Each monthly issue of the Henry Shaw Cactus Digest includes club updates, columns and articles by members on their favorite aspects of cactus and succulent culture. Digest Editor Jolie Krupnik and various club contributors always provide plenty of plant material to ponder.
Follow the links to right to view a sample copy of the Digest or read individual articles. Join HSCSS to receive every newsletter in print and/or electronic form.
The Henry Shaw Cactus and Succulent Society has donated $2,000 to the Center for Plant Conservation to help preserve two diminutive succulent species. The club gave $1,000 to support the Navajo pincushion cactus, Pediocactus peeblesianus var. peeblesianus and $1,000 toward conservation efforts for the short-leaved dudleya, Dudleya brevifolia. …
By Mike Hellmann – Summer looks bleak at this point. We’re all canceling vacations while also trying to get back to work and adjusting to changes we never expected to address. No sports, no special events, and the “unknown” looms ahead of us. I know this is a difficult time for all. Please take time to catch up on things, create projects and enjoy what you have around you. Hopefully, when we finally step out of this pandemic, the world will be a better place.
By Mike Hellmann – It is indeed a concerning world in which we’re living right now, with so many new and unprecedented things happening at such a fast pace. We’re living one day to the next, not knowing what the next day will bring. Please find solace in your plants as much as you can. Many exciting things are happening right now with the spring season, so take some time to enjoy them. …
By Bob Williams – There are two ways that cucumber beetles can damage plants. First are the larvae. They have a very hearty appetite and can devour the roots in a very short time. The adult beetles feed on the leaves of plants. This is where the real damage occurs. When the beetles eat the leaves and stems, the consumption does not really damage the plants. Bacteria wilt causes the damage. …
By Bob Williams – Most succulent collectors (and many non-collectors) have at least aloe. A number of pests and diseases can attack – and damage – these common plants. Scale, aphids, mealy bugs, snout beetles and mites all affect aloes. Diseases such as basal stem rot, aloe rust and sooty mold can also take a toll on aloe plant health. …
By Mike Hellmann – This article is meant to help us address “bug” issues with a more holistic strategy to prevent, identify early and deal with what is looking to damage our plants long before the damage is done. Bugs are omnipresent and very opportunistic. They can be suppressed, but not eliminated. …
Henry Shaw Cactus and Succulent Society has established a new award to recognize volunteers who freely give their time and energy to support the club. Named in honor of a long-time member who worked for HSCSS on many levels until his passing in 2017, the first Martin Schweig Appreciation Award was presented to Jerry Beckerman. …
By Jolie Krupnik – This summer in my cold-hardy cactus garden, I noticed flat, white spots on some of the Opuntia humifusa pads, but ignored the signs the plants were in distress. A few months later, I lifted the pads and discovered a multitude of what I now know are Chelinidea vittiger or “cactus bugs.” I am not an expert on these destructive insects, but in my Google searching, I discovered that they only feed …