Chapter 13 - Cacti And Succulents

The title of this chapter would be more accurate if it were Cacti and other Succulents, because botanially all cacti belong to the succulent family. Succulents are plants whose native habitats are dry desert areas where the rainfall is so small that nature has had to evolve special properties in order for the plants to survive. There are two main types of succulents, those which have developed defenses against drought in the form of leaflessness or a shiny coating to reflect the light and heat, and those which have developed a water-storing mechanism which allows them to soak up and retain a considerable amount of water during a period of rain for use during the dry periods. We are interested here only in the second category, as all the cacti and other succulents cultivated for home use are of the water-storing variety.

Description. Although most people who have never grown any of these desert plants tend to think of them as small, uninteresting spiny blobs, nothing could be farther from the truth. Some cacti are among the most beautiful of all flowering plants, bearing large, extremely colorful blossoms. The Christmas Cactus, which will be described later, is one of the handsomest of house plants. They come in all shapes and sizes from minute one-inch plants to immense fifty-foot giants; from round porcupine-like shapes to plants that look like furry miniature telephone poles.

Growing conditions. As you would expect, considering their natural state, almost all cacti and succulents do best if they are kept warm, in a sunny aspect, and quite dry. Cacti especially like a south window, although most will tolerate the more limited sun provided by an east or west window. But as a general rule, the more sun they get the better they like it.

Watering is perhaps the most important part of succulent culture. Because of their natural inclinations built up by their original environments, they must be treated differently from the other plants you have in the house. The season of maximum growth of these plants comes in the late spring and summer months and is preceded, during the winter, by a period of dormancy a "rest period" when they grow hardly at all. In the summer, cacti and succulents, especially if kept indoors, may be watered just as other plants in other words, they should be given just enough so that the top of the soil does not feel dry to the touch. In winter it is a different story. During this period, water extremely sparingly, giving the plants just enough moisture to keep the soil from drying out completely. Since the plants are almost dormant, they are not able to use much water at this time, and overwatering will simply lead to a rotting of the roots. With cacti that grow in small pots, and this includes almost all the varieties used in house culture, it is usually better to water from the bottom, letting the moisture soak up through the drainage hole until it wets the surface of the soil. One reason for doing it this way is that these plants are extremely susceptible to stem rot and any water left standing at the base of the plant may give rise to this disorder. Another more obvious reason is that in many cacti, such as Mammillaria, the plant covers so much of the soil surface that it is difficult to get the water evenly distributed down to the roots.

When your cacti and succulents reach the point at which they need to be repotted, you should wait until just before their active summer period before undertaking this operation. They need to be at their most vigorous to withstand the change in environment.

Whether or not cacti and succulents should be moved to the garden during the summer is a question on which we have heard both points of view. In our opinion, it's six of one and half a dozen of the other. They may benefit from the extra sun they get from a summer out of doors, but they also run the risk of being attacked by mealy bugs and blighted by a rainy season. If you do plunge your cacti and succulents in the garden, first dig a trench three or four inches deeper than the depth of your largest pot, and sift in a layer of sand or ashes. The plants should be plunged in this to assure them of proper drainage, so necessary to this kind of plant.

Soil. Contrary to popular opinion, sand is not the best soil in which to grow cacti. A sandy soil, yes, but not plain sand. The best way to prepare a good soil for cacti is to start with a standard potting soil and add to it about a quarter again as much clean sand or finely crushed brick and old pots. If you use sand, don't take it from the beach as it will contain too much salt and will hinder growth. Because drainage is so important, you must take special care that any pot in which you are going to grow cacti or succulents is well crocked and that no excess water will stand in the roots.

Plant food. Cacti and succulents can be fed the same dry or soluable mixture that you use for your other plants, but it should be used a little more sparingly. Never feed these plants during their winter rest period and never feed more than the dosage recommended on the package when you are feeding during the summer.

Propagation. Some cacti and succulents will propagate from seed, others from cuttings, and some cacti are best propagated by grafting. In propagation by seed, follow the same procedure described in Chapter 7. On those plants increased by cuttings, the method is slightly different. With a sharp knife cut off a leaf, in the case 01 succulents, or a joint, in the case of cacti, and allow it to dry for several days. When the cut has hardened over, plant it in your starting mixture and water it from the bottom until moisture appears on the surface. Keep it in the shade for a few days after roots have formed and you have transferred it, and then set it out in the sun. Propagating by grafting is too detailed a subject to enter into here, but suffice to say it can be a fascinating hobby. It has been found that many varieties of cactus will grow when grafted onto a single base, and so the startling effects you can produce with these artificial hybrids are tremendous.

Pests and diseases. Mealybugs and scale insects are the two insects marauders that attack cacti and succulents to the greatest degree. They can be handled as described in Chapter 9. New plants propagated from seeds are also subject to damping off; but the main enemy of these plants is the tendency on the part of their owners to overwater.

Varieties. Here again, although there are more than a thousand varieties to choose from, we are going to list just a few of the most popular those which for one reason or another have proven themselves as good house plants.

Christmas Cactus, whose botanical name is Zygocactus truncatus, is widely grown for its habit of mid-winter flowering. It grows in clusters of leaf-like joints out of a single base. The flowers, which run up to three-inches long, are a deep red and will bloom any time from October to January. This is one cactus that is definitely aided by a summer out of doors. It should be held back by sparse watering after it is brought back into the house until it shows signs of blooming, at which time the watering should be increased. It needs a loose porous soil, but, unlike other members of its family, does not need added sand in the soil. Because it tends to droop over the edge of the pot, it is best displayed in a hanging basket.

Peanut Cactus is another popular member of the succulent family whose aspect is strikingly different from its cousin just described. It is a low growing plant, seldom over three-inches high, made up of clumps of joints covered with soft white spines. Its flowers are large and funnel-shaped. It is propagated by joint cuttings.

Night-blooming Cereusis popular because, as its name implies, its flowers open at night. There are many varieties of this plant, some of which in nature grow to tremendous heights. In house-plant culture, it grows to three or four feet and produces large white flowers.

Orchid Cactus is a close relative of the Christmas Cactus, but blooms in the spring and summer rather than the winter. There are dozens of varieties of this plant (Epiphyllum), all with beautiful blooms which reach tremendous size.

peanut cactus                            orchid cactus

crown of thorns                                    jade plant

Aloes are succulent plants which grow heavy lily-like leaves out of a central base. They are either green or variegated green with white or silver stripes or spots. Aloes are often mistaken for Agave, the Century Plant, which they strongly resemble.

Crown-of-Thorns is known botanically as Euphorbia. It has a thick fleshy stem and succulent leaves and is characterized by inch-long spines. It is grown in both climbing and upright forms and needs more moisture and a higher humidity than most succulent plants.

Jade Plant, or Crassula, has a typical succulent appearance with flat round leaves that are a brilliant green or, in the variegated varieties, green and white. This is an extremely easy plant to grow and will stand almost any misuse except overwatering.

paper white narcissus in bloom

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