My Crown of Thorns is Blooming Again

by | Nov 14, 2015 | Cactus Are Cool

Euphorbia milii, which we usually call crown of thorns, is blooming again. Crown of thorns is a euphorbia that is native to Madagascar but can be found just about everywhere now. It comes in various shades of red, pink, yellow, and white. It is one of those rare...

Another Look at Ariocarpus

by | Oct 30, 2015 | Cactus Are Cool

I have written about ariocarpus before, but it has been a while, so some of you may not be familiar with this plant.   Fall is their blooming season, as you can see here. Ariocarpus retusus is not a plant you will find at the big box stores, but it is worth...

Refreshing a Path in the Cactus Garden

by | Oct 24, 2015 | Cactus Are Cool

My cactus garden is over 20 years old and needs renovation from time to time. One path through the garden had become cluttered and hard to navigate, so the time had come to fix it. These pictures show the path in question. The flat rocks are supposed to mark the way,...

My New Stapeliad Turns Out to Be Controversial

by | Oct 17, 2015 | Cactus Are Cool

I have become a fan of stapeliads and bought one I don’t have the other day at the Living Desert in Spicewood. It was not identified, which is not uncommon because there are so many very similar varieties. As luck would have it, i was blessed with blooms right after I...

Clean Your Cactus With Your Hair Dryer

by | Oct 8, 2015 | Cactus Are Cool

  Fall brings football season; up here it also signals that it is time to bring my potted cactus and succulents inside for the winter. In my garden, if it is in a pot, it is because it is not cold-hardy. I have braved icy winds and impending snow storms and...