APRIL 2015 STOCKTON CACTUS & SUCCULENT SOCIETY NEWSLETTER

Transcription

1 STOCKTON CACTUS & SUCCULENT SOCIETY NEWSLETTER APRIL 2015 MEETINGS: Fourth Thursday each month, 7:00 p.m. * Unless otherwise noted WHERE: San Joaquin County Building 2707 Transworld Drive Stockton, California *NEXT MEETING: Thursday, April 23 rd, 2015 PRE MEETING DINNER: Denny s Restaurant Arch Road location 5:30 p.m. STOCKTON CACTUS & SUCCULENT SOCIETY C/O BRIAN POOT 1180 BOXWOOD WAY TURLOCK, CA 95380

2 2015 BOARD: President: Dawn Dalyce (209) Vice President: David Jones (209) Treasurer: Roelyn Poot (209) Secretary: Pam Fish (209) Board Members: Brian Poot, Lesley Slayter & Mary Bertken Newsletter: Brian Poot (209) BOARD MEETINGS: Please note, board meetings will now be held the second Tuesday of each month, at 7:00 p.m., except in December, or if that date conflicts with something else. Anyone is welcome to attend, but please call first to let them know you will be coming to make sure of the date. Thanks! We can always use new ideas & opinions for the club, as well as help with behind the scenes stuff. If you are interested, please come to a board meeting. Thx! MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION: Individual Family Contributing Patron $20/yr $25/yr $35/yr $50/yr All dues should be sent to the treasurer before the February general meeting. Membership runs January-December. Complimentary Jan. & Feb. issue if unpaid. CALENDAR: April May June 14 th - Board Meeting at the Poot s 7:00 p.m. 23 rd - General Meeting 7:00pm: JD Wikert Succulent Magnets 12 th - Board Meeting at the Poot s 7:00 p.m. 28 th - General Meeting 7:00pm: JD Wikert Adromischus slideshow 9 th - Board Meeting at the Poot s 7:00 p.m. 25 th - Annual Potluck & Auction at Poot s Cactus Nursery OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS: (not club related) Sacramento Cactus & Succulent Society Show & Sale: May 2-3 at Sheppard Garden & Arts Center in McKinley Park. Sat. 9am - 5pm & Sun. 9am 4pm SUNSHINE REPORT: by Kathy Zumbrunn HAPPY BIRTHDAY to: Mike Bradshaw, Stan Fish, Monica Paniagua & Titia Barnett.

3 THIS MONTHS PROGRAM: JD Wikert Succulent Magnets Our program for April 23 rd will feature the club s own J.D. Wikert leading everyone on a hands-on construction and planting of magnetic wine cork succulent planters. J.D. will provide the hollowed corks, magnets, and a variety of small succulents. If you have one available, please bring a glue gun. If you want specific plants for your planter, please feel free to bring them to the meeting. Jades, Gasterias, and Haworthias do well in lower light settings, but these planters could be temporary homes for a number of different succulents. The JD Wikert will provide the raffle table this month. *Reminder to Dawn Dalyce (drinks) & Pam Fish (snacks), this is your month to bring refreshments. *Reminder that we need someone to volunteer to be the greeter this month. *Reminder to bring boxes for cutting & plants you win. Meeting in room Greenwood 3. SUCCULENT VENDOR MAP: by J.D. Wikert Greetings succulent enthusiasts. I, with the help of many online friends, have developed a Google map of Cactus and Succulent Vendors. The map can be accessed at the following link : (longer version: ). I have been able to access the map on my phone using the My Maps app from Google. The map also shows Botanic Gardens. If you have good vendors you would like added to the map, please send me an to jdwikert@gmail.com. Thanks. MARCH MEETING PHOTO'S BY BRIAN POOT & KATHY ZUMBRUNN

4 MARCH MINI SHOW RESULTS: Novice Division, Cacti: NON ENTERED Novice Division, Succulent: 1 st - Dawn Dalyce w/ Echeveria caribbean 2 nd - Dawn Dalyce w/ Eulophia petersii Novice Division, Blooming: 1 st - Dawn Dalyce w/ Tacitus bellus 2 nd - Joan Stewart w/ Euphorbia millii Advanced Division, Cacti: 1 st - Kathy Zumbrunn w/ Mammillaria nivosa 2 nd - Kathy Zumbrunn w/ Trichocereus huascha crest Advanced Division, Succulent: 1 st - Kathy Zumbrunn w/ Aeonium arboretum zwartzkop x cyclops 2 nd - Kathy Zumbrunn w/ Aloe jacksonii Advanced Division, Blooming: 1 st - Kathy Zumbrunn w/ Euphorbia sp. 2 nd - Kathy Zumbrunn w/ Euphorbia millii Open Division, Cacti: 1 st - Bill Poot w/ Mammillaria crucigera 2 nd - Brian Poot w/ Mammillaria elongate crest 3 rd - Bill Poot w/ Ariocarpus fissuratus v. lloydii Open Division, Succulent: 1 st - Bill Poot w/ Monadenium ritchiei 2 nd - Brian Poot w/ Euphorbia spiralis 3 rd - Roelyn Poot w/ Delosperma bislia v. dilatata Open Division, Blooming: 1 st - Brian Poot w/ Neoporteria sp. 2 nd - Bill Poot w/ Pachypodium horombense 3 rd - Bill Poot w/ Aloe Coral Fire Allied Interest: 1 st - Kathy Zumbrunn w/ Agave desmentinata 2 nd - Dawn Dalyce w/ Haworthia sp. 3 rd - Dawn Dalyce w/ Haworthia sp. variagata MONTHLY MINI SHOW: OPEN TO ANY CLUB MEMBERS THAT WANT TO SHOW PLANTS! The mini show, held at the general meetings, is a time when you can bring your plants, to compete against other members plants. There are 10 categories: Cacti & Succulent, (Open, Advanced & Novice Divisions), Bloomers (anything in bloom, also three divisions) & Allied Interest (dish gardens or natural planters). You may bring up to 2 from each category. The forms for judging are available to take home so that you can fill them out prior to the meeting if you wish, or there will be some at the meeting as well. The plants are judged by the members attending that meeting; whoever receives the most votes wins that months mini show & will get their name in the next newsletter. The person(s) receiving the most votes at the end of the year will receive a gift from the club. WE ENCOURAGE ALL MEMBERS TO BRING PLANTS TO SHOW THROUGHOUT THE YEAR! FYI: The mini show categories are Novice - those with fewer than 5 years of showing in the mini-show. Advanced those who have shown for more than 5 years in the mini-show & does not sell more than $300 in plants a year. Open those who sell more than $300 in plants a year. Also you must own the plant for at least 6 months before you can show the plant in the mini show. Brian Poot, Mini show coordinator

5 DESERT BLOOMS: By Linda & Dr. Dick Buscher 03/04/15 The organ pipe cactus (Stenocereus thurberi) is one of the more spectacular species of cactus found in the Sonoran Desert. It is only found naturally in the northern region of Sinaloa, the western region of Chihuahua, throughout Sonora and in Baja California Sur, Mexico. Check out these fascinating photos of the organ pipe cactus. A spectacular species Within the continental United States, the organ pipe cactus is only found in the extreme south-central part of Arizona. The cactus grows at elevations ranging from sea level to 3,000 feet (910 meters). (Credit: NPS) Sensitive at heart Since the organ pipe cactus is very sensitive to frost, they tend to grow on the southern-facing mountain slopes found within this region of the Sonoran Desert. Unlike the more common saguaro cactus (Cereus giganteus), the organ pipe cactus can stand temperatures no lower than 25 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 4 degrees Celsius) for only a very short period of time. This heatloving cactus gets its name from the many slender stems that are said to resemble an old-fashioned, resonating pipe organ. (Credit: NPS) A strong foundation The columnlike stems of the organ pipe cactus grow from a base just above ground level. These water-storing stems can grow to a height of more than 25 feet (7.6 m) and the largest stems will have between 12 to 17 darkgreen ribs with a diameter of about 6 inches (15 centimeters). When a stem branches out, most likely that stem has been damaged by frost or the tip of the stem has been broken off. It takes about 35 years for an organ pipe cactus to reach maturity, and mature plants may be 12 feet to 15 feet (3.7 to 4.6 m) wide. Stems tend to grow about 2.5 inches (6.4 cm) longer each year. (Credit: Linda & Dr. Dick Buscher) Ancient of days On the crest of the ribs are found a continuous series of regularly spaced areoles, the highly reduced branches of cacti and a key identifying feature of all species of cactus. From the organ pipe areoles grow nine to 10 brown spines that can measure up to 2 inches (5 cm) long. An organ pipe cactus can live for more than 150 years and as they age, the spines turn gray. The stems of the organ pipe cactus grow continuously from their tips and a slight constriction line that encircles the stem marks each season of growth. (Credit: Linda & Dr. Dick Buscher) Nature's ornaments Once an organ pipe cactus reaches maturity it begins to produce beautiful white flowers tipped with shades of purple or pink. The blooming season is typically during the months of late April, May and June. The cactus produces funnel-shaped flowers that measure about 3 inches (8 cm) across. Like all night-blooming cereus cacti found in the Sonoran Desert, the blooms of the organ pipe cactus only remainopen for one night before closing by mid-morning the following day. (Credit: NPS) Friend of the cactus The primary pollinator for these attractive flowers is the lesser longnosed bats, Leptonycteris yerbabuenae. Lesser long-nosed bats are an endangered species that migrate each spring into the organ pipe cactus region to feast on cacti pollen, nectar and fruit. The lesser long-nosed bat shown here is covered in yellow cactus pollen. (Credit: NPS) Continued on next page..

6 DESERT BLOOMS: Continued Desert fruits About a month after pollination, large, spiny, tennis ballsized fruit begins to ripen on the many stems of the cactus. When ripe, the fruit will lose its spines and split open revealing a red, fleshy pulp encompassing hundreds of small, glossy black seeds. The fruit is edible and has long been harvested by the indigenous people of the Sonoran Desert. The fruit can be eaten raw, dried for later consumption, turned into a type of jelly and even fermented to make an alcoholic drink. Locals have long referred to the organ pipe cactus as "pitaya dulce," which is Spanish for "sweet pitaya." (Credit: NPS) An extreme life Like all of the native plants found in the arid Sonoran Desert, the organ pipe cactus survives by adapting to extreme sunshine and long periods of infrequent rain. They are unique in that they seem to grow well on unprotected hillsides, without the shading advantage of a "nurse plant." To survive long periods of time without rain, the organ pipe cactus' waterproof skin helps slow any evaporation of the water stored in the fleshy pulp of the plant's stems. The thousands of sharp spines also provide small areas of shading on the skin of the stems, helping to slow evaporation. (Credit: NPS) A national monument In south-central Arizona, a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) site shares an area of land designated as Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. This 520 square-mile (1,350 square kilometers) reserve and national monument shares the international border with the Mexican state of Sonora, and helps to preserve a large stand of organ pipe cactuses. (Credit: Linda & Dr. Dick Buscher) A plethora of plants Even though this biosphere reserve landscape is located in one of the most hostile, arid environments in North America, more than 26 species of cactus can be found within its boundaries. Shown here is a chain fruit cholla (Opuntia fulgida) that seems to be growing well in the heat, drought and intense sunlight found in this natural environment. (Credit: Linda & Dr. Dick Buscher) A safe haven One of the most surprising and unique features of this UNESCO site is Quitobaquito Oasis. This shallow, freshwater pond is only 200 yards (183 m) north of the international border and is created by a fault in a nearby granite-gneiss hillside. It is one of very few reliable water sources found anywhere in the Sonoran Desert, and is home to the endangered Quitobaquito pupfish (Cyprinodon eremus) and the Sonoran Mud Turtle (Kinosternon sonoriense). (Credit: NPS) Natural grandeur The ancestors of the organ pipe cactus can be found today across all the regions of the Sonoran Desert, but once grew in the warm, dry tropics closer to the equator. At the end of the last Ice Age, some 12,000 years ago, this species of cactus began a slow migration north. Botanists estimate that the species arrived in its current Sonoran Desert home about 3,500 years ago. Today, they add their natural grandeur to one of the most spectacular landscapes found anywhere in North America. (Credit: NPS) MEMBER RENEWALS: PLEASE ADD TO YOUR WHO S WHO Carol Jo Hargreaves Perry & Helen Herrgesell 1229 Maple Hill Court North Cherokee Lane Manteca, CA Galt, CA Ph Ph cjohargreaves@verison.net pherrgesell@att.net

7 PRESIDENT S MESSAGE: by Dawn Dalyce I hope everyone enjoyed Anne of Green Gardens talk and ideas on succulent mini gardens, and got inspired to propagate and make some pretty little mini gardens and or just pot up some succulents that buyers might use to make their own gardens. We are still planning to do a Cactus and Succulent Show and Sale on Saturday June 6 th, and Sunday June 7 th The goal of this fundraiser will be to earn enough money to pay for the laptop computer and projector that our club needs to own. We have been borrowing one and depending on JD, to bring it each time we use it, and for several reasons, that needs to improve. Stan determined our cost would be about $1000, and the board decided not to go with an all-in-one projector, which is new on the market and unproven, instead of a separate lap top and projector. We felt more secure in getting repairs or having a substitute or replacement easily if we stayed with the 2 unit system and the price was about the same. Our fundraiser suggested donation is 30% to the club, for all the plants or mini gardens sold. You are welcome to donate plants completely to the club, or any amount higher than 30% if you feel your costs to produce the saleable items is low, cuttings will be welcome. Please have your plants growing in sufficient light, filtered sun, part sun, so they look vibrant and not etiolated. Definition= ( e ti o lat ed ˈētēəˌlātid/Submit adjective(of a plant) pale and drawn out due to a lack of light. "etiolated mung bean seedlings" having lost vigor or substance; feeble." a tone of etiolated nostalgia"). Please also have plants you ve propagated be either well-rooted and growing, or sold as cuttings. We want to look like we know about succulents, and to be fair to our customers, potential new friends, and potential club members. I am personally finding little pretty ceramic pots and other items that Ron can drill out, and using tiny plants I ve bought or divided/ propagated, to make extra pretty already-potted offerings that I think might go for $ 5 to $ 15. Since I am buying the pots at garage sales, and second hand charity stores, and dollar stores, and my hubby Ron is drilling them for me, with water and diamond bits on his drill press, my hard cost is usually $2-3 per plant (or nothing if it s a cutting), and $.50 - $ 5 for the pot. So if we can sell them from $5- $15 the cost of plants and materials will be covered, plus the club will gain a donation. If we figure we need to earn $1,000 and the club is getting 30%, then the club will need to sell $3000 worth of plants. If the average plant sold is $ 5 we would need to sell 3000 divided by 5 = 600 plants. That is a bunch in just two days. Or if we were selling $50 mini gardens, $3,000 divided by $50= 60 mini gardens. Obviously if we can sell larger plants or mini gardens we ve designed and potted up, we ll need fewer sales to reach our goal. You can figure in the $2 plants we will sell, the $10 and $20 plants, and so on, as I m sure our members will provide a wide variety. Thank goodness people are more and more interested in cactus and succulents, and also that we can use our member and Vice President s little farm for free. (our club used to have sales at a mall in Stockton until they started wanting to charge us $700 a day to hold a sale.) Dave Jones is allowing us to set up, and use his west of 99 Modesto, farm that you can find at so that we can set up ahead of time, and leave them out for a 2 day sale, as he does have a fence, and can gate off his property at night. Thank you Dave for your hospitality and for all the preparation work we know you will be doing. The library and park in Manteca didn t work, as their City Parks and Recreation rules prohibit selling anything. We would love to use Poot s Cactus in Ripon, but parking is an issue, especially on Saturday, that being their busiest day normally. Let s all pitch in to try to make this a very educational and successful fundraiser event! 1. We plan to have a mini show at the event, so we can all bring a few of our most impressive personal favorite plants to show, not sell. That should inspire the customers to want to collect succulents and cacti, and maybe even learn more and join our club. 2. We plan to ask EVERYONE in the club to start advertising now, for customers to save the date and then to show up, June 6 and 7., advertising for FREE on Facebook, Craigslist, and Ebay Classified, Nextdoor.com, and at any club or other social media you have available. The Modesto Garden Club will let me put it on the May and June Calendars for free, if you are a member of any other clubs, ask if you can add our sale to your club s newsletter/ calendar. 3. Dave and I will have a petting zoo there to attract visitors. 4. We d like a few members to offer to do some short educational lessons, you can choose a subject. Here are some ideas you could volunteer to teach, potting succulents, making a succulent mini garden, propagating succulents, hardy succulents you can plant outdoors in our area, succulents that protect your windows from intruders, succulents for hanging baskets, cactus/succulents with impressive flowers, making potting mix for succulents, reducing your watering by switching to succulents. 5. I can t think of any reason that we can t presell some plants or items for our fundraiser, or keep it going after this event. As long as we are saving plenty of plants/ mini gardens to have an impressive sale at the event, let s go ahead and offer to sell online, or at our meetings. Everyone can just keep track of their sales/donations and remit to Roelyn. 6. Please double tag each of your plants that you need a payment for, with your name, and the plant price. That way we can keep track of each sale, and who that sale item should be credited to. Please mark donated plants or items, as donated. 7. Please bring your own lunch/ drinks, folding chairs, to the sale and let Dawn know in advance what days and times you can work the sale. Bathroom will be provided. There is plenty of shade, and we will also have 2 easy up type covers, an open top gazebo, a huge tarp, plus a few tables, and folding chairs.

8 MARCH MEETING PHOTO'S BY BRIAN POOT & KATHY ZUMBRUNN