The cactus gardens at Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens are always an amazing discovery for any newcomer, but after the winter rains, even the most frequent visitors are awed by the vibrant booms, which spring from the oddest of stone-shaped and Dr. Seuss-like forms of succulents and cacti gathered from all over the world.
Mammillaria Albilanata
Mammillaria albilanata has its origin in Mexico, in the areas of Guerrero, Oaxaca, Chiapas, and Colima. (http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Cactaceae/Mammillaria_albilanata.html). The flowers bloom in cultivation from March through April. The red fruit ripens 6-8 months after flowering, and is 10-20 mm long and 2-4 mm in diameter. The cactus can be planted by seed, which is bright brown, club shaped, and 1 mm long and 0.6 mm wide (http://www.mammillarias.net/gallery/syn_specie.php?searchstring=ignota&lg=uk).
Aloe Excelsa
Also known as the Zimbabwe tree aloe, Aloe excelsa is a native of west Africa. The tree can rival a palm tree in size, and shares the characteristic of keeping several seasons worth of dead leaves under the most recent ones. The inflorescence is branched, carrying 10 to 15 racemes of flowers in hues ranging from deep crimson to orange (http://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=113880). It generally flowers from July through September, but here, at Huntington Botanical Gardens, it is found in full bloom in February.
Echinofossulocactus Lamellosus
Also known as Stenocactus crispatus, Echinofossulocactus lamellosus is believed to have originated in eastern Mexico. “Identifying the species of an Echinofossulocactus is as difficult as identifying the genus is easy. For the most part, they tend to look alike, and there are far more names than there are species.”(http://www.cactus-art.biz/schede/ECHINOFOSSULOCACTUS/Echinofossulocactus_gladiatus/Echinofossulocactus_gladiatus/Echinofossulocactus_gladiatus.htm)
Aloe Petricola
Aloe petricola is thought to have had its origins in South Africa, in a small area of Mpumalanga (http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Asphodelaceae/Aloe_petricola.html). The long, conical shaped racemes are produced from July to August, but here, at Huntington gardens, they are in full bloom in February. The racemes are densely packed, and are usually bicolored, ranging from white and orange to yellow and red (http://gardening.mweb.co.za/1044.htm).
Others in Bloom
There are several other cacti and succulents which bloom at the Huntington Gardens. Blooms can depend on the rainy season, however. One can never expect blooms at the same time every year. Some of the others blooming in February after the rain at the Huntington are: Mammillaria magnimamma (Mexico), Crassula pubescens radicans (South Africa), Notocactus claviceps (southern Brazil), Mammillaria compressa (Mexico), Echeveria pallida (Mexico), Euphorbia milii (Madagascar), Aloe reitzii (South Africa), Cleistocactus strausii (Bolivia), and Sedum lucidum (Mexico). No matter what time of the year, and blooming or not, the Desert Gardens at the Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens in San Marino are always fascinating.
Yana Marshall - Yana Ungermann-Marshall is a writer, artist and Information Professional currently working at Altadena Public Library as a Reference ...
