Succulents and rain

Seeing as most succulents and cacti come from hot, desert regions and are also well-known for their drought resistance, one would think that they can't tolerate a lot of water and most don't. But there are always a few exceptions to the rule and through trial and error I have discovered some succulents that actually thrive on a lot of water.

This little cactus, above, Austrocylindropuntia subulata monstrosa (Eve's Needle) is in full sun in the garden and gets lots of water, me and the rain! and it has absolutely thrived. It is also very frost tolerant and extreme cold doesn't seem to have much effect on it.

This Crassula muscosa, above and below, from the Crassulaceae family and indigenous to South Africa, is very drought resistant but absolutely goes wild with lots of water! When in full sun and with little water, it tends to go brown and get woody but when watered a lot, it makes lovely clumps of bright, healthy-looking green clumps. Tends to spread very quickly when watered a lot.

Crassula muscosa

Crassula muscosa in a pot

Flowers of the Echeveria imbricata

The effect of lots of water on Echeveria imbricata is amazing! You are rewarded with plants the size of dinner plates and a profusion of flowers! We've been having 10-20mm of rain almost every day for the past couple of weeks, and my Echeverias have never been so stunning! However, one has to cut down on watering in winter and they are not frost-tolerant, so wet feet would be bad news.

Echeveria imbricata in a pot on my patio

Echeveria imbricata in a pot on my patio

Huge, dinner-plate size Echeveria imbricata in pots on my patio

More huge Echeveria imbricata in a pot on my patio

Echeveria imbricata in a wooden planter on my patio

More Crassula muscosa enjoying lots of water. The Echinopsis cacti will only tolerate lots of water if it is planted in a well-draining soil - when they get soggy they easily suffer from rot.

The Geraniums have been loving the rain, but the Eve's Needle in the pot gets moved under roof at the first signs of rain. Since I got it as a tiny, 3" little plant, it has been acclimatising in this pot with no holes, but is now ready to be planted directly into the garden.

My Old Man Cactus (genus Cephalocereus) has spent many years in this pot with lots of rain, but it does have holes and a well-draining soil, and is now sporting two new pups which are ready to be removed and re-planted.

Kalanchoe rotundifolia, indigenous to South Africa) on the right in the white pot is tolerant of both drought and lots of water. I propagated this one from a little cutting and it has been under cover for quite some time and I only placed it in full sun this week. So I will be keeping an eye on it to see how it develops before transplanting it straight into the garden.

The Rattail Cactus (Aporocactus Flagelliformis or Disocactus flagelliformis) above, is native to Mexico, which means gardeners only in the warmer zones can grow them outdoors. Mine spends summer outdoorsin full sun with LOTS of water, but it doesn't tolerate frost and I bring them inside every winter. And then, every spring I am rewarded with this beautiful show of flowers!


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Echeverias after the winter

Having survived a particularly harsh winter OUTSIDE! ( usually bring them inside every winter), these Echeverias (E. imbricata) have doubled in size with all the beautiful early-summer rains we’ve had. These pots spent the winter under the protection of my Wild Olive (Olea europaea subsp. africana). Also known as “Blue Hens and Chicks”, these plants, hailing from the semi-desert areas of Central America, thrive in frost free, brightly lit conditions with good drainage.

Re-potting after neglect

I've just freshened up this pot of succulents which was standing in the garden. When I tested the ground it was a hard as concrete, I really don't know HOW they've managed to survive!

First I watered the pot heavily to soften the ground. I gently removed each plant, cut off dead and old pieces and carefully laying them down in the shade so as not to damage them. I then put in a mix of potting soil and garden soil with pebbles at the bottom to aid draining and re-planted most of them, leaving some space for new growth. An Aloe at the back with the Aeoniums next to it and in front added the Crassula and the Echinopsis cactus with a few crystal pebbles as decoration.

I'm just wondering if the red tinges on the Aeoniums is a bad sign or not? They're normally as green as grass... But they all seem none the worse for the wear and neglect, that pot has been standing there on the little table for over a year without any attention and just the odd watering.

 Neglected and forlorn somewhere in the garden...

A New Year's resolution - I promise to spend more time with you, my darling succulents!

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Happy New Year 2015!

It's been a wonderful year of planting succulents, getting pricked by cacti and seeing my little succulent family growing.

Here's wishing your new year is full of succulent love, joy and inspiration!

Happy New Year!

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Echeveria imbricata. Flower

Camera : Canon EOS 550D
Taken in my garden (Tarlton, Gauteng, South Africa)

Echeveria imbricata is a species of flowering succulent in the Crassulaceae family, native to semi-desert habitats in Mexico. Also known as the Mexican Snowball, this frost-tender succulent rewards with lots of beautiful flowers when it gets enough sun and water.

With striking colour and texture, this fast growing Succulent is a great choice for ground-cover or a rock garden. Tight blue-grey rosettes freely produce offsets to form dense mounds. Bright pink blooms on tall stems are adored by hummingbirds and, in South Africa (we don’t have hummingbirds) Sunbirds and insects. Attractive in containers or as a house plant.

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Aloe cooperi

A new addition to my family - Aloe cooperi - family Aloaceae - this Aloe is a South African grassland aloe. occurs in moist habitats and in dry rocky areas, mainly in Natal, Swaziland and Mpumalanga. Aloe cooperi grows singly or in small groups from offshoots at ground level. Plants may be stemless or short stemmed up to 15cm high. The leaves are often yellowish green with the upper surface usually unspotted, though occasionally they have a few white spots lower down. The inflorescence is simple and bold. The flowers of Aloe cooperi vary in colour from greenish-cream to apricot and salmon pink. Can't wait for it to flower!

 Image from
Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden

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The wonder of Echeverias

It is only when we are aware of the earth and of the earth as poetry that we truly live.

 - Henry Beston, 1935, Herbs and the Earth

I’ve been absent from the world, lost in the beauty of my sunny front-yard garden. Too much work, a whole lot of plants, and life goes on. And the Echeverias (E. glauca) are flowering! A sure sign of mid-summer and lots of rain.

The Genus Echeveria is a member of the Crassulacae family and are natives of Latin America — specifically Argentina and Mexico.  There are around 150 species and they are a wonderful succulent to have in your collection.

Echeveria glauca, my personal favourite, also called "Hen and Chicks", is one of the most popular. E. glauca is desirable for its blue-green colour, attractive arrangement of foliage, for their hardiness and their colourful, bell-shaped flowers on pink stems in early summer. Break them off when blooms have faded, this encourages more flowers.

They are one of the easiest succulents to grow indoors where a sunny window is a perfect spot for them. But be careful of too much direct sun through the glass as this can burn them. During summer and spring water them regularly, reducing watering in winter.

For me, growing them outdoors is a total struggle. E. glauca prefers average summer temps of 18ºC - 21ºC (65ºF - 70ºF). and in winter, cool to 10ºC (50ºF). In summer, the temperature here in Tarlton often exceeds 30ºC. And even though our winter temperatures rarely dip below 10ºC, we get a particularly bad frost that doesn't kill them but stunts their growth, making it harder for them to recover in summer. This little feature no longer exists as I had to lift them all and plant in pots.

They need a well-drained soil and our soil tends to compact quickly and become as hard as rock, even with lots of compost and sand added.

So slowly, as the years have passed, I've taken them out of the garden and put them in pots, baskets and anything else I can lay my hands on.

One can see the difference in the Echeverias that get brought in for the winter and those that stay outside.

Echeverias spread by making pups (babies), which can be harvested and re-planted but are easily propagated by  taking a cutting (or by a leaf for the most of them). Besides propagation from leaves, if the main stem of the Echeveria becomes long and bare, you can cut the rosette off, let the wound dry for a week or so, and re-root the rosette. An expert recommends suspending the rosette just barely out of reach of a layer of growing mix. The rim of the pot can act as support. The rosette will send roots reaching down towards the mix. When you see a good amount of roots, it's ready to plant in the soil.

CULTIVATION TIPS
Most Echeveria are summer growers. Once established they can tolerate extended dry periods without watering but will grow stronger if they receive adequate water during their growing season. Free draining, porous soil is essential to prevent root rot. Echeveria are shallow rooted plants and therefore benefit from good levels of organic matter in the soil. Good ventilation is important for minimising pest and disease risks. Mealey bug and aphids find them irresistable so regular drenching with a suitable pesticide during the warmer months is advised - use Neem Oil which works well and is 100% organic. Generally, the more sun they get the better they will display their colours and shape, but protect them from excessive sun during hot weather.

All pics taken in my garden (Tarlton, Gauteng, South Africa).

And here are some lovely ideas I found on the internet for displaying your Echeverias and other succulents :

 

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Aeonium

Aeonium are without a doubt, some of the most beautiful and sought after additions to succulent collections. They reward our efforts with gorgeous spoon shaped foliage in shades of burgundy and green, sometimes variegated with splashes of palest gold.

Aeonium are native to the Canary Islands and North Africa, so you may be able to guess their preferred conditions – warm, or even hot would be the key word.

The name means ‘evergreen’ so this is a plant that never loses its leaves – until after it blooms that is, when the flowering rosette dies.

Aeonium grow best where minimum temperatures are about 4 degrees Celsius; they can’t take any frost, so a sheltered or indoors environment only for this plant. It requires good ventilation, and bright light – full sun is fine, or partial shade. They prefer a little more moisture in the soil than many other succulent plants. Water as soon as the soil is dry, but don’t allow it to dry too much.

Some Aeonium will form a fairly tall stand of rosettes of green, dark burgundy or variegated foliage each on the top of a slender stalk. The leaves are spoon-shaped, sometimes glossy, and occasionally matte.
They can reach a height of a meter (3’), or less than 15cm (5"), depending on the variety. Other species and varieties are suitable for mixed planters and succulent crafts as they tend to be more compact.

Easy to propagate, just remove a rosette with a piece of stem and allow to callous overnight and the stem end can be planted into a pot.

 Aeonium at the back with Echeveria glauca in the centre and Senecio vitalis (Blue Chalksticks) and an Echeveria in the front

Aeoniums sharing a pot with a cactus and some Crassula
 

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