40 years ago, almost the only plants from South Africa grown in North American gardens that experienced subzero cold were a few hybrids. It was not thought that there would be many cold hardy plants coming from such a mild region.

We more or less accidentally obtained Delosperma nubigenum in 1980; since that time over 100 species of mesembs have successfully overwintered in Colorado—and there are now people in America, Japan and Europe hybridizing and developing new cultivars not just of Delosperma but many other species of Mesembryanthemum.

In this presentation, Panayoti charts the extraordinary explosion of experimentation, research, and commercial production of what’s become a significant new horticultural crop around the world To register for the webinar in advance, click here:

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ju2A_9XGSdWDzGrZZ0DLxA

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email.

The presentation begins with an overview of the genus Aloe, distribution and diversity of species, and a short history of the work and contributions of important hybridizers. Karen Zimmerman will show examples of parent plants and offspring– some that became good enough to name and distribute, and others that became disappointments. She will share some of her new promising hybrids and discuss future possibilities.

Don’t forget to register in advance using the event link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_lYKqwljjTbi2H_CEmM78sg

Hi All! Our normal Tuesday meeting is cancelled. Instead we will be having a plant swap on Saturday November 7th at 2PM. Bring a mask, at least one nice plant you’d like in your collection, and any duplicates you want to share. Please contact Irwin at radiantimages@sbcglobal.net for the location and any additional questions.

Join us at 12PM CST for another CSSA webinar. Joe Stead’s program will focus on the techniques and methods he has used in propagating and hybridizing plants. He will also speak about the people and friendships which have influenced him throughout his career.

Register in advance here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_YkFq2TQATw-qSf0RIs_Rbg

Program: Since many of us have been unable to attend C&S meetings and shows and sales, perhaps this is a good time to focus on improving and re-vitalizing our C&S collections.

“Staging: Bringing Out the Best in Your Plants” 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 maintenance. Many examples will be presented.

Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_geZHuqkITBuQiYoUxopb9w

Hello all! We will have a guest speaker at October’s monthly meeting! Ernesto Sandoval will be giving us a brief tour of the techniques used at the Conservatory to propagate a variety of succulent plants from stems and leaves (vegetative).  Techniques for better methods of vegetative propagation such as a variety of stem and leaf cuttings along with grafting will be discussed.

The meeting starts at 7:30 PM Contact Irwin at radiantimages@sbcglobal.net for the meeting link

Here is a fresh approach to conventional attitudes and ideas about the diversity and beauty of Australian flora.

Enjoy a colorful visual tour of lesser known and intriguing Australian native plants, mostly in habitat, some of which are rare and very unusual.

With Australia’s natural flora of well over 20,000 species, at least 400 are considered to have a notable degree of succulence.

This program covers at least one hundred species from forty genera. Included are some of the most under-appreciated, diverse, and interesting of Australian plants.

As plant lovers know, there is nothing as fulfilling as seeing a plant growing happily in nature whose cousin has been carefully nurtured in a collection. We all marvel at the ability of succulent plants to survive, even thrive in conditions that appear to be so extreme that survival alone is incomprehensible. Of course, most of us do not speak plant, so we will never know how a seed started growing in that crack in the rock.

Please join Buck and Yvonne as they explore South Africa and find plants, mostly succulent plants, growing in some interesting places.

Be sure to register in advance at the following link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_4u-vYqweQOyR8gUIcgeuhg

NTCSS will meet following the webinar.

Join us Saturday, September 5 at 12:00 p.m. for the 9th in a series of webinars featuring Cactus and Succulent experts from around the world. This time the webinar will be lead by author and long-time grower of succulent plants Tom Glavich.

This webinar is a look at mutant cacti and succulents, with an emphasis on the genetic changes and their impact on the appearance of crests, monstrous and variegated cacti and succulents. A survey of typical and unusual forms will be followed by a short introduction of cultivation and propagation.

Be sure to register in advance by following the link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Tt4H790aTFScGdJL0O_JSA

NTCSS will meet following the webinar

Join us on Tuesday, Sept. 1, when retired National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologist and fellow cactus aficionado Buddy McIntyre will share with us the best methods to keep weather aware and what to look for when scanning the skies at home, what the best websites are for weather information, how to stay safe during storms and a glimpse into the future of climate change.

Email irwinlightstone@att.net for a link to the Zoom meeting.