Henry Shaw
Cactus Society
A CSSA Chapter
St. Louis, Missouri
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Along with other articles, columns and club updates, each monthly issue of the Henry Shaw Cactus Digest includes an article or two on members' favorite cactus and succulent species. The articles typically include photos and facts on the plants' natural origins and distribution, growing conditions, common and scientific names, care and cultivation tips, and helpful hints for encouraging flower production. Follow the links below this month's offering(s) to enjoy previous Plants of the Month.

August 2010 -- Commiphora nova tolear Madagascara

By Peggy Galantowicz
 
The show-worthy plant for June was Commiphora nova tolear Madagascara, meaning that this specimen is from the Toliara province near the southwestern coast of Madagascar. Formerly known as Tulear, the current spelling of the province's name was adopted in the 1970s to reflect the orthography of the Malagasy language.
 
As many as 200 species of Commiphora may live in Madagascar, Arabia, western India and the African mainland. Many commiphoras are smallish trees, and they can be quite abundant. The spongy, moisture-retaining commiphora tree trunks make up a considerable portion of the diets of elephants during droughts.
 
In cultivation, the goal is to produce a situation equivalent to a habitat defined by constant wind, intense sun and very little rain in order to end up with a compact, horizontally oriented piece of living sculpture.
 
Most commiphoras can flourish in fast-draining soil and bright light. Watering depends on when the plants grow -- they signal by dropping their leaves at the start of dormancy and putting out new ones as their growing seasons begin. For most of them, that will be in spring.
 
When dormant, the plants shouldn't be kept bone dry. Watering every three or four weeks will be plenty, and once a week should be adequate during their growing seasons. They can remain in leaf all year if kept warm, and they do not tolerate any frost.
 
Commiphoras tend to be vigorous growers that need a good-size pot to allow their roots the freedom to grow. Repotting annually is a good idea, as roots can fill the pot during the first growing season. You can prune the roots a little when you repot if necessary with no harm to the plants. If you prune the roots, don't water for a week or so after repotting to give time for the cut roots to heal.
 
Commiphoras also need to have their branches pruned to promote fuller branching, which is aesthetically pleasing. Some growers say pruning two or three times during the growing season seems to encourage fattening of the trunk and branches. And don't throw out your summer prunings. Both old growth and younger branches are said to root fairly easily to begin new plants. This should be done in late spring and summer for best results.
 
These rooted branches will develop a bit of thickness over the years, but if you have enough time, seed-grown plants are the best. The tiny seedlings have a tendency to grow into odd shapes that with time and perseverance result in nice-looking specimens. They generally grow fairly quickly as seedlings, but it takes a lot of patience and some careful pruning to convert them from twiggy baby trees to fantastic succulent pachycauls.

August 2010 -- Frithia

By Chris Deem
 
It was a sunny Tuesday morning in the first week of August. The first of three daisylike flowers had opened. The newly born flower had a regal purplish coloring, highlighted by the sunshine, on each glossy petal. At the center of the flower, soft, golden pollen covered the golden and pale ivory bases of the petals.
 
An hour after the first, the second flower opened. Both flowers closed on that day in the late afternoon. On Wednesday, the two were joined by a third, and all closed as they had the day before.
 
On Thursday and Friday, the process repeated. The flowers opened and closed as if they would do so forever. On Saturday, two of the flowers did not close. Their petals were slightly drooping, and their coloring started to fade. On Sunday, all were withered. On Monday, all were dead.
 
Now all that remained were the plant's dull green cylindrical leaves. They appeared very old, and many opaque leaf tips were scarred. Three weeks after flowering, this plant was dead. This is the story of a frithia, a plant with a brief life span and flowers that live a long time.
 
Frithia pulchra was an extremely difficult plant to research. Book after book listed contrary information. Some swore they were winter growers, others just as certainly listed them as summer-growing plants. One book suggested watering in spring and fall. This is what I tried, and my plant still died.
 
Another cause for many deaths, I'm sure, is that these plants are often misidentified as fenestrarias. Perhaps one day you may buy one of these intriguing little plants. I wish you better luck with yours than I had with mine. I'll end this story by stating confidently that frithias have a life span of about five years. Well, maybe ...

Previous Plants of the Month

Choose from the alphabetized menus below to view past Plants of the Month:

Select Cactus...  Aporocactus flagelliformsi Ariocarpus Ariocarpus    kotschoubeyanus Ariocarpus Astrophytum Astrophytum Astrophytum asterias Aztekium ritteri Blossfeldia Borzicactus Cacti in Bloom Carnegiea gigantea Cephalocereus senilis Cereus peruvianus Cleistocactus Cleistocactus Cochemiea Copiapoa Copiapoa Coryphantha ramillosa Crested Cacti Cristates Desert Christmas Cactus Discocactus horstii Echinocereus Echinocereus Echinofossulocactus Echinopsis Echinopsis Epithelantha Epithelantha Escobaria Escobaria missouriensis Facheiroa Ferocactus Ferocactus Frailea Geohintonia mexicana Gymnocalycium pungens Gymnocalycium ragonesei Gymnocalycium Gymnocalycium Gymnocalycium Holiday Cacti Leuchtenbergia Leuchtenbergia principis Leuchtenbergia principis Lobivia Maihueniopsis Mammillaria Mammillaria bombycina Mammillaria geminispina Mammillaria geminispina Mammillaria saboae-    haudeana Matucana Melocactus Melocactus Melocactus Monstroses Neochilenia napina Neoporteria Notocactus magnificus Notocactus magnificus Notocactus Notocactus Obregonia dengrii Opuntia humifusa Oreocereus Oreocereus Oroya Ortegocactus Opuntieae Tribe Opuntia Parodia Pelecyphora aselliformis Pereskia Pilocereus Pseudopilocereus Rebutia Rhipsalis Selenicereus Stetsonia coryne Sulcorebutia Sulcorebutia Tephrocactus Turbinicarpus Uebelmannia buiningii Uebelmannia pectinifera Variegates

Select Succulent...  Abromeitiella    (Deuterocohnia) Adenium obesum Adenium obesum Adenia Adenia Adenia epigea Aeonium Agave Albuca spiralis Alluaudia procera Aloe Aloe Aloe marlothii Aloe polyphylla Anacampseros Aptenia cordifolia Avonia papyracea Avonia Boswellia Bowiea volubilis Brachychiton rupestris Brighamia insignis Bursera Calibanus hookeri Ceropegia Conophytum Cotyledon Crassula Crassula Crested Succulents Cussonia paniculata Decaryia    madagascariensis Dendrosicyos socotrana Didiereaceae Dorstenia Drimiopsis saundersiae Dudleya Eulophia Euphorbias of Somalia Euphorbia aureoviridiflora Euphorbia hedyotoides Euphorbia hedyotoides Euphorbia kondoi Euphorbia rossii Euphorbia sakarahaensis Ficus Fockea Fouquieria Gasteria Gasteria Haemanthus albiflos Haworthia Hoya Ibervillea tenuisecta Lithops Madagascar Plants Monadenium montanum Monadenium Monsonia (Sarcocaulon) Operculicaria decaryi Oscularia deltoides Pachypodium Pachypodium Pachypodium brevicale Pachypodium cactipes Pachypodium densiflorum Pelargonium Pseudolithos Puya Sansevieria Sansevieria Sansevieria Sempervivum Senecio Senecio Senna meridionalis Succulents in Bloom Stapeliad Stapeliad Titanopsis Tylecodon Uncarina Zygosicyos Zygosicyos tripartitus

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