[Sacred Succulents] featured succulent genera

[benkamm at monitor.net]

( do not ?reply? to this email, send all correspondence to - 
sacredsucculents at hushmail.com )

1/24/10

Greetings to all,

We have finally finished our catalog supplement for 2011 and are awaiting 
printing. 30 illustrated pages of new offerings! A cornucopia of unusual 
and wonderful plants from remote and immediate regions of our fecund 
planet. The list reflects our increased propagation efforts with imperiled 
Andean species, obscure medicinals plus native and feral food plants. We 
continue to strive toward maximizing biodiversity in our gardens and 
offerings.
Most likely we will not get around to producing a complete new catalog 
until late this year, so the 2010 catalog will remain current for most of 
this year.
If you are not on our mailing list (i.e, you have never placed an order 
with us or requested a paper catalog) and would like to receive our new 
supplement, email me ( sacredsucculents at hushmail.com ) your physical 
address and you?ll get one as soon as they?re off the press. Many of the 
items in the new listing will not make it to the website.

RARE PLANT & SEED LIST - Issue 31 is just out. Another very large and 
diverse issue, don?t miss it! There?s crested Trichocereus bridgesii, 10 
Peperomia species, Genepì seed, a Codonopsis said to ?liberate one from 
rebirth in the lower realms?! A plethora of new seed/seedlings from our 
recent Andean expedition to Peru and Bolivia, new seed/plants from South 
Africa, Chile (Gomortega keule trees),  and the Himalayas! If you are not 
subscribed or have let your subscription lapse, we encourage you to sign 
up now. 4 issues for $5 or 8 issues for $8. This is where we list our 
offerings of limited rarities and specimens. 

GIFT CERTIFICATES - are always available.

Featured Genera

Genus Peperomia 
Piperaceae. Huge tropical and subtropical genus of well over 1000 species, 
most occur in Central and South America. Close kin to such notables as 
black pepper and kava-kava. Typically small plants, many of which are 
succulent, with a shocking and joyous diversity of morphological 
expression. With a few exceptions, the resplendent beauty of these plants 
is in their exceptional gem-like leaf forms rather than their slender 
flower spikes. Peperomia are vital to Andean ethnomedicine and ceremony. 
Their wondrous aromas and flavors when crushed or chewed, etherial 
combinations of balsam, lemon, mint and safrole, are a revelation. Used 
traditionally for wound healing, digestive health, as painkillers, 
tranquilizers, condiments, to freshen breath, to make chicha and to 
ceremonially ?cleanse and flower subtle energies?. Their complex essential 
oils and other compounds have passed the approval of those high priests of 
modern culture; the white lab coated scientist and shown significant 
antibiotic, antiparasitic and wound healing actions in controlled 
laboratory studies. Other than a few Peperomia popular as common 
houseplants, most species and their beneficial nature are unknown outside 
their native habitats. Thanks to the encouragement of police 
colonel/plastic surgeon/linguist/ethnobotanist and Peperomia expert, 
Guillermo Pino, we have become inspired by these marvelous plants. We are 
propagating an increasing number which will be available for distribution 
in the future. See the Rare Plant List for additional species.

Peperomia dolabriformis v. multicaulis GP1909  ?Congona?
Beautiful, upright, heavily branching succulent species 1?2' tall. Thick 
handsome leaves, pleasantly aromatic when crushed. Yellow flower spikes. 
Seed of this new varietal collected by G. Pino in Cajamarca Dept., San 
Marcos Prov., Peru. Road from San Marcos to Cajabamba, near La Grama, 
7100'. Used as a topical painkiller and anti-inflammatory. Z10a        3"+ 
seedling 2?3 years old $10

Peperomia galioides BK10424.1 ?Congona Macho?
Large clusters of upright green succulent stems 6?12" tall. Whorls of 
succulent leaves, yellow flower spikes. Growing on steep rocky slopes with 
decumbent Trichocereus cuzcoensis, Tillandsia spp., Sedum sp., Cheilanthes
, near Lamay, Cusco, Peru, 9,600'. Said to be the most important medicinal 
Peperomia by Pino, used for ?everything?-  an effective painkiller, 
compress for wound healing, calming sedative, even for hair loss! The 
plant contains quinones, sesquiterpenes and over 70 other compounds in the 
essential oil including limonene, eugenol, safrole, etc. Extracts have 
shown to be effective against staph infection and the deadly chagas and 
leishmaniasis parasites. Has a delicious balsam with a hint of lemon aroma 
when crushed. We love to chew this plant! Seed can take 4?8 + weeks to 
germinate, sprout like cacti. Z9b                Seed packet $4.50

Genus Puya
Bromeliaceae. Xerophytic pineapple relatives from Central and South 
America with swirled rosettes of silver to green, slender, toothed leaves. 
The 150+ species vary in size from small plants to tree like giants. The 
stunning flower stalks often bear blossoms of unusual colors; metallic 
greens, blues and yellows. Puya are pollinated by hummingbirds and other 
nectar drinkers. Spectacled bears (Tremarctos ornatus) are known to 
particularly relish the plants. Rather than choosing dwarfism as most 
plants do at high altitudes, Puya erupt to giant sizes, the largest and 
loftiest species, P. raimondii, reaching nearly 40' tall at elevations of 
15,000'! Forests of this strange sentinel of the heavens were once 
widespread, but its realm is now reduced by man to small scattered 
populations in the remote high Andes of Peru and Bolivia. Puya species are 
used for their leaf fibers, wound healing qualities and magical purposes. 
Around Cusco, Peru the flowers stalks are burned to make ?llipta? for coca 
chewing. Easy to grow, sprout seed like cacti. Great landscape plants, 
extremely drought hardy, many species are tolerant of cold and high 
rainfall. 

Puya berteroniana ?Chawal?
Forms large rosettes of long, narrow, recurved, gray-green leaves. Huge 
club like flower stalks up to 9'+ bear a multitude of spectacular dark 
aquamarine flowers. Central Chilean Andes up to 7,000'. An important food 
of endangered wild chinchillas. Prefers a bright spot, cooler 
temperatures, and is very drought tolerant. Sprout like cacti. Z8b Seed 
packet $3 /  3"+ plant 2+ years old $6.50

Puya ferruginea? BK08519.7 
Silver to green rosettes up to 4' in diameter. Flower stalks to 6?8' tall 
with loose panicles of deep blue green flowers. Beautiful large 
multiheaded specimens. Growing all over the arid slopes above the town of 
Pisac, Cusco Dept., Peru, 11,000'. Z8/9?                Seed packet $4  / 
3"+ plant 2 years old $7.50

Puya herzogii BK10511.5 
Clusters of 2?3' rosettes of grey serrated leaves. Large club like 
inflorescence to 6?8' tall, flowering bracts covered in a white and grey 
fuzz, yellow green flowers with bright orange pollen. The impressive 
flower stalk makes this one of our favorite species. Growing amongst Puya 
raimondii, near Rodeo, Cochabamba Dept., Bolivia, 13,300'. Z7/8? Seed 
packet $4

Puya mirabilis BK10506.2
Single rosette of very slender white leaves to 12"+ diameter. Flower stalk 
to 3'. Should have yellow green iridescent flowers to beguile 
hummingbirds. Base of Cerro San Pedro, Cochabamba, Bolivia. Tadeo Haenke 
wrote in 1795 that Puya was used to treat syphillis here. Z9a/b? Seed 
packet $4

Puya venusta
1?2' rosettes of slender serrated silver leaves. Beautiful red flower 
spikes with violet blossoms. Native to north central Chile. A gorgeous and 
unique xerophytic pineapple relative. Z9a    Seed packet $3

Puya aff. humilis  BK10509.18 
Mounds to 6?8' across, 3?4' high. Individual rosettes to about 2' wide 
with slender, serrated, grey leaves. Inflorescence 10?16" tall with 
reddish bracts, actual flowers unseen but likely deep blue or green. Looks 
like P. humilis, yet was larger than that species is  reported. Open north 
facing rocky slopes between Inkallajta and Monte Puncu, Cochabamba, 
Bolivia, 10,000'. Z8a/b         Seed packet $4

Puya sp. BK08517.6
Lovely small species, grey green rosettes to 10?12". Flower stalks to 2'. 
Flowers unseen. Growing on the rock outcrops around the carved Incan caves 
at Chinchero, Cusco, Peru, 12,400'. Z8a/b                   3?4"+ plant 2 
years old $7.50  or 2 for $13

Puya sp. BK08521.5
Rosettes to 5' diameter. New growth frosted silver, turning red with age. 
Leaves have small red teeth along the margins. Fat flower stalks to 6'. 
Dark-green metallic flowers. Growing near the Ollantaytambo ruins, Cusco 
Dept., Peru, about 9,000'. Z9a/b?             3?4"+ plant $7.50

Puya sp. BK10504.2
Rosettes to 18" across with serrated silver leaves with a red blush. 
Clusters of 3?4 heads, 12" prostrate stems that look like they?ve survived 
repeated fires. 4' inflorescence with densely packed seed pods. Flowers 
unseen. Growing with Trichocereus bridgesii, Prosopis sp., Corryocactus, 
Echinopsis, etc, Huachjilla, La Paz, Bolivia. Z8/9?                  Seed 
packet $4


SHIPPING & HANDLING:
Seeds? First class mail USA $2.00; Air mail international $4.00
Plants (USA only)? First class priority mail= $6.00 for the first plant 
$1.50 each additional plant.
Seeds ride free when ordered with plants.
Add $1 per plant if you want them sent potted.

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http://www.sacredsucculents.com/orderform.pdf
and mail it with payment to our Po Box

SACRED SUCCULENTS
PO Box 781, Sebastopol, CA 95473 USA

Email: sacredsucculents at hushmail.com
http://www.sacredsucculents.com
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