Cactus Culture for Amateurs Part 4

P. aurantiacus superbus (superb orange).--A compact plant, with numerous large, brick-red flowers, 5 in. to 6 in. in diameter.

P. Conway's Giant.--Flowers full, deep scarlet, about 8 in. in diameter.

P. Cooperi (Cooper's).--An English hybrid, remarkable for its large, beautiful yellow flowers.

P. Franzi (Franz's).--Flowers 3 in. to 4 in. across; petals numerous, outer ones scarlet, inner violet.

P. General Garibaldi.--Flowers very large, scarlet, tinged with orange on the reflex side.

P. grandiflorus (large-flowered).--Flowers bell-shaped, 4 in. across; sepals narrow, scarlet; petals incurved and of a fiery orange-scarlet colour.

P. Haagei (Haage's); Fig. 13.--Flowers about 5 in. across, flesh-coloured when first expanded, becoming carmine before fading.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 13.--PHYLLOCACTUS HAAGEI.]

P. ignescens (fiery).--Flowers 8 in. across, almost flat when expanded; petals numerous, deep brilliant scarlet.

P. Jenkinsoni (Jenkinson's).--Flowers medium in size, colour cherry-red.

P. Johnstonei (Johnstone's).--Flowers large, with broad scarlet petals.

P. Kaufmanni (Kaufmann's).--Flowers purplish-red, very large.

P. kermesina magnus (large scarlet).--An enormous-flowered kind, having produced blossoms which measured 10 in. across; petals vivid orange with a tip and central stripe of red; sepals blood-red.

P. Pfersdorffii. (Pfersdorff's).--Flowers as in Cereus grandiflorus, 8 in. to 10 in. across, very fragrant; petals white; sepals yellow, brownish outside.

P. Rempleri (Rempler's).--Branches three-angled; flowers with short, linear, incurved sepals; petals long, broad, arranged like a tube, colour salmon-red.

P. roseus grandiflorus (large rose-flowered); Fig. 14.--Flowers 6 in.

long and broad, nodding, white.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 14.--PHYLLOCACTUS ROSEUS GRANDIFLORUS.]

P. Schlimii (Schlim's).--Branches three-angled; flowers large, sepals bright purple; petals broad, purple, tinged with scarlet.

P. splendens (splendid).--Flowers 8 in. across, purple-pink.

P. Wrayi (Wray's).--Flowers 5 in. long by 8 in. in diameter; sepals brown on the outside, yellow inside; petals yellowish-white, fragrant when first expanded.

CHAPTER VI.

THE GENUS CEREUS.

(From cereus, pliant; in reference to the stems of some species.)

Over 200 distinct species of Cereus are, according to botanists, distributed over the tropical and temperate regions of America and the West Indies, extending to the Galapagos, or "Tortoise" Islands, 200 miles off the coast of Peru. It was in these islands that the late Charles Darwin found several small kinds of Cereus, some of them growing near the snow-line in exposed situations on the highest mountains. In Mexico, C. giganteus, the most colossal of all Cacti, is found rearing its tall, straight, columnar stems to a height of 60 ft., and branching near the top, "like petrified giants stretching out their arms in speechless pain, whilst others stand like lonely sentinels keeping their dreary watch on the edge of precipices." In the West Indies most of the night-flowering kinds are common, their long, creeping stems clinging by means of aerial roots to rocks, or to the exposed trunks of trees, where their enormous, often fragrant, flowers are produced in great abundance, expanding only after the sun has set. Between these three distinct groups we find among the plants of this elegant genus great variety both in size and form of the stem and in the flower characters of the different species. A large proportion of the 200 kinds known are not cultivated in European gardens, and perhaps for many of them it is not possible for us to provide in our houses the peculiar conditions they require for their healthy existence. But there are a good many species of Cereus represented in gardens, even in this country, and among them we shall have no difficulty in finding many useful and beautiful kinds, such as may be cultivated with success in an ordinary greenhouse or stove. Lemaire, a French writer on Cactuses, groups a number of species under the generic name of Echinocereus; but as this name is not adopted in England, it is omitted here, all the kinds being included under Cereus.

THE NIGHT-FLOWERING SPECIES.

The most interesting group is that of the climbing night-flowering kinds, on account of their singular habit of expanding their flowers in the dark and of the very large size and brilliant colours of their flowers. In habit the plants of this set are trailers or climbers, their stems are either round or angled, and grow to a length of many feet, branching freely as they extend. By means of their roots, which are freely formed upon the stems, and which have the power of attaching themselves to stones or wood in the same way as ivy does, these kinds soon spread over and cover a large s.p.a.ce; they are, therefore, useful for training over the back walls in lean-to houses, or for growing against rafters or pillars--in fact, in any position exposed to bright sunlight and where there is a good circulation of air. Soil does not appear to play an important part with these plants, as they will grow anywhere where there is a little brick rubble, gravel, or cinders for their basal roots to nestle in. They have been grown in the greatest luxuriance and have produced flowers in abundance with nothing more than their roots buried in the crumbling foundations of an old wall, upon which the stems were clinging. The chief consideration is drainage, as, unless the roots are kept clear of anything like stagnation, they soon perish through rot. During the summer, the stems should be syringed morning and evening on all bright days, whilst in winter little or no water will be required.

Like all other Cactuses, these plants may be propagated by means of large branches, which, if placed in a porous soil, will strike root in a few weeks. We saw a very large specimen of C. triangularis, which last autumn suddenly rotted at the base, from some cause or other, and to save the specimen, a mound was built up of brick rubble and soil, high enough to surround the base of the plant above the rotted part. In a few weeks there was a good crop of new roots formed, and the plant has since flowered most satisfactorily. With almost any other plant, this course would have proved futile; but Cactuses are singularly tenacious of life, the largest and oldest stems being capable of forming roots as freely and as quickly as the young ones.

C. extensus (long-stemmed); Bot. Mag. 4066.--This has long rope-like stems, bluntly triangular, less than 1 in. thick, with very short spines, arranged in pairs or threes, about 1 in. apart along the angles, and aerial roots. The flowers are developed all along the stems, and are composed of a thick, green, scale-clothed tube, about 3 in. long; the larger scales yellow and green, tipped with red, and a spreading cup formed of the long-pointed sepals and petals, the former yellow, green, and red, the latter white, tinted with rose. The flower is about 9 in.

across. When in blossom, this plant equals in beauty the finest of the climbing Cactuses, but, unfortunately, it does not flower as freely as most of its kind. It is cultivated at Kew, where it has flowered once during the last five years. A native of Trinidad, whence it was introduced, and first flowered in August, 1843. Judging by the conditions under which it grows and blossoms in its native haunts, no doubt its shy-flowering nature under cultivation here is owing to the absence of a long continuance of bright sunshine and moisture, followed by one of drought and sunlight. If placed in a favourable condition as regards light, and carefully treated in respect of water, it ought to flower.

C. fulgidus (glittering); Bot. Mag. 5856.--In the brilliant deep scarlet of its large buds, and the bright orange-scarlet of the expanded flowers, this species stands quite alone among the night-flowering, scandent-stemmed Cereuses. Its one drawback is its shy-flowering nature, as it is rarely seen in blossom even when liberally treated, and along with the other kinds which flower so freely. The history of this plant is not known; but it is supposed to be a hybrid between C. Pitajayi or variabilis and one of the scarlet-flowered Phyllocactuses, or, possibly, C. speciosissimus. It first flowered at Kew, in July, 1870. Stems bright green, slow-growing, three or four-angled, about 2 in. wide; angles much compressed, so that a section of the stem shows a cross; margins notched, with cl.u.s.ters of short, hair-like spines at each notch. Flowers 6 in. long, and about the same across the top; tube covered with soft hairs and short deep-red scales, which are enlarged towards the top, where they spread out, and form, along with the petals, a large rosette of several whorls, arranged as in a semi-double rose, the centre being occupied by a brush-like cl.u.s.ter of greenish stamens, with the radiating stigma standing erect in the middle. It is to be regretted that the flowers are not more freely produced by cultivated plants.

C. grandiflorus (large-flowered); Bot. Mag. 3381.--There is scarcely any plant that makes a more magnificent appearance when in full blossom than this. A strong plant will produce many flowers together, but they do not remain long expanded, opening at seven or eight o'clock in the evening, and fading at sunrise the next morning; nor do they ever open again, even when cut and placed in warm water in a dark place. The closing of the flowers may, however, be r.e.t.a.r.ded for a whole day by removing the bud before it is fully open and placing it in water. The stems are almost cylindrical, with four to seven slight ridges, or angles, which bear numerous tufts of wool and short stiff spines. Roots are thrown out from all parts of the stem, even when not in contact with anything. The flowers are developed on the sides of the stems, princ.i.p.ally the younger, shorter ones; the flower tube is about 4 in.

long by 1 in. in diameter, and is covered with short brown scales and whitish hairs; the calyx is 1 ft. across, and is composed of a large number of narrow sepals of a bright yellow colour inside, brown on the outside; the petals are broad, pure white, and arranged in a sort of cup inclosing the numerous yellow stamens and the club-shaped stigma. The flower has a delicious vanilla-like odour, which perfumes the air to a considerable distance. Flowers in July. Native of the West Indies.

Introduced 1700, at which time it is said to have been cultivated in the Royal Gardens at Hampton Court.

C. Lemairii (Lemaire's); Bot. Mag. 4814.--In the size and fragrance of its blossoms, and also in the brilliancy of its colours, this species rivals C. grandiflorus; differing in the following particulars: the tube is covered with large green, crimson-edged scales instead of small brown scales and white hairs; the sepals do not spread out in a star-like manner, as in C. grandiflorus, and they are tinged with crimson; the stem of the plant shows a bluntly triangular section, and the angles are marked with a row of distant spines instead of the cl.u.s.ters of spines and wool in C. grandiflorus. In all other particulars, these two species are almost identical, so that where s.p.a.ce is limited either the one or the other will be sufficient to represent both. C. Lemairii was introduced into England through Kew, whither a plant was sent in 1854 from the Royal Botanical Garden of Hanover, under the name of C.

rostratus. It blossoms in the Kew collection every June, the flowers lasting for several hours after sunrise. Seeds are freely ripened by this plant. Native of Antigua (?)

C. Macdonaldiae (Mrs. MacDonald's); Bot. Mag. 4707.--A magnificent Cactus, producing flowers often 14 in. in diameter, with the same brilliant colours as are described under C. Lemairii. The stems are slender, cylindrical, not ridged or angled, bearing at irregular intervals rather fleshy tubercles instead of spines, and branching freely. Its flowers are produced on both young and old stems, several crops appearing in the course of the summer when the treatment is favourable. Roots are not so freely thrown out from the stems of this kind, and as the latter are slender and very pliant, they may be trained round a balloon trellis, so as to form handsome pot specimens, which, when in flower, may be carried into the house, where their large, beautiful flowers may be enjoyed. Writing of this species over thirty years ago, Sir Wm. Hooker said: "Certainly, of the many floral spectacles that have gratified lovers of horticulture at the Royal Gardens, Kew, of late years, few have been more striking than this to those who were privileged to see the blossoms in bud and fully expanded.

The plant was received from Honduras through the favour of Mrs.

MacDonald, and was planted at the back of the old Cactus-house, and trained against a wall. It first showed symptoms of blossoming in July, 1851. A casual observer might have pa.s.sed the plant as an unusually large form of the 'night-blooming Cereus' (C. grandiflorus), but the slightest inspection of the stems and flowers, the latter 14 in. in diameter by 14 in. long, shows this to be a most distinct species."

C. Napoleonis (Napoleon's); Bot. Mag. 3458.--This is very like C.

grandiflorus, and is slightly and not very agreeably perfumed. The flowers sometimes open very early in the morning and fade in the afternoon, so that they may be enjoyed during the day-time. The flower tube is 6 in. long, curved upwards, and clothed with rose-tinted scales, which become gradually larger towards the top, where they widen out into a whorl of greenish-yellow sepals, above which are the white petals forming a broad shallow cup, 8 in. across, with a cl.u.s.ter of yellow stamens in the centre. The stems are three-angled, light green, and bear cl.u.s.ters of short stiff spines along the angles at intervals of 2 in.

Flowers in autumn. Mexico (?), 1835.

C. nycticalus (flowering at night); Fig. 15.--Stems four to six-angled, 2 in. wide, dark green, bearing little tufts of hair and thin white spines along the angles, and a profusion of aerial roots. Flowers as large as those of C. grandiflorus; tube covered with tufts of white hairs; sepals or outer whorl of segments bright orange, the inner pure white, and arranged like a cup. They open at about seven o'clock in the evening, and fade at seven on the following morning. This plant may still be met with in some old-fashioned gardens, but only rarely as compared with its popularity a generation ago, when it was to be found in almost every collection of stove plants. At that time, the flowering of this Cactus was looked upon as an event, and it was customary for the owner to invite his friends to meet and watch the development of the flowers, and enjoy to the full their almost over-powering but delicious fragrance. So bright are the colours of the flowers, that a sort of luminosity seems to surround them when at their best. Flowers in autumn.

Mexico, 1834.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 15.--CEREUS NYCTICALUS.]

C. triangularis (three-angled); Bot. Mag. 1884.--This plant is easily recognised because of its stout triangular stems, which increase at a rapid rate and bear roots freely; by means of these roots they cling to almost any substance with which they come in contact. There are large examples of it in the Kew collection, where it bears numerous flowers annually, which open in the evening and close at about eight o'clock next morning. The flowers measure 1 ft. in length by about the same in width of cup, and are composed of a whorl of long narrow green sepals, with pale brown points, a cl.u.s.ter of pure white petals, bright yellow stamens, and a large club-like stigma; they appear in autumn. Mexico.

This species was cultivated at Hampton Court in 1690.

C. speciosissimus (most beautiful).--Although not a night-flowering kind, nor yet a climber, yet this species resembles in habit the above rather than the columnar-stemmed ones. It is certainly the species best adapted for cultivation in small greenhouses or in the windows of dwelling-houses, as it grows quickly, remains healthy under ordinary treatment, is dwarf in habit, and flowers freely--characters which, along with the vivid colours and large size of the blossoms, render it of exceptional value as a garden plant. Its stems are slender, and it may be grown satisfactorily when treated as a wall plant. For its cultivation, the treatment advised for Phyllocactuses will be found suitable. When well grown and flowered it surpa.s.ses in brilliancy of colours almost every other plant known. Specimens with thirty stems each 6 ft. high, and bearing from sixty to eighty buds and flowers upon them at one time, may be grown by anyone possessing a warm greenhouse. The stems are three to five angled, spiny, the tufts of spines set in little disks of whitish wool. The flowers are as large as tea saucers, with tubes about 4 in. long, the colour being an intense crimson or violet, so intense and bright as to dazzle the eyes when looked at in bright sunlight. When cut and placed in water they will last three or four days. April and May. Mexico, 1820. "Numberless varieties have been raised from this Cereus, as it seeds freely and crosses readily with other species. Many years ago, Mr. D. Beaton raised scores of seedlings from crosses between this and C. flagelliformis, and has stated that he never found a barren seedling. Much attention was given to these plants about fifty years ago, for Sir E. Antrobus is said to have exhibited specimens with from 200 to 300 flowers each. I have been informed that an extremely large plant of this Cereus, producing hundreds of flowers every season, is grown on the back wall of a vinery at the Grange, Barnet, the residence of Sir Charles Nicholson, Bart." (L. Castle).

THE SEMI-SCANDENT SPECIES.

These are characterised by a thin, drooping or trailing stem, and, though not strictly climbers, they may most fittingly be considered in a group by themselves. Some botanists have made a separate genus for them, viz., Cleistocactus, but for all practical purposes they may be grouped under the above heading, whilst popularly they are known as the Rat's-tail or Whipcord Cactuses. Two of them--viz., C. flagelliformis and C. Mallisoni--are generally grafted on the stem of some erect, slender Cereus or Pereskia, or they may be worked on to the stem of a climbing Cereus, such as C. triangularis, in such a way as to hang from the roof of a house. A large specimen of C. flagelliformis, growing from the climbing stem of C. rostratus, was, for a long time, conspicuous among the Cactuses at Kew, but owing to the decay of the "stock" plant, this fine specimen no longer exists. A large Pereskia, trained along the roof in the Cactus-house at Kew, has recently been grafted with a number of pieces of C. flagelliformis, which in a few years will, no doubt, form a handsome specimen. In the same establishment a specimen of C.

Mallisoni is grafted on the stem of another kind, and is very attractive when in flower. C. serpentinus thrives well upon its own roots. For the cultivation of this little group, the instructions given for the climbing and other kinds may be followed.

C. flagelliformis (whip-formed).--Stems prostrate, or, when grafted on a tall stem, pendent, in. in diameter, round, with numerous ridges almost hidden by the many cl.u.s.ters of fine bristle-like hairs. Flowers 2 in. long and 1 in. wide; colour bright rosy-red. In some parts of Germany this plant is one of the commonest of window ornaments, and it is so well grown by the peasants there, that the whole window s.p.a.ce is completely screened by the numerous long, tail-like stems, 4 ft. or 6 ft.

long, which hang from baskets. It is sometimes cultivated by cottagers in England, and we have seen a very fine specimen in a cottager's window in Gunnersbury. Without its pretty bright-coloured flowers, this Cactus has the charm of novelty in the form and habit of its stems, and as it is easily cultivated in a window through which the sun shines during most of the day, it is just the plant to grow for the double purpose of a screen and a curiosity. If planted in baskets, it should be potted in a porous loamy soil, and kept moist in the summer and perfectly dry in winter. Summer. Peru. Introduced 1690.

C. Mallisoni ( Mallison's); Bot. Mag. 3822.--This is supposed to be of hybrid origin, a Mr. Mallison having sent it to Dr. Lindley to be named, and stating that he obtained it by fertilising flowers of C.

speciosissimus with pollen from C. flagelliformis. Whatever its origin, it is a distinct kind, with stems similar to those of the last-named, but thicker and slightly less spiny, and flowers 4 in. long by 4 in.

across the spreading petals, the whole being bright red with a cl.u.s.ter of pale yellow stamens protruding 1 in. beyond the throat. The flowers are produced from the sides of the stems, a few inches from the apex, and as they are borne in abundance and last three or four days each, a large specimen makes a very attractive display for several weeks in the summer. The plant at Kew, a large one, is grafted on the stem of C.