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!
Cactus
| MONTH | CACTACEA GROUP | EXAMPLES |
| 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 |
| February | Parodia Group (subfamily Cactoideae, tribe Notocacteae) | Eriosyce, Copiapoa, Parodia, Frailea, Uebelmannia |
| March | Echinocereus-Melocactus Group (subfamily Cactoideae, tribes Echinocereae, Melocacteae) | Echinocereus, Melocactus, Discocactus |
| April | Echinopsis-Gymnocalycium-Rebutia Group (subfamily Cactoideae, tribe Echiopsideae) | Echinopsis, Lobivia, Cleistocactus, Matucana, Oroya, Rebutia, Sulcorebutia, Gymnocalycium |
| May | Mammillaria-Coryphantha Group (subfamily Cactoideae, tribe Mammillariaeae) | Mammillaria, Coryphantha, Epithelantha, Pelecyphora |
Succulents – Odd Years
| MONTH | SUCCULENTS | EXAMPLES |
| September | Aizoaceae 1 all except Lithops and Conophytum covered in March | Faucaria, Titanopsis, etc. |
| October | Crassulaceae 1 subfamilies Cotyledonoideae and Kalanchoideae | Tylecodon, Cotyledon, Kalanchoe |
| November | Crassulaceae 2 Only the following: Crassula, Adromischus, and Aeonium | Crassula, Adromischus, Aeonium |
| January | Euphorbiaceae 2 Thickened root or caudex type | Decaryi, Francoisii, Squarrosa |
| February | Euphorbiaceae 3 Thickened stem type, medusae type | Obesa, Suzannae |
| March | Aizoaceae 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. |
| May | Apocynaceae | Adenium, Pachypodium |
Succulents – Even Years
| MONTH | SUCCULENTS | EXAMPLES |
| September | Aloaceae 1 Aloe only | Aloe |
| October | Aloaceae 2 Haworthia only | Haworthia |
| November | Aloaceae 3 Gasteria only | Gasteria |
| January | Agavaceae and Dracaenaceae | Agave, Yucca, Beaucarnea, Nolina, Calibanus, Sanseveria |
| February | Asclepiadaceae | Caralluma, Stapelia, Hoodia, Pseudolithos, Trichocaulon Ceropegia, Brachystelma, Hoya, Huernia, Fockea, Ceropegia |
| March | Euphorbiaceae 1 Milii type plus any other genera, excluding those covered in odd years in January and February with thickened stem/root | Milii, Jatropha, Pedilanthus |
| April | Other Succulents 1 Only the following families: Bromeliaceae, Asteraceae (Compositae,) Cucurbitaceae, Didiereaceae, Dioscoreaceae, Geraniaceae | Dyckia, Senecios, Othonnas, Ibervillea, Alluaudia, Didierea, Dioscorea, Sarcocaulon, Pelargonium |
| May | Other 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
| MONTH | THEME | EXAMPLES/ IDEAS |
| September | Caudiciforms and Bonsai | We will separate the entries into the major two groups and subdivide from there |
| October | Oldies But Goodies | Subdivided into two groups. Plants in your possession for 10 years or more. Plants in your possession for 20 years or more. |
| November | Hanging Plants | Exhibitor must provide a pot or other workable form of staging to display plant |
| January | Crested, Monstrose, and Variegated Plants | Subdivided into the three groups |
| February | Double your Pleasure | Representatives of two different genera belonging to the same family, in separate pots, (counted as one entry) |
| March | Small Joys | Mature specimen of one kind of plant of small stature in a pot 3 inches or less, measured along the longest dimension |
| April | Parent and Offspring | Two specimen plants, one propagated from the other, in two separate pots, (counted as one entry) |
| May | Troughs, Winter Hardy | Please be prepared to help with the moving and staging of large and/or heavy containers. Containers may hold more than one kind of plant. |