Succulent success
Succulents and cacti thrive in our climate, writes.
THE HOT SUMMER this year has been a good one for growing drought-hardy plants such as succulents and cacti. These structural plants provide an architectural form that thrives in the heat.
Succulents and cacti offer a stylish solution for dry parts of the garden, pots and hanging baskets, where watering is not easy or is often forgotten.
The distinguishing feature of succulents is their ability to withstand long periods of drought. This is due to the presence of water-storing fleshy tissue in the stems, leaves or roots.
Cacti have structures called areoles — cushion-like growths on their stems from which the spines, hairs, flowers and shoots develop.
Succulents and cacti display a variety of sizes, shapes, colours and textures. Many flower only for short periods and produce large brightly coloured flowers while others flower for longer periods, producing an abundance of exquisite flowers. They fulfil the need for tidy and colourful plants around the home for many years, with little maintenance compared with other plants.
In Whanganui’s temperate climate, many succulents and cacti can be grown as indoor or outdoor plants. The hardier species can make a beautiful garden display and in hot dry spots there is an opportunity to create an outdoor desert garden. Whether you grow them as single specimens or as a diverse group, their tolerance of dry conditions makes them also ideal for containers, both indoors and out. They often make ideal pot plants for a sunny windowsill, balcony, deck or patio.
When growing in pots, use a specialist potting mix such as Yates Thrive Succulent & Cacti Mix, designed to be well-drained, and with the right nutrients this will give great results. An addition of a slow-release fertiliser such as Ican Slow Food each year will ensure their continued health and growth.
Growing indoors
Many succulents and cacti will thrive in containers and indoors if provided with warm temperatures and bright light. Use small pots for individual plants or large bowls for planting compatible species together.
Gloves should be worn when handling prickly or spiny plants, such as agave, aloe and opuntia, because their sharp spines can easily become embedded in your fingers if you brush against them and can be quite painful. Kitchen tongs are also quite useful when handling them.
Bowls can be effective for growing succulent and cacti plants indoors. One or two plants with a columnar habit can provide the focal point of the bowl or use a leafy succulent such as the jade plant (Crassula ovata) as the main plant. The rest of the bowl can be filled with small plants such as echeveria and lithops.
Succulents are fun to grow in containers because they don’t complain or suffer when neglected. Many can be grown for longer before they need repotting.
San Pedro cactus
Also known as Trichocereus pachanoi, this is a popular cactus for growing either outdoors or indoors as a house plant. San Pedro produces sweetly scented, large and exotic creamy white flowers. Each bloom lasts a couple of days, after which it shrivels up and falls to the ground.
Thriving on neglect, this plant can make an ideal gift for the gardener or nongardener. Originating from the Andes mountains at 2000-3000m altitude, it is also found in Peru, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Ecuador. It will tolerate down to -9C but grows faster in warmer temperatures.
It is relatively fast-growing and forms an attractive column. As it grows larger, multiple stems are formed.
Most cacti are slow growers of about 2cm a year; San Pedro cacti can average up to 30cm annually in a warm well-lit growing position. Eventually, if grown to full size, the San Pedro can reach 6m.