Care for your garden
Gardening with succulent plants can be part of the response to our extended drought conditions, and, for a growing community of gardeners, is an intriguing and absorbing aspect of the horticultural experience.
As we have noted previously, succulent plants are native to various regions with long periods of dry climates, and have evolved to store moisture in their leaves, stems, or roots. This survival strategy succeeds within numerous plant genera, resulting in an extraordinary diversity of forms.
A large group within the succulent world is the cactus plant family (Cactaceae), which includes 127 genera. The phrase, “cacti and succulents,” acknowledges the size of this plant family, while also recognizing that cacti are succulents.
This topic is timely now because a major local sale of cacti and succulents has been scheduled this month. This event, organized by the Monterey Bay Area Cactus & Succulent Society, offers an enormous array of plants grown by members of the Society. Typically, most of these sale plants will be relatively small, because of either their youth or their mature size. Some of the world’s succulent plants grow quite large, even to tree form, so young specimens of larger plants also could be found at this sale.
The sale is from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 23 and April 24 at the Portuguese Community Hall, 124 Atkinson Lane, in Watsonville. Both parking and admission to the sale are free.
The hall is a spacious facility, accommodating numerous tables, each with many succulent plants. When visitors enter the sale space, they are often amazed by the quantity and diversity of the available plants. As plants are sold and removed, more plants will be brought to the tables.
Gardeners already accustomed to growing succulent plants could have their shopping lists in hand, ready to search for new additions to their collections.
Newcomers to succulent gardening likely will discover plants with appealing forms and colors and could contact members of the Society available to share information on the plant’s growth and care.
The event also includes a show of specimen plants presented by members of the Society. The show provides all visitors with a rare opportunity to see exceptional succulent plants, appreciate the variability of this plant category, and perhaps become inspired to add favored plants to their gardens. This show will not be judged, but viewers will be invited to nominate their favorites.
Today’s column includes photos of a few of the plants displayed during a previous Monterey Bay Area Cactus & Succulent Society show and sale. These photos, featuring species of mostly familiar garden plants, were taken by Monterey Bay Area Cactus & Succulent Society member Fred Valentine. The April 2022 show likely will include both familiar and rare species.
Haworthiopsis reinwardtii. Haworthias are popular small succulent flowering plants for gardens, native to South Africa, and available in numerous recognized varieties. The species shown has a basal rosette of fleshy leaves arranged in a spiral pattern, and pinkish-white flowers in spring. When these plants are stressed (e.g., deprived of water), their green leaves can change to reds and purples. While this plant typically spreads to form a mat, this specimen has been trained to upright form.
Aloe brevifolia. This plant is one of more than 500 species in the Aloe genus, which includes the widely known Aloe vera. Various Aloes are native to parts of Africa, the Middle East, and India. This species, called the Short-leaved Aloe, is a tiny, compact, blue-green evergreen succulent perennial, native to South Africa. It tends to sprout new rosettes from its sides, eventually forming large, low-growing clumps in the garden.
Gymnocalycium vatteri. A native of South America, this small plant is one of 70 species in the genus with the common name Chin Cactus. They are popular for easy flowering habits, often with brightly colored flowers. This very slowly growing species has white flowers with pink to brownish-red throats.
Mammillaria blossfeldiana. The Mammillaria, called the Pincushion Cactus, is one of the largest genera in the Cactaceae plant family, with 200 species and varieties. The genus name was derived by the Latin word for nipple, referring to its distinctive tubercles. This ornamental species, native to Baja California, branches slowly and produces funnel-shaped pink and red flowers; other species have similar flowers in white, greenish, or yellow colors.
Advance your knowledge
The American Rose Society will present the webinar, “How to Grow Climbing Roses,” at 11 a.m., Saturday. The presenter, John Moe, has been growing roses for more than 30 years, and has “about 300 plus 150 or so seedlings” being evaluated within his hybridizing program. Moe also has extensive experience writing, speaking, and teaching about roses, and his roses have been honored with numerous honors. If you have, or hope to have, climbing roses in your garden, Moe’s presentation will support your success with these plants. Register for this free event by visiting https://tinyurl.com/2p9y5prr.
UC Santa Cruz will present a virtual event, “An Afternoon on the Rooftop: Virtual tour of the Jean H. Langenheim Greenhouses, from 4–5 p.m. April 20. UCSC Greenhouse Director Sylvia Childress will present a tour of the plant collections in these greenhouses and highlight current projects to conserve rare California native plants, including the Santa Cruz Tarplant. These greenhouses are used primarily for research and some instruction. They are located on the roof of Sinsheimer Labs and are not open to the public.
To register for this free event, browse to https://tinyurl.com/mvbv5u97. We’re pleased to provide early notice for this exceptional event, so mark your calendar.
Enrich your gardening days
Reminders. It’s plant season, and this weekend includes two annual plant events hosted by local garden societies.
The Spring Native Plant Sale presented by the California Native Plant Society’s Santa Cruz Chapter, will be held Saturday at the UCSC Arboretum & Botanic Garden. The event is open for members only from 10-11 a.m., and open for everyone from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Joining the California Native Plant Society, always a good idea, is a timely idea at plant sale time, because the best choices will go quickly.
This sale is an opportunity for adding well-grown and attractively priced plants to your garden and supporting the conservation and education activities of your community’s native plant specialists. Visit cruzcnps.org for a list of available species and a map of directions to the Arboretum. Signs will show the way to the sale.
During this same weekend, find time to visit the Annual Wildflower Show of the Monterey Chapter of the California Native Plant Society. It will be held on Saturday and Sunday at the Carmel Women’s Club, Ninth & San Carlos, Carmel-by-the-Sea.
This show was not held in 2020 or 2021, due to COVID-19 restrictions, so this is a long-delayed occasion to see specimens of native wildflowers blooming in Monterey County. The show’s organizers know where to gather samples of an amazingly large number of wildflower varieties. these plants, and how to display them for all who wish to discover the diversity of our native plant community.
The Santa Cruz Bonsai Kai will hold its sale of bonsai trees and bonsai-related items from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 16 outdoors at the Live Oak Grange Hall, 1900 17th Avenue, Santa Cruz. “Bonsai refers to miniaturized, container-grown trees adhering to Japanese tradition and principles.” This club is devoted to promoting and teaching bonsai as an art form. For information about this sale, bonsai, and membership in the club, visit santacruzbonsaikai.com. This site also includes links to bonsai clubs in Watsonville, Monterey, and Salinas.
Enjoy your garden!
Tom Karwin is past president of Friends of the UC Santa Cruz Arboretum and the Monterey Bay Iris Society, a Lifetime Member of the Monterey Bay Area Cactus & Succulent Society, and a Lifetime UC Master Gardener (Certified 1999–2009). He is now a board member of the Santa Cruz Hostel Society, and active with the Pacific Horticultural Society. To view daily photos from his garden, https://www.facebook.com/ongardeningcom-566511763375123/. For garden coaching information and an archive of previous On Gardening columns, visit http://ongardening.com. Contact him with comments or questions at tom@karwin.com.
