RHIPSALIS 
N these pages | am including cacti and succulents most of which do best in partial shade. There are 
literally hundreds of plants of great interest or beauty which are very seldom seen except in fanciers’ 
collections or botanic gardens. Only the avid collector ever sees them and seldom can buy them. Even 
the best known are hard to locate. A great many choice greenhouse plants can be called “Succulents” 
only by courtesy for they grow in tropical jungles as epiphytes on trees or on rocks or rooted on the 
jungle floor. From 1800 to the turn of the century these ‘‘foliage’’ plants were very popular and, in the 
United States, are becoming increasingly so again as fanciers find they are not hard to grow. 
Rhipsalis and allied genera are shade plants and are found from Mexico to Argentina generally in the 
mountains, almost always growing in the trees. They do not have spectacularly large blossoms but are 
quite pretty when in bloom and always are interesting. 
SNOWDROP CACTUS 
Rhipsalis Houlletiana was first brought to 
France from Brazil almost 100 years ago. 
It is a mountain forest species growing at 
an elevation of about 4000’ perched up in 
the trees. The stems are wirey at the base 
but expand into a flat, very thin blade. 
The pretty bell-shaped blossoms are creamy 
white. Give plenty of water 
VGA CHM secgeeks eee ae 50c 
PUYA ALPESTRIS 
RHIPSALIS GRANDIFLORA This Chilean Puya has striking, 
A round stemmed, vigorous plant large, metallic-blue blossoms in tall 
from Brazil. At first the plant is up- spikes containing scores of blooms. The 
LINK CACTUS 
Rhipsalis paradoxa is a curious cac- 
tus from Brazil. The stems may reach 
several feet in length and hang down 
PSUEDORHIPSALIS MACRANTHA 
This pretty Mexican plant has arching, 
flat stems which bear at the areoles 1144” 
wide, very fragrant blossoms, the outer 
petals rich yellow the inner segments white. 
Likes leafmold in its soil. 1 
Searce, Wach:..c)c.e 5 pr ae Ber 
PEPEROMIA 
A group of tropical plants belong- 
ing to the Black Pepper family. Some 
are very pretty window garden 
plants, often with variegated or 
striped succulent leaves. Some have 
transparent ‘‘window”’ leaevs. 
Peperomia obtusifolia. Leaves 
shiningeeheenun bacie-seeneeese eens 35¢ 
Peperomia sp. Leaves thick, tri- 
angular in section with the upper 
edge a transparent window. Peru 35¢ 
CEROPEGIA RADICANS 
A thick stemmed trailing plant with cor- 
date, green leaves. The flowers are charm- 
ing, tipped green with bands of chocolate 
and white. Sandy soil, not 
LOOMINUEH twat ery Bit Clilscswemeeaeceesseeneceery 50c 
branching as they go. They are 3-an- 
gled but reverse at each node like the 
links of a chain. Give them a rich but 
porous soil and moderate 
right but becomes pendulous. The stems 
are dark green to reddish and branch 
mostly at the tips generally into three 
branchlets. Flowers large, 
plants are very ornamental, the leaves 
green above and silvery beneath. Fine 
as a pot plant or for planting out 
where temperatures do not fall below 
to generous waterings. Fach........ 50c cream colored. Hach.................. see 40c 20°. Very easy to 35¢ 
STOW Biach 2 eee ee 
Sapien eae 
ze 
£ 
RHIPSALIS CRISPATA 
The new branches are bronze color- CRYPTANTHUS ROSEA-PICTA 
eee: ed the older leaves pale green. A very pretty plant with brightly 
More or less upright in growth 
and becoming quite branched. A 
striped leaves in pink and bronze. Likes 
a light but not too sunny position. Sand, 
DISOCACTUS EICHLAMII 
Srazilian species with creamy leafmold and a little loam makes a good 
A fragile and charming plant from Gua- white flowers. Very 35 potting mixture. 0 
temala. The narrow, tubular flowers are Dretiyay Bache ees Cc Bache 358. tie cco ieee wae a ereeet ee ee 5 Cc 
brilliant red. The branches are basal, ex- 
panded, thin, pale green, pendant and bear 
an upright flower at each crenation. Very 
floriferous. Likes a cool moist situation CRYPTANTHUS 
with some shade. A porous, leafmold soil ee } F 
and plenty of water. Small Brazilian Bromeliads forming pretty 
Bache ck. 2:25 OU ae tite oe 75¢ 
rosettes of striped or colored leaves. Give them 
a sandy soil with leafmold, a light position and 
during summer plenty of water, less in winter. 
Cryptanthus acaulis. Small 3” -4” green 
rosettes. 22. See 5 eee a eee ne eee a 35¢ 
Cryptanthus acaulis ruber. Red rosettes 35c 
Cryptanthus zonatus. Larger, brightly barred 
rosettes. 
PROPAGATING HOUSE 
View in one of our propagating houses where seeds 
THE COLLECTION OF MRS. CHAS. McCOOL 
and cuttings are started and young plants established Mrs. McCool of Browntown, Wisconsin writes that 
before putting in outdoor frames. Most cacti are grown the Orchid Cactus had 76 blossoms and the Echinopsis 
from seeds though many of the more common kinds are 32 blossoms in 1950. She has had very good results 
propagated by cuttings. with our plants. 
30 
