The Central Ohio Cactus and Succulent Society Journal Volume MMIX Number 12, December 2009
Harry Gate  Henry Fisher  Irmgard Buckel  Bruce Brethauer	President    Vice President    Treasurer                        Corresponding Editor

Minutes: Our November meeting featured Tom Winn and Ken Frieling of the Glasshouse Works, with a discussion of some of the more curious succulent plants from their collection. Tom and Ken grow a remarkable inventory of rare and unusual tropical plants, cactus and other succulents, in addition to some very unusual and hard to find cultivars of bedding plants and hardy perennials. Following an informal program, they began sales of a wide variety of plants, including cacti and other succulents, some interesting tropical plants, begonias, and a selection of plants suitable for the terrarium or outdoor planter. I believe that everyone came home with at least one or two plants. I acquired a plant of Homalocladium platycladum, known variously as the "Tapeworm Plant" and the "Ribbon Plant". It is a curiosity from the Solomon Islands, with very flattened, jointed stems. The stems are virtually leafless (the leaves are smallish and are very short lived, dropping from the stems as these mature). I also acquired a plant of Hoya carnosa compacta, the so-called "Hindu Rope Plant", and unusual cultivar with strangely crinkled leaves with attractive variegation, with green and creamy yellowish-white foliage. This is a popular plant, and can occasionally be found in nurseries and garden centers, but I have never grown it before, so I thought that I would give it a try. In addition to its unusual and attractive foliage, this plant is a Hoya, and will eventually produce typical clusters of "Porcelain Vine" flowers.

    It was a fantastic evening, and we thank Tom and Ken for making the trip to Columbus and leading this program.

 Special Requests: As we approach a new year, I request that members consider possible programs for the coming year, and suggest possible speakers, and venues which may be of interest to our members. We also request that you consider leading a program, either as one of our regular monthly programs, or a special program or demonstration for our show and sale in May. I also ask each member to contribute a short article for our "Plant of the Month" section of our website - while I will continue to contribute articles, I do not want the Plant of the Month section to reflect only the plants which I currently grow, - primarily "Ant Plants" Conophytums and hardy succulents, but that it will also include plants from the collections of each of our members. With more contributors, I hope that the "Plant of the Month Section will better reflect the interests of all of our members. It does not need to be an elaborate or scholarly work, just a discussions of one of the more interesting plants from your collection, and information on how to grow it. I would prefer that you send me the article via e-mail ( bbrethau@columbus.rr.com ), but you may also submit them via the mail (Bruce Brethauer, 1338 Virginia Avenue, Apt. C, Columbus, Ohio 43212) or hand deliver it to me or Harry Gate at one of our meetings.

I thank you for your assistance.