The online magazine for cactus and succulent enthusiasts Issue 28 March 2021
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The online magazine for cactus and succulent enthusiasts Issue 28 March 2021
2
Contents
6 Click to read 23 Click to read
Rhytidocaulon The Reich stuff
macrolobum Graham Evans
Justin Gilbert
7
A print of Myrmecodia
Click to read beccarii from the original
description by Hooker, 1886.
Myrmecodia beccarii See Page 7
Alain Buffel
43 Click to read
Mammillarias – some
of those that got away
27 Click to read Tony Roberts
Looking at Fouquierias
Ian Woolnough
15 Click to read 47 Click to read
Evolution now The succulents of
Ray Stephenson 33 Click to read Portmeirion pottery
Carl Spitzweg Colin C Walker
18 Click to read Tony Clifford
Some other succulents
Jörg Ettelt 35 Click to read
Hand-built cold frames
Jos Huizer
54 Click to read
41 Click to read
Whatever happened to
Stapelia glanduliflora that Echinocereus
Mike Cullen Peter Berresford
3
Welcome to the March issue Jenny inherited the plant
of the ‘Cactus and Succulent which was labelled as
Review’. S. grandiflorus, possibly a
case of a nursery somewhere
As always I have tried to
putting the label on the plant
provide a varied and
that it thought the buyers
interesting issue, but you
wanted to see. If anyone has
don’t need me to tell you all
any further thoughts on
about it here, as you can
which species it is then
look at our Contents page.
please get in touch.
We have slightly redesigned
this to give it more space, To see an example of the real
and hopefully make it S. grandiflorus go to page 52
clearer. Each article has a of this issue, where it is
link (Click to read) which will illustrated on a magnificent
take you straight to it. I very plate by Philip Miller (1691-
much hope you will enjoy 1771).
this issue. Most species of Selenicereus
In the previous issue Jenny have large white nocturnal
Nunn’s article on ‘Cactus flowers which, according to
Flowers – do they make Wikipedia, are usually
scents’ featured a picture of scented and are pollinated
a Selenicereus (shown again Graham Charles emailed me to say by moths or occasionally
here) which was originally that he did not believe this was bats. Joël Lodé remarks in his entry
captioned Selenicereus indeed S. grandiflorus but that it on Selenicereus in ‘Taxonomy of
grandiflorus, (that is leaving aside could be one of the smaller the Cactaceae’ that the flowers are
the terrible typing error which was flowering Selenicereus such as ‘intensely fragrant, often smelling of
down to me). S. spinulosus. vanilla’.
Sheila Cude
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www.cactusandsucculentreview.org.uk
4
A hardy Opuntia growing
in Norfolk
These pictures were sent to me garden. The flower shown was
by Roy Holmes, who grows this photographed last June, when
Opuntia in his front there were plenty more buds. It
grows completely unprotected, as
you can see from the picture
below, taken in the middle of
January, when it snowed
heavily.
A new book on Adromischus
issued by the Italian Cactus and Succulent Society (AIAS)
On behalf of the Italian Africa. It is written in Italian, with an English summary
Cactus and Succulent at the beginning. The photos of course need no
Society (AIAS), I am translation.
pleased to announce the The price is 40 euros for non-AIAS members, but
publication of a special there is a special offer. The special Adromischus
issue of our journal issue costs only 10 euros for all who subscribe to
‘Piante Grasse’ about ‘Piante Grasse’ for 2021. This year’s subscription
the genus Adromischus. includes four issues of the journal, on average 200
This is the second pages a year, often with articles in Italian and
monograph on the English, together with another special issue to be
genus ever written and published at the end of 2021. Anyone who is
the first to include the plants discovered in the interested can purchase the 2021 ‘Piante Grasse’
twenty-first century. It is illustrated with almost 150 subscription (50 euros) and the Adromischus special
high quality pictures and provides readers with an issue (103 pages long) for only 60 euros.
updated overview of these fascinating succulents, as More information can be found on the website of
well as with the account of two travels to South AIAS Marco Cristini
5
The unusual flowers of
Cyanotis somaliensis
The savannah is characterised by a arid regions of northern Somalia.
relatively warm and dry climate. The trailing plant’s leaves have
The main vegetation is grass, with hairy edges and it produces small
trees here and there. Among the blue flowers (‘pussy ears’) in
grasses, Cyanotis can be found summer.
creeping.
These plants enjoy a light location
Joseph Dalton Hooker, a British but do not tolerate direct sunlight.
botanist, was the first to discover a They do not need much water, so it
Cyanotis, but it was Raphael is enough to water them once a
Herman Anna Govaerts who first week in summer. Like their near
described and classified the plant relatives Tradescantia and Callisia,
correctly. they are best in a hanging basket.
Ray Stephenson
Countless types of Cyanotis are
known to exist, but C. somaliensis Taken from the newsletter of the BCSS Cyanotis somaliensis – the flower
is a succulent originating from the Northumbria Branch shown is c5mm high
6
Rhytidocaulon macrolobum
by Justin Gilbert
A fascinating Stapeliad from Yemen
Rhytidocaulon macrolobum
M y plant came from Uhlig’s
stand at the 2016 British
Cactus and Succulent Society
patches on the epidermis so it is
not a very pretty plant.
I suspect that it will propagate from
cuttings but I do not have enough
material to experiment with so,
It lives on a sunny windowsill and
National Show and has more than has a drink once a week, less often barring an accident, I will not
justified the price paid. during the winter. It seems very find out.
At the time I thought it was a content in my standard cactus John Pilbeam’s book ‘Stapeliads’
chancy acquisition as I had read compost (John Innes No 2 and has a couple of pages of pictures
about these plants and did not about 60% grit) with gravel top and they are also mentioned in
really expect to keep it very long. dressing and a layer of grit in the Sheila Collenette’s excellent ‘An
Four years on it is still with me and bottom of the pot to give good Illustrated Guide to the Flowers of
the original two arms have drainage. Saudi Arabia’.
expanded to three and grown In the spring I intend to move it on
significantly. I have not tried to describe the
to a 4inch (10cm) square pot and
flowers – the picture says it all. n
The arms are just finger width and will look forward to more flowers in
deep olive green. It does have a 2021. If it is anything like 2020 it Photo: Justin Gilbert
tendency to develop brown will be in bloom for months.
7
Myrmecodia beccarii Hook.f. 1886
by Alain Buffel
The Australian ant house plant, a curious symbiotic succulent from NE Queensland
T his story starts during a lecture at our
local cactus club, Lophophora, in Ghent
(Belgium) during the summer of 2018.
To my surprise, I become the new owner of
a spiny stem succulent that is grown in
coconut fibre as a medium (Fig. 1).
During the coffee/toilet break halfway
Someone from the local club board nudges
through each lecture there is a raffle where
me during the break, laughs and asks if I
plants get a new home and owner. These
have any idea of what I just won; to which
plants mostly come from members of the
I can answer positively, “Yes sir, the
club who feel too old and/or sick to go on
northern form of the Australian ant house
with the hobby and therefore donate their
plant”.
plants to the club.
Fig. 1
The plant obtained
from the Cactus Club
in Ghent.
Myrmecodia beccarii continued 8
Fig. 2
The distribution area
of Myrmecodia
beccarii in
north-eastern
Queensland is the
Daintree National
Park. This tropical
rainforest is more than
110 million years old
and covers an area of
894,000 hectares.
The fellow plant lover looks at me in Myrmecodia beccarii was first described by
surprise but nods approvingly. Little does Joseph Dalton Hooker (1817–1911) in
he know that a few weeks after this lecture 1886. See the front cover for the original
I will be travelling for an extended period of pen drawing showing the entire plant
time to distant Australia and, in preparation without roots but with flower, fruit and
for that trip, I am at that moment busy seedling in the first description. Joseph
studying the various interesting succulents Dalton Hooker was director of the botanical
of that immense country. garden at Kew, near London, for 20 years
where he succeeded his father, (William
I have good friends who a few years ago,
Jackson Hooker). He was also known as a
after active careers with the Ghent police,
good friend of Charles Darwin.
emigrated to that part of Australia. My wife
and I, together with a few friends, will be Myrmecodia beccarii belongs to the
welcomed with open arms in their Rubiaceae family. This family is widespread
wonderful ‘bed and breakfast’. across our planet with a clear preference
for the tropics where they usually grow as
One of the expected highlights of the trip is
shrubs or trees. Some well-known
the Kurunda and Daintree National Park
(Fig. 2) on the
peninsula in the
far northeast of
Queensland. This
I understand that rainforests and succulent
area was declared plants are not an obvious combination,
a UNESCO World but the explanation follows further in
Heritage Site
because it is the
this discourse.
oldest intact
rainforest on our
planet.
European members of this family are
I understand that rainforests and succulent
Galium odoratum (Sweet Woodruff) and
plants are not an obvious combination, but
Galium aparine (Cleavers). Worldwide,
the explanation follows further in this
perhaps the best-known and most
discourse.
Myrmecodia beccarii continued 9
economically important plant of this family The genus Melaleuca has about 15 species
is Coffea arabica (Coffee plant). All this is to in Australia. Eight of these grow near or in
sketch where Myrmecodia beccarii is the coastal areas on the north and
situated in the Angiosperm clade. northeast sides of the country. These
almost all have a thin layer of papery bark
There are two other plants from the same
around their trunks and are called
genus in this region: Myrmecodia tuberosa
Paperbarks in Australia. To complete the
and Myrmecodia platytyrea subsp. antoinii.
entire ant house plant story, it should also
Both of these species however occur only
be said that a related genus from the same
on the far northern tip of the Queensland
region in the Rubiaceae family exists with
peninsula.
two more species with similar
Myrmecodia beccarii, on the other hand, characteristics: Hydnophytum ferrugineum
has two forms, a northern thorny form that and Hydnophytum moseleyanum.
grows between Cairns and Cape Melville
When greeting our Belgian friends at their
and a more southerly thornless form that I
guesthouse, the lady of the house tells me Fig. 3
will not talk about here. The best-known
that she knows from friends the exact
distribution of the northern form is Daintree By means of two
location where we can find these plants.
National Park where this plant grows most cables stretched
Promising for any passionate plant lover!
of the time on its favourite host tree, over the river, the
Melaleuca viridiflora (Myrtaceae), which is The next day our friends took us to see the vehicles that were
concentrated in the interior of the forest beauty of the coastal rainforest. We knew loaded on the
near rivers and also in the coastal that after crossing the Daintree river with ferry are towed to
the other side.
mangrove forest. the cable ferry (Fig. 3) we could find some
Myrmecodia beccarii continued 10
Fig. 4
A young Myrmecodia
beccarii has just
formed a caudex after
sprouting and rooting
the year before
between the scaly
bark layers of the
paperbark tree.
To show the size of
the plant I placed an
Australian two dollar
coin between the bark
layers (coin = 2.5cm
diameter).
Also notice the still
caudex-less seedling
immediately to the left
of this plant that has
just formed its first
two leathery leaves.
trees in the parking lot on the other side of
the river which are host to Myrmecodia
beccarii.
Once there it only takes a few minutes to
find Melaleuca viridiflora trees that are
indeed overgrown with mostly young ant
house plants that have taken root on these
host trees just like other more well-known
epiphytes (Fig. 4).
Higher up in the trees near the tree canopy
I also saw some adult specimens,
presumably the parents of the seedlings in
Fig. 4. Also note the flaky bark of the host
tree, which facilitates the rooting of the ant
house plant. This can thus anchor and
grow into an adult plant where the caudex
can reach a size of 20 to 30cm (Fig. 6 see
next page).
Once the ant plant has formed a decent-
sized caudex, it will soon bloom. The small,
barely visible white flowers and the
resulting white, semi-transparent fruits
develop in cavities in the plant, after which
internal openings and holes form (Fig.5). Fig. 5
In the fleshy caudex, through these
The first fruits appear on my raffle prize after it has flowered. Also
cavities, a complex corridor system with
notice the cavities (alveoli) that this creates in the plant.
several internal chambers is formed. ThisMyrmecodia beccarii continued 11
Fig. 6
A multi-stemmed
is the ideal environment for some ant The next generation of ants can then grow Melaleuca
species to establish their colonies in the up undisturbed in these plants. viridiflora tree with
plant where the rooms are arranged as a group of adult
In return, these ants protect the
fungal chambers, which in turn provide Myrmecodia
Myrmecodia beccarii and its host
food for the ant colony. beccarii on the left
Melaleuca viridiflora from any harmful
stem and the
They work together with the plant to get animal species. This creates the perfect
typical paper
nutrition. The ants get nutrition from the symbiosis between paperbark tree, which sheet bark, more
plant, and the plant gets nutrition from the provides the ant house plant with a suitable visible here on the
excrement of the ants and parts of killed germination site, and the latter an ideal right stem.
predators of the plant. This symbiosis hiding place for the ants who protect both
allows the plants to effectively gather plant species from any invaders such as
nutrients via the ants from a much broader insects and slugs (Fig. 7 see the following
area than the roots could ever do. page).
This creates the perfect symbiosis between paperbark tree,
which provides the ant-house plant with a suitable germination
site, and the latter an ideal hiding place for the ants who protect
both plant species from any invaders such as insects and
slugs...Myrmecodia beccarii continued 12
Fig. 7 I found this old drawing on the internet which nicely
summarises the whole story of plant and ant colony.Myrmecodia beccarii continued 13
These plants also have a built in sensor-like contribute to the food supply of their host
defence system against climbing animals; as well as helping to protect it.
even a slight tap or brush against the spiny Further on we see that after a storm, (after
bulges on the lower parts of the caudex of all, this is a coastal forest), the symbiosis
an inhabited ant house plant causes ants between host tree and its epiphytic ant
to come spilling out. Most species of ants house plant can be broken (Fig. 8). A
that live within Myrmecodia beccarii have travelling companion pointed out a
no sting, but the rush of ants combined Myrmecodia beccarii that has probably lost
with many small bites is enough to ward off contact with its host tree after heavy gusts
any potential predator. So these ants both of wind.
Fig. 8
An ant house plant
that has lost contact
with its host and
dangles from a last
root before it breaks
off; which means the
end of the plant.Myrmecodia beccarii continued 14
Further in the forest Fig. 9
we see a wide
variety of trees and Hoya pottsii can be
epiphytes such as seen high in the forest
the fairly common winding around trees.
Hoya pottsii (Fig. 9). They are also in full
bloom at the end of
Myrmecodia beccarii the drought season
seeds are not and the approaching
difficult to monsoon (last days of
germinate, as long October in 2018).
as you keep the
temperature above
15°C and do not
overwater the
seedlings when
germinated. They
grow perfectly
happily in coco-fibre
peat and need very
little fertiliser to
thrive. I do not know
about the UK, but some years ago, one
could buy that coco-fibre in every regular Literature consulted
plant shop or garden centre, nowadays I
Kapitany A, (2007) Australian Succulent
cannot find it anymore in Belgium.
Plants, an Introduction. Kapitany
I hope I have been able to give an insight Concepts Publisher, Everbest Printing Co,
into the symbiotic life cycle between host Ltd, China.
tree, host succulent plant and the ants who
protect both species against invaders in a Moore P, (2005) A Guide to Plants of
continent that still harbours exotic life Inland Australia. Reed New Holland
forms unknown to most of us. n Publishers, Everbest Printing Co, Ltd,
China.
Photos: Alain Buffel
Fig. 10
Young plants thriving in coco fibre in 7cm pots.15
Evolution now
by Ray Stephenson
It’s happening now – speciation! DNA studies are revealing ancient hybrids
E arly DNA sampling often gave dubious
results regarding the relationships
between species. This was because:
Now nucleoid studies highlight past
hybridisation and even show the ancient
parents of the plant in question.
Above:
a Sempervivum
hybrid
a) often cultivated specimens of In 2016 Klein & Kadereit (2014, 2016)
questionable heritage were used; showed clearly that 14 species of
Sempervivum are in fact ancient hybrids of
b) too few chloroplast markers were
known species. Evidence from an
used;
increasing number of modern works
c) allopolyploids (individuals with emphasises the importance of climate
chromosomes derived from two or change bringing about the migration of
more diverged taxa) clouded the species causing different taxa to mix and
results; hybridise. Today in places in the Pyrenees
d) molecular data of both nuclear as well Sempervivum tectorum, S. arachnoideum
as chloroplast were combined. and S. montanum, grow together,
intermingle, and often the numerousEvolution now continued 16
hybrids outnumber their parents and make
identification difficult.
The huge ice sheets of the last great ice
age not only pushed northern species
southwards to mingle with Mediterranean
species, their retreat resulted in many taxa
migrating to the tops of mountains to
become refugia, confined to scattered ‘sky
islands’. Over millennia, these isolated
pockets of plants (species or hybrids)
evolved in their own way. The same
happened in America. Arctic species were
pushed down to New Mexico and Rhodiola
still grow there at very high altitudes (2013).
It is not unusual for crossbred stock with
hybrid vigour to supersede one or both
parents. These plants puzzled early
plantsmen who were convinced they had
discovered a species new to science.
Praeger, an extremely able botanist,
described Aeonium burchardii, which is
actually a hybrid between the two most
unalike parents one could imagine: the tiny
perennial A. sedifolium and A. urbicum, a
monocarpic species which can be as tall as been suspected for a very long time that Rhodiola
a person. the plant widely known as Echinocactus integrifolia an
We now realise that many cactus species grusonii has features one would associate Arctic species
are allopolyploid and are the result of with Ferocactus and chloroplast growing above
investigations show it to be closely related Lake Tahoe,
ancient hybridisation. Collectors and
California.
growers often shun hybrid plants, but it has to some Ferocactus species. Anyone lucky
Aeonium burchardiiEvolution now continued 17
enough (old enough?) to have flowered a
plant will have noticed its anomalous fruit.
Ferocactus is an extremely difficult genus
to circumscribe, so studies are still
pending. Whether one should label the
plant xEchinoferocactus grusonii or
Kroenleinia grusonii (as proposed by Paul
Heath and Joël Lodé respectively) is still
hotly debated. It is stable and breeds freely
from seed and it is probably one of
hundreds of allopolyploid cacti.
It is also true that seeds of some
succulents can be transported hundreds of
miles to mingle with relatives, but perhaps
this is less important than the mass
movement of populations due to climate
change. Climate change does cause
extinction, but often over millennia a
particular species can end up thousands of
miles from its origin. The fossil coal
measures of the English Pennines illustrate
this well with Ginkgo and Metasequoia
(common as fossils in carboniferous rocks)
which are today found as living plants in
East Asia. A handful of small succulents
from West Africa which have been dumped
into Sedum are the ancestral stock of
Aeonium, Aichryson and Monanthes, this is Sedum modestum, not a true Sedum but part of the ancestral stock of
probably a good example of species Aichryson growing above Beni-Mellal, Morocco
evolving from wind-blown seeds. n
Photos: Ray Stephenson
REFERENCES
Dechaine Eric G., Brenna R. Forester,
Hanno Schaefer, Charles C. Davis. 2013.
Deep genetic divergence between
disjunct refugia in the Arctic-alpine King’s
Crown, Rhodiola integrifolia
(Crassulaceae) Plos One 8,111-19.
Klein, Johannes T., & Kadereit, Joachim
W. 2014 (8 Dec 2014 online; Jan 2015 in
print). Phylogeny, biogeography, and
evolution of edaphic association in the
European oreophytes Sempervivum and
Jovibarba (Crassulaceae). International
Journal of Plant Sciences 176(1): 44–71.
University of Chicago, Chicago. Graphic
text-fig 1-5.
Klein, Johannes T., & Kadereit, Joachim
W. 2016 (23 March online) Allopatric
hybrids as evidence for past range
dynamics in Sempervivum
(Crassulaceae), a western Eurasian high
mountain oreophyte. Alpine Botany 126:
119-133. Springer Link for the Swiss
Botanical Society, Lausanne. Graphic Normally, Sedum creticum at lower levels is hapaxanthic (flowers only
text-figs 1-2 (4 distribution maps). once), but here after a very wet period, plants which normally flower
themselves to death have perpetuatedA celebration of cacti and succulents 18
A series by Jörg Ettelt
Some other succulents
‘Even if you think the Big Bang created the stars, don’t you wonder who
sent the flowers?’ Robert Brault
I was introduced to CSR readers as the President of
the Society for the Other Succulents. Up to now I
have written only about cacti. Yes – many members of
The answer is easy: in 1982, when the society was
founded all societies dedicated to cacti AND other
succulents focused on cacti. To finally bring the huge
our society have cacti as well! So why are we in a world of other succulents into the spotlight, our society
society that includes all succulents, but excludes cacti, was founded. So, let me tell you something about the
a family that is almost completely succulent? ‘others’.
Fig. 1
Tylecodon buchholzianusSome other succulents continued 19
Tylecodon buchholzianus
Let us start with a typical plant that grows in winter.
The picture shown on the previous page is a little
atypical. In typical habitats, Tylecodon species first
produce the flowers and then the leaves. If the
plants are well fed however, and the growing
conditions are good, they do not necessarily shed
their leaves.
The shedding of the leaves during the rest period is
exactly the characteristic that was used in the
separation of this genus from Cotyledon, in which
all species were previously included. Therefore, the
generic name is only an anagram of Cotyledon:
Tylecodon.
In habitat, with the pronounced dry seasons, the
species shed their leaves and then stand ‘naked’
for a long time. Many small species can then hardly
be found above ground. Our species here is a
mediator between the tiny and the larger, (up to 2m
high trees), which are united in this genus today.
The plant shown is no more than 20cm and will
only grow slightly taller (Fig. 1).
Contrary to the widespread opinion in the literature
that this species blooms poorly, my plants are in full
bloom in the autumn. It is not uncommon for me to
have 50 or more flowers on the stems. The
numerous flowers in every condition can be clearly Fig. 2
seen in the picture. After the abundant flowering,
the leaves come – which, as described above, can Anacampseros lanceolata
remain all year round if the nutrients are good. But
Anacampseros lanigera SB1179
it is not bad if you do not give the species any
water during the summer, then the leaves will be Fig. 3
shed safely. I water a little bit all year round –
simply because I do not feel like treating it very
differently from the other plants. Let us put it this
way: I try to give less water in summer! Watering is
intensified when new life, that is, buds, appear on
the plant. Then I water regularly but very sparingly
in cold periods. My plants stand in a very bright
position in winter, right behind the glass, at a
minimum of 10°C. So, the species grows safely,
albeit slowly.
Anacampseros
The meaning of the generic name is not entirely
certain. The most likely – and most beautiful –
explanation is that it derives from the Greek words
‘anakamptein’ for ‘bring back’ and ‘eros’ for ‘love’,
as ‘bringing back the love’. Plinius used it to
designate a plant that was said to have an
aphrodisiac effect in antiquity, but which is now
counted as Hylotelephium.
According to the latest research, the genus no
longer belongs to the Portulacaceae family, but to
the newly described Anacampserotaceae family.
Depending on the opinion, one to four generic
names are used today to subdivide the almost 60
taxa. Plants from South America, southern and
eastern Africa and Australia are then included.Some other succulents continued 20
Fig. 4
Avonia prominens
The focus of the plants grown by lovers of the genus is group of plants is that the flowers open very late in the
on those from Namibia and South Africa. They have day and then only for a very short time with small but
developed some wonderful features, closer inspection beautiful flowers.
of which opens up a cosmos of their own.
The species mainly come from transition zones
Three beautiful representatives are presented here as between summer and winter rain areas. In our climate,
examples. they are best kept as summer growers. They endure
full light and should be grown in as bright a position as
Anacampseros lanceolata comes from the Cape
possible. Only excessive heat is to be avoided! In
Province, has slightly more elongated leaves and white
terms of substrate, they are uncomplicated –
to dark pink flowers (Fig. 2).
something permeable with little or no humus is
Anacampseros lanigera (Fig. 3) is generally regarded required. Species that originate from pure winter rain
as a synonym for Anacampseros filamentosa, which areas are a bit trickier, they should by no means be
has a huge distribution area from the Orange River on watered in winter, all others can also tolerate mild
the border with Namibia to the central Karoo. It is not moisture in winter which helps them grow more quickly
surprising that a lot is still unexplained about the which is especially useful for seedlings. Most species
species – new species are being described, old ones are self-fertile and can be grown relatively easily from
are being brought back, all are more or less variable seeds.
and the area in which one can find these tiny species
Overall, it is a very interesting group that should
is huge!
receive a lot more attention – especially as it takes up
With Avonia prominens (Fig. 4) we have a next to no space in the collection – most
representative of Avonia, which is often viewed as a representatives are comfortable in a 4cm pot.
separate genus or at least a subgenus. The most
distinctive features are the more or less whitish, Faucaria
parchment-like stipule scales located in the leaf axils, I received the plants shown with the name Faucaria
which are significantly larger than the succulent, graciae-hootea, a name that probably does not even
kidney-shaped leaves and cover these plants exist. For me it is very similar to F. felina (Fig. 5). All
completely in habitat. In the case of cultivated plants, species of the genus are somewhat reminiscent of
this is not always the case due to the lower light open throats. The opposite leaves with teeth on the
supply. edges have given rise to the generic name, derived
The wonderfully shaped fruit capsules are very from the Latin ‘faux’ = ‘throat’, and species names
characteristic. After shedding the fruit husks they leave such as ‘tigrina’ reinforce this = ‘tiger throat’.
a kind of cage (see Figs. 2 and 4) in which the seeds All species are easy to care for and bloom profusely in
are visible, and are thrown out of the fruit cup by wind late summer. The flower colour is dominated by yellow
movements. The seeds themselves are built so that the but there are also whitish variants and when the flower
wind can carry them far. The surprising thing about this tips fade, they often turn red.Some other succulents continued 21
Fig. 5
Faucaria ‘graciae-
hootea’ Mitford
Park
If you want to grow other succulents and do not want shorten them and root the cuttings in slightly moist
to be slowed down by failures, you can fall back on sand after they have dried.
this genus, which is also relatively easy to grow from
seed. The substrate, in turn, must preferably be mineral Pleiospilos
and drain off excess water quickly. In summer they The genus Pleiospilos can be compared with Faucaria
tolerate plenty of watering, in winter they can live off in terms of cultural requirements. The generic name
their very fleshy leaves in a completely dry state. They was derived from the Greek and means something like
grow into small shrubs with age as the leaves develop ‘many points’, a good characteristic of the few species.
on the elongated stems. But all species remain They are really beautiful representatives of the ‘living
relatively small. If the stems are too long, you can stones’ – even if this name is often only applied to the
Fig. 6
Pleiospilos compactus subsp. minorSome other succulents continued 22
genus Lithops. The plant bodies are really shaped like Lithops and conophytums may be more sought-after,
stones. Pleiospilos compactus subsp. minor (Fig. 6) is but pleiospilos are wonderful plants that do not get too
a typical representative, but not the most prominent. big (an old P. bolusii is one of the biggest, a maximum
of 12cm from tip to tip). They open their large flowers
As with Faucaria, the flowers of Pleiospilos species last
in autumn, which also often smell very pleasant!
a very long time – mostly a week, depending on the
temperatures. They pass a little faster in great heat. Aloe aristata
What you can observe wonderfully about the flowers is Oh dear, now it will be difficult to end. Aloe aristata is
how they get a little larger every day – the nightly the old name, today this species is also found as
closing and morning reopening is due to the growth Aristaloe aristata, after it has been shown that the large
process in the petals and thus enlarges them. When group of aloes, which unite many plants from Africa,
they fade, these flowers can also turn a reddish hue. Arabia and Madagascar, is not as homogeneous as
expected. It has therefore
been broken up into
various, partly newly
established, genera. In
the recently published
book on the monocots,
edited by Urs Eggli, this
is not followed, however,
Aloe remains Aloe here.
I have included this
species here because, on
the one hand, it is a really
small species, (up to a
body diameter of around
20cm), because it is my
wife’s favourite plant, and
because it can produce
its partially branched
inflorescence several
times a year if it is well
grown.
It is also an ornamental
plant that can be placed
in a very bright apartment
and is then an eye-
catcher. In the nurseries
and wholesalers, one
increasingly finds
selected cultivars that
emphasise the beauty of
the species, its symmetry,
the dotted leaves, etc. It
is easy to keep in culture;
use a predominantly
mineral substrate, regular
fertiliser in summer, and
in winter, slight watering
to prevent the old, lower
leaves from drying out. n
Photos: Jörg Ettelt
My next article will deal
with the spring blooming
cacti – well, not all, there
are just too many...
Fig. 7
Aloe aristata23
Reicheocactus famatinensis, an old plant in full flower
The Reich stuff
Graham Evans tells a taxonomic tale of muddled monikers to the Nth degree
A long time ago in a land far, far away
there lived a small cactus. It was
presumably contented with its outdoor life,
coloured spines number around a dozen
arranged more or less pectinately and sit
on tiny areoles atop very small tubercles.
displaying its yellow flowers in the spring The flowers are attractive, normally deep
and had not a care regarding its identity or yellow with reddish orange tips, although
evolutionary heritage. The likelihood is its
descendants still don’t, but human
taxonomists have made a real dog’s The first person to give this plant a name was
breakfast of naming this sometime goat
elevenses. The name of the time was the
Carlos Spegazzini (1858–1926)
(early) twentieth century, the name of the
land was the Sierra de Famatina, a
mountainous region in the province of La forms with mainly orange flowers are
Rioja, Argentina, and the name of the occasionally encountered. The backs of the
cactus, well, thereby hangs the tale. petals are dark purplish and the tube is
covered with abundant dark woolly hairs.
The plant in question has small dark green
heads, solitary, subglobose to The first person to give this plant a name
subcylindrical in habitat but clumping and was Carlos Spegazzini (1858–1926), an
becoming taller in cultivation, supported by Italian biologist domiciled in Argentina who
a fleshy, tuberous root. Its very short, light- made many discoveries, naming over 1,400The Reich stuff continued 24
taxa in numerous plant and fungus families and it is as a Lobivia that the plant is most
between 1902 and 1925. He chose the often seen offered for sale or in collections
specific name to reference the area in today.
which the species grows, combining
There has always been controversy over
Famatina with the Latin suffix ‘ensis’,
whether or not Lobivia is a good genus,
meaning ‘originating from’. In 1921, not
however, and in 1931 the more
nearly as many cactus genera had been
conservative German botanist Erich
validly erected as today, around 90
Werdermann moved L. famatimensis into
compared to well over 300, especially for
Echinopsis. In between times (1926),
low-growing South American cacti, and
Spegazzini decided the new species
belonged in the contemporary catch-all for
most such things, Echinocactus. So, in the The first change occurred as soon as 1923
‘Annals of the Argentine Scientific Society’ when the American taxonomists Nathaniel
he published Echinocactus famatimensis,
the ‘n’ in the location inexplicably being Britton and Joseph Rose moved the species
replaced by a second ‘m’. into Lobivia...
The first change occurred as soon as 1923
when the American taxonomists Nathaniel
Britton and Joseph Rose moved the another German, Carl Hosseus, is credited
species into Lobivia, the genus they had with publishing Rebutia famatimensis
created the year before in the third volume based on a reappraisal by Spegazzini
of their magnum opus ‘The Cactaceae’; himself.
Reicheocactus famatinensis, a close-up of the flowerThe Reich stuff continued 25
So far, just an everyday story of lumpers somewhat confused but for various Reicheocactus
versus splitters in cactus land but our tale reasons, including a mistaken belief that bonnieae is taller
of muddled monikers is about to take a the unnamed plant came from Chile, he and narrower
with flowers of
turn towards succulent schizophrenia! erected a completely new genus and in
quite a different
Werdermann misidentified plants of 1941 published the type species as
colour
Echinocactus famatimensis and confused Reicheocactus pseudoreicheanus, the
the name with plants that would probably generic name preserving Schumann’s
be better called Lobivia (or Echinopsis) dedication and the specific epithet after the
densispina today, resulting in many taxon’s origins as ‘the false E. reichei’.
misnamed plants in collections that Writing in ‘The Chileans’ in 1971, Albert
flowered in a wide variety of colours and Buining related his correspondence with
also caused some degree of confusion as Friedrich Ritter, who had re-found
to what Echinocactus famatimensis, as Echinocactus famatimensis near to
described by Spegazzini, really referred. Famatina in 1955. Interestingly, Ritter
The issue was compounded by another expressed the opinion the plant was not
name, Echinocactus reichei, erected by
Karl Schumann in 1903 to honour Karl
Reiche, a fellow German botanist who The issue was compounded by another name,
specialised in South American cacti. The
true species belongs in Eriosyce sensu lato
Echinocactus reichei, erected by Karl
and is often sunk under E. odieri today, but Schumann in 1903 to honour Karl Reiche...
back in the early mid-twentieth century the
name was confused in the horticultural
trade with another plant, apparently
broadly comparable in appearance but with connected with Lobivia. Ritter sent Buining
woolly rather than bristly flowers. a couple of plants and dispatched seed
(FR459) to Winter, the celebrated German
Curt Backeberg realised the two plants seed purveyor, as was his normal practice.
were different and one therefore required a Frau Winter was Ritter’s sister and she
name. Following Werdermann, Backeberg’s subsequently forwarded seed to Buining,
own concept of L. famatimensis was who later observed the flowers of theseThe Reich stuff continued 26
propagations and also the plants received Schlumpberger made the combination
directly from Ritter. He concluded they Reicheocactus famatinensis to resolve the
were not only consistent with Spegazzini’s issue, at the same time coining
Echinocactus famatimensis but also the Reicheocactus bonnieae for a closely
same as the horticultural iteration of related species originally described as a
E. reichei. It was thus shown that Lobivia Lobivia by Josef Halda and Zlatko Janeba
(or Echinopsis) famatimensis and in 1999 (but considered to be within the
Reicheocactus pseudoreicheanus (the false natural variability of Echinopsis
E. reichei) were one and the same species famatinensis by the ‘New Cactus Lexicon’).
with the former being the older name.
Over 30 years later, in preparation for
publication of the ‘New Cactus Lexicon’ The big issue for the subject of this article was
(2006), which would subsume Lobivia back
into Echinopsis, David Hunt used a that it resolved into neither the Lobivia nor
provision of the International Code for Echinopsis (sensu stricto) clades but was in
Botanical Nomenclature to correct the fact basal to the Lobivia group.
spelling of the species name to
‘famatinensis’ in order to properly reflect
the type locality.
So Reicheocactus, once considered among
So, that’s all settled then, more or less.
the most spurious of Backeberg’s names,
Echinocactus famatimensis is clearly
turns out to be justified after all, although in
identifiable, Lobivia famatimensis is distinct
truth not for too many of the reasons
from L. densispina, Reicheocactus falls
originally proposed. It’s up to you what to
completely as its type is either an
call plants in your collection. Echinopsis,
Echinopsis or a Lobivia depending on your
Lobivia and Reicheocactus all have their
point of view and Famatina is correctly
advocates. I am currently using
honoured. What could possibly go wrong
Reicheocactus because to me the species
now?
are quite different from other lobivias.
Well, in 2012 Boris Schlumpberger and
Whatever name you choose,
Suzanne Renner published a thorough DNA
R. famatinensis grows well but fairly slowly
analysis of the Echinopsis complex. They
in standard cactus conditions, perhaps
showed conclusively that the genus sensu
with slightly less water than for other
lato was polyphyletic and therefore needed
related species, and its flowers are a treat.
to be split again into segregates, which
R. bonnieae is more temperamental
included Lobivia. The big issue for the
because its massive but soft tuberous root
subject of this article was that it resolved
makes it prone to rot. Both species benefit
into neither the Lobivia nor Echinopsis
from occasional spraying as they can
(sensu stricto) clades but was in fact basal
otherwise be susceptible to red spider mite
to the Lobivia group.
damage.
At generic level the fix was straightforward
As a footnote, it appears there may be an
because Reicheocactus had been validly
error in Joël Lodé’s nomenclature in his
published and its type was synonymous
‘Taxonomy of the Cactaceae’, as he uses
with Echinopsis famatinensis (as it was now
Reicheocactus pseudoreicheanus.
spelt). Any attempt at erecting a new genus
Following Schlumpberger, this name should
would fail because it would be homotypic
only be used if one accepts it as distinct
with an older name (two genera cannot
from R. famatinensis, which Lodé does not,
share the same type species). The problem
because the latter has date priority at
was that at species rank Spegazzini’s name
species rank and should not be sunk under
was 20 years older than Backeberg’s but
a later synonym. n
not valid in the resurrected genus, so
Photos: Graham Evans
C & V Cacti – Seedling cacti grown in West Sussex
C & V Cacti have the following for sale (listed as lobivias)
L. famatinensis, L. famatinensis jachelensis WR557a,
L. famatinensis sanjuanensis WR557
Visit their website, for new listings from March 202127
Fig. 1
The red-orange flowers of Fouquieria splendens
photographed in Anza-Borrego, California.
Looking at
Fouquierias
by Ian Woolnough
Despite their size these interesting plants are often overlooked
F ouquieria is not a genus I profess to
know much about, (even spelling the
name correctly is a struggle for me);
whip’ or ‘ocotillo’, which is the most
widespread, growing from the
southwestern US down into northern
however they are plants often encountered Mexico. It is commonly seen across
in cactus habitats. Of the 11 known California and Arizona especially and it can
species I have now crossed paths with a also be found in parts of Nevada, New
good number, although they can be easily Mexico and Texas. Following even slight
overlooked amongst ‘the other spiny rainfall it will come into leaf and flower
vegetation’ that one has to navigate. They (Fig. 1). It has long thin stems, hence the
are not best suited for cultivation in the UK coach whip epithet.
as they tend to get rather big and straggly
A much more limited range applies to
for the average greenhouse. They are,
Fouquieria shrevei which mostly grows in
however, hopefully worth a mention as they
Coahuila, south of Cuatracienegas, on
are interesting and can survive
gypsum flats. This species is much more
temperatures below freezing.
compact (Fig. 2), has white flowers with a
The most well-known species of course is touch of pink (Fig. 3) and beautiful silver-
Fouquieria splendens, the ‘desert coach grey markings on its stems (Fig. 4).Looking at fouquierias continued 28
Fouquieria shrevei is a much more
compact, greyer plant that blends
well into the gypsum mud backdrop.
This plant has had some rain, as
evidenced by the round green leaves
present on some of the smaller
stems.
Fig. 3
Fig. 2
A close up of the
flowers which are
white with a pink
blush.
Fig. 4
Stems of Fouquieria shrevei
have beautiful silver-grey and
orangey brown markings.Looking at fouquierias continued 29
Further down the Mexican mainland in the This is a dominant part of the succulent
Barranca de Metztitlan, a contender for vegetation and dense stands can be found.
bonsai growing is Fouquieria fasciculata. Vying for the title of tallest with
Commonly called ‘the barrel tree’ the base Pachycereus pringlei, which the cactus just
of the trunk of these is a swollen caudex wins, it quite often leans over (Fig. 6) when
which can reach 60cm in diameter, as can quite large. It leafs up after rains (Fig. 7)
be seen in Fig. 5. and becomes very autumnal after
Moving on to the Baja peninsula, the tree- subsequent dry periods (Fig. 8). As The swollen
like ‘boojum’, ‘cirio’, ‘upside-down tree’ or Pachycormus discolor, a caudiciform tree caudex of
whatever you want to call it is Fouquieria that also grows in Baja, exhibits the same Fouquieria
columnaris (previously perhaps better trait there are some fantastic colour fasciculata can
known as Idria columnaris). displays when this happens. reach 60cm in
diameter.
Fig. 5Looking at fouquierias continued
Fig. 6
A typical desert scene near Catavina in Baja
where amongst the tallest vegetation there is
Fouquieria columnaris, although often when
tall they have a tendency to lean over as can
be seen with the plant to the right.
Fig. 7
Close up of a Fouquieria columnaris trunk
showing its golden colour when wet – the
picture was taken in late January during rains
although there had been rain previously as well.Looking at fouquierias continued 31
Fig. 8
Once in leaf, if there is
insufficient moisture,
the leaves on
Fouquieria columnaris
turn yellow and fall off,
as here in March.Looking at fouquierias continued 32
Finally I am including a couple of pictures
of what is either Fouquieria burragei or
Fouquieria diguetii – in my defence when
these are not in flower they are very hard to
tell apart.
These were taken a little bit North of La
Paz in Baja, which is within the range of
both species, although F. burragei is a
much rarer plant. Fig. 9 shows the whole
plant while Fig. 10 shows a close-up of the
bark with its fantastic pattern. n
Photos: Ian Woolnough
Fig. 10
A close-up view of the incredible markings on
the trunk of the plant shown in Fig. 9 (below).
Another of the species that grows in Baja is
shown here and is either the fairly rare
Fouquieria burragei or the more widespread
F. diguetii. When not in flower it is very hard
to tell the two species apart.
Fig. 933
I would like to share with you a picture which first came to
my attention in the mid 1970s, not long after I had been
introduced to cacti and other succulents.
Carl Spitzweg
by Tony Clifford
‘The Cactus Friend’ (Der Kaktusfreund), painted around 1856 and depicted on a
postcard. Spitzweg often painted alternative versions of his pictures, and there is at
least one other version of this one.Carl Spitzweg continued 34 The artist is Carl Spitzweg (1808-1885), a German painter who liked painting eccentrics, collectors and many who would today be called obsessives. These include, for instance, the wonderful ‘Bookworm’ (1850), ‘Hypochondriac’ (c1865) and ‘Mineral Collector in the Grotto’ (c1880). But I want to talk about ‘The Cactus Friend’ (Der Kaktusfreund), painted around 1856 and currently located in the Museum Georg Schafer in Scheinfurt, Bavaria, which has a comprehensive collection of 160 paintings and 110 drawings by Spitzweg. I have a Swiss postcard (see previous page), posted in 1930, which reproduces ‘The Cactus Friend’. The sender has written underneath the picture “Daddy when he retired”, which probably sums it up very well. An elderly gent is standing in his yard, surrounded by pots of cacti. He is looking studiously at what is certainly a flowering Mammillaria. Other plants shown include Opuntia, Agave, Aloe and Echinopsis. A watering can is evidence that the gent is looking after his collection. Spitzweg trained in pharmacy at the University of Vienna, and was a pharmacist and newspaper illustrator before becoming a painter in 1833. It is amazing to discover that he had no formal art training and is generally well thought of: “He was provincial in his choice of subjects; tenderly, humorously, but with firm control of light, shadow, composition, and detail, he portrayed small town misfits, street musicians, postmen, night watchmen, and lovers bidding farewell”. He is widely recognised as the most representative of the Biedermeier (early Victorian) artists in Germany. Spitzweg produced another charming oil on canvas, called ‘The Cactus Lover’ (Der Kaktusliebhauber) (c1860) in which a gent surrounded by bundles of papers is staring at what is certainly a tall, lopsided Mammillaria. There are other small cacti on the windowsill. Perhaps this is the same gent before retiring? There is no sign of a greenhouse in either picture – this may tell us ‘The Cactus Lover’ (Der Kaktusliebhauber) (c1860) something about the cultivation methods in Is the cactus lover depicted Carl Spitzweg himself? 19th century Germany. n
35
Fig. 1
Two of the
finished cold
Hand-built
frames.
Note the zinc half
cold frames
gutter along the
top of the frame
on the right,
replaced by a pvc
gutter on the cold
frame on the left.
by Jos Huizer One out of every
three panes is
Growing a remarkable cactus collection in a series of hand-built propped open
with angle
cold frames brackets.
A s did many people, I started with a
small greenhouse when I was a
teenager. I bought plants, got cuttings and
cacti. The size was modest (3x4m) and it
was going to be heated with a propane
heater.
sowed seeds. Pretty soon the greenhouse The first winter it turned out that I could not
was full, and I had the choice to stop, keep the greenhouse frost free with the
specialise or expand. As my mother’s back heater. What’s more, the bottle was empty
garden was already filled with the within a week. So what now?
greenhouse (which was heated), I looked
elsewhere. After reading some articles in the German
magazine KuaS, I decided that growing
At the other end of town I could get an cacti without heat could be done. And
allotment. Whereas most of the people had pretty soon the greenhouse was full. So
vegetables or fruit (and some chickens), I now I was planning my cold frame (the first
planned to put a greenhouse there with my of five!).Hand-built cold frames continued 36
Fig. 2
Under
For materials I had to look for a local Next came the beams to hold the top. They construction.
supplier. After much searching, I found one. were put in a sloping position (Figs. 2 and The beams to hold
He could supply me with foundations 3), and attached to the horizontal beams the top were put
(concrete sleepers, 10x10x90cm), wooden with angle brackets of about 5x5 cm. The in a sloping
beams (5x10cm), glass bars (used to build top of those sloping beams held the upper position and
attached to the
wooden greenhouses in the ‘old’ days) and horizontal beam, on which the wooden
horizontal beams
wooden-framed casement windows (a frames would rest. On top of that horizontal with angle
wooden frame of about 80x150cm with a beam came a plank, and on top of that a brackets.
glass pane, but I use the word frame, since zinc ‘half pipe’ to stop rain coming in from
it’s much shorter to write). the top and also to protect from the wind
(Fig. 1). Later I used a pvc gutter (the cold
I would dig the foundation about 70cm into
frame on the left in Fig. 1).
the ground, and put the wooden beams
horizontally on top of them to lay out the The bottom of the wooden frames was
base. The wooden secured with three
beams would be screws, each with a
fixed to the closed eye at the
foundation with long Essentially the cold frames end. Two of those
went into the
screws and plugs. were just greenhouses horizontal beam, one
The space under the
wooden beams I without walls. in the frame. A long
would close with nail (15cm) would
vertical pavement then do the trick to
tiles of 30x30x5 cm. stop the frames from
sliding down. In the summer I wanted my
The size of the first cold frame was panes to open, so one out of every three
14.4x2.45m. Inside I had a space of panes had a long angle bracket (20x20cm),
14.2x2.2 m. That would last me some years fixed to the frame with screws. In
(not!). summertime I would put aHand-built cold frames continued 37
Fig. 3
The finished
nail through the end opening of the angle pair of sloping beams, fixed with nuts and construction.
bracket and into the horizontal beam. bolts. You can see the strips in Note the strip of
(See Fig. 1.) Figs 2 and 3. aluminium
To prevent sagging I had two thin strips of The ends were closed with glass bars and between the two
aluminium, about 60cm long, between each glass, and had small windows which were sloping beams.
Fig. 4
The small
windows were
always open,
except during very
cold weather.Hand-built cold frames continued 38
Fig. 5
All my plants were
always open, except during very cold All my plants were grown in trays of grown in trays of
weather (think of temperatures below 60x40cm, no holes in the bottom (if there 60x40cm. On the
–6°C). (See Fig. 4.) Essentially the cold were, I used plastic to make it waterproof). bottom I used a
frames were just greenhouses without On the bottom I used a layer of sand, to layer of sand, to
walls. plant the pots as level as I could get. plant the pots as
(See Fig. 5.) level as I could
When growing in cold frames without heat, get.
it is very important to separate the soil I could squeeze 70-74 round 5.5cm pots
inside from the soil outside to prevent into one tray, depending on the tray. Bigger
moisture build-up and the growing of plants would go into square pots (7, 11 or
weeds inside the cold frame. I used pond 13cm). Even bigger plants went into round
lining for that, so the soil could dry out pots, but I had not many of those at that
completely! The pond lining would stretch time. (See Fig. 3.)
from one side of the cold frame to the The first years I would put all my cacti on
other, and from the beginning to the end. shelves in the greenhouse in November,
Since the soil was somewhat clayish, it and back into the cold frame in spring. But
would take me several weeks to break the that became too much of a problem
dried out clay into fine soil, so the ground because of the number of plants, so I
inside could be made level. decided to leave them in the cold frames.Hand-built cold frames continued 39
(See Fig. 4.) Three of those Oreocereus are had to wait. As the ditch water was slightly
still with me. But I had to insulate! alkaline, I added a minute amount of
diluted sulphuric acid to it, about 3ml of a
So I made some sort of net from electrical
10% solution for every 10 litres of water. I
wire inside the cold frame, and I would put
also used some fertiliser (about 15-20-25)
bubble wrap on top of that in November,
in ½ gram per litre. I watered every four
and remove the bubble wrap and the wire
weeks, if the weather was good.
in spring (usually the end of March). Very
strenuous task, but it worked out quite Remember, in cold frames there is much
nicely. more dew than in greenhouses, and that
must be taken into account. The latest
I watered mostly in May for the first time.
watering was half way through September,
My water came from a ditch, and I was
but sometimes much earlier, again
depending on high summer water tables for
depending on the water.
the water. When that came late, my plants
Figs. 6 & 7
Some of the many
plants growing
successfully in the
carefully
constructed cold
frames.Hand-built cold frames continued 40
I used to use a potting soil mixture (there is The advantage is that a cold frame can
no John Innes in Holland) of about 3 part house a number of plants which react very
potting soil and 1 part coarse sand. well to intense light (much closer to the
But as the potting soil quality got worse glass). You do not usually need permits, (at
over the years (to the point that it burnt least not in Holland), if you stay below 1m
away roots, even of leafy house plants), I in height, so you can build them on an
switched to a mineral soil (pumice, with allotment, which I did. The costs are
some sand and clay added, because the usually lower than those of a greenhouse
first grade was quite coarse). Later I had a with the same space and you are much
finer grade (1-8 mm), which I am still using less at risk during storms, because the
today. Some of the plants are still in the cold frames are nearer to the ground.
original pot, (the big pots in Fig. 3), and In the end my wooden frames deteriorated
grow and flower every year. to the extent that I could no longer apply
In the summer, I had to whiten my panes my bubble wrap, because the wood and
with some sort of chalk to protect the the glass would break. In my last year
plants. (See Fig. 1.) Without it my plants (2012) the temperatures at the allotment
would cook. It lowered the temperatures dropped down to –19°C, and inside the
enough for my plants to survive. It can get cold frames to –12°C. The cold weather
very hot in cold frames, and because of the lasted for two weeks in February, with the
lower volume compared with a greenhouse
it also heats up more quickly.
With this much space (I ended up with five ...I
grew my plants in cold frames from 1988 till
cold frames, and a total of about 200
square metres of glass), the number of 2012, so for more than 20 years.
cacti I had exploded. Not everything could
be grown, but a lot of plants did very well.
Because of the overwintering of the plants
cold frames buried under about 10cm of
in the cold frame, and applying bubble
snow. I lost quite a lot of plants, but even
wrap as well, it was very important that all
at those temperatures, the number of
old flowers had to be removed by
plants that stayed alive was enormous.
November. Which was a problem for those
plants that insisted on flowering in late Later that year I moved with the family to a
October, such as some lobivias. house with a greenhouse big enough to
For me the downside of growing in cold accommodate all my plants. But I grew my
frames was the intense labour with plants in cold frames from 1988 till 2012,
watering, removing old flowers and so for more than 20 years. n
applying/removing the bubble wrap. Also Photos: Jos Huizer
the whitening of the glass to prevent
cooking hinders the view on the plants, I
had to remove a pane to see my plants. For a list of genera Jos grew successfully
And of course during rainy weather I could see ‘Growing in cold frames’ Cactus and
not open any panes. Succulent Review, Issue 26, September 2020.You can also read
