Got a Pot? Elevate it!

Fenestraria aurantiaca (Diana Clark)

Potted plants look better atop stands, says San Diego designer Diana Clark, who sometimes has them custom-made to enhance her succulent compositions. Diana created all the plant-pot pairings shown here. As you look at them, ask yourself: Does the stand matter? Would the composition look just as good without it? Chances are you’ll agree with Diana that…

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Lophocereus schottii (Totem Pole Cactus)

Recently at his nursery in Fallbrook, CA, succulent expert Don Newcomer showed me a rare columnar, spineless cactus from Mexico: Lophocereus schottii (totem pole cactus). It can be chubby and lumpy, tall and skinny, or columnar and spiral-forming. Lophocereus (Pachycereus) schottii has spines. The monstrose form has club-shaped trunks with spineless protuberances. There are three monstrose varieties: fat (obesa),…

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