Ripley Horticultural Society learns about cacti and succulents

Members of the Ripley and District Horticultural Society were favoured with a fascinating look at cacti and succulents at the meeting Wednesday (April 19).

Presenter Daniel Davidson (above left, with Ripley horticultural society member Linda Jaynes) of Formosa describes himself as an amateur botanical researcher and cultivator of foreign exotics in addition to being an artist, sculptor and author.

Davidson grew up in Toronto and has a technology background. Over time, he came to appreciate the complexities of plant life and the need to maintain diversity. He refers to plants as “the original technology of life.”

Accompanied by more than 25 species of cacti, pseudo-cacti and succulents, he delighted his audience with his passion, extensive knowledge and interesting anecdotes.

He first introduced members to three basic types of cacti: columnar, barrel and opuntia or paddle leaf. The Prickly Pear Cactus is a familiar example of this group and produces a fruit that is quite tasty. It is cultivated in Mexico for the sap which is used for soup stock.

Another interesting specimen, Eve’s Needle, is a native of Peru and was grown in Medieval times as a dense thicket that served as a living fence which, if cut, produced acidic sap and a strong unpleasant smell.

Cacti are native only to North and South America but are not restricted to warmer areas, as Davidson displayed a species native to Canada which has adapted to the harsher climate and survives snow cover.

Next, he presented three pseudo-cacti: Euphorbia, Pencil Crayon Cactus and Candelabra Cactus. All have many different varieties.

Finally, he came to the succulents, a group of plants well-known for their decorative and medicinal properties. Davidson described Haworthia, a native of South Africa with 60 different species and hundreds of hybrids, as the jewel of the succulent world. Members were surprised to learn that Aloe Vera plants will flower with the right amount of sunlight.

Throughout his talk, Davidson stressed the need for patience as these plants grow very slowly and many varieties can take up to 20 years to mature to the point of producing flowers or fruit. He must be a very patient person, as he grows many of his plants from seed and is trying to pollinate and produce his own seed stock.

During the tea break, the audience enjoyed closer inspection of the unique plants and the opportunity to purchase. To view some of his plants or to contact Davidson, go to www.plantplanet.ca.

The business portion of the meeting dealt with preparations for upcoming events, such as the plant sale May 20 in Lewis Park, the Flower Show June 14 and the garden tour July 18.

Members were assigned community flower beds and planters to plant and maintain this summer and a decision was made to volunteer to host the District 8 Annual General Meeting in 2018. This year’s AGM takes place May 6 in Lucknow.

Anticipation is building for the 90th anniversary celebration May 17, at 2 p.m., at the Ripley-Huron Community Centre. The planning committee is working on an entertaining program with a fond look back over the society’s history. Members are reminded to wear a fancy hat and come prepared to share favourite memories.