Discovering Australian succulents
California gardeners have ready access to a great many succulent plants from southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. Agave and Echeverias abound, among many other genera with numerous species and expanding numbers of hybrids and selected cultivars. Cactuses, which are a category of succulent plants, are also endemic in the Western Hemisphere.
South Africa is another important source of succulent plants, particularly Aloes and Crassulas, which are widely grown genera. This region is the home to about half of all the world’s succulent plants (not including cacti).
In fact, succulent plants are found in all continents except Antarctica, and occur in more than 25 plant families. These factoids indicate that succulence is the plant’s world successful strategy for adapting to periods of drought.
Australia, the world’s driest inhabited continent, is generally regarded as the home of very few native succulents. The Cactus and Succulent Society of America recently demonstrated, however, that Australian succulent plants are present in many areas “down under.” In an eyeopening webinar presentation, plantsman, gardener and author Attila Kapitany described 100 species from 40 genera of Australia’s native 400-500 succulent plants.
Kapitany and his wife Michelle search for—and find—unusual succulent plants near Melbourne (their home) or outside of other large cities. He described what they find, typically, are not the “big, bold, beautiful” plants that grow in the regions familiar to California gardeners. Instead, Australian succulent plants are typically small and soft, with a small number of spiny specimens.
Almost all the plants Kapitany showed in photographs were unfamiliar. One genus I recognized was Calandrinia, which he characterized as Australia’s “most dominant succulent plant genus.” Wikipedia lists 109 species native to various areas: Australia, western South America, Central America, and western North America. A popular example of this genus in the Monterey Bay area (including my garden) is Calandrinia spectabilis, a Chilean native. Australia’s Calandrinias are quite different.
Kapitany invited viewers to visit his website, australiansucculents.com.
Click the “Picture Galleries” link for photos of astonishing succulent plants and the Kapitanys own great garden.
He also encouraged purchases of his many books, which include “The Australian Series,” which includes 10 booklets devoted primarily to succulent plants native to Australia. At his website, click on “Books and Magazine Shop” for more information.
Australian succulent plants can intrigue collectors who are ready and willing to hunt for plants or seeds to purchase. Collecting exotic plants can raise gardening to new levels of enjoyment.
Advance your gardening knowledge
Early trends in gardenrelated webinars emphasize special-interest topics of limited appeal to some gardeners. They still offer advanced knowledge on those topics, so it’s worth monitoring the announcements to spot events that relate to your interests and background.
If you are seeking information on basic gardening techniques, or responses to gardening questions, search YouTube for video presentations or search the Internet for other online resources. As previously recommended, search by botanical or common name of specific
plants, or use key words for broader inquiries.
Webinars are occasionally announced rather late, resulting in listing them here on short notice. As this planning improves, we can expect better lead times. We also predict increases in the numbers of participants, and in feebased events. It’s the new reality!
The Ruth Bancroft Garden presents “Cold Tolerant Succulents & Cacti,” from 10-11 a.m. Saturday. Curator Brian Kemble will “highlight succulent plants that can succeed in places where winter lows get down to as much as 25° F (this corresponds to USDA zone 9b). When selecting plants to use in your garden, it is very helpful to know which plants will come through just fine when a cold snap occurs. It is possible to create a wonderful succulent garden in all sorts of different climates, but the particular plants used will vary considerably according to their climatic tolerances. Fee: $10 (members), $25 (non-members). Registration is limited. Register by phone ((925) 944-93520, email (register@ruthbancroftgarden.org) or online (www.ruthbancroftgarden.org).
The Cactus & Succulent Society of America presents “Staging: Bringing Out the Best in Your Plants,” at 10 a.m. Oct.17. “This is a good time to focus on improving and revitalizing our cactus & succulent collections. This webinar will present tools, tips, and techniques to sharpen your plant presentation skills. Topics include staging rules and guiding principles, container selection, top dressings and staging rocks, and plant care and main
tenance. Many examples will be presented.” Presenter Karen Ostler, a long-time cacti grower, has served as Show Chair for the Sunset Succulent Society for 15 years, and as a member of several cactus & succulent societies. For info and registration, visit https://cactusandsucculentsociety.org/
The California Garden and Landscape History Society presents “The Olmsted Brothers: Innovative Ecological Designs for California,” at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 21, 2020. Professor of Landscape Architecture will speak on “the Olmsted Brothers’ prescient approach to planning in California, with innovative landscape designs that addressed both issues of on-going water shortage and water inundation… In many ways, the brothers defined the profession of American landscape architecture, incorporating ecological principles within their designs and applying those principles from their office in Palos Verdes.” This webinar is free of charge, with limited participation. For more information and to register, visit https://cglhs. org/event-3940876.
The Garden Conservancy and the Chicago Botanic Garden present “The Gardens of the North Shore of Chicago,” from 3- 4 p.m. Oct. 22. Benjamin Lenhardt discusses his new book, Gardens of the North Shore of Chicago (Monacelli Press, 2020). The book features 25 verdant private gardens— many published here for this first time—organized by their design into four thematic chapters: Classic, Contemporary, Country, and Naturalistic. For info and registration options,
visit https://www.gardenconservancy.org/education/virtualevents
The American Iris Society presents two recorded webinars:
• “Irises and AIS — The Early Years” Gary White presents a few of the irises and circumstances prior to the formation of The American Iris Society in 1920, and focuses on some of the irises, people and events leading to the middle of the 20th Century. https://www.youtube. com/watch? v=bufOAeD7_ FU& t=3s
• “Irises and AIS — The Middle Years” Gary White considers “irises and people who were most influential several years after the formation of The American Iris Society. He picks up the story from the end of the first webinar, through the middle of the 20th Century, to near the end of the century, and focuses on irises that you may have grown and people you may recognize.” https://www.youtube.com/ watch? v=3fKu1Lkj2wk
Enrich your gardening days
UC Master Gardeners of Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties will conduct its Fall Plant Sale in October. The online popup nursery opens Tuesday, Oct.13th and continues to Oct. 30th, or until inventory runs out.
The fall plant collection includes seasonal vegetables, herbs, California natives, succulents and more. A limited collection of seasonal decorations, such as wreaths and centerpieces, handmade by UC Master Gardeners, will be offered as part of the sale.
All orders will be fulfilled by appointment only at its greenhouse at 1432 Abbott St., Salinas, following social distancing practices. For information about the plant sale, visit mbmg.ucanr.edu.
Keep your emotions positive and your viruses negative and enjoy your garden.
Tom Karwin is past president of Friends of the UC Santa Cruz Arboretum, Monterey Bay Area Cactus & Succulent Society, and Monterey Bay Iris Society, and a Lifetime UC Master Gardener (Certified 19992009).
Visit ongardening.com for previous columns, or search facebook.com for “ongardening” to view daily “clips” from my garden. He can be reached at gardening@karwin.com.