SucculentReviewEssex
Volume 52 Number 2 June 2015
In this issue
The genus Turbinicarpusby Philip Andrews
Continental Cactus Crawl
by John Watmough
Turbinicarpus schmiedickeanus ssp schwarzii
SucculentReviewEssex
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The Essex Succulent Review ispublished quarterly in March,June, September andDecember.
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Editor Sheila Cude
Address 25 Macleod RoadLondon N21 1SW
Phone 020 8340 1928
EditorialWelcome to the Essex SucculentReview.
With this June issue I have nowcompleted one year of on-lineEssex Succulent Reviews, whichI hope my readers have enjoyed.
I have a number of people on my‘subscribers’ list, to receive a pdfof each issue as it appears, and Iknow that others download itregularly from the website.
Please remember that a‘subscription’ to the EssexSucculent Review is completelyfree. Just send me an email tothe address below and I will addyou to the notification list. Youcan stop this at any time simplyby telling me to do so.
This is a good time to thank allthe people who have helped meduring the first year, by writingarticles and providing pictures.And also thank you to peoplewho have sent me such positivefeedback – I really do appreciateeverybody’s support.
Sheila Cude
Zone 15 Events 2015
Saturday 6 June 11.00am–4.00pmHavering Branch Annual ShowNorth Romford Community Centre, Collier Row, Romford RM5 3QJ
Saturday 13 June 11.00am–4.00pmSouthend-on-Sea Branch Show: United Reformed Church Hall, Kings Road, Leigh-on-Sea SS0 8PP
Saturday 11 July 10.30am–4.00pmWaltham Forest Branch Show:Chingford Horticultural Hall, Larkshall Road, Chingford E4 6PE Plant sales from 9.00am
Saturday/Sunday 18/19 July 11.00am–4.00pmZone 15 Annual Show each dayRHS Garden Hyde Hall, Creephedge Lane, Rettendon, Chelmsford, Essex CM3 8ET See the RHS Hyde Hall website for directions
Sunday/Monday 30/31 August 11.00am–6.00pmHavering Branch Sales at Harrow Lodge Park Show RM11 1JU
Saturday 5 September 12noon–5.00pmHavering Branch Sales at Orsett Show RM16 3JU
Lea Valley Show23-25 May 2015
The Lea Valley Branch Show, heldat the usual venue of Capel Manor,is always an enjoyable event. TheShow takes place on the Saturday,and the plants remain on displayover the bank holiday weekend. Itis an ideal opportunity to attractinterest from those visiting thegardens and the plant sales, ofcacti, succulents and gardenplants, always do well.
Above: Some of the Gymnocalyciums
Right: Best cactus in show – StirlingBaker’s magnificent Melocactus
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Cactus collecting started for me in 1961, when I wassix years of age. My very first plant was purchasedfrom Folkestone Woolworths costing me 2s-6d(12.5p). The plant was Ferocactus herrerae, it was ina 50mm pot and the size of a golf ball – 42 years onthe plant is in a 375mm pot and is still growing well.I joined the Cactus and Succulent Society of GreatBritain in 1969 and, with this newly-found source ofinformation and contacts, my interest andknowledge rapidly increased.
My interest in cacti is as keen today as it ever wasand now I have more than 1000 plants in mycollection with a particular interest in Mexicanminiatures such as Ariocarpus, Aztekium,Astrophytum etc. My particular passion however isTurbinicarpus. These are generally small and slow
growing and can be a bit tricky to keep and growwell, which is their main attraction to me. I now haveover 150 specimens, many of which were purchasedin the 60s and are now over 50 years old.
Origin of the species
The name ‘Turbinicarpus’ has a double origin ofGreek and Latin:Latin – ‘turbo, turbines’ – meaning ‘top’Greek – ‘karpos’ – meaning ‘fruit’.
The earliest member of Turbinicarpus was firstdescribed in 1927 by Bödecker as Echinocactusschmiedickeanus. It was later included in the sub-genus Turbinicarpus, at this time a sub-genus of thegenus Strombocactus. In 1937 Turbinicarpus waselevated to having its own genus. The genus
The genus Turbinicarpusby Philip Andrews
A general view of just partof my Turbinicarpuscollection
T. alonsoiDistribution: the municipality of Xichu in the state ofGuanajuato (Mexico)
This is a beautiful species and easily recognised. It is arelatively recent discovery by Alonso Garcia Luna, firstdescribed in 1996. The flowers are fairly large for the genus.It is relatively easy to grow so long as care is taken with thetaproot.
T graminispinusDistribution: Nuevo Leon (Mexico)
A recent discovery in 2008 this beautiful plant is nowappearing in collections. The spines resemble dried grass.My small plants are now developing buds for the first time(during March) and I eagerly await the first flowers toappear. Unfortunately flower photos not quite available forthis article!
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Turbinicarpus now includes species previouslydescribed under Gymnocactus.
Turbinicarpus populate the north-eastern regions ofMexico between 300-3300m. Species are usuallyconfined to specific hostile habitats found in thefollowing states: San Luis Potosi: Guanajuato: NuevoLeon: Queretaro: Hidalgo: Coahuila: Tamaulipas andZacatecas.
Turbinicarpus species grow in arid regions having amean average rainfall of 300-600mm. They mostlygrow on limestone soils, some on almost purenatural gypsum. Many species grow on sloping sitesin cracks and niches. The plants’ taproots act as ananchor in the loose stony soil, but more importantlya water store for periods of drought.
The species are generally small growing, depressedin the soil or level with the ground, and may provedifficult to spot until they flower.
The illustrations show some of my particularfavourites, although it is difficult to make a shortlistas they are all terrific in their individual way. For achecklist of species see Turbinicarpus.
Cultivation notesThese are suggestions based on conditionsexperienced in the south of England.
Position and ventilationTurbinicarpus prefer to be in a well-ventilatedposition in full sun to maintain a good body colourand spinal development. Ventilation should continuethroughout the year; 24 hours a day during thewarmer months and whenever weather permitsduring the colder months. .
WateringThe golden rule when it comes to wateringTurbinicarpus species is ‘never water when thecompost is still damp’. Watering should commencelate March to early April depending on the weatherand the plants should initially be given a light sprayto gently encourage them into growth. A number ofspecies with papery spines (eg Turbinicarpusschmiedickeanus) have the ability to absorb waterthrough their spines. Never introduce water tooquickly as the plants may take up too much andsplit. During a hot mid-summer period the plants
The genus Turbinicarpus continued
T. hoferi
Distribution: Aramberri in the state of Nuevo Leon (Mexico)
This was discovered in in 1988 by Anton Hofer. It is aparticularly slow growing species often remaining solitarybut may form a small clump in time.
T horripilus
Distribution: Metztitlan in the state of Hidalgo (Mexico)
Very colourful flowers and vicious spines make this aninteresting plant. Will quickly form offsets and eventually afairly large group.
T. knuthianusDistribution: Guadalcazar in the state of San Luis Potosi(Mexico)
T. lophophoroidesDistribution: Las Tablas inthe state of San LuisPotosi (Mexico)
This is one of themore tricky species whichshould be grownslowly and watered withcaution to preventthe plant becomingbloated and unnatural.The flowers areparticularly large.
may go into dormancy for short time, when waterlevels should be reduced.
TemperatureTurbinicarpus species are all able to withstand highsummer temperatures and indeed benefit, providingthe heat is accompanied by good ventilation. Do notbe tempted to overcrowd the plants, they will be farhappier with a little space to allow the air tocirculate.
Winter temperatures can be set ideally at 6°C but,providing the plants are kept dry and the humiditylevels are low, they can happily withstand coldertemperatures for brief periods.
FeedingDo not over-feed! Over-feeding or over-watering willproduce bloated unnatural looking plants lookingnothing like the species in habitat. These areminiature plants and should therefore remain so. I endeavour to grow my plants to closely mimic theirappearance in habitat. One liquid feed per year
using a general cactus fertiliser applied during thespring is probably all that is needed.
Pests and diseasesFrom my experience Turbinicarpus species do notseem to be that susceptible to pests although I haveexperienced red spider mite and mealy bug over theyears. The one disease that all Turbinicarpus speciesare susceptible to is rot, which can easily kill anyplant within just a few days.
Repotting
Repotting is best carried out once every two/threeyears in early spring although this can actually be atany time of the year with caution.
I would recommend the following mix
2 parts John Innes No 2 (good quality as they do vary).
1 part Tesco low dust lightweight cat litter.
2 parts sharp horticultural grit (small and larger size mixed).
Some species benefit from the addition of a half partcrushed gypsum.
Either clay or plastic pots can be used rememberingclay pots will dry out more quickly. The majority ofTurbinicarpus species will require a deep pot to
accommodate the taproot once the planthas matured, up to this time shallow
pots can be used.
Above: T. schmiedickeanus sspschmiedickeanus
Distribution: La Perdida in the municipalityof Miquihuana in the state of Tamaulipas(Mexico)
Like most Turbinicarpus this is a slow growingspecies. The plant in the photo has been in mycollection since 1962 and is now multi headed.
Left: T. schmiedickeanus ssp flaviflorus
Distribution: Guadalcazar in the state ofSan Luis Potosi (Mexico)
A gorgeous plant, with yellow flowers. Itgrows quite tall over time and may
require some support.
Front cover: T. schmiedickeanus sspschwarzii
Distribution: Guadalcazar in the state of San Luis Potosi (Mexico)
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The genus Turbinicarpus continued
T. pseudomacrochele ssp pseudomacrochele
Distribution: the states of Queretaro and Hidalgo (Mexico)
T. pseudomacrochele ssp lausseri
Distribution: the state of Queretaro (Mexico)
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The genus Turbinicarpus continued
PropagationFortunately the majority of the species are easilypropagated from seed and success levels aregenerally good. Seedlings tend to grow away quitequickly and can produce flowering-sized plantswithin just a few years.
Use small pots with a 50:50 mixture of John Innesseedling compost:sharp sand. Water thoroughly withcooled boiled water and evenly spread the fine seedover the surface, there is no need to cover theseeds. Ensure everything – pots, compost, grit and
water, have been sterilised before use. A microwaveoven is the easiest way to sterilise the compost.
The pots are then sealed individually in polythenebags and put in a propagator or on a warmwindowsill out of direct sunlight and kept around 21-25˚C but no higher than 30˚C until the seedsgerminate. This should be within three weeks. Keep the plants covered until they are about 6-8mmhigh. When the seedlings are about 10mm high re-pot individually into 50mm pots and treat as adult plants. n Photos: Philip Andrews
T. pseudopectinatus
Distribution: Large distribution in the states of San LuisPotosi, Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas (Mexico)
This species has similar characteristics to T. valdezianuswith the flower buds developing over the winter months. Itparticularly benefits from being grown hard to ensure theplant remains compact, broad and flat to the compostsurface, as you would expect to see the plant in habitat.
T. valdezianus
Distribution: Saltillo, Coahuila, Matehuala in the state ofSan Luis Potosi (Mexico)
A particular favourite of mine the plant shown has been inmy collection since 1965. Then it was a small single head,now it has 14 heads but still occupies a 100mm pot. Thebuds first appear in November and slowly develop over thewinter months to eventually flower in mid to late March.
Turbinicarpus hybrids
T. beguinii x T. pseudopectinatus T. pseudopectinatus x T. rioverdensis T. klinkerianus x T. pseudopectinatus
Left:
T. valdezianus x T. bonatzii
Right:
T. valdezianus x T. laui
Under controlled conditions Turbinicarpus species will produce some interesting hybrids. The followingphotos are some examples in my own collection. All plants require the same cultivation as species.
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A few years ago I was paying a visit to the OrganPipe National Monument in south Arizona, very closeto the Mexican border. This was the third time I hadvisited the Monument and, although I did not knowit, this was to be special.
I took one of the tour roads I had used before andselected a spot where I thought there would bephotographic opportunities and parked up. Havingwalked a few hundred yards in a generally uphilldirection I stopped and I was struck by howrelatively cool it was and how many other hills withstands of giant cacti, Organ Pipe (Stenocereusthurberi) and Saguaro, were to be seen.
Then I noted something altogether different. I had,for the first time, left my cameras in the cool box ofthe car. I found a boulder some way from the roadand took a seat. The environment was silent, soquiet in fact that I could hear the susurrations of thesmall shrubs and grasses in the soft breeze. Morethan this however, I could feel that this world was atpeace with itself and all the elements were somehowin tune with each other and with my feelings.
The clouds passing slowly over the hills and thebright desert sun combined to put on anunforgettable display of light and shadow. Columnsof ants busied themselves with their unceasingquests while overhead, birds flitted from one cactuslookout point to another.
Down on the edge of a trail leading from the roadthere emerged a family of Gamble’s quail, theparents trotting along at each end of a string ofyoung. They paused now and then to scratch and
peck at the ground like miniature chickens, thenmade off, as if by some invisible signal, in the sameformation as before. A little time passes.
Now a desert woodpecker decides that the ant nesta few yards from my feet provides a chance fordelousing and, without noticing me, (or perhapsregarding me as no threat), proceeds to smear antsover several parts of his plumage. This is done insome haste as the ants resent the intrusion. The birdmight wish he had not started his toilet if he took onhundreds of angry insects.
A tiny squeak a minute later has my eyes searching.In a few seconds I see a kangaroo rat bounding outfrom the cover of a mesquite tree and into therelative safety of a patch of thick dead grasses andthe spines of fallen Opuntia pads. I wonder whatcaused this night-fellow to be about, and what wasthe cause of his panic.
Then, from behind a cholla, a road runner dashes towhere the kangaroo rat vanished and proceeds torun round the patch of ground like a demented toy,stopping now and then to cock its head to listen forsounds of further movement. I see that its comicperformance and apparent frustration are in fact aclever hunting tactic. It is running in a spiral patternand, as it tightens the spiral, it hopes that its preywill panic again or at least give away its hiding placeto give the bird a chance to run it down if it hops outsome way from the stiletto beak. Nice try – but nolunch today. There is no movement and I think theremust be a hidden hole under that grass. The runnertakes off in a huff and scurry of gravel to hunt the
A sounding of silenceby David Offord
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A sounding of silence continued
lizards it has seen basking on a boulder down hillfrom my vantage point. More time passes.
Gazing at the hills, and the sites of the arroyos andwashes where water has flowed down after heavyrain, I can see how the heaviest congregations oforgan pipes are found where the weather hasdelivered moisture and additional soil on the marginsof the temporary watercourses. There also are foundmore of the nursery plants, under the shade of whichthe seedling cacti can mature without prematurelyfacing the full blast of a summer sun.
The pipes gently wave their tops when a warmconvection wind plays upon them and, if you areclose enough, then you can hear their creaking,rather like a ship’s timbers. This is heard only whenthere is just the right amount of dehydration of thestems and that day somehow added to the feelings
of unity with this wonderful place. Despite theserustlings the memory is still of blessed silence.
There were of course many other fine examples ofSonoran plant life, both cacti and other trees andshrubs, together with the annuals, some still inflower, to be admired.
A kind motorist has noted that my car has beenunattended for over two hours and the park wardenon his rounds, hearing this, attends, spies yours trulyand shouts a welfare enquiry. A look into the skyshows the cause of concern. There are severalvultures circling! Time to go, but with a fine andindelible memory of the wild places that I love.
If you feel tempted to explore do remember to takeplenty of water with you. It will be needed. n
Photos: David Offord
Chimerasby Chris Coombes
In Greek mythology a chimera is described as ‘afire-breathing female monster with a lion’s head, agoat’s body and a serpent’s tail’. An odd mixture ofunrelated animals joined together to form somethingtotally unique. Unfortunately for us weirdo loversthese things are not available in the shops!
The good news is that in botany some strangemixtures do occur. A botanic chimera is describedas ‘an organism, organ, or part consisting of two ormore tissues of different genetic composition,produced as a result of grafting, or geneticengineering’. It is also described as a plant that‘contains a mixture of two or more dissimilar cell
lineages, each of which retains its own geneticidentity’.
In short then, two plants from different generagrafted together.
I am not going to discuss the ‘lollipops’, those highlycoloured plants sold in their thousands insupermarkets and D.I.Y. stores, usually grafted on toan unsuitable stock that quickly dies as soon as thetemperature drops. Here I am only interested in thereal ‘special’ ones.
Some of the ‘specials’ have rebelled against thequaint coloured ornaments that we have forced
them to be and mixed themselves into realFrankenstein-like creations.
So how does this happen? The simplified version isthis.
A plant’s cell production, and therefore growth,starts from the apical bud or, if this is damaged,from an auxiliary bud. If, after grafting, a bud isformed at the union, in which tissues of both plantsare present, then the resulting shoot will take on thegeneric properties of both and act accordingly.
A quick look at the following diagram explains thisbetter.
As you can see, there are three types of chimeraswhich can be formed. The type depends on exactlywhere the bud union occurs.
A sectorial chimera occurs when several layers onthe top of the growing point are positioned togetherforming a clear section of different cells.
A mericlinal chimera is formed when just a smalllayer along one side of the plant contains a differentlayer of genetic material.
The most important one is the periclinal chimera.This produces cell layers that cover the wholesection of the apex forming a ‘skin’ over the othertype of genetic material. The formation of one wasdocumented in Gorden Rowley’s book ‘Teratopia’.
An Uebelmannia pectinifera was grafted on to anEchinopsis stock. After some years the stock startedto rot, which spread to the scion. The plant was re-grafted on to a piece of Cereus. The plant continuedto grow but, although it retained the colour andsome features of the Uebelmannia, it had the form ofan Echinopsis. This was a typical periclinal chimerain action with the plant having the Uebelmannia
tissues overlaying the Echinopsis and displayingfeatures of both.
The most important point to this is that when pupsdevelop on plants of this type of chimera, they retainthe genetics of both and are stable, thus a new typeof plant is born!
This particular plant was given the name+Uebelechinopsis. The + indicates a non-sexualhybrid.
Many chimeras are real one-offs and others verydifficult to source, but the more common types areusually available and can be purchased for a modestamount. Probably the most commonly-seen of theseis +Myrtyllocalycium cv. ‘Polyp’ (Myrtillocactuscochal and Gymnocalycium mihanovichii cv. ‘RedHibotan’). This is easy to grow providing the redGymnocalycium heads are trimmed back wheneverthey threaten to take over!
Chimeras are the rarest of the weirdoes and areplants that were never meant for this world. Sometypes form a kaleidoscope of colour; others createstructural forms never seen before. These are thetrue aliens of the cactus world and for those of usthat like some of our plants a little different, they arethe ultimate in the remarkable world of adaptation,not just to their own particular environment but alsoto the meddling of humans.
Go on; give something really different a try… growan alien. n
Photo: Chris Coombes
Chimeras continued
Myrtyllocalycium cv. Polyp
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From the Canary Archipelago and the legendary‘Atlantis’ come aeoniums. These sunny islands sawsailing ships of yesteryear visit for provisions onroute to the four corners of the world and sailorsspread aeoniums to the Americas and beyond. The name Aeonium is from the Greek ‘aionos’meaning immortal.
The plants have been known in Europe since at least1711 and, although they are endemic to the CanaryIslands, some are found on the Cape Verde Islandsand in Morocco, Yemen and East Africa. They are amember of the Crassulaceae and grown by many aspot plants or bedded out in warm climates.
The late Jack Catlin did some hybridising in Americawhich is described inan article in theCactus and SucculentSociety of America’sJournal Vol 65 No 5(Sept/Oct1993),where it states thatseveral of hiscreations have beenoffered by the ISIincluding ‘BlushingBeauty’, ‘Cyclops’,‘Garnet’, ‘PlumPurdy’, ‘Zwarkin’ andmany more. Lovelyplants with greatcolour all of which I cherish.
Aeonium ‘Voodoo’(Fig. 1) by Jack wasreleased by the ISI in2001 and its large
sister seedling A. ‘Cyclops’ is another worthwhilebeauty. I took several cuttings of A. ‘Voodoo’ lastyear which is a nice dark leaved plant that growsquickly for me.
I bought seed of A. ‘Nobile’ from the BCSS in 2008,for 20p, and expect it to flower this year. I do wishthat the BCSS would have Aeonium seed on offeragain sometime. In the same year I acquired
My Aeonium diaryby Roger Mann
Fig. 1 A. ‘Voodoo’
Fig 2. A. ‘Velour’
Fig 3. A. ‘Black Magic’
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My Aeonium diary continued
A. haworthii, ‘Blushing Beauty’ and‘Velour’ (Fig. 2) and also A. ‘Ballerina’ which I bought at theBCSS National Show in August.
In 2009 seed of A percarneum,(Fig. 4) from the Sedum Society,sown 12/04/09 turned into beautifullilac grey plants. This has pinkishflowers and is not common incultivation. In habitat it is found onlyon Gran Canaria. Also from SedumSociety seed I have A goochiaewhich comes from La Palma andloves shade. Now in 2015 they areboth big plants.
A. castello-paivae ‘Suncap’ is a nicevariegate. It is an old known cultivar,but not stable. My A. ‘Black Magic’ (Fig 3, previous page) is made up ofsmall cutieplants. A. ‘Lemon andLime’ is agood lookerbut slow forme while A. ‘Garnet’ iswell worthgrowing for itsrich red darkgrowth
A. glutinosumis fromPortugueseMadeira, (where it will grow with naturalisedopuntias) and has a stickiness about it. This is ofspecial interest to me as I also grow carnivorousplants. This Aeonium grows in areas where nutrientsare poor, so is it tellingme something? Yes itdoes catch insects.
A. glandulosum, alsofrom Madeira, is alsosticky with bead glandsaround its leaf edges. Itis said to be non-offsetting, but I slicedmine across the rosetteand it has given meseveral pups. My plant isa lovely green but cancolour on older leaves.
Next is A. simsii (Fig. 7) with smallhighly toothed thin leaves – butbeware of hybrids.
July of 2013 saw me buy two A. urbicum (Fig. 5) from BlueleafPlants in Kent, which are gettingtaller by the minute. These arenative to Tenerife and can reach sixfoot tall with pinkish flowers. Wowwhat a guy! Grown at home thisneeds plenty of feeding and regularrepotting.
A. davidbramwellii is named inhonour of a former head of theBotanic Gardens, Las Palmas deGran Canaria. A. volkerii, whichforms small shrubs up to 12 inchestall, was discovered in 1996 byHernadez and Baudet in the
Barranco deAntequera inthe southwestof Tenerife.
A. ‘Red Edge’has greenleaves with anice red edgeand has beenavailable since2012 from aCornishnursery. Mineis a treat and ahead turner.
Also from Cornwall is A. ‘Pomegranate’, bred in2014, with a large central rosette and smaller pups,and A. ‘Goblin’ (Fig 6) which was released at TheRoyal Cornwall Show in June of 2014. A. ‘Darley
Blush’ and A. ‘DarleyGiant’ are from AbbeyBrook, both nice plants.
Lots of lovely plants togrow! They can go out ofdoors in an Englishsummer, depending onwhere you live, butcertainly here in EastAnglia and the south ofEngland generally. All myplants go outside in Mayand enjoy the sunshineand when it rains they
Fig. 4 A. percarneum
Fig. 5 A. urbicum Fig. 6 A. ‘Goblin’
Fig. 7 A. simsii
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My Aeonium diary continued
get a wash. Winter isspent in a greenhouseheated to 40 F.
As for mealy bugs I useant powder, it works for me.
My two Bibles are‘Aeonium in habitat and cultivation’ by Rudolf Schulz and‘Succulent plants of the Canary Islands’ by JoelLode in which he gives details and pictures of 40different aeoniums.
During the summermonths I go down to thegreenhouse in the earlymorning and relax with acup of Darjeeling tea tosee the morning sunshinepass through theAeonium leaves.
I am always interested tohear from other Aeonium
growers but do not often come across them, whichis a shame as I feel it is a neglected genus. n
Photos: Bruce Arthy
How long will cactus seeds live?by Joe Shaw
Cactus seeds are orthodox, which means that theycan survive for a long time in the right conditions.
In habitat this has obvious advantages, since a seedcan germinate when the best possible conditionsarise naturally. However, cactus seeds in habitat aresubjected to winter rains and summer heat, and theyprobably only live a few years. In cultivation, cactusseeds can survive for years if treated properly.
One rule of thumb for estimating the longevity oforthodox seeds, including cacti, takes moisture andtemperature into consideration. For each 1% youcan lower the amount of water in an orthodox seed,you can double its lifespan. Thus, a seed with 14%water, that is dried to 6% water, will live longer, by afactor of seven doublings. That is about a 125-foldincrease in its lifetime. So if an orthodox seed wouldnaturally survive for one year, then it will survive for125 years if you dry it to 6% moisture content.
The other part of the rule states that orthodox seedswill double their lifespan for each 10°F (approx 5°C)that you lower their temperature. If seeds start out at100°F (approx 38°C) and you drop the temperatureto 90°F (approx 32°C), they will live twice as long. Ifyou cool the seeds to just above freezing, theirlifetimes will be increased by a factor of six
doublings (about 60 years if their original life timewould have been one year).
The really interesting thing is that the results seemmultiplicative. If you performed the two operationsabove (lowering moisture and reducing temperature)you could increase the life of orthodox seeds by 125 x 60. That is 7,500! Theoretically, you canincrease the longevity of orthodox seeds bythousands of years.
If you can keep dropping the temperature the seedsmay be viable for tens of thousands of years. But,no one has done the experiment, so we do not reallyknow. But, keep those cactus seeds cool and dryand they will last a long time. n
Photo: Barrel cactus fruits and seedsdesertortoisebotanicals.com
Fig. 8. A tabuliforme
Editor’s note
According to Wikipedia the oldest mature seed tohave been successfully germinated was that of aJudean date palm, approximately 2,000 years old.
Even older were three seed embryos of thenarrow-leaved campion (Silene stenophylla) fromSiberia. Radio-carbon dating confirmed that theywere approximately 31,800 ± 300 years old. See
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oldest_viable_seed
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Thursday: Martin Doorbar and Your Correspondent(YC) rise at a time that is so early it is not marked onclocks. They circumnavigate the M25 in the rain andarrive at Chingford to find most of the party huddledin the Horticultural Hall. There is a big hooray whena Motts of Aylesbury coach arrives with Nicky ourindispensable organiser and piloted by theimperturbable Trevor, (who knows what we are likebut still consents to drive us). The coach, by theway, has been the star of a television series called‘On the coach’. The space between the heads andsteerage was converted into a television studio. A legacy of the programme isthat the notice in the dunnee‘Don’t throw rubbish down thetoilet bowl’ is printed in Greek.
We are all sorry that Ian Armstrong cannot be withus; he has been carried off foran emergency operation thenight before. We send our bestwishes. Joyce allocates bums toseats and, as usual, YC tries tounderstand the sociologicalsignificance of her decisions.Martin and YC are separated, asin primary school. YC is in AlanRollason’s place as lavatoryjanitor. Stirling is near the backwhere the management can’thear him, (they still can). Barry is
now at the very front where he can be kept underobservation. Eddy has moved up a couple of placesand is now among the civilised people in the fronthalf. We are glad to welcome a number of newmembers, none of them rowdies. Packed lunchesare eaten at 7:30am as on school outings.
There is a pick-up on the Chelmsford Road, andanother one at Ashford Passenger Terminal, then ashort stop at the embarkation point for the Tunnel. In no time at all we are heading through France onour way to Decosters at Veurne, just into Belgium. In the past we have gone to Succulent TissueCulture, but Rob Wellens has declared his
establishment off-limits tovisitors. Everybody can tell youwhy, but everybody’s story isdifferent, and it is unlikely thatmore than two explanations arecorrect. So we divert toDecosters, where the coach hasto pass under a bridge onecentimetre higher than the roofof the coach. The greenhouse isdamp and more suitable togrowing orchids, so not much isbought. Decoster very kindlygives us a huge Agave to helpweigh the coach down whilereturning under the bridge.
The rain follows the coach as ithas done all the way. It is a
The 18th Waltham Forest
Continental Cactus Crawl by John Watmough
A lovely Mammillaria at Decosters
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straight run to Dordrecht,so we are bound to arrivein time to sink severalbeers in the bar beforedinner. Alas, it takes us80 minutes to passthrough the Kennedytunnel under the Scheldt.There has been anincident – maybe anaccident. There iscertainly a precedent. Butwe arrive at the PostillionHotel, Dordrecht, whichis still surprisingly willingto have us, in a cheerfulmood because John has just announced a‘round on the management’. The bar is stillserving a choice between Heineken andHeineken.
Freitag: So it must be Germany. As we crossthe German border wallets are lubricated by theapplication of a spirituous liquor called‘Messerschmitt’. Trevor navigates the streets ofDüren with admirable skill and deposits us at Piltz’s.The luggage compartment is filled one layer deep,and we sit on the coach for three quarters of an hourwithout ever finding out what we are waiting for. Sowe are running a little late.
As usual we have to ring Specks when we arrive. Itis always a surprise that Ernst and Marita do not live24 hours on the premises. Some of us would, if wecould. While we are waiting, one of our numberdrops a cardboard box into the Specks’ perimeterditch. This is the only piece of litter in the whole ofGermany, and it is put there by a British tourist.Someone comments, sourly, that we should havebrought two shoppingtrolleys and an oldpram, then therewould be somecorner of a foreignditch that is foreverEngland. Near theentrance to thegreenhouse there is a mammothMadagascanEuphorbia (E.capsaintemariensis orsimilar), with a pricetag consisting of ahigh digit and several
zeroes. Some of uslaugh, but somebodybuys it, and it fills thesort of box that washingmachines are packed in.After that all inhibitionsare lost and James Goldfills several similar-sizedboxes. Stirling is
abducted as usual.
Ernst and Maritarelease Stirling
outside IngoBreuer’s. Newmembers arewarned of theprobability ofpelvic damage
from Ingo’srolling tables.
There is still an icecream parlour
outside. Some membershave an ice cream on the way
in. Some members have an ice cream on the wayout. Some have an ice cream on the way in and onthe way out. It is a long drive before we get ourcompulsory ice cream dessert at the Postillion, to bewashed down by a round on the management.
Back at the bar, enterprising persons havediscovered that there is a secret stash of bottledBelgian beer. This doubtless accounts for a certainsluggishness and uncommunicativeness the nextmorning.
Zaterdag: It is not far to the glazed-in area near theHook of Holland, so we make a leisurely start. Withtremendous skill Trevor manoeuvres his 14-tonner
past the radishfactory alongside JanWesteijn’s wholesalenursery. Martin, whois determined this dayto be first out of thecoach on everyoccasion, rams theemergency door intoan electric fence.Trevor wishes to ramMartin into theelectric fence, but heis already sprintinground the nursery.There are two dogs
Continental Cactus Crawl continued
A Sarcocaulon at Specks
Attractivesucculents for sale
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this year; the small dogshepherds everybodyinto the greenhouses andthe large dog shows uswhere the exit is. Manyeuros are disbursed asthere are lots ofinteresting plants,including hundreds ofconos and someUebelmannia seedlings.
The next stop is Van derLinden’s. Some membersare tempted by the sheersize of some of thespecimens. There is anindependently rentedprivate sales area,specialising in hugesucculents mostly ofAfrican origin. The usualsuspects furnishthemselves with plants ofminimum beauty andmaximum dimensions.Apart from that, not manyplants are acquired.There are hardly anyLithops this year, andEddy wanders about likea lost soul. The Echeveriapaint shop is interestingthough, wonderful,luminous colours!
Cok Grootscholten givesus a warm welcome, buthe has a lot of emptyspace on his salestables. Cactus lovers aredisappointed, especiallywhen they find thatMartin has already sortedout all the variegatedlophophoras. Regularmembers forget to holdtheir annual ceremony ofremembrance round thetrapdoor that MalcolmPym fell through.Fortified by Cok and Ine’sexcellent coffee, we setoff across country toLexmond.
At Two Shovels(Biesheuvels) Martincontrives to dismountfrom the coach inadvance of the bearers of walking aids whotraditionally lead thesprint. There are lots ofplants with weird names,mostly grafted. But thecactus lovers are feelingdeprived and aredetermined to spend therest of their euros onsomething prickly andpricy. Meanwhile, othermembers aresurreptitiously admiringTwo Shovels’ collectionof size 20 clogs, andthere is an attempt toorganise a photograph ofone of our members withboth feet in one clog.
It is not far to Dordrechtso there is plenty of timeto pack our plants. Yetagain there is a round onthe management. Stirlinghas organised a bottle ofchampagne to thankJohn and Joyce for alltheir wonderful work, notjust on this tour butduring the 18 years thatthey have been runningit. Unusually nobodystays in the bar all night.There is a drunken andbelligerent Geordie there– ‘strong words,incoherently bawled’ asthe advert has it. Anddrinkers remember thatwe lose another hourovernight because of thechange to summer time.
Dimanche: An argumentabout clocks, traditionalon these tours, isinterrupted by theappalling realisation thatthe coach is too small.
Continental Cactus Crawl continued
Cacti for sale at Pilz
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Continental Cactus Crawl continued
The pile of boxes looks like the first stage of buildingthe Giant Pyramid of Cheops. However, cactusgrowers are expert at packing three times as manyplants into their greenhouses than they are designedto take. So, excluding Stuart Riley, the next twotallest men elect themselves to do the packing, thisbeing Martin and Mark Plumer. A sour person says itis the same in the Royal Navy where all the tallestmen are made to serve in the submarines. Anyway,would-be helpers are sent away with fleas in theirears, James is threatened with being made to runalong behind the coach, and every cubic centimetreof the luggage compartment is filled except whereDecoster’s Agave is brandishing its spines. Thepackers do an effective job, because there are noplants in the aisle or in the toilet. But every spareseat is piled high, all the racks are packed solid, andthere are boxes on people’s laps. And there is plentyof time.
There is time, in fact, to have a proper lunch, eat icecream, go to the chocolate factory, eat more icecream, and try to find room on the coach for beerand chocolate bunnies. It starts to rain as weapproach Calais, and we are early. Can we getmoved on to an earlier train? Not on our cheapticket, it seems. Nobody has firearms or nuclearmaterials this year, and we are all UK citizens, sothere is nothing to hold us up at all. Except thatJean has forgotten her passport. Or perhaps it hasbeen packed in the interior of the luggagecompartment and she has been persuaded to sayshe has forgotten it. There is a bit of waiting, andform-filling, and telephoning, and searching of
databases, and it is decided that there is nobodyelse remotely like Jean and anyway the Frenchwould not want her. So we are allowed to go straighton to the train and we do not have to waste time inthe horrible passenger terminal. Hooray!
On the journey back through Kent, John thanks allthose who have contributed to the 18 years of theseCactus Crawls. He even thanks Your Correspondent,though nobody can think why. Everybody thanks
John and Joyce for all the enjoyment they havegiven us through the years, then Nicky for hisimpeccable organisation, and Trevor for hisprofessional skills and his patience.
Fond farewells.
End of an era. n
Photos: David Traish
Van der Linden, wholesale nursery, including some of their larger sales plants!
A selection of the Astrophytum for sale at Biesheuvels (Two Shovels)
