BCSS November 2022 Zoom talks

Our Zoom talks in November are on the usual dates, the first and third Tuesday of the month and are open to everybody.

Please contact the talks team at bcss.talk@gmail.com if you have any suggestions or ideas for talks or speakers, or indeed would like to give a presentation yourself.

Meet and Greet (continued from October’s eNews)
Text and photos by Ðoan Tran

You may remember from last month that I am involved in a love affair with some of my seedlings (don’t worry, my better half knows about it). Here are some more of my little treasures:

Pleiospilos nelii (sowed November 2020, seeds from Koehres Kakteen). The plants I bought somehow kept dying on me. So, when my seedlings also started to look very sad, I planted all the leftover youngsters in the raised bed outside. They’ve had a hell of a time these last few months with boiling sunlight and, in the last few weeks, rain and thunder. But they look much happier than they did before. I have more than 20 of them but took a picture of the most relaxed one.

Avonia papyracea (sowed October 2021, seeds from Koehres Kakteen). When the seedling starts to grow it looks like they have toilet paper stuck to their bodies. Witnessing this process is marvellous. A smile lights up my face whenever I look at them. At this point I really don’t know what to do next - but they are so lovely!

Lithops dorotheae (sowed March 2021, seeds from F. Hoes). All the lithops that I sowed have wonderful patterns or colours but this one I find singularly pretty. It is a cultivar and in one or two more years I hope that it will increasingly acquire the characteristics of a ‘Zorro’.

Lithops steineckeana (sowed November 2021, seeds from J. van Looy). I have read that this is not a species but rather a hybrid. It also doesn’t look very much like all my other lithops. For sure I wanted to try growing them. In one nursery pot where 16 seeds sprouted, eight of them looked like L. steineckeana. The others looked like L. pseudotruncatella. I love these unusual-looking ones and hope they maintain their good looks after any leaf change.

Conophytum danielii (sowed June 2021, seeds from Mesemb Study Group). This one looked very much dead for months but, after the watering at the end of July, it came ALIVE again. I have read the theories, and I have seen the pictures of others, but to witness it myself is MAGIC! And on top of that, two of the clones each acquired two more heads. Who can’t be in awe of this kind of natural wonder?

The Italian Cactus and Succulent Society (AIAS)

The Italian Cactus and Succulent Society (Associazione Italiana Amatori delle piante Succulente, AIAS) would probably have never been born without the help of British succulent enthusiasts. In the 1970s, life was not easy for Italians interested in succulents: plants for sale were few, nurseries offering them were rare, and it was extremely difficult to find other people with the same hobby (no internet or social media at that time). For those reasons, several Italians subscribed to foreign journals. In 1976 one of them, Gianfranco Rovida, sent a letter to 'the English society' (he does not specify whether it was the National Cactus Succulent Society or the Cactus and Succulent Society of Great Britain) and asked if there were any other Italian members. He was brought into contact with two succulentophiles from Sicily and Campania, with whom he began to exchange letters, cuttings and seeds. The group was soon joined by several other like-minded enthusiasts and in 1979 the AIAS was born.

The main aim of the Society was (and indeed still is) to bring together all Italians interested in succulents by facilitating the exchange of information, experiences and plants. To achieve these goals, it was necessary to have a newsletter, which was created in 1980 and called Bollettino dell’A.I.A.S. However, AIAS members were not satisfied with a mere newsletter and expressed their desire to have a journal like those published by the English or German societies. Thus, Piante Grasse was born, the first journal about succulent plants published in Italy after the Second World War. Piante Grasse, which literally means 'fat plants' (succulents are often called so in Italian), quickly became the most important source of information about succulents for Italian readers and convinced many to try their hand at growing them

AIAS has grown considerably since its inception and now counts more than 400 members in Italy and overseas. During the last decades, the Society has undertaken several projects to promote interest in and knowledge about succulent plants. For instance, it is present at all main Italian plant shows, where it often organizes brief courses on re-potting or propagation. AIAS local branches work together with primary schools to teach children the basic aspects of succulent plant morphology and botany, while at the same time offering more advanced lessons for high school pupils who wish to work for nurseries and garden centres.

Moreover, AIAS organizes talks aimed at its members on a regular basis. Italy hosts a rich endemic succulent flora, which is often neglected by enthusiasts and gardeners. AIAS has been encouraging the study and cultivation of these species by publishing several articles about them in Piante Grasse.

Conservation is another topic that has been of paramount importance for the Society. A few years ago, AIAS sponsored a study of the endangered xerophytic flora of the beaches near Rome. More recently, it has provided its members with a guide to the European Plant Passport, in order to raise their awareness about the main feature of this document and discourage succulentophiles from buying plants from sellers who are unable to provide clear information about the origin of their plants.

AIAS regularly organises exchanges of cuttings and distributes seeds of hundreds of species to its members every year. Moreover, it encourages succulent enthusiasts to bring their surplus specimens to the succulent shows which are attended by AIAS representatives, so that more experienced growers can share their plants with beginners.

In the life of AIAS, a role of fundamental importance is played by its quarterly journal, Piante Grasse. Each issue, which is usually 52 pages long, presents readers with a wealth of papers, often written by renowned international authors such as Peter Berresford, Keith Green, Anton Hofer, Harald Jainta, Joël Lodé and Ray Stephenson. The annual subscription to AIAS includes a monographic special issue, which is published every year on a different topic. For instance, those who join AIAS in 2022 will receive a 225-page long special issue on the genus Aeonium (two versions will be available, one in Italian and one in English).

If you are interested to know more about AIAS, you can have a look at the website of the society (https://www.cactus.it/) or the journal Piante Grasse (https://www.aias.info/).

Marco Cristini, AIAS Vice-President vicepresidenza-nazionale@aias.info
Fig. 1: The AIAS logo
Fig. 2: The cover of Piante Grasse 42:2 (2022)
Fig. 3: Sempervivum montanum, a succulent plant growing in the Italian Alps
Fig. 4: The most important Italian succulent show is held every year in September in Bologna

The Isle of Everywhere
Text and photographs by Colin C Walker

On the weekend of the 1st and 2nd of October my wife Marjorie and I were in London to support our daughter Amy who was running in the London Marathon in aid of Diabetes UK. Indeed, she completed the race, so we’re really proud parents.

On the Saturday after registration, we were wandering around Canary Wharf and stumbled upon a mini landscape in Crossrail Place featuring succulents, and this is the story.

The installation is called The Isle of Everywhere, 2022 by Heywood & Condie. The accompanying sign said that “This new ‘micro landscape’ draws upon one of the earliest garden forms, the Paradise Garden; a sacred environment often symbolised in Persian rug design. In our increasingly denatured age which is struggling to find a balance with the ‘more than human world’, The Isle of Everywhere re-imagines this ancient Edenic vision as an environment where the highly artificial is fused with the living to present a new garden hybrid. In Heywood and Condie’s latest horticultural installation, living nature, high tech, and commodity fetishism collide to realise a contemporary paradise – a metaphor for our globally insecure attitude to the natural world in a garden of unearthly delights”.

As you can see in the photos, the Persian rug is embellished with a range of small succulents arranged around other non-living objects.

The Isle of Everywhere is part of a wider exhibition entitled State of Play and is running from Monday 5 September till Friday 11 November, so it will still be on display when this issue of eNews appears if anyone is near Crossrail Place and wants to take a look.

On our way to the lake, we found another population of Horse Cripplers where each one was in flower and many photos were taken (Fig. 5 and 6). As to echinocerei, not a single plant was found. Even a negative result was useful, and it indicated that the plants occurred in pockets rather than over a range.

Mis Plantas Favoritas
Text and photos by Robin Fuller

I suppose that everyone who collects or grows succulents has a favourite species or two, so here is a rundown of my specials.

I’ve been in the south of Spain for over 20 years now. The frost-free climate is ideal for cacti and succulents. It’s so very easy to grow just about whatever you fancy – and that’s what I’ve been doing!

Astrophytum asterias has always interested me. I love their form, colour and flowers. And the amazing variations they are capable of when hybridised. I sometimes graft them onto Harrisia jusbertii (see below). I especially like variegated A. asterias with red flowers.  These are not always easy to find and keep, especially when the prized, red-flowered ones produce yellow flowers the following season!

Like many aficionados, I bought specimens from various places in mainland Europe, UK and Japan. Eventually, I realised that growing from seed was the most interesting way for me to increase my collection without losing my retirement funds!  My first variegated A. asterias was a gift from a friend and my first seed, I think, I bought from Koehres. 

I sow all my seed, whatever the species, in a ready-mix of peat and coir, and add a small amount of fine volcanic rock to it.  Then, I cover the seed with a fine layer of glass sand commonly used in swimming pool filters.  The seed grows quite quickly here as you can see in one of the photos.  This, of course, makes it imperative to collect and sow seed!  However, this all evens out somewhat when selection time comes and there are more undesirables or plain Janes than there are eyecatchers!

Another of my favourites is the genus Haworthia. Again, I love that they come in various forms, and colours from black to yellow. Breeding them takes patience though as they are slow growing for a retiree! I am purely a hobby plantsman, but I find that my Haworthia collection looks better when the plants share their living space. Also, it frees up space on the benches! They are all in large trays now - maybe a dozen in each compost-filled tray. They all seem to thrive like that.

As the years pass by, I find myself becoming less fond of aggressive, spine-covered plants, so my favourites now are concentrated in the less painful varieties. I am often asked what should or shouldn’t be done concerning the cultivation and propagation of these plants. As with most cactus/succulent enthusiasts, trial and error is the way to find what plants grow best in your environment and with the components that are available to you. Finally, after 20 years, I’ve found what is best for me in sunny Spain!

BCSS SHOWS COMMITTEE NEWS
National Show Gold Medal winners

This is the first of a series of articles looking back at the National Show 2022, focusing on some of the exceptional plants. This month we look at two of the succulents that won Gold Medals. Ian Robinson, the Secretary of the Gold Medal panel, has given the panel’s perspective on the winning plants. He explained that the Gold Medal panel decides which plants are to receive the highest awards and that initially they considered all first prize winners (and some high-quality second prize winners), keeping in mind plants that were in groups where one plant could be outstanding. Once this preview had been performed, the noted plants were considered again, in order to reduce the numbers to those considered worthy of a Gold Medal, before making a final choice of the Gold Medals and, of course, Best in Show.

Our first Gold Medal winner this month is Bombax ellipticum, exhibited by Dave Marchbank (Photo: Gillian Evison).

This magnificent specimen took some manhandling on a trolley by Dave, helped by Gareth Darbon, to deliver it to the showbench. Dave says that this was one of seven plants that he took to the National, all of them large and heavy! He acquired this plant at an auction some six years ago, where he won a fierce bidding war for the plant, as he thought it was magnificent. It’s the kind of plant that makes you smile when you look at it, and it duly went home with him. Dave says “After getting my Bombax home, the more I looked at it the more I realised there was something I didn’t like about it. No doubt the plant was magnificent. However, the pot it was in was less impressive. So, after visiting every garden centre for miles around, I eventually bought a new pot and repotted it in the pot it is in now, which showcases the plant well. The only downside is its weight as it’s extremely heavy.” Dave also says that the care of the plant has been pretty straightforward. However, he is careful not to overwater it as, although it could likely take more than what he gives it, he feels watering too freely can change the appearance of the plant, making it produce bigger leaves than it should have or too much green, or worse still, cause a split. It is about getting the balance right, as obviously we all want our plants to grow and improve.

The Gold Medal panel considered that, although growing into a tree in habitat, it is not seen to be particularly fast growing in cultivation. The plant on show was clearly in healthy, active growth as shown by the green expanding areas on the caudex, which was reflected in fresh growth of the upper branches and leaves.

The second Gold Medal winner this month is Desmidorchis speciosus, exhibited by Gillian Evison (Photo: Elizabeth Maddock). Most of us find the stapeliads very difficult to grow and this plant is no exception. As it comes from Ethiopia, Sudan, Somalia and other east African countries, it is not surprising that it is a challenge to grow it in the UK. The Gold Medal panel commented that this is one of the larger growing plants at maturity in this group - if you can keep it alive. It does not like to be cold and will turn to mush overnight if it sniffs frost. The plant on show was a big plant, which demonstrated remarkable cultivation over several years. There were few, if any, blemishes. It certainly gained full marks for difficulty and is a tribute to the cultivation skills of its owner. The panel had no trouble in awarding a Gold Medal.

Showing and Judging Weekend 19 & 20 August 2023

Please let Bill Darbon know on william.darbon77@btinternet.com if you would like to come to our Showing and Judging weekend next year to brush up on your knowledge of judging and how to show your plants to their best advantage.

Nominations for Shows Committee – don’t forget that nominations to be put forward at the 2023 AGM need to be submitted to the BCSS Secretary at secretary@bcss.org.uk by 31 December 2022. If you would like to know more about what is involved, please contact the Shows Secretary at hazeltaylorcs@outlook.com
Hazel Taylor
BCSS Shows Committee

Tephrocactus Study Group (TSG) meeting 2023

Plans are in place to hold a meeting at the usual venue in Coddington, Newark. This will be the first meeting for over three years and will hopefully take place on Sunday 21 May 2023.

Confirmed speakers are Norbert Sarnes on ‘The Maihueniopsis of Argentina’, Paul Hoxey on ‘The Cumulopuntia sphaerica group’ and John Betteley on ‘The Alan Hill Memorial collection’.

To register your interest please email: johnbetteley4@gmail.com as soon as possible. A minimum of 20 attendees are needed for the meeting to proceed.

BCSS seed distribution 2022

UK-based members of the BCSS can take advantage of our annual seed distribution, accessing many species of cactus and other succulents seeds for low prices. However, feedback from members has highlighted that some areas of the country receive their CactusWorld several weeks after others, ultimately effecting their access to the Society’s seed list. If you feel you are likely to be disadvantaged by the post please email your name, BCSS membership number and email address to chairman@bcss.org.uk by Monday 21 November to receive a copy of the seed list when December’s CactusWorld is published. This can then be printed, filled in and sent via post to the seed distributor. Online orders are not currently available and orders will not be accepted by email. We hope that this process will make seed distribution fairer. For 2022, the seed list is only available to UK-based BCSS members.

Branch Secretaries and
Other Event Organisers

Please send details of all shows, displays, conventions and other special events for inclusion in the BCSS Calendar of Events 2023 to BCSS Calendar of Events by 20 January 2023 at the latest.

Please send details even if they have already been submitted online, as event details must be complete and accurate.

Please include:  
-  the nature of the event  
-  the Branch or Zone holding the event  
-  the date(s) with start and end times  
-  the venue with full address and postcode  
-  any other relevant details

Thank you

John Foster

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BCSS Branch Meetings, November to December 2022

A list of BCSS Branch meetings for the balance of 2022 can be accessed by clicking on the following link: https://society.bcss.org.uk/index.php/hidden/branches-a-k.html

It is hoped that readers will consider visiting their local Branch (if you do not already do so). They need your support NOW more than ever before. If this idea proves useful it may be repeated for the whole of 2023. Most Branches charge a small admission fee (usually between £2 and £4) to cover the cost of hiring the venue and speaker’s expenses. A few Branches still run Zoom meetings for part of the winter and a couple offer a combination of face-to-face and Zoom.

The information here has been collated from the Branch websites. To the best of our knowledge this information is correct. From time-to-time meeting times do change, so if you are visiting for the first time it is better to check with the Branch first. Each Branch has its own dedicated website and more information can be found by clicking on the Branch name in the abovementioned list.

After successful trials we are starting to update branch websites to run using Wordpress and will be sending details out to branches shortly.

All meetings are open to any member of the BCSS and they are also open to visitors who are not members of the BCSS. For more details please visit the relevant Branch website via the above link.