October Walking Tour – The Cactus and Succulent House: A Lifetime of Treasures

Everyone’s life is marked with memories that stay with us forever. Some of my most cherished plant memories come from discovering the stunning world of cacti and succulent plants that are housed in the Cactus and Succulent House located in the Rock Alpine Garden. 

I had the privilege of taking over this collection and replanting the display house during the summer of 2021. Now, after three years of care, the plants have really filled in and grown fantastically. I invite you to see what’s growing and blooming inside the Cactus and Succulent House during the height and blight of winter. One reason these plants are so popular and sought after is because the leaf forms are often so pretty that the flowers simply become a bonus or means to produce seed. In their natural habitat most of the succulents from the Southern Hemisphere do their growing and blooming during the winter months. Some of my favorites this year are: 

1. Ceropegia cimiciodora – A creeping, leafless stem succulent with super-cool flowers that blooms almost all year-round. You would be hard pressed to find a cooler flower.
2. Stapelia schinzii var. angolensis – Fuzzy maroon flowers that smell like rotting flesh! What could be better?
3. Haworthia emelyae var. comptoniana – A solitary species with a very small natural range in the Cape Province of South Africa. It is prized and known for its beautiful white markings on the leaf surfaces, slow growth and difficult propagation.
4. Haworthia arachnoidea var. setata – In its native South Africa, it is known as papierrosie (paper-rose) or spinnekopnes (spider’s nest). Sign me up!
5. Haworthia hybrid – A special blend of species created by me, formulated for your enjoyment!
6. Albuca spiralis – A bulbous curly leaf plant. Give your curly leaf bulbs as much light as you can during the growing season.
7. Albuca hallii – Another curly-leaf plant, the spring leaf plant has a pair of cork-screwed shaped leaves.
8. Trichodiadema sp. – A beautiful plant that gets covered in purple blooms, reminiscent of summer-blooming iceplant (Delosperma), during the winter months.
    

I have been collecting these plants for 21 years and I am still finding the next amazing thing I have to have. If you need some plant inspiration while your own garden is sleeping this winter, come visit our collection of unique cacti and succulents in their full glory.
 

Gallery photos by Scott Preusser