Books On Cactus And Succulents

[Hadi Sapre]

Thatlooks so much better! The Arabian jasmine will grow back a little before the cold of winter halts its growth. I lightly trimmed the elephants food and tied up the hop bush to a wooden stake to help promote more upright growth.

I was inspired by the creative uses of garden decor on a recent visit to Buffalo, and while the plants may be different than what I grow in my Arizona garden, the look can be easily replicated using desert-adapted plants.

Are you feeling inspired? I certainly am. I invite you to stroll through an antique shop, a thrift store, or even the garage sale down the street. You never know what will catch your attention and be used to add artistic flair and whimsy to your garden.

Do you have a container, or two, filled with flowers or maybe a succulent? Chances are you do. Many of us settle for the bland shades of brown or beige when choosing pots and miss out on an excellent opportunity to add interest and color to our outdoor spaces.

I am a strong proponent ditching boring neutrals in favor of colorful pots with unique shapes and textures in my ongoing attempt to encourage people to think of plant containers as outdoor decor. As a result, I was thrilled with I was contacted by Annette Gutierrez, one of the authors of Potted: Make Your Own Stylish Garden Containers and asked to review her book.

Annette and Mary refer to themselves as decorators rather than gardeners and own a store in Los Angeles, aptly named Potted where they create innovative receptacles for plants using everyday items such as cinderblock, PVC pipe, and even old wood doors to name but a few.

In the past, succulent plants were valued primarily for their drought tolerance and found their way into gardens in arid regions. Today, while they are still a great choice for water-wise plants are wise, they offer many other benefits to outdoor spaces including adding colorful flowers and solving common garden problems.

Years ago, there were precious few books that dealt with the unique challenges and solutions to creating a beautiful outdoor space in a hot, arid climate. Nowadays, there are several books that focus on desert gardening, but most just scratch the surface of how to do it. When I was contacted by The Desert Botanical Garden to see if I would review their new book, Desert Landscape School: A Guide to Desert Landscaping and Maintenance, I said yes.

The origins of the book arose from the Desert Landscape School at the gardens, which offers classes for individuals who are interested in specializing in certain aspects of desert landscaping. Graduates earn a certification in one or more areas, including desert plant palette, planting and maintenance, and desert design. A large group of experts was brought together in the creation of this book, including many that work in the garden.

This book is for those who want to learn the reasons why we garden the way we do in the desert to more fully understand it. There is also valuable information regarding plant selection, design, sustainability, installation guidelines, and how to properly maintain the landscape.

I had taken this photo a couple of weeks ago of palm trees that had been pruned incorrectly with too many fronds removed. Overpruning weakens the tree and leaves it open to other stresses, which the book addresses.

The structure of the book is set up so that each section can be read on its own, so readers can focus on what they are interested in learning most. Of course, I recommend reading the entire book as it contains invaluable information which leaves the reader well-informed and confident in their ability to garden successfully in the desert southwest as well as other desert regions.

Desert Landscaping & Maintenance is truly a one-of-a-kind book that serves the role of several desert gardening books in one, and I highly recommend getting your hands on a copy of this brand new desert gardening guide.

The popularity of succulents is taking off and nursery shelves are filled with numerous varieties to tempt gardeners. Many people are beginning to replace high-maintenance plants with fuss-free succulents.

While spring break is a time where masses of people escape the cold for warmer climates (like Arizona), we decided to do the exact opposite. We flew out of warm, sunny Phoenix and headed to cold and snowy Michigan.

Now before you start to question my sanity, I have an excellent reason for bundling up and bracing myself for the cold, windy weather. My daughter and her family call Michigan their home now, and since then, we try to make it out at least twice a year, and spring break just happened to be the best time to do it.

I always look forward to visits to their town of Petoskey, Michigan which sits on the shore of Little Traverse Bay. It is a popular summer destination, and I spent several weeks here last year helping my daughter move into her new house and add new plants to her garden.

As a Southern California native and Arizona resident, I must admit that I have relatively little experience with cold weather so, it has been fun exploring the landscape and seeing the effects of winter. Seeing the bay frozen in time where we waded in with our feet last June was exciting.

I realize that many of you who have lived in areas with cold winters may be rolling your eyes at this point, but for someone who has always lived where winters are mild, the weather has been a novelty.

I especially love the largest of the babies and the relationship to its mother as it speaks of my relationship with my two oldest daughters. They are individuals, yet they enjoy being close to their mom and go to her for advice and even enjoy hanging out together.

This is what it looks like now. Filling the area with rip-rap rock, adds both a texture and color contrasting element to the landscape. Well-placed boulders with a century plant (Agave americana), Mexican fence post (Stenocereus marginatus), and golden barrel cactus (Echinocactus grusonii) help to break up the large expanse of the shallow depression with their spiky and globular shapes. Finally, a saguaro cactus was added, which stands sentinel over this renovated area.

In this revamped edition of Cool Plants for Hot Gardens, award winning horticulturist, Greg Starr has revised several aspects of the book starting with the layout. He wanted each species to have a two page spread so there could be two pictures with each being larger. To accomplish that, all the cactus and succulents were removed in anticipation of producing a companion book tentatively called Cool Cactus and Succulents for Hot Gardens. Then the species list was revised, dropping some old tired ones and adding new exciting ones. A few will be hard to find, but seeking out those little known plants makes plant shopping more fun and challenging. Order your signed copy today!

The "Field Guide To Cacti & Other Succulents Of Arizona" was written by six very knowledgeable members for the purpose of providing an up to date and comprehensive book covering all the natives in Arizona. It is available to purchase online, at our events and at many bookstores.

The Third Edition of the TCSS Field Guide to Cacti and Other Succulents of Arizona is now available. Released in December 2020, the third edition is comprised of 19 new photos, 10 expanded distribution maps and highlights the Arizona endemics. Echinocereus triglochidiatus is included as a new species for Arizona. Also, this edition recognizes the latest nomenclature arrangement for the complex Cylindropuntia group. Still only $25.95, the book is available at the TCSS website, outlets in Tucson and Phoenix (see below) or via one of the ordering method below.

The TCSS Field Guide to Cactus & Succulents of Arizona is the definitive source for plant identification in habitat. A much needed update of the current taxonomy, distribution and status of native Arizona cactus and succulents. All documentation and photography was provided by TCSS members who have traveled all over the state to capture and document these wonderful plants.

The price is $25.95 per book plus shipping. This book will serve to guide and educate both novice and expert and will stand as a valuable reference for years to come. A special Facebook Page just for the Field Guide

"I have found the book to be invaluable when I want to convert homeowners to succulents. I recommend the book to many clients as it helps them get better acquainted with the plants. Once they familiarize themselves with the plants they love them!" -- Glenn Frey, Black Mountain Landscape Design, San Diego

All my books are from Timber Press, the largest publisher of gardening books in the US. Timber's horticultural editors and fact-checkers are unparalleled in the industry. Books are extensively and painstakingly researched, written, designed and produced. Each takes a year to compile, photograph and write; and a year to edit, illustrate and publish.

We offer you a wide selection of books dedicated to cacti and other succulents. We are able to do this because these books and catalogs are in the public domain or the authors have given us permission to reproduce their work.

Salm-Reifferscheidt Dyck J.: Hortus Dyckensis 1834 (Franais); Hortus Dyckensis 1834 (Deutsch); Catalogue raisonne des espces et varits d'Aloes dcrites par Ms. Willdenow, Haworth, De Candolle et Jacquin, et de celles, non dcrites, existantes dans les jardins de l'Allemagne, de la France et du Royaume des Pays-bas., 1817 (Franais) ; Verzeichniss der verschiedenen Arten und Abarten des Geschlechts Aloe : welche von dem Herren von Willdenow, Haworth, de Candolle und Freiherrn von Jacquin beschrieben worden sind, oder noch unbeschrieben in den Gärten Deutschlands, Frankreichs und der Niederlanden sich befinden., 1817 (Deutsch).

The San Francisco Succulent & Cactus Society library contains an extensive collection of the latest books on succulents and cacti as well as revered out-of-print tomes. Newly published books are purchased by the club and added to the collection on a regular basis. Access to the library is a member-only benefit. Books may be checked out by members-in-good-standing (membership dues currently paid) at each monthly club meeting and can be borrowed for one month.

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