Color your winter yard with vibrant cactuses
The Cactus and Succulent Society of Southern Nevada and Moon-Sun Cactus & Koi Gardens are hosting the Fall Cactus Show and Art Fair from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Oct. 21 at 6430 McGill Ave.
Cactuses and succulents are versatile plants, adding accent and interest to any garden. The rich diversity of desert flora is evident in the number of species available to us.
Fall is a great time to plant cactus and succulents. Since there are so many blooming varieties, planting now will provide plenty of color to your yard through the winter.
Here are some plants I like that will be available. Focus on the colors, the unusual shapes, the variegated twisting and gnarly leaves available at the sale.
Red yucca brakelights: Move over red yucca. Its almost neon red blooms have earned the name brakelights. It's a great accent and attracts hummingbirds. Pair it with the yellow yucca for a great splash of color in your landscape.
"Dragon toes" agave: This pale blue pygmy agave forms a striking symmetrical rosette with accented red teeth and chunky leaves. As the name suggests, it stays less than
2 feet tall and wide at maturity. Use it as a container plant or anywhere that has afternoon shade.
Agave cornelius: Rippled, variegated leaves highlight this unique plant providing a contrast to other plants in your yard. It takes full sun, so place it anywhere in your landscape. Make it a focal point, an accent feature or elevate it in a pot to give your yard drama and depth.
Blue aloe: This striking aloe is a light blue with striking orange teeth on its margins. As with most aloes it shoots up a stalk that opens up with orange flowers. They can bloom repeatedly.
Arizona star: This spectacular variegated agave has regal contrasts of green and yellow on its leaves. The leaf margins are almost smooth and taper to a nice point. Plant it in full sun or partial shade or use it as a more formal alternative to the variegated century plant. It will grow up to 6 feet wide and high.
Blue glow agave: This symmetrical agave has deep blue tones outlined by a striking red margin on each leaf. Plant it in full or partial sun to provide a rich accent color to other plants in your yard. Like all agaves, you get this one for its looks because agaves don't flower until the end of their life span.
Devil's tongue barrel cactus: This barrel cactus has a deep green color with thick wide red spines curving down, hence the common name devil's tongue. It displays flowers in a vibrant violet color becoming a showstopper. They stay fresh for about a week, giving you plenty of time to enjoy their beauty. They are blooming now and will bloom throughout the year.
Echinopsis hybrids: Grow these fist-sized cactuses in your house, on the patio or in your garden. Their attractive trumpet-shaped flowers are larger than the plants. The colors run the spectrum from white, peach, yellow and pink. With the right lighting, they produce blooms almost year-round.
Golden saguaro: This column cactus makes a great addition to any yard. Unlike the traditional giant saguaro, it grows fast and produces spectacular blooms sporting up to 30 flowers at a time repeatedly through the season. When backlit by the rising or setting sun the golden spikes glow, hence the name golden cactus.
Candelillia: You can plant this euphorbia family outdoors. One is euphorbia antisyphilitica. It has clusters of thin, pencillike stems and small pink flowers. Use candelillia as a backdrop or for massing in your yard to make a nice contrast with other plants. It is cold-hardy.
Knowledgeable gardeners will be on-site to talk about cactuses, succulents, dish gardening and desert-adapted plants along with other questions you might have. Admission is free.
The Cactus Show will also display cactus and succulents from personal collections to be judged. Consider entering your prized specimens. The show includes a "People's Choice" award you can vote on.
NO-FAIL FRUIT TREES
Don't overlook fruit trees in your landscape: I'll show you how fruit trees produce majestic blooms and nutritious homegrown fruit. It's today at
8:30 a.m. at the Springs Preserve, 333 S. Valley View Blvd.
Linn Mills' garden column appears on Sundays. He can be reached at linnmillslv@gmail.com or 702-526-1495.
