Main activities of the Society

1 - Meetings are held every first Sunday of the month at 9.45 a.m. at the Hall of the Capuchin monks, F.S Fenech street, Floriana. Near the Polyclinic.

2 - A lending library of books dealing with the hobby is at the disposal of society's members during monthly meeting.

3 - An annual exhibition is organized at the end of October.

4 - Every other year the society hosts a foreign speaker to present the members with two lectures.

5 - Seeds are collected yearly from members which are then sold to those who would like to raise cacti or other succulents from seeds.

6 - A journal is printed yearly, which is given free to all members.

7 - A monthly Newsletter is sent to all members.


Anyone (especially those from the Maltese society) can send pictures of cacti and the other succulents or submit any article/s for this site. Please send any pictures or articles to amantedar@gmail.com. The society will post all pictures and writings, as long as they are of no offensive nature.

René Zahra

Secretary

Planned activities

Sunday 5th January, The Cactus Of Mexico, My fifth visit (12th lecture)
Venue: Cappuchin monks Hall Floriana, Near Floriana Polyclinic.
Speaker: Amante Darmanin
Time 9.45

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Echinocactus horizonthalonius

The Genus Echinocactus comprises four or five species of mainly large barrel cacti. They are found from southern USA to Northern Mexico.

E. horizonthalonius is the exception in size as it grows to only up to 45cm tall and 20cm wide.

The distribution of this cactus is vast. From Texas, Arizona (var. nicholii) and New Mexico in the USA to Coahuila, Nuevo Leon,
Tamaulipas, and San Luis Potosi in Mexico.

It is usually found in sandy limestone soil and can be either half buried with only the top part showing or fully exposed.

It is a slow growing plant and may live up to 60 years. Flowers are produced from the apex and are lilac in colour with a deeper throat (Have also been described as magenta or deep pink).

Blooms from March to May with another flowering season in September.

Spine colour and shape also varies and may not come as a surprise when considering its vast range. From pink to dark brown to gray.

The top picture shows
E. horizonthalonius from near San Roberto, Nuevo Leon. These plants are small and do not grow larger than a few centimeters, although the ones shown are juvenile plants. The centre picture shows the plant growing at Estacion Marte, Coahuila and that of the bottom picture is from Piedras Blancas, Coahuila.