Just 20 years ago, I was bitten by the cactus bug while vacationing in Arizona. From that time on, the collecting fever has grown steadily worse. Until now, I have some 500 plants—cacti and other succulents. In my hit-and-miss collection of early days, I ordered a Gymnocalycium Damsi (Jim-no-caly-see-um), commonly called Dams Chin, that I … Read more
Perhaps no other class of house plant needs so little care or, plainly speaking, endures so much neglect as the big family called succulents. Some of this family’s most dependable and attractive members are the echeverias. There are more than eighty species and many hybrids, and their attractive rosettes vary in size, form, coloring, and … Read more
The crinkle leaf plant, Adromischus cristatus, has bright, shiny, green foliage, very much crinkled at the edges. We use it as a foliage plant on a narrow window sill, where it stands in a 3-inch pottery jar. The flowers are whitish and small and are carried on wiry stems 8 to 10 inches long, similar … Read more
My affection for the annual Mesembryanthemum crystallinum, a native of California’s shoreline from central California south into Baja California and especially abundant on the Santa Barbara Channel Islands, was deepened when, at my last visit to the New York flower show, I found a pot-enthroned specimen of this ice plant heavily ringed around by an … Read more
Discover the exciting world of succulents. Choose kinds to make your summer garden more colorful. They vary in appearance from the boldly sculptured to the whimsical, but all are plants ideally suited to giving the garden a late-in-the-season face-lifting. As a group, succulents are plants with watery leaves and stems. If you garden in the … Read more
To the connoisseur of beautiful plants, succulents rank as a large group of easily grown floral gems with marvelous color in foliage and flower — brilliant, often so subtle that the casual observer may not see these delicate tones. The term succulent is often confusing, even to experienced gardeners. It is of Latin origin, meaning … Read more
Many kinds of cacti and succulents can be grown in the home. My own collection, relatively small because it is confined to limited available space, is constantly growing. Almost any soil will suffice if you have space for only a few plants. As long as plants are not overwatered, they will be pleased in a … Read more
If you are looking for suitable plants for your window or garden, consider your search ended and heed my advice. The kalanchoids are the plants for you! Probably you are wondering, what are kalanchoids? Stonecrop Family Simply it is a collective word applied to a subfamily under Crassulaceae, which commonly you know as the stonecrop … Read more
Echinopsis, or cactus, is a unique and interesting plant with many different species. It’s a popular choice for gardens and indoor plants because of its easy care requirements and unique appearance. If you’re thinking about adding an Echinopsis to your home or garden, here’s what you need to know about this fascinating plant. Echinopsis is … Read more
If you’re into succulents and cacti, you’ll want to get your hands on an Astrophytum myriostigma. This unique plant is a species of cactus that is native to Mexico and the southwestern United States. It grows in rocky, desert-like conditions and is often found on cliffs or rocky outcrops. It has a thick, upright body … Read more