National Capital Cactus and Succulent Society Gallery Page

Astrophytum myriostigma

This picture is from a plant in club member Bob Stewart's collection and demonstrates even young cacti, of the right species, can flower. Bob grows most of his plants from seed and this Astrophytum myriostigma is just three years old from seed. This plant spent the first six months of its life under fluorescent lights and was then moved outside. During its first month outside it was protected from full sun with a cover of several layers of window screening but after that it was full sun and regular and thorough watering with a diluted fertilizer solution. Many cacti can grow and mature quite rapidly under such conditions, and during its third summer outside this astrophytum produced its first flower. It's growing in a 2½ clay pot and at the end of September will be brought back inside to spend the winter in a sunny, south facing window.

Epithelantha micromeris

This is the "button cactus" flowering in the collection of one of our members in December. The plant is small, only an inch and a half in diameter and the flowers are even smaller. E. micromeris is relatively common throughout a good part of West Texas and Southern New Mexico, although due to its small size it is often difficult to find. It is also easy to grow providing it receives a lot of sun and a gritty, very well drained potting soil.

Heated Outdoor Frame for Overwintering Succulents

This is a members cheap alternative to a greenhouse. It's a cold frame to which a small, electric heater as been added to overwinter plants in Maryland. The frame measures 8 feet wide by 5 feet long and is covered by a sheet of 6 mil clear plastic. A 1500 watt space heater, connected to a thermostat provides heat. The thermostat is set for a 40 degree minimum. The story of the frame was in the October 2006 newsletter.

Haworthia 'Chocolate'

This is a very colorful haworthia cultivar to grow and was featured in our December 2006 newsletter. One of our members had purchased this plant from the Nursery of Steven Hammer and then lost the plant when his house was hit by a tornado!

Mammillaria rubrograndis

One of the reason we grow cactus; the sensational transfirmation these plants make between spiny ball and beautifully flowering plant. This is a fast growing, easy to flower mamm providing you can provide a good amount of sun in the summer. The plant shown is five year old from seed. This plant was featured in an article on mammillarias in our Janurary 2007 newsletter.

Cacti In The Snow - In Maryland!

Yes Virginia, cacti can be grown where it snows, including the Eastern parts of the U.S. This photo was taken in one of our member's yards in Maryland. The plant in the right foreground is Cylindropuntia imbricata. In the left foreground is Opuntia phaecantha. Both of these cacti are cold and snow tolerant, at least in the Mid Atlantic region. Click on the photo to see a larger version.

Titanopsis calcarea

It's interesting that for some growers the mesembs, such as Titanopsis calcarea, are very difficult to grow well, and yet for others they almost seem to grow themselves. However, there is no doubt when growing well, and flowering, they are among the most beautiful and interesting of succulent plants. The plant pictured here is grown outdoors in full sun during the frost free part of the year and spends the winter in the heated frame shown at the top of this page.

Agave havardiana

This photo was not taken in Arizona or Texas, but in Charles County in Southern Maryland. The Agave pictured here is part of a hardy cactus and succulent garden. There are actually quite a few cacti and other succulents that are winter hardy here in the eastern U.S. This agave was grown from seed, is 14 years old, and has been in the hardy cactu planting since 1996.

Ariocarpus fissuratus

This habitat photo was taken at Dagger Flats in Big Bend National Park in Texas. Ariocarpus are known as "Living Rock" cacti and when not in flower they blend into the rock covered ground so well they are often very difficult to find. Ariocarpus is unusual for cacti in that it flowers in late summer and early fall.

Echinocereus triglochidiatus

The common name of E. triglochidiatus is the claret-cup cactus; in reference to the deep red (scarlet) flower color. It's native throughout a large portion of the U.S. Southwest and Mexico. This plant is growing in one of our member's yards. While it is in a pot, it remains outside all year. Many of the echinocerei are winter hardy in the mid Atlantic area provided they have excellent soil drainage. This plant was grown from seed obtained from Mesa Garden, a nursery specializing in cacti and other succulent seed and plants. How do you get an echinocereus plant to flower? Just give it sun, sun, and more sun.

Sempervivum 'Rubra Ash'

Sempervivums, aka "hen and chicks," "houseleeks," and "Jupiter's beard," are one of the unsung heroes of the succulent plant world. They are attractive, small, easy to grow, and winter hardy to most of the world. They make excellent rock garden plants and excellent plants for container that remain outdoors all year. The semp pictured here , 'Rubra Ash' is one of the largest cultivars. It can grow to 6 or 7 inches in diameter and from April through July has a wonderful dark, maroon color. As the weather heats up more the color fades a bit. Sempervivum was the NCCSS plant of the month for April 2009.

Pachycereus schottii in Habitat

The "Senita Cactus" is one of the rarest cacti in the American Southwest. While common in Mexico it only occurs in a tiny portion of the Organ Pipe National Monument in extreme southern Arizona, right along the Mexican border. The Senita grows long bristles from the aeroles of the flowering stems, giving the tops of the stems a distinctly bristly, fuzzy appearance. The Senita also produces several flowers per each aerole. Most cacti only produce one flower per aerole. This photo was taken in Organ Pipe National Monument by member Bob Stewart.

Ortegocactus macdougallii

This is one of the most unusual and least understood of all cacti. It was discovered in 1952 by Tom MacDougall in Mexico. Since that time botanist have been unable to associate it with any existing genera and thus is placed in its own genus. The genus name Ortegocactus honors the Ortega family in Mexico who assisted in the plant's discovery. At maturity this is a small plant, seldom growing to more than 2 inches in diameter. Its flowers are yellow and approximately 1 inch in diameter. The plant pictured is in the collection of one of our club members living in the Baltimore, Maryland area.

Stenocereus thurberi

This is the organ pipe cactus in habitat in Organ Pipe National Monument, Arizona. it was originally known as Lemaireocereus thurberi but time and taxonomy have taken their toll and the genus Lemaireocereus is no more. Unlike the other famous, big cactus of Arizona, the saguaro, the organ pipe produces multiple stems from the ground and tops out in height about about 15 feet. This photo was taken by one of our NCCSS members while visiting Organ Pipe National Monument.

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		Astrophytum myriostigma This picture is from a plant in club member Bob Stewart's collection and demonstrates even young cacti, of the right species, can flower. Bob grows most of his plants from seed and this Astrophytum myriostigma is just three years old from seed. This plant spent the first six months of its life under fluorescent lights and was then moved outside. During its first month outside it was protected from full sun with a cover of several layers of window screening but after that it was full sun and regular and thorough watering with a diluted fertilizer solution. Many cacti can grow and mature quite rapidly under such conditions, and during its third summer outside this astrophytum produced its first flower. It's growing in a 2½ clay pot and at the end of September will be brought back inside to spend the winter in a sunny, south facing window.
		Epithelantha micromeris This is the "button cactus" flowering in the collection of one of our members in December. The plant is small, only an inch and a half in diameter and the flowers are even smaller. E. micromeris is relatively common throughout a good part of West Texas and Southern New Mexico, although due to its small size it is often difficult to find. It is also easy to grow providing it receives a lot of sun and a gritty, very well drained potting soil.
		Heated Outdoor Frame for Overwintering Succulents This is a members cheap alternative to a greenhouse. It's a cold frame to which a small, electric heater as been added to overwinter plants in Maryland. The frame measures 8 feet wide by 5 feet long and is covered by a sheet of 6 mil clear plastic. A 1500 watt space heater, connected to a thermostat provides heat. The thermostat is set for a 40 degree minimum. The story of the frame was in the October 2006 newsletter.
		Haworthia 'Chocolate' This is a very colorful haworthia cultivar to grow and was featured in our December 2006 newsletter. One of our members had purchased this plant from the Nursery of Steven Hammer and then lost the plant when his house was hit by a tornado!
		Mammillaria rubrograndis One of the reason we grow cactus; the sensational transfirmation these plants make between spiny ball and beautifully flowering plant. This is a fast growing, easy to flower mamm providing you can provide a good amount of sun in the summer. The plant shown is five year old from seed. This plant was featured in an article on mammillarias in our Janurary 2007 newsletter.
		Cacti In The Snow - In Maryland! Yes Virginia, cacti can be grown where it snows, including the Eastern parts of the U.S. This photo was taken in one of our member's yards in Maryland. The plant in the right foreground is Cylindropuntia imbricata. In the left foreground is Opuntia phaecantha. Both of these cacti are cold and snow tolerant, at least in the Mid Atlantic region. Click on the photo to see a larger version.
		Titanopsis calcarea It's interesting that for some growers the mesembs, such as Titanopsis calcarea, are very difficult to grow well, and yet for others they almost seem to grow themselves. However, there is no doubt when growing well, and flowering, they are among the most beautiful and interesting of succulent plants. The plant pictured here is grown outdoors in full sun during the frost free part of the year and spends the winter in the heated frame shown at the top of this page.
		Agave havardiana This photo was not taken in Arizona or Texas, but in Charles County in Southern Maryland. The Agave pictured here is part of a hardy cactus and succulent garden. There are actually quite a few cacti and other succulents that are winter hardy here in the eastern U.S. This agave was grown from seed, is 14 years old, and has been in the hardy cactu planting since 1996.
		Ariocarpus fissuratus This habitat photo was taken at Dagger Flats in Big Bend National Park in Texas. Ariocarpus are known as "Living Rock" cacti and when not in flower they blend into the rock covered ground so well they are often very difficult to find. Ariocarpus is unusual for cacti in that it flowers in late summer and early fall.
		Echinocereus triglochidiatus The common name of E. triglochidiatus is the claret-cup cactus; in reference to the deep red (scarlet) flower color. It's native throughout a large portion of the U.S. Southwest and Mexico. This plant is growing in one of our member's yards. While it is in a pot, it remains outside all year. Many of the echinocerei are winter hardy in the mid Atlantic area provided they have excellent soil drainage. This plant was grown from seed obtained from Mesa Garden, a nursery specializing in cacti and other succulent seed and plants. How do you get an echinocereus plant to flower? Just give it sun, sun, and more sun.
		Sempervivum 'Rubra Ash' Sempervivums, aka "hen and chicks," "houseleeks," and "Jupiter's beard," are one of the unsung heroes of the succulent plant world. They are attractive, small, easy to grow, and winter hardy to most of the world. They make excellent rock garden plants and excellent plants for container that remain outdoors all year. The semp pictured here , 'Rubra Ash' is one of the largest cultivars. It can grow to 6 or 7 inches in diameter and from April through July has a wonderful dark, maroon color. As the weather heats up more the color fades a bit. Sempervivum was the NCCSS plant of the month for April 2009.
		Pachycereus schottii in Habitat The "Senita Cactus" is one of the rarest cacti in the American Southwest. While common in Mexico it only occurs in a tiny portion of the Organ Pipe National Monument in extreme southern Arizona, right along the Mexican border. The Senita grows long bristles from the aeroles of the flowering stems, giving the tops of the stems a distinctly bristly, fuzzy appearance. The Senita also produces several flowers per each aerole. Most cacti only produce one flower per aerole. This photo was taken in Organ Pipe National Monument by member Bob Stewart.
		Ortegocactus macdougallii This is one of the most unusual and least understood of all cacti. It was discovered in 1952 by Tom MacDougall in Mexico. Since that time botanist have been unable to associate it with any existing genera and thus is placed in its own genus. The genus name Ortegocactus honors the Ortega family in Mexico who assisted in the plant's discovery. At maturity this is a small plant, seldom growing to more than 2 inches in diameter. Its flowers are yellow and approximately 1 inch in diameter. The plant pictured is in the collection of one of our club members living in the Baltimore, Maryland area.
		Stenocereus thurberi This is the organ pipe cactus in habitat in Organ Pipe National Monument, Arizona. it was originally known as Lemaireocereus thurberi but time and taxonomy have taken their toll and the genus Lemaireocereus is no more. Unlike the other famous, big cactus of Arizona, the saguaro, the organ pipe produces multiple stems from the ground and tops out in height about about 15 feet. This photo was taken by one of our NCCSS members while visiting Organ Pipe National Monument.
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Gallery of Photos from the National Capital Cactus and Succulent Society