[Sacred Succulents] New life

[benkamm at monitor.net]

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

3/1/12

Greetings to all,

First, we?d like to announce another successful propagation, the birth of 
our daughter, Ember Irsaehl Sapphire, on February 10. Photo attached.

This winter has been distinctly strange and mostly very dry, sunny and 
relatively warm interspersed with cold snaps. Plants in the greenhouse 
seem quite happy while everything outside tends towards a bit of 
confusion. 

We had a good harvest of the various Andean tubers and these are currently 
available as bare root tubers. We?ll have a few additional new oca, 
achira, yacon and mashua available soon, salvaged from Jerry Black?s 
Oregon Exotics introductions. 

Some really fabulous new rare seeds listed this email and more to come as 
soon as I write up descriptions. There?s also a sale this month on several 
of the trees we offer while they are still dormant and the ground is ripe 
for planting. 

The new catalog is still on the horizon, but a way off. At some point here 
I?ll need to roll up my sleeves and dive into production, so expect it 
grace your mailbox late April or May. I?ve also updated the website 
recently, the listings are now considerably more extensive. My next goal 
is to begin posting new photos, I have hundreds of fantastic images from 
garden and travels, but I have a strong aversion to spending much time in 
front of a computer screen.... all things with time.

blessings to you and yours,

Ben & Family

RARE PLANT & SEED LIST - Issue 34 available. Yet another very large and 
diverse issue, don?t miss it! There?s Trichocereus specimens, more new 
Bursera, Peperomia and Ephedra species, Caudiciform blueberry kin Agapetes 
and Macleania, rare Turkish Salvia. A plethora of new seed/seedlings from 
our past Andean expedition to Peru and Bolivia, new seed/plants from South 
Africa, Chile,  and the Himalayas! We even have a smattering of Codonopsis 
convolvulacea seed again, a plant purported to cure all disease, allow one 
to walk on water and fly! 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. 

TREE SALE! (prices good until April 1, 2012)
* Plants marked with * are oversized, add an additional $5 to the shipping 
total (need only apply once per order)

Acer campbelli CC6134 ?Phirphire? ?Nepalese Maple?
Aceraceae. An elegant maple to 15?40'. Green bark, 5?7 lobed deep-green 
leaves, new foliage is a bronzy red, turning yellow to bright red in the 
Fall. White pink flowers and winged fruit. Chadwell seed collection from 
10,000', Annapurna, Nepal. Traditionally coppiced for fodder. A lovely 
landscape tree, sun to part shade. Z7a. 
6"+ treelet 2 years old $5.75 Sale Price! 2 for $10

Betula utilis CC5763 ?Bhojapatra? ?Himalayan Birch?
Betulaceae. A gorgeous medium sized birch tree 20?35' tall. Exceptional 
gold and copper peeling bark. The leaves turn a rich yellow and defoliate 
in Autumn. From seed collected by Chadwell at 12,500' Langtang, Nepal, 
just south of the Tibetan border. An important tree, the bark is used for 
wound healing and as a carminative. In India the resin is reportededly 
contraceptive. Widely used for construction, the tree is now considered 
endangered in some regions due to deforestation. Easy to grow, does well 
in most soils. Z7a 
20?24"+ tree, 2?3 years old $7.50 Sale Price $6.50* or 2 for $11.75*

Crataegus pinnatifida ?Major? ?Shan Zha? ?Chinese Haw?
Rosaceae. Small deciduous tree to 15'+. Abundant white flowers followed by 
1?1.5" red hawthorn fruit. The leaves turn a brilliant crimson in Autumn. 
Native to Asia. The fruits are eaten fresh, dried, as a tea and made into 
candies. Widely used in Oriental medicine. Begins fruiting when only 2?3' 
tall. This variety is elected for its fruit with a higher pulp content 
than other varieties. We only have a few of these left! Z5b 
24?30"+ tree 3+ years old $14 Sale Price! $12.75*

Escallonia resinosa BK10509.4 ?Chachacomo?
Saxifragaceae or Escalloniaceae. Tree to 20'+, forms a thickened gnarled 
trunk with age. Smaller leaves than E. resinosa we?ve seen in Peru. Spires 
of sweetly scented white flowers adorn the branch ends. Growing along the 
ravine that splits the ruins of Inkallajata, Cochabamba Dept., Bolivia, 
10,000'. A decoction of the plant is used as a cerebral tonic and 
carminative. In southern Peru this tree is the host plant for the 
butterfly Metardaris cosinga whose chrysalis (known as ?huaytampu? ) is 
considered a delectable food. Chachacomo is another keystone species of 
the mostly extinct high Andean forests, occurs up to 13,000'+. This 
wonderful tree should be widely planted. Z7/8? 
16?20"+ treelet $15  Sale Price! $12.50*

Ilex paraguariensis ?Paraguay? ?Yerba Mate?
Mate tree, seed collected from old plantations in Paraguay. Young treelets 
of this popular tea. See catalog for full species info. Z9a 
6"+ treelet 1 year old  $12.50  Sale Price! $10.50

Polylepis australis ?Kewina?
Rosaceae. Gorgeous small tree with peeling reddish bark and often gnarled 
twisted trunks. Pinnate leaves with 5?7 leaflets. The southernmost species 
of this Andean genus, occuring all the way into the Cordoba mountains of 
central Argentina. A keystone species of the high Andean forests which are 
one of the most endangered forest ecosystems in the world. Polylepis are 
used medicinally for lung issues. Quite adaptable to low elevation 
cultivation. Z4b?5a
14?18" treelet 2+ years old $15  Sale Price $13 or 2 for $22* or 3 for 
$30*

We proudly present a few fantastic new Seeds!
You can print out an order form- http://sacredsucculents.com/order-form/
Agave gentryi
Agavaceae. This is the true form of the species. Sculptural rosettes of 
dark green leaves to 5?6'. Inflorescence to 16'+. Found in the pine-oak 
forests of the high mountains of northeastern Mexico, to 9500'. This seed 
differs from La Escondida populations we also offer, which are probably an 
intergrade with A. montana. A hardy landscape specimen. Z7b 
Seed packet $3.25

Agave gracilipes 
Compact rosettes to 1?2'+. Fairly slender, yellowish to glaucus green 
leaves, red-brown to gray teeth. Inflorescence to 6'+ high, yellow to red 
flowers. A variable species that occurs in the mountains of southeastern 
New Mexico, western Texas and northern Chihuahua, Mexico. Possibly a 
natural hybrid of A. parryi ssp. neomexicana and A. lechuguilla. A comely 
and hardy plant, rare in cultivation. Z7a  
Seed packet $3.50

Agave shrevei ssp. magna ?O?tosa? ?Mescal Blanco? 
Large magnificant blue-gray rosettes to 8', rarely offsetting. The leaves 
have lightly undulating margins with brown or gray teeth. Flower stalk to 
20'+, yellow flowers. From pine-oak habitat in the mountains of 
northwestern Mexico. The Tarahumara bake the hearts for food and to make a 
fermented beverage. The young flower stalks are also used as food and 
young plants for curing and ?death ceremonies?. A distilled drink is made 
known as ?mescal blanco? or ?mescal ceniza?. A heat and cold tolerant 
species. Z8a/b 
Seed packet $3.25

Agave tequilana ?Mezcal Azul?
The famous tequila Agave! Large blue leaved rosettes to 5?6'. 
Inflorescence to 18', greenish flowers. Known primarily as a cultivar, its 
origins need elucidation. Thousands of acres are cultivated in Jalisco, 
Mexico for the heart of the plant, which is very high in fructose and 
other sugars, used for tequila production and more recently for agave 
syrup as a natural sweetener. To make tequila it takes about 15 lbs of of 
the plant heart to produce 1 liter of tequila. The heart is steam cooked 
in ovens, macerated, the juice then anaerobically fermented in large vats, 
steam distilled and aged in oak kegs. Seed is very scarce as the flower 
stalk is usually cut to encourage sugar production and commercially the 
plants are only propagated vegetatively. This  has lead to genetic poverty 
within the species, thus growing the plant from seed is essential. 
Tolerant of only mild frost. Z9b
Seed packet $4.25

Ariocarpus retusus v. confusus X Ariocarpus fissuratus v. lloydii
Great rare cactus hybrid! Pink flowered, pointy tubercled A. retusus v. 
confusus mated with the rounded A. fissuratus v. lloydii. Z10a 
20 Seed $4

Cardiocrinum giganteum CC7148 ?Giant Himalayan Lily?
Liliaceae. The largest of all lilies! Bulb which produces a flowering stem 
5?12'+ tall. Glossy heart shaped leaves, up to 20+ trumpet shaped white 
flowers exhale a sweet scent. Chadwell collection, forests of NW Himalaya, 
8250'. This is the elevational and north westerly limit for this 
impressive plant. A paste of the bulb is applied for dislocated bones. 
Moist rich soil and part shade. Cold stratify seed. 5?7 years to flower 
from seed. Z7a 
Seed packet $3.50

Clematis connata? CC7137 
Ranunculaceae. Attractive vine with yellow-white sweetly scented flowers. 
Chadwell collection, forest edge, 8200' NW Himalaya. Juice of the leaves 
is inhaled for sinusitis. Great for an arbor or fence. Cold stratify seed. 
Z6a 
Seed packet $3

Clematis ladakhiana? CC7135 
Rare climbing vine. Lacy foliage and yellow flowers with bronze speckling. 
Chadwell collection, dry mountains of Ladakh, near 12,000'. Cold stratify. 
Z6a
Seed packet $3

Cyphomandra betacea ?Tree Tomato? ?Tamarillo? 
Solanaceae. Fast growing shrub from 6?20' tall, usually with a single 
upright trunk. Large heart shaped leaves. Self fertile white flowers. Egg 
sized, yellow/orange to deep red edible fruit. A cultivar from the mid to 
low elevation Andes, unknown in its wild state. Grown throughout the 
subtropics and on a commercial scale in New Zealand for over 70 years. 
Prolific fruiter, mature trees up to 40+ lbs of fruit a year. The fruit 
has a bitter skin, but the flesh varies from sweet to acid, similar to a 
tomato or tomatillo. Typically the yellow or orange fruit is sweeter and 
fruitier while the red is more acidic. Z9b
Seed packet $3 (Specify your preference of seed from Red or Orange fruit)

Delphinium brunonianum CC7216 ?Kasturi Phul?
Ranunculaceae. Large form of this beautiful herbaceous alpine plant. 
Clumps 12?18" tall, to 2.5' across. Clusters of unusual fuzzy bluish 
flowers with musky odor. Chadwell, rocky slopes, NW Himalaya above 
16,5000'. All parts of the plant are toxic and juice of the plant is used 
to kill external parasites. In Tibet it is used for skin disease and 
illness caused by malignant spirits. Needs well draining mineral soil. 
Cold stratify seed. Z4a 
Seed packet $3.50

Ephedra campylopoda 
Ephedraceae. Large bushy blue-gray species, 4?6'+ tall. Prolific large red 
fruits and meaty seeds. Wild seed from the volcanic Methana Peninsula, 
Peloponnese, southern Greece. Once known as ?food of Saturn?. Medicinal, 
but does not contain ephedrine. The abundant edible fruit and seeds make 
it an interesting choice for the edible landscape. Drought hardy. Z8b or 
below. 
Seed packet $3.50

Ilex paraguariensis ?Paraguay? ?Yerba Mate?   Fresh mate tree seed from 
Paraguay. See catalog/website for full info. 1?3 months warm to sprout. 
Z8b
Seed packet $3.75

Lupinus mutabilis ?Tarwi? 
Fabaceae. Another ancient Andean domesticate. Upright annual shrub 3?6'+ 
tall. Digitate leaves and large spires of bright blue flowers with an 
exquisite honey scent. 2?5" pods with 1/3" round white beans. Edible 
lupine grown throughout the Andes up to 13,000'. Once formed an integral 
part of the highland diet, intercropped or rotated with tuber crops, but 
now being supplanted in many regions with introduced fava beans. Protein 
rich, up 50% with as much as 20% beneficent oils. The seed contains bitter 
alkaloids which need to be leached by soaking for 1?2 days prior to 
eating. Toasted and relished as snacks, added to soups and stews, made 
into milk and pudding, even ground into flour for use in baked goods. This 
legume is an excellent green manure and nitrogen fixer, up 300 lbs an 
acre. Young plants are frost tender, while larger plants are tolerant of 
some cold. 4?5 months from seed to seed, but will continue to seed heavily 
for an additional 5 months if climate permits. Z9a/b 
6 seed $4

Minthostachys sp. BK10509.16 ?Muña?
Labiatae. Shrub to 6'+, all parts highly aromatic, similar to pennyroyal. 
Small white flowers in dense heads along the stem nodes. Near the Rio 
Machajmarca below the ruins of Inkallajta, Bolivia. This is a much larger 
plant than the diminutive M. andina that we are familiar with from around 
Cusco. Popular digestive aid, nervine and antiparasitical. Also reported 
as an aphrodisiac. The essential oil is said to help with altitude and is 
used externally for skin fungus. This lovely plant is sometimes used as a 
flavoring in soups. Z9a  
10 seed $4

Nicotiana glutinosa BK08612.1 ?K?ama Sayri?
Solanaceae. Annual to 3' with rounded leaves. Short, open mouthed, hot 
pink flowers. Growing near 9,000' with Trichocereus peruvianus above the 
town of Matucana in the Rimac Valley, Huarochiri, Lima, Peru. The leaves 
contain the nicotine precursor nornicotine and diterpenes with antifungal 
actions. Used like other tobacco. A highly ornamental species. Z9b   Seed 
packet $4

Ochagavia elegans ?Ajo Dulcie?
Bromeliaceae. Handsome small rosettes of green to silvery pointed leaves. 
Compact cluster of dark pink flowers in the center of the rosette followed 
by sweet edible fruit that looks like a garlic bulb, hence the local name 
?ajo dulcie?. This pineapple relative is endemic solely to Robinson Crusoe 
Island in the remote Juan Fernandez Archipelago, steep volcanic islands 
about 500 miles off the Chilean coast. Here it forms large dense colonies 
on rocks and sheer cliff faces. New to cultivation, sprout seed like 
cacti. An awesome rarity that will make a unique edible ornamental for the 
adventurous grower. Z8b/9a?
Seed packet $7

Paeonia ostii ?Feng Dan Bai? 
Paeoniaceae. ?Tree? paeony, woody stems to 5'. Pinnate foliage, white or 
rarely pale pink flowers 6?10" across with a sweet musky scent. Rare 
species from the deciduous forests of Henan, Shaanxi, and Hunan, China. 
Overcollection for medicine has lead to a disappearance of wild 
populations in all but Henan. Cultivated on a large scale in Sichuan and 
Anhui for the root bark which is used for wounds, as an antifungal, 
antispasmodic and to increase circulation in the brain (making it 
something of a ?smart drug?). The flower petals may be cooked and eaten 
like similar species. Rich soil and bright shade. For best germination the 
seed needs 4 months warm followed by 4 months cold. Z4a  
5 seed $3

Peperomia bracteata ex RM130
Piperaceae. Disc-like perennial tuber with annual peltate leaves that hug 
the ground. Slender green flower spike. Seed originally from Mineral de 
Chico, Hidalgo, Mexico. Interesting geophytic species, leaves have a 
pleasing spicy aroma. Z9b                                        Seed 
packet $3

Peperomia monticola 
A perennial caudiciform tuber to 2" with annual, upright, rounded peltate 
leaves with a waxy sheen White flower spikes. Native to the mountains of 
southern Mexico. Contains aromatic oils like much of its kin. Does well as 
a houseplant. One of the easier species from seed. Z9a/b         Seed 
packet $3

Peperomia pellucida ?Lingua de Sapo? ?Shiny Bush? ?Pansit-pansitan?
Annual succulent 5?15"+ tall, shiny heart shaped leaves, yellow-green 
flower spikes. Found in tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas, 
Asia, and Oceania. The entire plant has an attractive aromatic scent when 
crushed. A highly versatile panacea, it is used for wound healing, skin & 
eye problems, headaches, colds & coughs, fevers, sore throat, rheumatism, 
upset stomach, as a topical pain killer, diuretic and for kidney and 
prostate problems. In Brazil it is used to lower cholesterol. Studies in 
India suggest that extracts of the plant have psychoactive diazepam-like 
effects. Pharmocological research has shown the plant to have analgesic, 
antifungal, anticancer and antiinflammatory properties and broad spectrum 
antibiotic actions. The leaves are also very tasty and are popular in 
salads and stir-fries in Asia. Surface sow seed. Prefers warmth and 
filtered sun. Reseeds easily. Z10a                 Seed packet $4

Peperomia sp. RRP999
Unique succulent species with rosettes of slender warted leaves, pale 
green to golden in color, with a windowed upper surface. Large branched 
inflorescence. El Chagual, upper Maranon drainage, La Libertad, Peru. Z10a 
                                        Seed packet $3

Pernettya rigida 
Ericaceae. Heath-like evergreen shrub 3?6'. Small compact pointed leaves 
densely arranged on the stems. White urn-shaped dioecious flowers and 
shiny pink-purple edible berries. Endemic to the cool-moist upper 
elevations and ridge tops (1500?5000') of  the volcanic Juan Fernandez 
Islands. Here it forms thickets with endemic tree ferns and Ugni selkirkii
. Unknown in cultivation, a beautiful rare plant for the conservationist?s 
edible landscape. Berries should be eaten in moderation as some Pernettya 
cause an intoxication. Surface sow seed. Well draining acidic soil. Sun in 
cooler regions or part shaade. Z8?
Seed packet $6

Pilea serpyllacea BK10425.1  ?Kaka uvas uvas?
Urticaceae. 2?5" succulent with densely packed miniature round leaves that 
turn bright red in sunlight. The backs of the leaves are like a clear 
window. Grows on exposed rocks throughout the highlands of Cusco. Surely 
one of the most unique plants in the nettle family. Used as a tea for 
urinary and kidney health, the small leaves are eaten by children. Seed 
collected from plants growing on bare rocks, Cusco Dept, Peru, 9,300'. 4?8 
weeks warm to germinate. Z9b 
Seed packet $4

Puya raimondii ?Cuncush? ?Titanca? ?Machukawara?
Bromeliaceae. The giant queen of bromeliads, forms single or occasionally 
branched trunks with rosettes of slender serrated leaves to 10'+ across. 
Massive flower stalks like a floral rocket ship with as many as 10,000+ 
white blooms! Upon flowering these amazing beings have been known to reach 
nearly 40' tall. 30 to 80 years to blossom, set seed, then die. 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 at between 12,000?15,500'+. This seed is from 
robust populations in the Cordillera Blanca of Peru. We have witnessed 
this spectacular plant in the Cordillera Negra of Peru and Cordillera de 
Vacas of Bolivia. Standing on the windswept rocky ridges where you can 
nearly scratch the sky, surrounded by a herd of these imposing vegetal 
beasts, their leaves clacking and sighing with the wind, the views of a 
mountain magnificence that stretches countless miles, is a timeless and 
utterly affecting experience. This plant creates a unique ecosystem around 
its base where we have observed a high diversity of plant species not seen 
elswhere. There are reports that the rare spectacled Andean bear eats the 
young flower stalks. In some regions the inner pulp of the inflorescence 
is dried and powdered to use as a flavoring and special ?chicha? is made 
from the roasted and fermented pulp. The dead flower stalk is also burned 
and the ash made into ?llipta? for coca leaf chewing. Sections of the 
dried inflorescence are used as torches during special festivals and as 
insulation and construction material. The leaves are utilized with ichu 
grass as roof thatching, the trunks are made into seats. In the Cordillera 
Negra we were told that locals have been known to burn the plants because 
wandering cows sometimes get stuck on the barbed leaves and perish. This 
exceptional and endangered species has been successfully grown in 
California, but is still practically unknown in cultivation. Sprout seed 
like cacti. We have found it to be a slow germinator like P. herzogii, 
from 5-10 weeks. Protect from extreme summer heat. Z7? 
Seed packet $7

Tagetes sp. BK101106.11 ?Anis?
Asteraceae. A delightful small annual marigold 2?12" high. Thin lacy 
foliage and small yellow flowers. High mountains of southern Baja. The 
entire plant has a sweet anise scent/flavor, used by locals as a 
refreshing carminative tea. A personal favorite, naturilize it in your 
garden! Z9b 
Seed packet $3.50

SHIPPING & HANDLING:
Seeds - First class USA $2, International $4
Seeds ride free when ordered with plants
Plants (USA only)? First class priority mail= $6.00 for the first plant 
$1.50 each additional plant.
Add $1 per plant if you want them sent potted.
CA RESIDENTS ADD 7.25% SALES TAX
We still only take Cash (USD$ or Euros), Money Orders, or Checks.
You can print out an order form- http://sacredsucculents.com/order-form/ 
and mail it with payment to our Po Box
SACRED SUCCULENTS
PO Box 781, Sebastopol, CA 95473 USA
Email: sacredsucculents at hushmail.com
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