Aloe ferox and other Dazzling Succulents
It may be the most visible flowering perennial of the winter season and, as a bonus, is one of the easiest to grow. Its species name means fierce, a testament to its spiny foliage, yet its long and f...
Category Archives: Succulents
Blind Man Grows Cactuses
GARDEN WONDERS Philip Bickley might be blind, but that hasn’t stopped him from growing more than 75 cactuses in his back yard – even when it means his wife, Mildred, has to pluck the need...
Torch Aloes Are Actually Soothing
Nearly everything that grows in South Africa will grow in the San Fernando Valley, too. That’s because the climates of these coastal corners of two continents are virtually mirror images of one...
Pig’s Ear and Other Orpines
There it was. A gem of the winter garden, flowering like it was the middle of May. I am always startled by winter bloomers. Not by the occasional rose, or by winter annuals with their predictable and...
Euphorbia Companions: Diamond Frost and Crown of Thorns
Just when you were wondering what flowers you could place around your poinsettias without overdoing it, along comes a botanical relative to serve as an eminently suitable companion plant. You would n...
Mellifluous, Pulchritudinous Plumeria
They say the most truly memorable moments in a person’s life can be compressed into the space of a few minutes. For gardeners, those extraordinary moments would no doubt include the sight of fi...
Sedum confusum: Dreamy Ground Cover
Sedum confusum is the ground cover of my dreams, and might be of yours. Sedum confusum doesn’t have a common name, and is appropriately possessed of uncommon qualities. Unlike ivy, gazania and ...
Exotic Species at California Cactus Center
Last Sunday, I was fortunate to spend a most enjoyable hour at the California Cactus Center in Pasadena, courtesy of Molly Thongthiraj who, along with her five sisters, operates the Center, a cactus ...
Plumeria
Question: What should I do, if anything, to protect my plumerias from severe cold and/or freezing? Can you provide any suggestions? I would hate to lose them due to what could be extremely cold tempe...
Old Man Cactus
They are furry, fuzzy and friendly looking. However, they are not to be touched. Even so, sooner or later, if you have a hankering for drought-tolerant plants, you are bound to see them at the nurser...
