Some succulent memories: PART 6 Harry Johnson, Ed Hummel, and others my annual nursery tours

摘要

About the first thing I did after arriving home from World War II in 1946 was to begin collecting succulents again. I did it in the same way that nearly every beginner did in those days—I sent for the catalog of the Johnson Cactus Gardens. Today there are no cactus catalogs that equal those published by Harry Johnson; his contained lots of small color paintings (by a now-unknown artist) and numerous photos, largely black-and-white in the early years, later increasingly in color. All were identifiedwith their scientific name, and many also had popular names, such as Fairy Washboard (Haworthia limifolia), Chenille Plant (Echeveria pulvinata), Cockleburs (Huernia pillansii), and Old Man of the Mountain (Oreo-cereus trollii), most of which were probably coined by Johnson himself. Many of his names, like Fragrant Moondrops (Disocactus macranthus), never gained acceptance. Cultural information was detailed, and there were often photos of customers in cold climates sitting proudly beside their potted plants.