THE SUCCULENT GARDEN AT CAL STATE

Garden Report: Sept. 2, 2006

We haven't done a lot out in the garden this summer, as usual. It is just too hot! But, even though the plants are adapted to hot and dry weather, they do better with some water, so we have been watering and weeding. We usually water at least once a month, more often if we get some volunteers. (Thanks to Stephen Cooley for watering in July). This summer was unusually hot (especially July!) but the plants in general have handled it very well. Most of the plants look stressed, but are doing okay. Some of the plants look dead (some of them ARE dead!). There are some plants that look perfectly normal! If you have your own garden you probably should water the plants more often than once a month (they will look better...) but it is reassuring to know that they can survive if,for some reason, you can't water them.

Even though we don't normally expect to see beautiful blooms in mid-summer, there is a huge barrel cactus with orange and yellow flowers blooming now. It is quite spectacular. I am sorry--I didn't write the name down. You can't miss it, though. It is growing very close to the large Opuntia robusta, which has wonderful red fruits on it. There is another opuntia with red fruits as well. Another touch of red is contributed by the red Fairy Duster shrub (Calliandra). So there is still a lot of color out there in the garden!

We will start back working on a more regular basis when the weather cools off, which I hope will happen soon! I have heard that the ugly well/pump apparatus will soon be removed and that they will also be removing some of the Carolina Cherry trees from the western edge of the garden and will plant more native type trees there. So we have a challenge of coming up with something to put in the area where the pump now resides. We should also have as a goal putting in hard surfaced walkways. And of course putting in new plants!

I hope to see some of you out in the garden!
Linda Cooley

Also....

On my way to campus today (August 28) I saw our tall columnar cactus (Trichocereus) in bloom. There are several fresh and spent buds on the plant, so there should be more flowers soon. Overall, the garden really looks good. Dave Germano, Director of the ESA, tells me that the ugly water pump and cage will soon be removed and the entrance will be moved to the south side by the gas tank. Also, the shrubby trees along the west fence will be replaced by chilopsis and acacia and a new iron fence will be put in. When all of this happens, the garden will really stand out.
Maynard Moe