r e l po ib p tu a ck -f to oss g. ap na ro ve ee on p t e ha by fr ill al e ou th ur w er l ot ab yo n be nc Wh al t f to i a o ld d . e e, in nv h th ou l nd er bl co pt b s sh hou h la th de it ru er n s ot r a n rd e de e f w y t o t bo to be re an at in bu e st r te Sc ks th v o i d ks ure un wi ha e s an l. ck in t ch d a i th to ch ix an es ri br h m g s s r ch wit te Di a en mu ve ts in ma o r ok hu y ur ct 6 pa r br gl po xa ly l or 2 la e e , in d il , mi e os d ck w l an il si Th lo ur ro d mo so e . yo ad p e el bl b er on af f u to i o av rub le yo t ys at gr af l rs t ar wa nd e i u r p l u rth ly so to d a pa 1 fo pa rm on e d l 1 ( c of is fi th an ou n d e th sh ) io lt an ed of th t es er it ui mp i g d b ht ck ov on ta t ed ad ig ro , o is bu e e nd s he ly , bl he t th pe r w t i o o en za rn de g sl rd ek si he in on as d z ga we ort l al y ch de a do N d oi y tl ea s r ad . an rl gen of r fo e it la e s nt te e th n c m d cu i la tl w oi vu p t re t ti rlo ch rvi to se te an ga Al to a wa pl pe , . ve em ps ck ou en a s up y h ro ro rd s ec re dy ga d r er on fo a te h en st be le rd of mp or ga co , s ms en r du ei se th in
mli n ca be h th t ic wi no r h w ei d ly h e l . , t ne ia ts ts n n n e e s lng ge m ul en al ri on e c d m a c r c r rs sh w ui su ga we r o q o e r in re , fl ck th to y g s s e o o t t R te d th py len d ll lan a e p n a m n a r i p dit l ha ccu (i s ne cl il ta u p d e e m n r e s i g an ak nd ume r he ym in ul m a g a o t h t e n n f o t ( ar ry s iv xa ts ns il g or d e e t e n o m s s e an pp ci ra di la nio ra ch st o e o m d p o e t o , . c c u a m Sp rj pa sp b n ns ck n de ed ed a m s l i e e a r S r m m d r e e co ou bu th en tu e ws du ar nd es ak ow g ci c o g e g v e s m l n i i l n S a a i e l l o gr k ve -f sp le s) at de ) fe Am ver lea oc he ink n n m h d r t o a e s i . e i h p rt as be it -cl e ns e se and eg tc no h y t e v e l o r i m t e d k r an wel ha rg ds wh e th er h Wa , r, gr ur la he , c ar e a o e s e s y r a . su nt a se inc fr wla er n to at wi ur s o h , e s h o t e d e t . c , fl ns in ea il ci co on s wio w b e f i i e o t o x t i l ta sp Me ec ld ec el , l o p y s r c s e se er of nd ing r en e in e d m t l d r u aw wi ga ed e r s s p r u s fa ca e n TIME LIFE 0049 xa th ca a O s a d
G N R I U R S O O Y O S R D U T T U C A C
. ts an nco e k er h oc w n, e rd
A 2. Remove the largest plant you will be using from its pot. Very gently brush as much soil as possible from its roots without damaging them.
3. Dig a hole at the top of the bed and place the plant in it at the same level at which it was growing in the pot. Firm the soil and surround the plant with a collar of pebbles to reflect sunlight and prevent rot. Plant the other specimens, working from the top center of the bed to the bottom edge. Leave ample space between plants for good ventilation. After planting, dampen the soil, then do not water again for a week.
0050
CACTI & SUCCULENTS
WELL DRAINED BED 1. For a permanent outdoor cactus garden, excavate a sunny bed to a depth of at least 6 inch es and add a pile of
rocks of broken bricks about a foot high. Slope the sides to ensure fast drainage. Fill crannies and cover the pile with 2 or3 inches of gravel. Then add a 1 -inch layer of coarse sand. Finish the bed with 6 to 8 inches of a mixture of 1 part topsoil, 1 part leaf mold and 2 parts sand. For faster drainage, add 1 part gravel.
they have been a week in light shade and a week in full sun for half days, to adjust to the outdoors. A plant that has been growing in the 4. If your winter is too cold or wet for the
strong light of a window facing south should be
cacti and succulents you have collected to
oriented so the side that faced south indoors
survive outdoors, construct a bed of rubble
also faces south outdoors; otherwise it may die
covered with a fast-draining mixture of
of sunburn.
half sand and half gravel. When dependably warm weather arrives, sink potted plants up to their rims in the sandy mixture, after TIME LIFE
0051
Succulents growing out of doors are relatively diseasefree, but if pests become a problem they can be treated just as they are on plants growing indoors. Something that is almost certain to become a problem in desert regions, and may occur in others as well, is an abnormal yellowing of the plants caused by a lack of iron. The condition is blamed on everything from poor drainage to an excess of lime in the soil, but since this malaise yields to applications of iron sulfate or iron chelate, it is not an insurmountable problem if control is begun as soon as the condition is observed. Apply the iron compounds in dilute liquid form, then repeat the treatment once a year in the spring. In contrast to the difficulties faced the
nation,
their be
by
who
succulent
must
to
growers
some
in
degree
the rest of
restructure
soils and then carefully select the plants to
grown
in
them,
Southwest ern gardeners have only
to take advantage of generally existing land conditions 0052
CACTI & SUCCULENTS
and to choose their succulent s from an embarrassment of riches . The ideal garden anywhere in the world looks as though its planner had refined and condensed the very best of what was available locally, and the same is true of the desert garden, with in its highest form is an inevitable extension of the nature that adjoins it. If your space is limited to the small plot typical of the suburban development house, there are several species that you can grow without eliminating such amenities as vegetable gardens and lawns. For example, Joseph ‘s-coat cactus, a species
of prickly pear, has pads streaked with pink and white and requires little space to flourish. Another possibility, the beavertail, is a bushy, low-growing prickly pear that freely produces purple flowers. The golden barrel, which is really green but is covered with golden spines, would also be a suitable choice since it attains a height of 4 feet quite slowly and will provide a dazzling springtime display of yellow flowers. TIME LIFE
0053
S
0054
CACTI & SUCCULENTS
E
dig holes the size of their nursery containers and at the same depth, fill in around the container soil with a fresh mixture. Pack the new soil firmly around the plants and water only enough to dampen it. Heavier watering can wait until the plants have reestablished them selves, a month or so in the case of cacti. After that, a watering schedule of once a week should suffice, even in summer. Other succulents can be watered several times weekly in hot weather, and just a week or so after they have been planted. To avoid discoloration and spotting, always apply water to the soil, not to the plant, though an occasional gentle spray may be beneficial (no more than once a month) to remove pests and dirt. Neither misting
PLANTING OUTDOORS
For succulents that are to be planted in the ground,
nor heavy watering should occur during those parts of the day when there are extremes of temperature or sunshine. The best time for planting a desert garden is early spring, when, as elsewhere in the world, the renewing surge of life encour ages succulents to put forth their best efforts in their new home, and before the debilitating heat of the summer arrives to slow them down. If for some reason you
Y
must wait, plant in early fall, when it has cooled somewhat and the plants still have time to reestablish themselves before going into dormancy.
TIME LIFE
0055
PLANTING
TWO SPECIES OF ICE PLANT, THE TRAILING white and the red spike, provide excellent ground cover
CU GR CO
for dry regions. These are two of the most easily available members of this large and useful group. Both plants are easy-care perennials that require little watering
even in warm weather, and they bear some of the attractive blossoms they are named for almost all year long.
There is no fiat that limits a desert garden to cacti and
other succulents, and a drought-resistant but nonsucculent
plant such as the Spanish bayonet yucca, which slowly attains
a height of 10 feet, will beautify your summers with its large white flowers. Despite its equally homicidal name, the Spanish dagger, another yucca that grows to about the same size, has soft leaf ends unlike the sharp tips found on the leaves of the Spanish bayonet and many other yuccas.
If you are blessed with a garden of ample proportions, you can use such potentially monstrous cacti as organ pipes and saguaros to accent groupings of smaller plants; if you have limited space, such semisucculent dry-area plants as beaucarneas can
provide powerful accents with their thick trunks and downwardthrusting leaves, even though they do not exceed 10 feet in height. Beaucarnea recur vata, for example, resembles, with
only minimal help from your imagination, a hoop-skirted lady wielding a feather duster in each of her several hands.
0056
CACTI & SUCCULENTS
SUCULENT ROUND OVERS TIME LIFE
0057
SUCCULENTS FOR ALL SEASONS AND SETTINGS That cacti and other succulents can be
and pruned.” With
grown readily indoors is no surprise,
maintain, at least she does not need to
but that some of the same plants can
worry about soil conditions. But planting
be cultivated outdoors in virtually
an outdoor succulent garden
all parts of the country-not just the
other than the natural cactus country of
Southwest astonishes many gardeners.
the Southwest generally requires careful
The fact is that there are species
preparation of the soil to assure fast
that thrive outdoors not only in the
drainage , since succulents often .rot
subtropical Gulf Coast states and the
in wet ground. Unless you happen to have
damp Northwest but even in the subzero
a rocky or hilly area at hand, you may
temperatures and blanketing snow of the
need to construct an artificial slope for
Northeast.
drainage.
To be sure, a spectacular outdoor
The better the soil conditions you can
cactus and succulent garden
offer cacti and succulents, the greater
is not
a
half-acre garden to
in
regions
simple to create, even where the
your chances will be of ensuring their
climate is ideal. “You’re very much
survival despite such unfavorable
mistaken if you think it’s easy,” says
conditions as high humidity, heavy rains
the gardener blessed with the mild,
or the withering blasts of Northern
dry climate of the Southern California
winters. Keeping soil on the
garden on the opposite page. “The
however, is not enough; just as important
whole thing will become a jungle if the
is an informed selection of species of
succulents are not constantly thinned
succulents that are strong enough to
dry side,
withstand the vagaries of weather in your region. Often you will simply have to experiment, as did the Long Island gardener who designed the circular bed of cacti and succulents on pages 6869, to
discover which plants will adapt
best to your garden environment. But the effort will be worthwhile. All of the gardens shown here have endured years in the open, and are living proof of the wide-ranging possibilities of outdoor succulent cultivation.
TIME LIFE
0059
0060
CACTI & SUCCULENTS
In the dry heat of the desert sun, where afternoon temperatures often climb well above 100 degrees and shade and rainfall are rare commodities, the hardiest plants must struggle to survive. But
drought-defying
culents
enable
cacti
Southwestern
and
suc-
garden-
ers to turn the desert to their ad-
vantage, mirroring its native plant life in gardens where the naturally sandy soil offers a perfect setting for ocotillos, opuntias, aloes and other cacti and succulents.
Planted in orderly fashion asrtide a gravel pathway, desert-dwelling cacti and succulents - including the 4-foot-high sculptural the ness
agaves wide into
plants
are
in
the
expanse a
of
Tucson,
watered
foreground surrounding Arizona,
weekly
the
-
bring wilder-
garden. year
The
round
TIME LIFE
0061
In striking contrast to the verdant, palmy background, a naturally bleached grouping of
0062
CACTI & SUCCULENTS
stout old-man cacti bedded in stark-white coral calls attention to a Florida succulent garden.
D L O N A M CACTUS
The sight of an old-man cactus hoisting its hoary head from chalky coral in Florida garden, framed by swaying pal-tree fronds, is enough to make a gardener suspect he has succumbed to sunstroke. But dazzling displays of cacti and succulents can be grown in the subtropical Southeast, despite high humidity. A coral base provides
excellent
drainage,
and
weekly
weeding
and
fungi-
cide sprayings help minimize the damp climate’s adverse effects.
Robust and blossoming in early summer, dormant and snow-covered in winter, hardy cacti and succulents brave the highly variable nothern climate of a bed 15 feet wide near the shore of Long Island Sound. Encouraged by the sandy soil, modt of these plants have survived several years in the open. 0064
CACTI & SUCCULENTS
Peeking from beneath a blanket of snow, hardy cacti and succulents, ensconced
in
outdoor
gardens
in
such surprising places as New York, Wisconsin proved
and
they
anywhere.
The
the can
Dakotas, survive
frost
and
have almost
wetness
of northern winters are formidable problems, gardener
but
as
provides
long
as
the
quick-draining
soil and clears away choking weeds, some opuntias, agaves, coryphanthas and pediocacti are likely to endure.
TIME LIFE
0065
0066
CACTI & SUCCULENTS
A P
R E
O F C L O U C O U N T R
C
R D Y
T
Normally found clinging to rocky mountainsides 4,000 to 5,000 feet above sea level, alpine succulents such as sedums and sempervivums can turn cool, moist Northwestern gardens
into richly textured carpets of color. Eas-
ily grown in almost any well-drained area,
they will withstand temperatures rang-
ing from below zero to above 100 degrees.
With commendable restraint, the gardener
whose succulents are shown below remarks,
“They are constantly surprising.� TIME LIFE
0067
0068
CACTI & SUCCULENTS
which root more successfully than do those of any other group of plants; and offsets, which are miniatures growing upon the parent, sometimes fully rooted and simply waiting to be gently plucked away and started on lives of their own. The art of grafting can produce equally fast results, sometimes instantaneous enough to satisfy a magician. Furthermore, of all the possiSucculents are so prodigal in their
ble ways to get new plants, grafting
reproductive habits that anyone
is surely the most fascinating, con-
who is at all interested in them
veying as it does upon its practi-
can propagate a sizable collection
tioner the possibility of playing Dr.
quickly and easily. Succulents can
Frankenstein and creating even more
be grown from seed, raised from var-
fantastic shapes in a family already
ious types of cuttings and, in the
liberally supplied with them by na-
case of the cactus family, produced
ture. Except for euphorbias, most
by grafting one plant onto another.
other succulents do not lend them-
Succulent seed, most of which is
selves to grafting as do cacti, since
exceedingly small, has an extremely
they lack the inner ring of nutrient-
high rate of germination but is not
carrying vascular channels that make
recommended for those gardeners who
the process possible.
demand instant gratification, since
In discriminating hands, grafting
a wait of a year or longer for a
can result in such popular oddities
recognizable plant is not uncommon.
as the ubiquitous moon cactus, which
If you do not have the patience to
consists of a gymnocalycium scion,
wait around for sprouts to become
the rootless upper portion, grafted
identifiable, succulents provide
onto a hylocereus stock, the rooted
two alternatives: ordinary cuttings,
parent plant.
TIME LIFE
0069
al
fitting
t
blooming, would be graft-
the visible r
ed onto stocks which share
cular tissue
their schedule, with their
matches
south-of-the-equator juic-
You may need
es flowing in late fall.
the
There
of the protru
the stock and scion. When
the o halves are ready to be
joined, cut a transparently
thin slice f m the previ-
ously prepared end of each
partner, discard the slices
and press the two parts to-
gether gently but firmly to
force out any air bubbles.
ly
are
four
employed
common-
spines
a
techniques
in grafting: flat, cleft, stab and side. Most frequently used is the flat graft, the easiest and the most suitable for most operations.
reaso
Regardless
of
the type of graft you undertake, use a stainlesssteel knife; some cacti will turn ordinary steel black. ply slice the top from the stock at a point where it will be wide enough to accommodate the base of the scion. The cut should be
growing tip. Then remove a
the
scion. When the scion is
as it would be near the
flat and almost two-dimen-
firm, not soft and watery
sional in comparison with
made where the stem feels
other forms of cacti, the
The sap on the original cuts
will have beg n to dry in
the brief time taken for
trial fitting, and since
the success of the graft
depends upon fusion in the
partner plants, get it off
to a fresh running start.
Be sure the vascular rings
To start a flat graft, sim-
SP W TH R I
cleft graft, i
scion is inse stock
rather
ed upon it, i 0070
CACTI & SUCCULENTS
Christmas cact grafted
by
th
are as closely aligned as
possible to ensure optimum
conditions for the graft.
Since it will take several
weeks to complete an effec-
tive graft, the two halves
must be held together ar-
tificially. One way to do
this with small cacti is to
each
to pass two rubber bands angles
not
be left to self-destruct
right
will
of an opuntia is the ide-
at
bands
erted in the
other over the top of the the
cactus spine such as that
0071
tus is often
it
scion and the bottom of the pot;
bands
in which the
TIME LIFE
the
since
only hold the two halves
together but will expand
rubber
can
is used. The
graft,
to accommodate the growth
that will be taking place.
With larger cacti, simply
drape strings weighted with
hardware nuts over the top Remove
to hold the parts together.
or strings when a slight
pressure of your fingers
at the point of the graft produces no movement in
in the new plant leaving
method.
his
al material for securing
seat-
than
tops the and
well. onably
sure
make
to
ring of vason each part to cut away
uding ribs on
PRING H E N HE SAP I S E S
Grafting, the joining of a piece
the grafted-on section, called
of stem from one cactus to a cut
the scion. The best time to do
in the rooted stem of another,
grafting is in the spring when a
opens up a bewitching world for
new period of growth is just be-
the cactus gardener. It can be
ginning. Choose a stock that is
used to rescue a weak or dying
well rooted and juicy and a scion
plant or to speed up, sometimes
taken from a firm and healthy
by as much as a year or two, the
growing tip of a new offshoot. In
growth of seedlings to the flow-
most instances the scion should
ering stage. It can also pro-
be the same diameter as the stock
vide a pendant plant, such as a
or smaller.
tal for its trailing stems. But more than this, grafting offers the gardener the fun of producing new plants not found anywhere in nature. It is even possible to graft many different kinds of cacti onto one supporting plant.
THE CREATIVE
Christmas cactus, with a pedes-
Make all cuts with a sharp knife sterilized in denatured alcohol. Join the plants quickly with slight pressure to force out air bubbles that might cause cut surfaces to dry. Secure with weighted strings, rubber bands stretched over and under the graft, toothpicks or the spines
Cacti and some succulent euphorbias lend themselves to grafting more readily than other
method of grafting used. (Details of four grafting methods are shown on the pages that follow.)
inner ring of vascular tis-
Spines make the best anchors be-
matched to another plant’s ring. A careful match is essential in promoting a free flow of nutritious sap from the rooted parent plant, called the stock, to
CACTI & SUCCULENTS
CRAFT
plants, for each plant has an
sue that can be easily seen and
0072
from any cactus, depending on the
cause they can remain inside the plant and leave but slight scars. Keep grafted plants dry and out of direct sun for two to four weeks until the scion does not move when it is pressed lightly-
THE SIDE GRAFT Two slender cacti have been sidegrafted to produce the single whiskertopped stalk at left. To make a side graft, cut stock and scion at matching 45° angles, then join the two quickly, making sure their inner vascular rings touch (below). Fasten with toothpicks or cactus spines; if further support is needed, bind
with a soft cord. Keep out of direct
sun
an indication that the graft has begun to grow
starts
to
together. If your main objective is to regen-
to four weeks, then remove the
erate the scion, wait until it shows vigorous
cord
growth, which might be as long as a year or
used for grafting need not be
two, then cut it off the stock and root it in
removed; they will leave only
sand to stand alone once more.
inconspicuous scars.
and
until heal,
the
joint
usually
toothpicks.
two
Spines
TIME LIFE
0073
Grafted cacti have a bizarre and otherworldly beauty. Many, like the white-topped specimen below, seem treelike, mounted on long slender stalks with strange furry or bulbous branches; others are decidedly schizoid in appearance, with a split personality like that of the flowering Oriental moon cactus
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CACTI & SUCCULENTS
of the moon cactus stems from the colorful gymnocalycium scions; these are not dyed, as commonly supposed, but have obtained their red and orange tint through years of hybridization. Green chlorophyll has been bred out of them; in order to survive, they must now be grafted onto a plant that retains food-making ability. The plant at lower left is not a moon cactus, however; it has a rare chlorophyll-free Neoporteria as a scion.
TIME LIFE
0075
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CACTI & SUCCULENTS