Friday, April 29, 2022

There's always room for one more (succulent) plant

This week, the Metropolitan Water District  of Southern California (MWD) announced that, effective June 1st, it will limit outside irrigation to once a week in large sections of its service area.  The action affects six million people in portions of Los Angeles, San Bernardino, and Ventura Counties.  Due to historically low reservoir levels and a shrunken snowpack state water officials have dramatically reduced the amount of water the State Water Project will provide to the MWD.  The goal is to cut water use by 35%.  Failure to reach that goal could result in further water restrictions.

My own area is not part of the MWD.  Under the latest guidelines issued by our water company, we're restricted to irrigating outdoor areas two days a week on a prescribed schedule.  Hand-watering is permitted outside that schedule subject to additional requirements.  I've limited irrigation to twice a week since former Governor Brown first implemented drought-related restrictions in 2015 so the new rules don't represent a material change for me at present; however, I've no illusions about the likelihood that we'll be impacted to a greater extent in the future.

Outside of my small cutting garden, I use mostly drought-tolerant plants but it's questionable whether all of them could get by on once a week irrigation regimen given our increasingly pathetic rainfall (7.9 inches or 200 mm since the start of the current "water year" on October 1, 2021).  I've been steadily increasing the proportion of my garden planted in succulents and I'm anticipating that this trend will continue.

Lucky for me then that the South Coast Cactus & Succulent Society (SCC&SS) held its annual show and sale last weekend.  Having missed the show during the last two years of the pandemic, I made a point of attending.

This years show was held at the Palos Verdes Art Center

The space wasn't as large as that provided by the hall at the South Coast Botanic Garden previously used by the SCC&SS as a venue for these events but it was far sleeker.  There were fewer vendors by my assessment but still plenty of choices in terms of plants.

Some sellers specialized in selected genera while others offered a broad spectrum of plants


There were at least 3 parties selling pots

I focused most my attention on the show plants (not for sale).   There were fewer show tables on this occasion but whether that was due to the event's smaller space or the pandemic's impact on the show's contributors, I can't say.  Here's a summary showing each of the 4 show tables and the specimens that drew my attention:

First show table (shown in the order I approached them)

Clockwise from the upper left: Aeonium 'Sunburst' (crest form), Euphorbia bussei var kibwezinsis (crest form), Euphorbia pseudocactus hybrid, and Sedum frutescens

Second show table

Clockwise from the upper left: Aloe dorotheae, Euphorbia lactea (crest form), noID (a Euphorbia I think), Fockea edulis, Pachyodium bispinosum x succulentum, and Pachypodium rosulatum

Third show table

Clockwise from the top: Cleistocactus auriespinus (crest form), Gasteria hybrid, Gasteria obtusa, Haworthii cooperi var truncata, and Mammillaria spinosissima var rubrispina

Fourth show table

Clockwise from the upper left: Agave applanata 'Cream Spike', Gastrolea 'Grey Ice', Mammillaria pringlei, Copiapoa krainziana, and Kroeneinia grusonii

Of course, I didn't leave empty-handed but, as I parked a distance away because the parking lot was full when I arrived, I restricted my purchases to items I could easily carry.

New-to-me Dyckia choristaminea and Dyckia 'Tarzan'


That's it for me this week.  Best wishes for pleasant weather and a fruitful weekend in the garden.


All material © 2012-2022 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party

17 comments:

  1. Hi Kris .. I think your purchases are perfect ! All these pictures are wonderful, I wish I could concentrate and make more direct comments on the plants because they amaze me with structure and texture .. nothing quite like succulents right ? It was a long day in the garden for me, thus the brain fog ! LOL
    You touched me so much about your experience with the Lynx Point .. my heart goes out to you with what you must have had to go through with the brothers. I had no idea our Sophie was a specific type . we thought she was just a one off, until after her death then I was driven to research . We truly did not think we would ever get another cat let alone two sister kittens. They have melted our hearts completely and we are so grateful to be able to feel this way again. Thankfully if they out live us (they have a projected 20 year life span .. Sophie was going on 18), our son is their holy grail and he is smitten with them .. we know they will be well taken care of. We also still have contact with their breeder .. she loves the cats and the breed, and is very conscious of her responsibility and that made us comfortable.
    Thank you for sharing your experience, I appreciate it.

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    1. Succulents look to be the best options here if our drought continues as climate change trends suggest it will.

      While my husband often called our Lynx Point Siamese "DD" (Destruction Duo) and "SOS" (Spawn of Satan), I loved them. Max was the sweetest cat I've ever had. His brother, Ming, was more troublesome but he has a firm place in my heart nonetheless. After we lost Max I adopted a tortoiseshell tabby female to keep Ming company. She's 15 now and, despite a bout with cancer, she's doing well.

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  2. Some very cool plants there, very nice for a smaller show. The Euphorbia lactea crest is gorgeous. Your new plants are beauties, too.

    I'm having trouble commenting, so this may be as "Anonymous" --Hoover B.

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    1. I appreciated that Euphorbia lactea too. It's too bad I didn't find one of those for sale.

      Sorry about the trouble commenting. Thanks for offering the ID.
      reCAPTCHA seems to be everywhere now so I'm guessing Google has decided that the additional hurdle is necessary to keep the bots at bay.

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  3. Beautiful choices, Kris! Love the "teeth" on Tarzan. So sorry to hear your water woes. I think we're headed for a very dry future up here too.

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    1. Not sure why it came up as anonymous - some new (to me) setting. This is Anna in Portland. :)

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    2. Google - and Blogger - have apparently changed the settings involving comments by mandating reCAPTCHA, Anna. I'm sorry for the added hassle.

      As to the drought problem, it's clear that climate change is intensifying all weather-related extremes. If humans can't make the necessary adjustments to reduce and reverse their impact on the planet, I guess Mother Nature is going to force the issue until even the deniers get the message.

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  4. Some nice specimens on display. I enjoy seeing how the various plant forms have been thoughtfully matched to their pots. Looks like fun being part of such a group. Your ‘Tarzan’ is a cool find.

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    1. I really should join the SCC&SS, especially since conditions are likely to require replacing more and more of my plants with succulents in the future.

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  5. Desert flora are quite amazing and so varied. The epitome of adaptation to harsh conditions. Loving your new 'Tarzan' hybrid! Eliza

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    1. 'Tarzan' grabbed my attention on first sight as I walked by the sale tables and I knew it'd come home with me. Dyckia choristaminea is unusual for the genus, at least to my eyes, so I had to take it too ;)

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  6. Yes, your opening statement is so true. And there's always room for several new plants of various types. What a fun event!

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    1. There haven't been many plant sales of any kind in the past 2 years so it was great to dig into one again!

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  7. Going to this show must be so much fun. So many weird and wonderful specimens with collectors really showing them off to their best. Love the Dyckia. Spiny little devils though.

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    1. Dyckias are among the spikiest! Actually, as these plants go, the Dyckia choristaminea isn't bad - I didn't even recognize it as a Dyckia when I saw it.

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  8. Replies
    1. Thanks! I'm still debating whether they should go in pots or in the ground.

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