Arrangement No. 12

The Volcanic Bowl

Spires, blooms and thorns

The vessel

Rough black volcanic stone bowl

Specimens
Illustration of The Volcanic Bowl
The Volcanic Bowl — rough black volcanic stone bowl
The arrangement

A short note

Three drought-tolerant spirits in a single porous vessel: the tall, thin spires of Pencil Cactus, the dramatic white trumpet of an Easter Lily Cactus, and the small red bracts of Crown of Thorns.

All three prefer lean, fast-draining soil and tolerate neglect. Wear gloves when planting — both the Pencil Cactus sap and the Crown of Thorns spines are unkind to bare hands.

Care

Bright direct light. Water sparingly; let dry fully between drinks. Keep frost-free.

Styling

A rough, porous black volcanic bowl absorbs water and looks like a fragment of the landscape these plants come from. Pair with coarse black scoria as top-dressing.