Cactus Culture for Amateurs Part 11

Flowers terminal, just peeping above the tubercles; sepals and petals acute, yellow, in. long; anthers yellow; stigma white. An old garden plant, introduced from Mexico. It flowers in May and June. For its cultivation it may be treated as recommended for M. pusilla.

M. villifera (hair-bearing).--Stem similar to the last, but usually proliferous at the base; tubercles angular, short, woolly in the axils, and bearing four rigid, short, reddish-brown spines on the apex. Flowers pale rose, with a line of purple down the middle of each petal; they are developed near the top of the stem, in May. Native country, Mexico. This plant thrives if treated as recommended for M. pusilla. There are several varieties known, distinguished by their paler or darker flowers, or by a difference in the length and arrangement of the spines.

M. viridis (green).--Stem 4 in. high by 3 in. in diameter, proliferous at the base; tubercles short, four-angled, crowded in spiral rows, woolly at the base, bearing each five or six radiating hair-like spines on the apex, and one central erect one, none more than in. long. Flowers erect, on top of stem, with recurved, pale yellow petals, 1 in., long; they are produced in May and June. Introduced from Mexico in 1850. It may be grown in a sunny frame out of doors during summer, and on a dry, warm greenhouse shelf in winter.

M. vivipara (stem--sprouting).--A tufted, free-growing Thimble Cactus, producing its small stems in such profusion as to form a cl.u.s.ter as much as 3 ft. in diameter. The small tubercles are hidden by the numerous radial spines, which are in cl.u.s.ters of about twenty; they are white, hair-like, stiff and in. long; the central spines, numbering from four to six, are a little longer. Flowers from apex of stem, 1 in. long and wide, and composed of about thirty fimbriated sepals and twenty-five to forty narrow petals; colour bright purple. Fruit in. long, pale green when ripe. The flowers, which appear in May and June, usually expand after mid-day. Native of Louisiana. In the North-West plains and Rocky Mountains of North America this plant is abundant, often forming wide cus.h.i.+on-like tufts, which, when covered with numerous purple, star-like flowers, have a pretty effect. In Utah and New York it is commonly cultivated as a hardy garden plant, bearing exposure to keen frosts and snow without suffering; but it would not thrive out of doors in winter with us, unless covered by a handlight during severe weather, and protected from heavy rains in winter. It likes a strong, clayey soil.

M. v. radiosa (Fig. 73).--This variety is distinguished by its larger flowers and shorter spines.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 73. MAMILLARIA VIVIPARA RADIOSA.]

M. Wildiana (Wild's).--An old garden Cactus, and one of the prettiest of the tufted, small-stemmed kinds. Its largest stems are 3 in. high by about 1 in. in diameter, and bear spiral rows of clavate, dark green, crystallised tubercles, in. long, with about ten radial white spines, in. long, the three upper spines, together with the solitary central hooked one, being yellow. Flowers small, numerous on the apices of the stems, rose-coloured, lined with purple; they are developed in summer.

This also forms dense tufts of stems. A specimen at Kew, only a few years old, has already over thirty heads. It is a native of Mexico, at an alt.i.tude of 5000 ft., growing on lava and basalt, and even on the trunks of trees. For its cultivation, a shelf in a sunny greenhouse is a most suitable position, both in winter and summer. Introduced 1835.

M. Wrightii (Wright's).--This is a charming little plant, of something the same character as M. dolichocentra. It has not long been cultivated in gardens, but being easy to manage, and exceptionally pretty, it is sure to become a favourite as it gets known. Stem rounded above, narrowed and peg-top-like at the base, the top flattened, about 3 in.

across, height about the same. Tubercles conical, in. long, s.h.i.+ning green, and bearing a tuft of six or eight spines, which are straight, hair-like, white, and in. long; there are two central spines, of same length, and hooked. Flowers in the top of the stem, 1 in. long and wide, bright purple; they are succeeded by egg-shaped, purple berries, 1 in.

long, and prettily arranged among the tubercles. In England a warm house seems most suitable for this species. It likes plenty of moisture and sunlight during the summer, whilst making new growth; but in winter, when at rest, it ought to be kept on a shelf, and just moistened overhead in bright weather. There are healthy examples of it at Kew.

Flowering season, May and June. Native country, Mexico. Introduced about 1878.

M. Zucchariniana (Zuccharini's).--Stem simple, globose, often attaining a height of 10 in. by about 7 in. in diameter. Tubercles dark green, conical, 1/3 in. long, in. broad at base, naked at the point, but with four to six spines springing from the areole a little below the point; spines ash-coloured, stiff, black-tipped. Flowers in a ring about the top of the stem, length 1 in., the tube enveloped in long, black, twisted hairs; sepals brown-purple; petals narrow, sharp-pointed, purple-rose coloured; stamens white and yellow; stigma rose-coloured. Flowers in June and July. Native of Mexico. A large, handsome-stemmed kind, easily kept in health, and flowering freely if grown on a shelf in a cool greenhouse in winter, and placed in a warm, sunny position out of doors in summer. It produces seeds freely, and pretty plants, 3 in. or more in diameter, may be obtained in two years from seeds. By grafting it, when young, on the stem of a Cereus or cylindrical Opuntia, a healthy, drumstick-like plant is easily obtained.

CHAPTER XII.

THE GENUS LEUCHTENBERGIA.

(Named in honour of Prince Leuchtenberg.)

Among the many instances of plant mimicry that occur in the Cactus order, the most remarkable is the plant here figured. Remove the flower from Leuchtenbergia, and very few people indeed would think of calling it a Cactus, but would probably consider it a short-leaved Yucca. In habit, in form, in leaf, and in texture, it more resembles a Yucca or an Agave than anything else, and when first introduced it was considered such by the Kew authorities until it flowered. The leaves, or rather tubercles, are sometimes longer and slenderer than in Fig. 74. The nearest approach to this plant is Mamillaria longimamma, in which the tubercles are 1 in. or more long, finger-shaped, and crowned with a few hair-like spines. But the Leuchtenbergia bears its flowers on the ends of the tubercles, and not from the axils, as in all others. This peculiarity leads one to infer that tubercles are modified branches, the spines representing the leaves. Some species of Mamillaria and Echinocactus develop young plants from the tops of their tubercles; and this also points to the probability that the latter are branches. In Leuchtenbergia, the tubercles fall away as the plant increases in height, leaving a bare, woody stem similar to that of a Yucca.

Cultivation.--The Leuchtenbergia has always been difficult to keep in health. It thrives best when kept in a warm, sunny house during winter, and in an exposed, airy, warm position under a frame during summer. It may be watered regularly whilst growing--that is, from April to September--and kept quite dry all winter. The soil should be well-drained loam, and the roots should have plenty of room. A specimen may be seen in the Kew collection.

Propagation.--This may be effected from seeds, or by removing the head from an old plant, putting the former in sand, and placing it under a bell-gla.s.s to root, watering it only about once a week till roots are formed. The old stem should be kept dry for about two months, and then watered and placed in a sunny, moist position, where it can be syringed once a day. A shelf in a stove is the best position for it. Here it will form young buds in the axils of the withered tubercles, and on the edges of the persistent parts of the tubercles themselves. They first appear in the form of tiny tufts of yellowish down, and gradually develop till the first leaf-like tubercle appears. When large enough, the buds may be removed and planted in small pots to root. If an old plant is dealt with in this way in April, a batch of young ones should be developed and rooted by October. Grafting does not appear to have ever been tried for this plant. When sick, the plant should be carefully washed, and all decayed parts cut away; it may then be planted in very sandy loam, and kept under a bell-gla.s.s till rooted.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 74. LEUCHTENBERGIA PRINCIPIS.]

SPECIES.

L. principis (n.o.ble); Fig. 74.--This, the only species known, was introduced from Mexico to Kew in 1847, and flowered the following year.

The plant attains a height of 1 ft. or more, the stem being erect, stout, clothed with the persistent, scale-like bases of the old, fallen-away tubercles, the bases having dried up and tightened round the stem. The upper part is clothed with the curved, leaf-like tubercles, from 3 in. to 6 in. long, grey-green in colour, succulent, with a tough skin, triangular, and gradually narrowed to a blunt point, upon which are half a dozen or more thin, flexuous, h.o.r.n.y filaments, neither spines nor hairs in appearance, but almost hay-like; the central one is about 5 in.

long, and the others about half that length. The flowers are borne on the ends of the young, partly-developed tubercles, near the centre of the head; they are erect, tubular, 3 in. to 4 in. long, scaly, gradually widening upwards; the sepals and petals are numerous, and form a beautiful flower of the ordinary Cactus type, quite 4 in. across, and of a rich, clear yellow colour. The anthers, which also are yellow, form a column in the centre, through which the nine-rayed stigma protrudes.

Strong plants sometimes produce two flowers together.

CHAPTER XIII.

THE GENUS PELECYPHORA.

(From pelekyphoros, hatchet-bearing; referring to the shape of the tubercles.)

IKE Leuchtenbergia, this genus is monotypic, and it is also rare, difficult to cultivate, and exceptionally interesting in structure. It is closely related to the Mamillarias, as may be seen, by comparing the Figure here given with some of them; indeed, it was once known as M.

asellifera, having been described under that name when first introduced, in 1843. From Mamillaria, however, it differs in the form of its tubercles, which are hatchet-shaped, and cleft at the apex, where each division is clothed with small, h.o.r.n.y, overlapping scales, not unlike the back of a woodlouse--hence the specific name.

Cultivation.--The Hatchet Cactus grows very slowly, specimens such as that represented in our Ill.u.s.tration being many years old. We have seen healthy plants, freshly imported, grow for a few months, and then suddenly die, the inside of the stem rotting whilst outside it looked perfectly healthy. It is always grown on its own roots, but probably it would thrive better if grafted on the stem of some dwarf Cereus or Echinocactus.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 75. PELECYPHORA ASELLIFORMIS.]

Propagation.--The propagation of Pelecyphora is easiest effected by means of seeds, which, however, are not always procurable. It is stated by Labouret, a French writer on Cactuses, that the first plants introduced arrived dead, but a few seeds were found in a withered fruit on one of the dead stems, and from these the first plants grown in Europe were raised. M. de Smet of Ghent, had a large stock of this Cactus a few years ago, and a German nurseryman, H. Hildmann, of Oranienberg, near Berlin, usually has many young plants of it for sale.

SPECIES.

P. aselliformis (woodlouse-like); Fig. 75.--The size, habit, and structure of this plant are so well represented in the Figure that little description is necessary. The stems are simple till they get about 3 in. high, when they develop offsets about the base, which may either be removed to form new plants, or allowed to remain and grow into a specimen like that in the Ill.u.s.tration. The flowers are large for the size of the plant, and they are developed freely in the apex of the stems in the early part of the summer. The tube is very short, naked, and completely hidden by the young mammae; sepals and petals in four series, the outer one pale purple, the inner of a deep purple colour; stamens very numerous, and the stigma has only four erect lobes. The plant was first described from examples cultivated in Berlin in 1843, but the flowers were not known till 1858. There are several varieties known, viz., P. a. concolor, which is distinguished by the whole of the flower being deep purple in colour; P. a. pectinata has larger scales (spine-tufts); and P. a. cristata is, as its name denotes a kind of c.o.c.ks...o...b..or crested form. They are all natives of Mexico.

CHAPTER XIV.

THE GENUS OPUNTIA.

(The old Latin name used by Pliny, and said to have been derived from the city of Opus.)

There are about 150 species of Opuntia known, all of them natives of the American continent and the West Indies, though a considerable number have become naturalised in many other parts of the world. They are, with very few exceptions, easily distinguished from all other Cactuses by the peculiar character of their stems and spines; they are also well marked in the structure of their flowers. They vary in size from small, trailing, many-branched plants, never exceeding 6 in. in height, to large shrubs 8 ft. to 30 ft. high. (Humboldt states that he saw "Opuntias and other Cactuses 30 ft. to 40 ft. high.") Generally the branches are nearly flat when young, and shaped like a racquet or battledore; but in some species the branches are round (i.e., in O. cylindrica, O. subulata, O.

arborescens, &c.). All the kinds have fleshy stems, which ultimately become cylindrical and woody. At first they consist of fleshy joints, superposed upon one another, the joints varying considerably in size and shape. When young they bear small fleshy leaves along with the spine-tufts; but the former fall off at an early stage, whilst the spines are altered in length or number as the joints get old. In one or two kinds the spines fall away when the joints begin to harden, and in O. subulata the leaves are large and persistent.

The nature of the spines of Opuntias is of a kind that is not likely to be forgotten by anyone coming into contact with them. Every spine, from the tiny bristles, hardly perceptible to the naked eye, to the stout, needle-like spears which are found on the branches of some kinds, is barbed, and they are so very sharp and penetrating that even a gentle touch is sufficient to make them pierce the skin. Once in they are very difficult to get out; the very fine ones can only be shaved level with the skin, and left to grow out, whilst the larger must be cut out if they have penetrated to any depth. This horrid character in Opuntias, whilst rendering them disagreeable to the gardener, has been turned to good account in many of our colonies, where they are commonly used as fences. A good hedge of such kinds as O. Tuna or O. horrida is absolutely impa.s.sable to both man and beast, and as the stems are too watery to be easily destroyed by fire, their usefulness in this way could not be surpa.s.sed. As all the Opuntias will grow in the very poorest of soils, and even on bare rocks, and as they grow very rapidly, they have been largely employed in Africa, Australia, and India for fences. It is reported that when an island in the West Indies was divided between the French and English, the boundary was marked by three rows of O. Tuna.

The flowers of Opuntias are not, as a rule, particularly attractive. In many of the kinds they are large and well-formed, but the colours are tawny-yellow, greenish-white, or dull red. These plants cannot, therefore, be recommended for any floral beauty, although it is probable that the same flowers, on plants of less repulsive appearance than Opuntias are, as a rule, would be admired. There are a few exceptions to this in such species as O. Rafinesquii, O. missouriensis, and O.

basilaris, which are compact and dwarf, and bear numerous large, brightly-coloured flowers. The fruits of Opuntias, or, at least, some of them, are edible, and to some palates they are very agreeable. We have tasted them, and consider they are mawkish and insipid--not much better than very poor gooseberries. Sir Joseph Hooker has compared them to Pumpkins. They are pear-shaped, with a thick, spine-covered rind, containing green, yellow, or red pulp, with small, hard seeds scattered through it.

The fruit of Opuntia differs in character and structure from the ordinary kind of fruit, such as apples, pears, &c. It consists of a branch, or joint, modified in form, and bearing on its flattened apex a flower, with the ovary buried in a slight depression in the fleshy joint. After becoming fertilised, the ovary grows down into the joint, and, ultimately the whole joint is changed into a succulent, juicy, often coloured "fruit." That this is the case has been proved by planting the unripe "fruit" of Opuntias in pots of sandy soil, and treating them as cuttings, when they have developed buds at the apex and roots at the base, ultimately forming plants.

The vitality in the branches of most of the species is very great, the smallest piece, as a rule, emitting roots and developing into a plant in a comparatively short time. The branches are soft, and easily broken, so that, in gathering the fruits, many pieces are broken off and cast aside; these soon grow into plants, and in a short time an extensive "colony" of Opuntias springs up where previously only one had been. The seeds, too, are a ready means of increase, being distributed by birds and other animals, which eat the fruits. In consequence of this free vegetative character, the Opuntias introduced into some of our colonies have become a pest almost as difficult to deal with as the rabbit scourge in Australia. In English gardens, however, there is no danger of Opuntias getting the upper hand. The adaptability of the majority of the kinds for cultivation under what may be termed adverse conditions for other plants, and the ease with which they may be propagated, render the management of a collection of these plants an easy matter. Amongst other Cactuses, Opuntias have a striking effect, and a selection of them should be grown in even the smallest collections. A few of them may be recommended specially as attractive plants for a sheltered, sunny rockery.

Cultivation.--The cultural requirements of the Opuntias may more conveniently be referred to under the description of each kind.

Propagation.--This entails no exceptional treatment; the numerous seeds contained in each fruit germinate freely if sown in sandy soil, and placed on a shelf in a warm house; and the smallest branches root quickly if planted in pots of open soil and kept in the Cactus-house.

Large branches root just as freely as small ones. At Kew an enormous specimen, which had grown tall, and developed a thicket of branches too great for the house where it grew, was reduced most summarily by simply cutting off the head of branches and planting it in the ground where the original specimen had been. In a short time this "cutting" was well rooted, and made better growth than it had before the operation was performed.

As stocks for grafting, many of the more robust kinds of Opuntia are well adapted, and very singular-looking specimens may be obtained by making the most of this fact. One of the crested or monstrous forms, when grafted on a flat-stemmed kind, presents the queerest of appearances, looking like a large green c.o.c.ks...o...b..growing out of the top of a bladdery kind of stem. Equally odd combinations may be made by grafting a flat-stemmed kind on one whose stem is cylindrical. As all the kinds unite with the greatest ease, a taste for oddities among plants may easily be gratified by making use of Opuntias in this way.

The time most favourable for the operation is spring-say, the month of April. For full information on how to graft Cactuses, see Chapter IV., on Propagation.