INTERNET EDITION. Show & Sale Oct ast Hills Mall! Monthly Meeting. Volume 11 October 2008 Number 10

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1 The Bakersfield Cactus & Succulent Society % Stephen Cooley, editor thecactuspatch@bak.rr.com INTERNET EDITION Metalocactus honigii created by Andy for the Fair exhibit! photo by Lynn McDonald Opuntia basilaris var. treleasei Volume 11 October 2008 Number 10 THE NEWSLETTER OF THE BAKERSFIELD CACTUS & SUCCULENT SOCIETY This Month's Program Brazil, Bahia To Minas Gerias Presented by Woody Minnich Monthly Meeting Tuesday, Oct. 14 Olive Drive Church, 5500 Olive drive at 6:30 PM (Building 6, Room 604) Show & Sale Oct ast Hills Mall!

2 Volume 11 Number 10 October 2008 The Cactus Patch is the official publication of the Bakersfield Cactus & Succulent Society (BCSS) of Bakersfield, California. Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month at the times and places noted within. GUEST ARE ALWAYS WELCOME 2008 Officers President Ed Colley Vice-President Jerry Garrison Treasurer - Maynard Moe Secretary Anne Lee Editors - Stephen Cooley Linda Cooley 2008 Directors CSSA Representative Maynard Moe Past President Vonne Zdenek 2008 Chairpersons Hospitality - Bill McDonald Librarian Rose Mary Maguire Field Trips Lynn McDonald Historian Stephen Cooley Show & Sale Maynard Moe Material in The Cactus Patch may be reprinted by non-profit organizations (unless such permission is expressly denied in a note accompanying the material) provided that the proper credit is given to the BCSS & the author and that one copy of the publication containing the reprinted material is sent to the editor. Reproduction in whole or part by any other organization without the permission of the BCSS editor is prohibited. Contact thecactuspatch@bak.rr.com 2 The business part of our meeting dealt with our two upcoming events: The Fair (more on page 7) and The Show and Sale (more on page 11). We then sat down to listen to Mark Muradian s talk about Bolivia. Mark s presentation was unusual in that it was an interactive video. He played a video and talked, stopping the show when needed and answering questions as well. The video had the advantage over the more traditional slide shows in that it made you feel more like you were really there. As usual the photography was great and we saw plenty of plants, as well as architecture, people, and landscapes. Another great show by Mark! 3

3 OCTOBER S PROGRAM Brazil, Bahia To Minas Gerias Presented by Woody Minnich This presentation features the Brazilian highlands, in the states of Bahia and Minas Gerias. This program includes the cacti and bromeliads, orchids, and other interesting plants as well as the people, and their culture and some of the various animals of the region. The cactus genera will feature melocactus, uebelmannia, discocactus, pilosocereus, micranthocereus, and many other obscure plants. This trip was almost three weeks long in the latter part of August and early September, Membership in the Bakersfield Cactus & Succulent Society costs $10 per year for an individual and only $15 a year for a family. This extraordinarily reasonable price not only includes twelve issues of but entitles you to participate in club field trips to far-off (out-of-town) and exotic places (more exotic than Bakersfield). You will also receive a nifty name tag that will be your ticket to a members only plant raffle. All this is in addition to the wonderful programs and people at the meetings. To become a member contact: Maynard Moe, treasurer Lithops44@bak.rr.com 4 Plant of the Month Cyphostemma juttae by Jack G. Reynolds I saw my first C. juttae at Singer's Growing Things sometime in 1990 and was not immediately charmed by it. My bonsai trained eye wanted the leaves to be smaller but I liked the beautiful caudex. When I got a copy of Rowley's Caudiciform book and looked at the pictures I began to change my mind about them as things of beauty. Eventually we got two, one went into a pot and the other into the ground in our African Garden in Simi Valley where it thrived. Both thrived actually but of course the one in the ground grew faster. When we moved to Lake Isabella I couldn't leave the grounded one and so I uprooted it and brought it up and put it in the greenhouse with all the other succulents. It lay on a bench from October 2005 to May 2006 without receiving a drop of water and with what few roots it had exposed to the air. I knew that it would be alright because after all it is a succulent. Finally while still laying on the bench it started to send up leaves. That convinced me that I should pot it up, so it went into a pot with a 50/50 mixture of sifted pumice and scoria. The particle size varies between 2 and 6 mm. There is no organic matter in the soil mix which drains very well. The plant immediately began to grow very rapidly and soon had produced a head of very large grey green leaves with toothed edges. It receives monthly fertilizer, a mix of rose and azalea fertilizer which works out to be in macronutrients. All micronutrients are included also. Cyphostemma was formerly included in the genus Cissus, and they belong in the Vitaceae or grape family. Indeed the flowers and 5

4 fruits are very grape-like in a appearance but according to Rowley the fruits are full of oxalic acid and inedible. I have never tried them. There are at least twenty species scattered across So. Africa and Madagascar. Some species get over a meter tall and two meters across. C. juttae grows well in Southern California and will do well in the ground in well drained soil where the temperatures don't go much below freezing. They should not be watered in the winter as they are prone to root rot. The caudex may have numerous heads or branches and some take on very interesting shapes. There is a very thin papery bark which covers the caudex, peeling away in large flakes. The caudex is so fleshy that one can stick a knife in it anywhere. Propagation is by seed or cuttings. Cuttings should be allowed to "heal" for at least a month before planting and this should only be done during hot weather. THANKS TO ALL WHO HELPED WITH OUR kern county fair DISPLAY linda cooley, for the inspiration, Sidney & Jack Kelley, Polly & Bruce Hargreaves, Donna Pitcher, Pat Tenant, RoseMary MacGuire, Maynard moe, Anne Lee, Andy Honig -- Lynn McDonald Lynn should get a good pat-on-the-back. Our scene took first place AND the Sweepstakes, too! (Even with our "crappie" lights!) They haven't put up the Sweepstakes Ribbon yet. They didn't have one right there. That means extra prize money. I'm not sure but I think it's a total of $350. You know, the other booths were very nice but they all had a similar look to them. You really couldn't pick one out from the other. The women at the desk were surprised that we hadn't stayed to see who had won. I guess everyone goes outside to wait. Then when the judging is over they all go in to check it out. Maybe next year. -- We've been robbed! The woman at the fairgrounds said that there had been a miscalculation of the points and we didn't win the Sweepstakes Ribbon. For those of you that have seen the plots, the one with the stuffed cowboy won it by 3 points. Pooie! --

5 L Ocean (Halifax to Montreal and Toronto) A Letter from Bruce August was another busy month. On the 16 th three carloads from Bakersfield and a busload from Fresno converged on the LA Arboretum for the annual Intercity Cactus and Succulent sale and show. For those who haven t been, make sure you go next year. It gets better & better. The sale plants are unusual and not over-priced. I bought (among others) a Moringa oleifolia, the horseradish tree. Its leaves have the most complete protein found in any plant. The display plants ranged from tiny jewels to huge monsters. Among the monstrose was a crested Luckhoffia. Despite the weird stem, it had typical Hoodia flowers. It is said to be a hybrid of Hoodia and Stapelia arenosa. The containers were more imaginative than ever. Rainbow Gardens had the usual huge selection of succulent books. I note that Gordon Rowley has produced one on crests and variegates - not my cup of tea. After a quick lunch we attempted the garden. Despite the heat we did tour the Madagascar succulents and found Aloe tomentosa in bloom. It has remarkable fuzzy green flowers! Next we sat for a talk on adding vinegar to water to reduce the effect of calcium and other minerals in the water. The tram wasn t running and it was too hot for walking so we headed home. When we reached Fort Tejon it was only 4:30 so we stopped for a visit. It turned out they were recreating a Civil War battle (though Ft. Tejon closed before the Civil War and no battle was fought there). None-the less it was interesting to see all the people and accoutrements from the period. Anne and Polly found a quilting display with an old hand crank sewing machine - like the ones still used in Botswana. We were exhausted and did not go back next day for the battle. We returned to the LA area on the 30 th for the annual Huntington Symposium. The first speech was on the ethno-botanic garden at Oaxaca, Mexico. The is the heart of tequila country so it was quite interesting. Next was a talk on Cacti, Agaves and Yuccas of California and Nevada. The book was on sale (Cachuma Press, Los Olivos, Calif., $25.95) and the Author (Stephan Ingram) was happy to sign. He includes the Bakersfield Cactus as the only species of this group that is listed as endangered. (Incidentally, the Autumn issue of Nature Conservancy has an article on the Parker Ranch in the Caliente area which has been purchased as a conservation easement and will protect the Bakersfield Cactus.) A third talk explained how stem succulence is generally derived 8 from tuberous roots. The fourth talk took us on a world tour and the day closed with a talk on the future of the Huntington Succulent Garden. There was also an auction of plants and books which got a bit pricy. Cheaper plants were available from the nursery. We spent the night with my nephew Leo (and family) in La Mirada. Next day we drove up to La Canada to see the Descanso Garden. The thousands of camellias and hundreds of roses were not blooming and thus a bit boring. Fortunately the tram ran so we avoided a lot of walking. They do have a few succulent, including a wreath made of live plants hanging by the cafeteria. Some of the original oak woodland remains and is enjoyable. But back to last year: On the 8 th of Aug. we left Halifax, Nova Scotia at noon on L Ocean, the train from there to Montreal. As we passed the upper ends of the Bay of Fundy, it began to rain, one of the few times on our long trip. We were still able to observe the mud flats left by the tide and the hanging marshes above them which had ducks, herons and egrets. At the second of these ends we entered the Province of New Brunswick. The countryside became rockier and thickly wooded, but eventually it became dark and we settled back to sleep in our seats (or at least try). Next morning we woke to find the Saint Lawrence Valley beside the train. Eventually we arrived in the city of Montreal. We checked into the YWCA, had lunch at Café Imagination which is attached to it, walked around the area, ate dinner at Burger King and listened and watched Jusqu aux Oreilles (Up to your Ears), an innovative production of modern music and visual projections at Cathedrale Christ Church produced by students from McGill University. On the 10 th we took the Polly & Goliath Beetles subway to the botanic garden. It 9

6 was great to see they still had the silent rubber-tired trains that we had seen there in 1974 when we took the train up from New York. The garden was enormous compared to previously. Fortunately they had a convenient tram which we could get on and off of. We started at the glass houses and were a bit disappointed with the succulents. The insectivorous plants, orchids and bromeliads, however, were outstanding. Next stop was the Japanese Garden and the mind-boggling Insectarium. They have a building full of live and preserved insects which is the best I ve ever seen. We admired the goliath beetles, giant dung beetles which are found in Botswana. At the far end of the garden they had an exhibit on trees, including fantastic bonsais. These included a grove of redwoods and a Virginia creeper (the only succulent). As if that wasn t enough, we went back into the downtown and watched the latest Harry Potter at IMAX. The last part of the film was 3D! It is certainly not a kids movie. Next day we strolled around town again and saw Configurations by the McCord Museum. This consisted of a block long series of enlarged paired photos of Montreal now and a hundred years ago. Even better than the forty-year pairs we did in Botswana. After lunch we took the train to Toronto. We arrived there at 8:50 and had a bit of trouble finding a place to stay. (The taxi would not help us, one hotel required a credit card etc.) We finally arrived at the Metro Bed and Breakfast at 10 p.m. This is a private house owned by an eccentric elderly music teacher, Odna Brain, and was decorated with artifacts from all over the world. On the 12 th we saw Walking with Dinosaurs, a fantastic show with life 10 Apatosaurus size animals brought to life. My only objection was the narrator who walked among them giving kids the impression that humans and dinosaurs co-existed. (But, what the heck - they ve already seen the Flintstones.) We then went down to the riverfront and saw artists gardens including one with succulents in TVs called Changing Channels. We then watched a demonstration of Chilean sopapilla making by Maria Angelica Enriquez. They were made with pumpkin and were quite good (and quite unlike the ones Polly learned to make when she was a kid in New Mexico. We tried to see a recreation of Queen, but got there too late. (This is the same show we later saw in Bakersfield.) On the 13 th we were taken to the Royal Ontario Museum by Ms Brain, who is a member, and saw an exhibit of pre-inca gold. (Ms Brain is quite upset with the new Crystal additions to the old stone structure of the museum. The next morning we left by train for Winnipeg. (If we had stayed another day we could have heard Jane Goodall van Lawick, but there was just too much to do.) We did meet the black squirrels of Montreal which Ms Brain had coming up to her porch for peanuts. THE BAKERSFIELD CACTUS & SUCCULENT SOCIETY 9th Annual SHOW & SALE Saturday, October 11 Sunday, October am to 6 pm 11 am to 4 pm Center Court, East Hills Mall, Bakersfield It s time once again for our biggest event of the year, the Show & Sale. We need clean, good-looking plants to put on the tables and clean, good-looking people (that s everyone) to greet the public. All kinds of cacti and succulents are needed not just the fancy once. We want to show the public the great variety and beauty of these plants. Remember, most of the people coming to the show know very little about succulents and are as impressed by an ordinary Mammillaria as they are by a Cephalopentandra. For more on how to get ready for the show, see the next page: 11

7 In General: Clean debris off your pot and plant, make sure they are pest-free, and fill out an exhibitor s tag (There will be some at the Show and we can help you fill them out). Here s the official info: SHOW HOURS Plant Set Up: Saturday, Oct. 11 7:00 am to 10:00 am Show: Saturday, Oct :00 am to 6:00 pm Sunday, Oct :00 am to 4:00 pm Take Down: Sunday, Oct. 12 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm SHOW RULES 1 The Bakersfield Cactus and Succulent Society Show is open to anyone with an interest in succulent plants. 2 All entries will be placed in the appropriate class with a completed entry card by the exhibitor. 3 Grafted plants will be accepted in any class, and must be so indicated on the entry card. 4 The show chair(s) may combine categories, rearrange the plants, or move plants to different categories to improve the show. 5 All plants must be free of pests and disease, and be in presentable condition. The show chair(s) may remove any unsuitable for the show. 6 Show hours must be followed; plants may not be removed until the close of the show. 7 Collections consist of at least 4 individually potted plants. 8 The Bakersfield Cactus and Succulent Society will not assume responsibility for loss or damage to property. CLASSIFICATIONS DIVISION I: CACTI 1. Ariocarpus, Obregonia 2. Astrophytum 3. Ferocactus, Echinocactus 4. Echinocereus, Wilcoxia 5. Opuntia, Tephrocactus, Pterocactus, Pereskiopsis 6. Mammillaria, Epithelantha 7. Columnar cacti, not hairy Columnar cacti, hairy 9. Copiapoa, Gymnocalycium, Matucana 10. Lobivia, Echinopsis, Mila, Acanthocalycium 11. Rebutia, Sulcorebutia, Weingartia 12. Notocactus, Parodia 13. Frailea, Blossfeldia 14. Melocactus, Discocactus, Buiningia, Uebelmannia 15. Epiphytic cacti 16. All other genera DIVISION II: OTHER SUCCULENTS 17. Mesembs: Lithops, Conophytum, Faucaria, other 18. Stapeliads: Huernia, Caralluma, Pseudolithos, Trichocaulon, other 19. Other Asclepiads: Fockea, Ceropegia, Hoya, Brachystelma, Raphionacme, Gonolobus, other 20. Crassula, Sedum 21. Curcurbits: Momordica, Kedrostis, Cephalopentandra, etc 22. Dorstenia 23. Ficus, Bombax, Adenia 24. Echeveria, Graptopetalum, Dudleya, Pachyphytum 25. Adromischus, Cotyledon, Tylecodon 26. Aeonium, Sempervivum, Monanthes, Kalanchoe 27. Asters: Senecio, Kleinia, Othonna, etc. 28. Aloe 29. Haworthia 30. Gasteria 31. Euphorbia 32. Other Euphorbs: Jatropha, Monadenium, Pedilanthus, etc. 33. Pachypodium, Adenium 34. Portulacaceae: Ceraria, Anacampseros, Talinum,etc. 35. Sansevieria 36. Pelargonium, Sarcocaulon 37. Bursera, Pachycormus, Fouquieria, Commiphora 38. Cyphostemma, Cissus 39. Agave, Yucca, Calibanus, Beaucarnea, Draceaena, Nolina 40. Bromeliads: Dyckia, Tillandsia, Abromitiella 41. Geophytes: Oxalis, Bulbine, other bulbs 42. All other genera DIVISION III: CAUDICIFORMS 43. Euphorbs (Jatropha, Euphorbia) 44. Asclepiads (Raphionacme, Brachystelma) 13

8 45. Monocots (Beaucarnia, Dioscorea, Calibanus) 46. Aizoaceae (Trichodiadema, Mestoklema) 47. Apocynaceae (Adenium, Pachypodium) 48. Moraceae (Ficus, Dorstenia) 49. All other genera DIVISION IV: CRESTS, MONSTROSE, VARIEGATES 50. Crests, Monstrose, Variegates DIVISION V: ARRANGEMENTS 51. Cactus Collections 52. Other Succulent Collections 53. Dish Gardens DIVISION VI: ALLIED INTERESTS 54. Photography 55. Crafts 56. Other KERN COUNTY FAIR WORKERS UPCOMING EVENTS October BCSS Show & Sale! Oct. 14 BCSS Meeting at 6:30PM Olive Dr. Church. program: to be announced speaker: Woody Minnich Nov 11 BCSS Meeting at 6:30PM Olive Dr. Church. Dec 9 BCSS Meeting at 6:30PM Olive Dr. Church. program: Annual Holiday Potluck & Silent Auction Nov 8-9 San Gabriel Valley Cactus and Succulent Society Show and Sale LA County Arboretum Dec 6-7 Orange County Winter Show. Fullerton Arboretum contact the editor for more information Stephen Cooley thecactuspatch@bak.rr.com not pictured: Linda, Jack, Polly, Bruce, Anne, and Andy 15 14