SACXS FACTS NEWSLETTER FOR THE SAN ANTONIO CACTUS AND XEROPHYTE SOCIETY February 2015 VOLUME 27, NUMBER 2 THE MISSION OF THE SAN ANTONIO CACTUS AND XEROPHYTE SOCIETY IS TO PROMOTE THE STUDY, PROPAGATION, AND PUBLIC AWARENESS OF CACTI AND OTHER SUCCULENT PLANTS. SACXS President’s Message We have had many days of rain and drizzle this winter, and a lot of freezing temps. Our club members in the hill country have had freezes, but here in town I still have tomato plants that have not frozen. I consider this a mild winter (so far!) If you have wanted to expand your gardens, or create a new succulent and cacti bed, now is a perfect time. You can remove any grass and bring in new well drained soil. If you like the look of rock terracing, gather those as well. Most of us already have some plants that would prefer to be in the ground instead of a pot. Build your new garden before the hot of summer. Let your plants get established root systems before our blazing summer temperatures stress our favorite plants. If you have your new garden in place, then at our April Show & Sale you can purchase additional cacti & succulents. You will have a garden already prepared, and can take these new plants directly to their new home in your yard. Continued on P. 10 SACXS Board Members President: Marty Ruona [email protected] First ViceVice-President: Joey Gutierrez [email protected] Second ViceVice-President: Grace Fry [email protected] Third ViceVice-President: Claude Townsend [email protected] Recording Secretary: Debbie Braly [email protected] Publicity Secretary: Alice Knight [email protected] Treasurer: Don Clark [email protected] SAGC Liaison: Sidney Yarbrough [email protected] Directors: Linda Draper [email protected] Bill Fry [email protected] Barbara Schulze [email protected] Librarian: Paul Kibler [email protected] SACXS FACTS Editor: Linda Draper [email protected] Visit our website: www.sacxs.org Table of Contents Page 1 President’s Message Page 2 February Program Page 3 Assignments Page 4 January Program and recipe Page 5 Show News Page 6 Educational Displays Info/Examples Page 7 More Educational Displays Page 8 Big Bend Trip Page 9 Big Bend Trip Itinerary Page 10 March Program Location Change Page 11 Program Lineup/Greenhouse Effect SACXS FACTS Vol. 27, #2 Page 1 SACXS February 18, 2015 Program Wendell S. (Woody) Minnich Madagascar: the Plants, People and Places Madagascar is a special place, an island in many respects, where the plants, people and animals are as unusual as anywhere in the world. This presentation will feature most of the succulent plants that we find so special. It will also address its most fascinating people, the Malagasy, with their intriguing heritage from the Malaysian, Arabian and African regions. Also, their many wonderful landscapes and biological regions vary from moderately high mountains to the rolling hills of grasses and inselbergs, to the dynamic canyons and geologically special places of rugged treacherous limestone, to dense jungles. Because this island is so isolated from the main continent of Africa, its endemism of plants and animals, estimated at 6,400 species, is also very remarkable. One could spend a lifetime roaming this special island and not see it all. About the Speaker Wendell S. (Woody) Minnich Woody, as he is commonly known, grew up in the Mojave Desert and has had an attraction to desert plants and animals since the early 1950’s. He has been involved with the cactus and succulent world as a grower, field explorer, club and organization leader, writer, photographer, lecturer and presenter. Having been a speaker all over the world, Woody is most often associated with giving presentations on his field work from the places he has traveled, such as: Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Madagascar, Mexico, Namibia, New Zealand, Peru, Socotra, South Africa, the United States and Yemen. He is also recognized for having operated the nursery Cactus Data Plants since 1975. Woody’s show quality plants are often considered one of the standards for staging and horticultural achievement. His favorite genera include: Adenium, Ariocarpus, Astrophytums, Copiapoa, Cyphostemma, Fouquieria, Gymnocalycium, Lithops, Mammillaria, Melocactus, Pachypodium, Turbinicarpus and Pachycauls in general. Woody and his wife, Kathy, now live in New Mexico between Albuquerque and Santa Fe. SACXS FACTS Vol. 27, #2 Page 2 Refreshment Assignments: David Dawson [email protected] Albert Del Rio [email protected] Larry/Linda Draper [email protected] Richard/Elinor Drileck [email protected] Mary Duma [email protected] Each person will be contacted by Marleen Crucq, Refreshments Coordinator. If you are unable to attend the meeting and bring refreshments, please consider donating $5 or more so something can be purchased as a substitute. Please consider signing up to be part of the refreshments committee. See Marleen Crucq or Sidney Yarbrough if you’d like to help. Refreshments only happen when people volunteer and share the responsibility. Auction Plant Assignments: Alice /Jack Knight [email protected] Kevin/Deborah Knippa Karl/Kay Knox [email protected] Allen Lindner [email protected] Mario Luna [email protected] Note: Typically members donate a plant or plants worth at least $5. If unable to bring a plant to the meeting, please consider making a $5 cash donation. Our auction proceeds go toward covering the building rental for our meetings. RAFFLES Each meeting we sell raffle tickets on plants, seeds, cuttings etc. that our members bring in and donate. It’s fun to add to your collection this way at a low cost and help support your club. Please bring something to share! SACXS FACTS Vol. 27, #2 Page 3 SACXS January Program Cooking with Cactus January’s meeting was different from our “normal” programs. We sampled and discussed foods prepared with cactus. Marty Ruona made so many different things for us to try and his offerings were supplemented by a delicious nopalitos spread from Alice Knight and cactus candy from Linda Draper. I will publish recipes from the program as I have room in this and subsequent SACXS Facts issues. A big THANK YOU to Marty and all who participated. Here is the recipe for my personal favorite from the evening. MEXICAN PINTOS WITH CACTUS (NOPAL) recipe by Marty Ruona 2 quarts of Bill Miller's Pinto Beans 2 large flat cactus leaves (nopales) 3 slices bacon, chopped 2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped 2 slices onion 2 small tomatoes PREP 10 minutes COOK 20 minutes Directions Fry the bacon. Place the pinto beans into a pot, and heat to a boil. Add the bacon, 1 teaspoon of salt, tomato, the jalapeno and onion. Cover, and cook on High for 20 minutes, until the onion is soft. The Bill Miller beans are already tender. Remove any thorns from the cactus leaves, and slice into small pieces. I purchase my nopal from HEB in the off season for fresh nopal pads. Place in a saucepan with 1 tablespoon of salt, and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook for 15 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water for 1 minute. Add to the beans when they are soft, and cook for 10 more minutes on high. Serve as a soup. Top with diced avocado, queso fresco, & cilantro. SACXS FACTS Vol. 27, #2 Page 4 2015 Show News By Barbara Schulze Fellow SACXS Members, It is only a little a little over 2 months until our SHOW & SALE! Time to get busy and I’m calling on all members to help with the preparations and activities going on during our 3 day event. We will have 8 vendors with quality cacti and succulents for sale. Pottery to display your plants will also be available for sale as well as the one and only 2015 SACXS Fiesta medal. We will continue with our successful hourly raffle, we are extending the silent auction to 2 days – Thurs. and Fri., and of course, our Friday and Saturday auction of unique and landscape plants is not to be missed. Please consider your donations to all of these fund-raising events. The numerous Educational Displays, which are an important tool for educating the public, can only be successful with our member’s contributions. Whether a 1 plant display or a multiple plant display, I am asking our talented members to design displays to entice new members. Listed below are crucial needs. Please volunteer! Donate to the Auction Plant Donation container on the Treasurer’s table. Your donation will be rewarded with some raffle tickets to be used at the general meeting. Help is needed with Advertising. We especially need help with online media advertising. We also need local members to visit nurseries that carry cacti & succulents to distribute flyers and sell advertising to be shown on slides at our Show & Sale. Please attend the March meeting at Marty’s home. Need-toknow information about the Show & Sale will be discussed. SACXS FACTS Vol. 27, #2 Page 5 Educational Displays for our Annual Show and Sale The main mission of our club is to educate the public about cacti and succulents. One of our best ways to do that is with the Educational Displays portion of our Annual Show and Sale in April where hundreds of people come to see and purchase plants. In the next few months leading up to our annual Show and Sale, we’ll be running some ideas about Educational Displays. We want to inspire you all to participate by creating and sharing an Educational Display . The displays are among the public’s favorite part of our show . There are many, many options that range from a single, well-grown plant to a full table of plants and posters. We’re counting on you to find inspiration and make a display. On this page, we see examples from last year’s show. The examples to the left are from Gary and Lana Daniel. Leftmost are examples of grafted cactus and a small explanatory poster. The larger poster and examples to the right show how vendors sometimes fool consumers by painting plants or even gluing flowers onto them. The example to the right is a display of beautifully grown plants, in this case, Ariocarpus. Paul Kibler has labeled each one and has provided a short paragraph about the genus. SACXS FACTS Vol. 27, #2 Page 6 Educational Displays Inspiration Here are some more ideas to inspire you. We have a goal for the show this year to increase member participation in all aspects of the show and especially in the Educational Displays. Example of unusual cactus – Penniocereus with book for information Example of similar succulents from different habitats – Agave and Aloe with rock decoration Example of normal and variegated Euphorbias with book for information SACXS FACTS Vol. 27, #2 Page 7 BIG BEND 2015 March 26 - 29, 2015 Our Cactus Club members, and other clubs throughout Texas, are invited to join in. There are three lodging options that have rooms available. Big Bend gets busiest in March, All three lodging folks suggested we book our rooms soon. Here are the three options: Small cabins "casitas" Motel up in the Chisos Basin Motel & RV in Study Butte FAR FLUNG CASITAS CHISOS MOUNTAIN LODGE BIG BEND RESORT 432.371.2633 877.386.4383 480.390.8530 Study Butte/Terlingua in the National Park Study Butte Valynda Henington reservations Sonya Michaels $150.00/night $145.00/night $70.00/night two queen beds per casita bigbendfarflung.com two double beds per motel room chisosmountainlodge.com one queen bed bigbendresortadventures.com We have not had a SACXS trip to Big Bend in many years. March will be a perfect time to visit this region of Texas. The cactus should be in bloom, the temps moderate, and will be lots of fun to travel/vacation as a group. We will have scheduled times/days to all meet as a group. These include day trips thru the Park and drive up the River Road. Also breakfasts and lunches and evening get-togethers. What is important now is to please make your reservations soon . Big Bend lodging fills up. There is a limited inventory of lodging available. It is still about the middle of nowhere! Please update me via email if you are going to join us. [email protected] marty ruona SACXS president 2014 210 863 56573 cell phone [email protected] email SACXS FACTS Vol. 27, #2 Page 8 BIG BEND 2015 March 26 - 29, 2015 Wednesday March 25th, 2015 Some of us leave after work and drive as far as we wish, find a motel, and stay closer to tomorrows Big Bend (BB) destination. Eva and I like to get as far as Del Rio before stopping for dinner and overnight motel. Thursday we finish our Highway 90 excursion, wandering the day into BB and Study Butte/Terlingua. Thursday March 26th Everyone find your way to BB today. Enjoy your drive. Highway 90 out of San Antonio is scenic, kinda, with small towns to explore if that's your thing. Taking IH-10 West out of SA is the faster route. 6:00 We plan on hosting a steak fry starting around 6:00, at the Far West Casitas. These are on highway 118 South out of Study Butte on the left. Some of us are staying here. There's a nice patio with tables and bbq grills. Bring your beverages, and anything else you want to share at an outdoor gathering of fellow cactus loving travelers. Friday March 27th 8:30 Meet for Breakfast up in the Chisos Mountains, at The Lodge. 11:30 Meet at the parking lot for a walk to Boquillas Canyon. Bring your passport on this trip. Several of us are going across the border into Boquillas after the canyon hike. There is now an official US Border Station for crossing into Mexico. 7:00 Dinner at Starlight Theatre in Lajitas Saturday March 28th Breakfast on your own. 11:30 Tailgate lunch at the Teepee Rest Area on highway 170 (River Road). This rest area looks like Indian Teepees. It is on River Road past Lajitas. Bring your own lunch. 1:00 River Road drive up towards Presidio. This is listed as one of the best scenic roads in the USA. 7:00 Meet at Alice, Jack, and RJ Knight's art studio/home. It's in Terlingua. We will have dinner and good conversation this evening. The Knight's are SACXS members for you out-oftowners info. Sunday March 29th Head out. Head home. Thanks for coming out to Big Bend and socializing with your fellow Cactus & Succulent enthusiasts. Marty Ruona cell 210.863.5657 SACXS FACTS Vol. 27, #2 Page 9 March Meeting Location Change The location of our March meeting has been changed! Our friends at the Garden Center needed some extra time to prepare the Center for a special event so we are having our meeting at Marty’s home, 111 Huxley Dr. In addition to the program, there will be lots of show information and the opportunity to view the terrific landscaping and plants that Marty has. February President’s Message, Continued At our March 18th meeting, we are not going to be at the Garden Center. They need the room to prepare for a big weekend wedding event. So......we will meet that same third Wednesday evening at my home. Bill Fry is going to help show how to build wood plant tables on which to grow and display healthier plants. You can also tour the different cacti and succulent gardens, and maybe get some ideas for your new garden. Before you know it, Winter will be over. A new season to grow our favorite plants will be here. Our cactus gardening club wants to help all members become better gardeners. Take advantage of our programs and our Fiesta Show & Sale. Maybe this is the year you create your dream succulent garden. SACXS FACTS Vol. 27, #2 Page 10 Program Line-up February 2015 — March 2015 02-18-15 General Meeting At the Garden Center 6:30 to 9:00pm 03-18-15 General Meeting At Marty’s home: 111 Huxley Dr. 6:30 to 9:00pm Our friend, Woody Minnich of Cactus Data Plants,. presents Madagascar: the Plants, People and Places.. Woody’s presentations are always entertaining and informative. The program is free and open to the public. Bill Fry and Marty will discuss and demonstrate building wooden display stands for your plants. The Show and Sale Committee will have important information about the Show and Sale and how you can help. Please make it a point to attend. Greenhouse Effect Allen Lindner says “This Pilosocereus pentaedrophorus bloomed for the first time in June. Nobody told me I would have to air condition the greenhouse for the winter!” We all like to see plants. If you have something surprising or that you are proud of and want to share, send a picture and a brief note about it to Linda Draper. SACXS Facts Editor at [email protected]. I’ll add them in as space allows. SACXS FACTS Vol. 27, #2 Page 11