The Complete Guide to Growing Cacti & Succulents [Hardcover]

A very large format book, Cacti and Succulents provides a plant directory along with care and cultivation directions, and suggestions as to how to grow the plants. The introduction explains what cacti and succulents are as well as showing plants in their natural habitat. The section Design Ideas contains suggestions for growing the plants outdoors, indoors and in various containers. Under Care and Cultivation it ranges from suggestions for tools and equipment and soil mixes to maintenance, propagation and pests and diseases, and more. Also included is a glossary, lists of plants for various purposes, and an index. The mai bulk of the book however comprises the Plant Directory, an alphabetical listing of Cacti followed by the other succulents. The book includes 700 photographs, which in addition to showing specific species includes pictures of plants in habitat, in garden and indoor settings, and step by step sequences for various care procedures.

The information contained seems sound and helpful, although often quite general, and sometimes incomplete. For example in the plant directory each plant has a brief description and a few notes on cultivation, along with minimum temperatures, but not always, occasionally some of that information is not provided. The section on pests and diseases offers general rather than specific control methods, and some well tried non-chemical remedies are not mentioned. In the section of Plant Lists under species with large flowers neither Echinopsis nor Lobivia is mentioned, yet some species with smaller flowers are. Including as it does only 400 varieties there are obviously going to be many plants excluded, but I find it surprising that genera such as Lophophora and Melocactus are not to found in the book. Many genera are represented by just one species. While some recent name changes have been adopted, this had not been done for all plants; and there are no synonyms provided, so if you don't know the current name you will have difficulty finding it.

The overall presentation seems to be aiming for attractive rather than practical; I find it a little chaotic. The plant directory particularly I find distracting with its variable layout, pictures presented in rectangular and round format along with cut-out pictures of varying sizes, and the type often with excessive line spacing. Elsewhere the presentation can be brash; it does not have the feel of an instruction manual but a rather popular magazine. To add to that there is even confusion with the listing of some plants "lost" under the heading of another genus.

While useful and informative, this is perhaps a book which will appeal more to the beginner or casual collector. For those unfamiliar with the cacti and other succulents it is maybe a book that will inspire the reader to learn more and look further; but it is not perhaps the book one will turn to for specific research. In conclusion, the serious or experienced collector I suspect will be somewhat irritated by various aspects of the book, along with the omissions and often general or even scant plant information.

This book is written by two of the most respected names in cacti circles, Miles Anderson and Terry Hewitt. Miles has his own cacti nursery in the United States and is always ready to answer queries, whether it be about his nursery, his books or succulents in general.

The book deals with everything from bowl gardens, usually hated by serious cacti collectors, but they do have their place and can be very attractive in the right situation. The important thing is the book tells you how to plant one correctly and what species will go well together. It then gives a general review on some of the most popular cacti and other succulents and their needs, i.e. correct temp., size they can attain, the best compost to use etc.

There is plenty of information on watering techniques, propagation from seed, offsets and grafting. I fact you can find most things you need to know to keep your plants healthy and some of the photographs are stunning. it certainly does not give information on every species you are likley to come across, but that is not what the book sets out to do. For that kind of information you would need the Cactus Lexicon or The Cactus Family, both costing well over £50.

This is a beautiful book with great pictures and illustrations. Much eduacational information regarding plant anatomy, cultivation, natural habitat, and display. Great selection of species with pictures and detailed specific information.

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