Washington DC Cactus Club

The next meeting of the National Capital Cactus and Succulent Society of Washington, D.C. will be Sunday, February 21, 2010

Titanopsis calcarea

Titanopsis calcarea is native to South Africa. The name Titanopsis comes from the Greek words titanos (chalk) and opsis (appearance), referring to the calcium-filled warts on the leaf surfaces. Plants are small and eventually form small clumps of rosettes. The plant pictured above was grown from seed and is seven years old.

For More Photo's Visit Our Plant Gallery

The Plant Gallery features photos from our recent newsletters and photos of our member's plants and plant relative activities.

The NCCSS February Program

All About Senecios

NCCSS member Donna Kuroda will discuss the succulent members of the genus Senecio. The succulent senecios are not well known but include some very attractive and interesting plants. The senecios are members of the aster family (Asteracea), which includes the sunflowers, asters, and zinnias. Come and join us on February 21st and learn more about this fascinating group of plants.

The National Capital Cactus and Succulent Society

The NCCSS is a group of individuals sharing an interest in the collecting and growing of cacti and other types of succulent plants. We meet once a month from September through June. In August we hold an annual plant show and sale at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, Maryland. Our Regular Monthly Meetings are held at St. Anselm’s Abbey School at 14th & South Dakota Ave. N.E. Washington, DC. Our meeting begin at 10:30 am and end at Noon. If you live in the Washington, D.C. area and are interested in succulent plants, why not visit one of our meetings and share your interest with others who also love these weird and fascinating plants.

Plants Of The 2009 Annual Show
Our annual show and sale for 2009 was held in August at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, Maryland. We hope you had a chance to attend the show and enjoy the show plants on display. If you didn't get a chance to visit the show you can view a few of the plants that were award winners by clicking your computer mouse right HERE.

Membership & Dues:

To join the National Capital Cactus and Succulent Society contact Lee Miller leejmiller@verizon.net or Bob Stewart stewart723@gmail.com. If you would like a sample of our most recent newsletter, The Eastern Spine, contact newsletter editor Bob Stewart. Annual membership dues are $20.00 per individual and $30.00 for a family.

Web Site of the Month:
There are a lot of great web sites for the cactus and succulent enthusiast. Each month we will feature one of these great sites.

The Succulent Plant Page http://www.succulent-plant.com/home.html
Here's a general web site that provides a lot of information on the non cacti succulents. There is info on cultivation, pests and diseases, and growing from seed. There's a photo gallery and even a cactus recipes section.

Monthly Newsletter:

The Eastern Spine is the official newsletter of the National Capital Cactus and Succulent Society. It is published monthly, September through June and is included with your society membership. Bob Stewart is our newsletter editor. Join our club and get your own copy delivered to your mailbox.
Click NEWSLETTER-PDF to view a sample copy, in PDF format, of a recent newsletter.

Purpose of the National Capital Cactus and Succulent Society:

the study, culture, and propagation of cactus and other succulent plants;
to exchange information among interested persons and organizations, and to further the education about and understanding of succulent plants and their habitats;
to encourage conservation of plants and preservation of natural habitats;
to affiliate or associate with other organizations of similar purpose;

Benefits of the National Capital Cactus and Succulent Society:

Share ideas and techniques with other cactus and succulent growers.
Interesting and informative programs.
Good fellowship and refreshments.
Use of an extensive club library.
A monthly newsletter, The Eastern Spine.
Sales table with members plants and related items.
Monthly raffle of donated plants and related items.

Programs:

Our program committee arranges for us to have a unique event each and every month. These consist of lectures, slide shows, informal discussions and presentations; they are always interesting and informative.

Plant of the Month:

Each month a succulent genus, or special selection of succulent plants are featured as our plant of the month. Our plant of the month for November 2009 is the genus Rebutia. These are small, clustering cacti from the mountains of Bolivia and Argentina. Rebutias are renowned for their spring flower displays. The flowers are large, colorful, and produced in relatively large numbers. The plant at the right is Rebutia minuscula. It's native to Argentina and is one of the easiest rebutias to grow.

Information on Growing Succulent Plants:

One of the important aspects of growing healthy succulent plants is using the proper potting soil mix. You can read the NCCSS Potting Soils for Succulent Plants handout by clicking right HERE.

Plant Sales:

If you have any surplus plants, seeds, pots, books or any other plant related items you want to sell, you can bring them to the meeting. Set your own price. 25% goes to the club to buy new books and cover other club related expenses.

History:

First meeting was held July 21, 1974 at the Samson House at Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD. The club newsletter, The Eastern Spine, became official for the November 1974 meeting. The club began its affiliation with the Cactus & Succulent Society of America with the adoption of the By-Laws at the September 15, 1974 meeting.

Extra-Curricular Activities:

Annual Cactus & Succulent Show & Sale.
Summer field trips.
Summer picnic.
Holiday Buffet at St. Anselm's Abbey School in December.

NCCSS Officers for 2010

President: Lee Miller

Vice-President: Bob Petza

Recording Secretary: Donna Kuroda

Membership Secretary: Lee Miller

Treasurer: Paul Hanerfeld

Hospitality:
Ty Tydings

Directors at large: Margie Hanerfield, Sy Deitchman

Newsletter Editor
Bob Stewart

Librarian
Laurie Perper

Links to Gardens and Other Societies in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area:

Cactus and Succulent Society of America (CSSA)

The National Capital Cactus & Succulent Society is an affiliate society of the Cactus and Succulent Society of America. For more information about the CSSA see their web site at: http://www.cssainc.org

The NCCSS web site is maintained by Bob Stewart

The NCCSS Web Site is part of the Cactus Mall Web System
Use the Link Below to Visit the Cactus Mall Site