CACTUS & SUCCULENT SOCIETY NEW ZEALAND
To grow, to study, to share
Welcome to The Cactus & Succulent Society of New Zealand. This website is available for members and for the general public alike to learn more about cacti and succulents.
Cacti and other succulents have long held a fascination to people from all walks of life. Their bizarre and fantastical shapes, their beautiful flowers; have appealed to us. Growing them in New Zealand can be a challenge; but with careful planning, anyone can have a gorgeous cactus and succulent garden of their own. From Kaitaia to Mt.Taranaki, from Hawke's Bay; to Wellington to Christchurch to Invercargill... you will find people with a passion for these plants. You will find cacti and succulents on window sills, in green houses and in huge garden displays.
Cacti and Succulents are for everyone!
BRANCHES
Northland
Meetings no longer held. Visits to members gardens occasionally.
Auckland
Secretary: Max Croft
President: Max Croft
Meetings: Third Thursday of the month, 7.30 pm, AHC Hall (Auckland Horticulture Council Hall), 990 Great North Road, Western Springs, Entrance opposite the end of Motions Road, Auckland
New Plymouth
Secretary: Maurice Finnerty
President: Jeanette Taylor
Meetings: Disabled Citizen's Soc. Craft Centre 81 Hine Street
Manawatu
Secretary: Dale Cooksley
President: Susan Hansard
Meetings: The small meeting room, P.N. Community Leisure Centre, 569 Ferguson Street, Palmerston North. First Sunday of the month (except January) at 1.30pm.
Wellington-Hutt Valley
Secretary: Thomas Bell
President: Nick Perrin
Meetings: First Saturday of the month, 1.30 pm
February, April, June, August, October, December: St Anne's - Corner of Northland Road and Randwick Road, Northland
March, May, July, September, November, Hearing Assn Rooms Waiwhetu Road, Lower Hutt
Hawke’s Bay
Secretary: Frances Burton
President: Catherine Gordon
Meetings: Second Tuesday of the month, 7.30 pm, Taradale Senior Citizens Rooms, off Symonds Lane, Taradale
Christchurch Cactus and Succulent Society:
Meetings 3rd Saturday of the month, 2 pm, St Mark’s Church Hall.
Nelson
Secretary: Anne Murray
Meetings: None at present
Rambles during the warmer months to members collections
ABOUT
CSSNZ JOURNAL
Members receive a journal 3 times per year - the journal is published in February, June and November and contains articles from local and overseas cactus and succulent growers and writers. Articles for inclusion in the journal are always welcome in the journal.
Subs: Full membership $28
Associate: (additional member in same household) $10
Junior: (under 18) with Journal $12
Associate Junior membership: (under 18) no Journal $5
Overseas NZ: $40
There maybe an additional few $$ for a branch to cover Hall rental costs
Advertising Rates:
Full page: $50 (first insert) / $40 (subsequent)
Half page: $30 / $25
quarter page: $15 / $10
Classified: (up to 1 inch) for members:$5
MEMBERSHIP
CARE INSTRUCTIONS
Light And Heat
Bright light is essential. Without it plants will stretch and become pale and un-natural looking. They will burn if put into full sun after being grown in low light conditions, so introduce plants to the sun gradually. The warmth of an outside nook, or wall, or a greenhouse is best. Plants will usually stand winter cold if kept dry, but frost is deadly to almost all. Make sure you know your plants requirements!
Water
The growing medium should be nearly dry before watering. They will take plenty in summer when plants are growing, reduce watering in autumn and in winter and water only enough to prevent the medium from becoming bone dry. The medium should never remain saturated for more than a day or two. A few types are winter growers and the rest in summer.
Growing Medium
Must be free draining. Should be 60% 3 to 7 mm pumice and 40% composted bark. Suitable potting mixes are available from some garden centres and from the Branch. Standard potting mix with additional coarse pumice sand is suitable.
Fertilizer
Do not use standard container plant or garden fertilizer. Special formulas are available . Slow release fertilizers for container plants, preferably with low nitrogen value, and used at lower rates are suitable.
Repotting
Plants should be repotted at least every two years, autumn and winter are the best times. Carefully tip out the plant and remove most or all of the old potting mix. Check for mealy bugs & other pests (refer to the Pest/Disease Analysis section). Trim the roots if necessary and pot into fresh potting mix. If the plant body is well within the sides of the original pot, use it again. If the plant body is beginning to grow over the sides choose a slightly larger pot. Most succulent plants are slow growing, do not pot into a container which has a small amount of roots to a large quantity of mix. Keep mix slightly moist only for a few weeks to allow damaged roots to heal.
Pest/Disease Analysis
More succulent plants are killed by over watering than any other cause; the following are common pests and diseases which you may encounter :
Mealy Bugs - are probably the most common pest which infests flowers, leaves, stems and roots. Looking like a small white slater, mealy bugs can cause serious damage if not controlled. Spray on appearance with "Target," "Orthene" or a similar insecticide (available through most garden centres. If you are unsure, ask!). Saturate the growing medium with one of the above to control root mealy bug.
Red Spider Mite - thrives in hot dry conditions and the surface of infected plants become corky/webby. They are small and difficult to see with the naked eye. Control by spraying on appearance with a miticide such as dicofol ("Kelthane").
Scale - sometimes infests plants. Control by spraying on appearance with a combination of all purpose spraying oil and an insecticide such as "Target" or "Orthene."Read instructions on the chemical container carefully and follow them!
