Programme

Notokakteen in der Pampa Südamerikas (de)

Notocacti in the pampas of South America

My first cactus was a Notocactus ottonis. Since then, I have been infected by the "Noto virus". I have been intensively involved with the genus for almost 40 years. I have had the privilege of observing the plants in their habitats in Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina in Brazil and in Uruguay on several trips. Our first trip to the home of cacti took us to southern Brazil in 1989. Since then, we have visited this fascinating country over a dozen times, exploring not only the notocacti, but also the plants in north-east Brazil (Uebelmannia, Pilosocereus, Melocactus, Discocactus, ...) and in the Mata Altlântica (Rhipsalis, Schlumbergera, ...).

They only flower yellow, are beginners cacti and are boring. These are the prejudices one often hears when talking about notocacti. And as is usually the case with prejudices, they are wrong. In my presentation, I would like to show you the diversity of this genus and encourage you to take a closer look at these fascinating plants. We will be travelling to the pampas of southern Brazil and Uruguay to visit the notocacti in their native habitats.

A Trip to Namibia - Commiphora quest (en)

I fell in love with the genus Commiphora when I got my first Commiphora gileadensis many years ago. Soon it turned out to be Bursera fagaroides and it only made me more determined to further explore and learn about them. Soon, the hobby was not enough and, with a support from my wife, I started Succuland Nursery in Israel. The nursery is specialized in the propagation of African Succulents - Commiphora, Boswellia, Euphorbia, Adenia etc. Four years ago, together with a friend from the Balm of Gilead Farm, situated at the northern part of the Dead Sea, we finally set successful Comiphora seed production. But I lacked field experience.

So, in October 2022, I have finally arrived in Namibia. I wanted to see everything, but my main goal was to see as many Commiphora species as possible in habitat. The trip was excellent, though we have arrived there at the end of 5 years with almost no rain. We had covered 8000km in 18 days and encountered 15 species of Commiphora and many other wonderful succulents.

Mexico vanaf de jaren 70 tot nu (nl)

Mexico from the 1970s to the present

From the age of 14, I have been fascinated by the plant world. Upon seeing a cactus collection on an allotment, I knew, this is my passion. Becoming a member of the Succulenta Society, a whole new world opened up for me. The greenhouse visits began! I went to visit Bommelje and at behind lived Dirk van Vliet. By bike to Leusden where Buining lived, and in Soest Rubingh. I spent the night in Youth Hostels! Alfred Lau came to visit and brought plants from faraway countries, which fascinated me. Looking up the plants in their natural habitat! I was able to do many trips, mostly with my best buddy Bertus Spee! Mexico was the first trip in 1980, that country has always remained my favourite. Besides the plants, I also fell for the culture! I have now been there more than 10 times. But also the USA with its beautiful landscapes, Brazil and Chile. I also became interested in the other succulents. Rikus van Veldhuisen took me to South Africa. Namibia followed later. I started organising trips myself and always enjoyed sharing my interest with other people, which is why I still lecture. How much beauty there is in the world, great that I have seen it. At home I own a greenhouse on an allotment garden and at Gerrit Melissen's (well known) place I rent a part of a greenhouse complex where I have a wonderful space to enjoy growing.

However, much of this natural beauty is disappearing hence, from my old photo material, I have made a new presentation of many pictures that can no longer be taken. As an example, the site of Aztekium ritteri has completely disappeared. Fortunately, I still have the images and we will show them this afternoon!

Les oponces nains du nord-ouest de l'Argentine (fr)

The dwarf opuntias of northwest Argentina

Thomas Guerry is an engineer in the chemical industry and has been a cactus enthusiast since the age of 12, i.e. for about 20 years. He has an extensive collection of a wide range of cacti but has a particular fondness for the small South American opuntias. He has been lucky enough to have made several trips to Argentina, Chile, Mexico and Bolivia to see cacti in their natural habitat. Always with a particular focus on these small opuntias and the relationships that exist between them.

Argentina is a very diverse country for cacti and not least because there are so many different biotopes. Among the huge number of cactus genera found in Argentina are several genera of dwarf opuntia: Tephrocactus, Maihueniopsis, Cumulopuntia and Tunilla. These plants grow mainly at high altitudes in the Andes but can also be found by the sea. They occur in an incredible variety of species and forms, and in this presentation, we will see most species in their habitats, from Patagonia to the Bolivian border, and discuss their cultivation requirements, from sowing to flowering.