Plant of the Month!

Each month we welcome members to submit a specific cactus or succulent for judging. We find it excellent prep for the Philadelphia Flower Show and a great way to showcase our best specimens.

Below is the schedule for Cactus and Succulent plant categories. Note that the Succulent schedule is different for odd and even numbered years (there are just so many awesome succulents).

There are also “Special Categories” listed below. These are monthly themes that make for interesting entries.

The rules: Pots may contain only one clone of plant (exception: the Special Category of Troughs and Winter Hardy). Single specimens, multiple headed specimens, as well as offsets of the same plant in the same pot, are acceptable. Each member growing plants may make up to a maximum of four entries during any given month.

Not sure what plant you have? We have a monthly show-and-tell session as well, so bring a plant and let’s check it out!

Here are the current POTM Standings:

NameSeptOctNovJanFebMarAprMayTTL pts
Bill Baur1111
Brie Baur44
Danielle Moler77
Deb Donaldson16016
Dian Irvin33
Diane Olesik33
Frank Straup1515
Fred Irvin55
Gene Tubis2323
Jeff Sedwin221436
Ken Kohler1515
Lee Garner55
Marc Ross99
Mary Pastore538
Mike Slater151631
Nick Au51924
Robin Althous33
Will Hall1717

Cactus

MONTHCACTACEA GROUPEXAMPLES
September Echinocactus I, Astrophytum (subfamily Cactoideae, tribe Echinocacteae)Astrophytum ONLY
October Echinocactus II Group (subfamily Cactoideae, tribe Echinocacteae) Echinocactus, Ferocactus, Leuchtenbergia, Stenocactus (Echinofossulocactus), Ariocarpus, Obregonia, Aztekium
November Epiphytic Group (subfamily Cactoideae, tribes Hylocereae, Rhipsalideae)Rhipsalis, Schlumbergia
January Pereskia-Opuntia-Cereus Group (subfamilies Pereskieskiodeae, Opuntiodeae, Cactoideae, tribes Cereeae, Pachycereae, Browningieae, Leptocereae)Pereskia, Maihuenia, Pereskiopsis, Opuntia, Cereus, Carnegiea, Cephalocereus, Esposta
FebruaryParodia Group (subfamily Cactoideae, tribe Notocacteae)Eriosyce, Copiapoa, Parodia, Frailea, Uebelmannia
March Echinocereus-Melocactus Group (subfamily Cactoideae, tribes Echinocereae, Melocacteae)Echinocereus, Melocactus, Discocactus
AprilEchinopsis-Gymnocalycium-Rebutia Group (subfamily Cactoideae, tribe Echiopsideae)Echinopsis, Lobivia, Cleistocactus, Matucana, Oroya, Rebutia, Sulcorebutia, Gymnocalycium
MayMammillaria-Coryphantha Group (subfamily Cactoideae, tribe Mammillariaeae)Mammillaria, Coryphantha, Epithelantha, Pelecyphora

Succulents – Odd Years

MONTHSUCCULENTSEXAMPLES
SeptemberAizoaceae 1
all except Lithops and Conophytum covered in March
Faucaria, Titanopsis, etc.
OctoberCrassulaceae 1
subfamilies Cotyledonoideae and Kalanchoideae
Tylecodon, Cotyledon, Kalanchoe
November Crassulaceae 2
Only the following: Crassula, Adromischus, and Aeonium
Crassula, Adromischus, Aeonium
JanuaryEuphorbiaceae 2
Thickened root or caudex type
Decaryi, Francoisii, Squarrosa
February Euphorbiaceae 3
Thickened stem type, medusae type
Obesa, Suzannae
MarchAizoaceae 2
Only Lithops and Conophytum

Lithops and Conophytum
April Crassulaceae 3
All other Crassulaceae except those included in October and November
Echeveria, Sedum, Dudleya, etc.
MayApocynaceaeAdenium, Pachypodium

Succulents – Even Years

MONTHSUCCULENTSEXAMPLES
SeptemberAloaceae 1
Aloe only
Aloe
OctoberAloaceae 2
Haworthia only
Haworthia
November Aloaceae 3
Gasteria only
Gasteria
JanuaryAgavaceae and DracaenaceaeAgave, Yucca, Beaucarnea, Nolina, Calibanus, Sanseveria
FebruaryAsclepiadaceaeCaralluma, Stapelia, Hoodia, Pseudolithos, Trichocaulon Ceropegia, Brachystelma, Hoya, Huernia, Fockea, Ceropegia
MarchEuphorbiaceae 1
Milii type plus any other genera, excluding those covered in odd years in January and February with thickened stem/root
Milii, Jatropha, Pedilanthus
AprilOther Succulents 1
Only the following families: Bromeliaceae, Asteraceae (Compositae,) Cucurbitaceae, Didiereaceae, Dioscoreaceae, Geraniaceae
Dyckia, Senecios, Othonnas, Ibervillea, Alluaudia, Didierea, Dioscorea, Sarcocaulon, Pelargonium
MayOther Succulents 2
Succulent shrubs, trees, herbaceous plants, and other families not included in other months like Portulacaceae, Vitaceae, Passifloraceae, etc
Anacampseros, Portulacaria, Cissus, Cyphostemma, Adenia, Bulbine, Bowiea

Special Categories

MONTHTHEMEEXAMPLES/ IDEAS
SeptemberCaudiciforms and BonsaiWe will separate the entries into the major two groups and subdivide from there
OctoberOldies But GoodiesSubdivided into two groups.
Plants in your possession for 10 years or more.
Plants in your possession for 20 years or more.
NovemberHanging PlantsExhibitor must provide a pot or other workable form of staging to display plant
JanuaryCrested, Monstrose, and Variegated PlantsSubdivided into the three groups
FebruaryDouble your PleasureRepresentatives of two different genera belonging to the same family, in separate pots, (counted as one entry)
MarchSmall Joys Mature specimen of one kind of plant of small stature in a pot 3 inches or less, measured along the longest dimension
AprilParent and OffspringTwo specimen plants, one propagated from the other, in two separate pots, (counted as one entry)
MayTroughs, Winter HardyPlease be prepared to help with the moving and staging of large and/or heavy containers. Containers may hold more than one kind of plant.