Hang this Huernia High

by | Oct 4, 2017 | Cactus Are Cool

Several years ago Delores Harvey gave me two succulents, a stapelia lepida and this huernia macrocarpa, the plant to the right of the donkey tail sedum.  I have enjoyed both and have written about both, but always found it hard to appreciate the blooms on the...

Trying Another Sage Bush

by | Sep 25, 2017 | Cactus Are Cool

I was in Lubbock the other day after our general area had been blessed with quite a bit of rain; nothing like Harvey-drenched Houston, but some good rain. Various varieties of Texas sage were absolutely outdoing themselves all over town. Bright lavender/purple...

The Tucson Ferocactus Finally Bloomed!

by | Sep 8, 2017 | Cactus Are Cool

I went to my first Cactus and Succulent Society of America (CSSA) convention in 2011 at Tucson, Arizona. The Tucson Cactus and Succulent Society served as hosts. One thing they had done to welcome everyone to their city for the convention was to provide everyone who...

Trimming the Yucca

by | Aug 28, 2017 | Cactus Are Cool

One of my oldest cactus beds is a raised rock garden with very few cactus, a constant supply of agaves that come up from the roots of deceased plants, sedum for ground cover, snowy mound artemisia, rocks, and large yuccas. I always keep the bed weeded but have been...

Trimming from Top to Bottom

by | Jul 25, 2017 | Cactus Are Cool

My two adenium obesums, aka desert roses, were looking pretty sad coming out of the winter back in February, having dropped their leaves through the winter as these arid-land natives are wont to do in cold weather. I couldn’t remember the last time they had bloomed,...