I didn't make it to last year's local Cactus & Succulent Society show and sale but I made a point of getting there last weekend. Like the 2022 sale, it was held in a nearby art center only fifteen minutes away. It's a smaller venue than the local botanic garden provided in the prepandemic days. Based on my earlier photographic record, there were fewer show tables and seemingly less sale plants.
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| I arrived about an hour after opening on the first day of the sale when rain was in the forecast so it wasn't as crowded as these events usually are |
I gave the show tables most of my attention. The light inside the art center's exhibit space was dicey and I had repeated problems focusing my camera so I only took closeup shots of selected plants.
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| Show table 1 (the tables weren't numbered but I've done so to keep them straight) |
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| Closeup of 2 plants from that first table, Mammillaria formosa (left) and Melocactus conoides (right). The Mamillaria looks like a fancy decorated cake to me. |
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| Show table 2 |
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| Clockwise from upper left are closeups of: Aloe dorotheae, Dyckia 'White Whiskers', Euphorbia andpria, Euphorbia canariensis, crested Euphorbia lactea, Euphorbia stellata, and Rubutia tiraquensis |
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| Show table 3 |
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| L-R: hybrid Dyckia, Machairophyllum albidum, and noID Fockea |
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| Show table 4 |
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| Closeups from upper left: crested Aeonium 'Sunburst', Cotyledon pendens, Graptopetalum mendozae, and Pachypodium breviraule |
I also took photos of some of the plant sale tables.
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| One vendor's display from multiple angles |
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| Another vendor's display, including a Trichocereus in flower (lower left) |
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| Colorful Aeoniums and Echeverias (left), crested Euphorbia grandidens and Melocactus matanzanus (middle, IDs are guesses), and a variety of other cacti (right). I didn't process what I assume was an Agave 'Sunglow' in the background in the third photo until I reviewed my photos. Everything on this sale table had looked pricey but I may have caved for that one if I'd been more attentive. |
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| Snippets of 2 more sale displays |
There were also pots for sale. As I've lost some of my favorite pots to clumsy critters in recent years, I'm always looking for more; however, the pots were generally on the expensive side so I passed and put my money into plants.
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| Beautiful pots by succulent collector Jim Gardner |
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| Pots for sale by other vendors |
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| I laughed at the saying on this planted pot but didn't check its price. If that "5" on the tag, meant $5 I blundered in leaving it behind even though I'm unsure what the plant was. It looked like a Clivia to me but that isn't what the tag suggests. |
I took home just four plants.
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| Clockwise from the upper left: crested Aeonium 'Sunburst', hybrid Aloe sinkatana x jacunda, Crassula streyi, and Pelargonium carnosum |
One plant's in a pot but all four found homes in my renovated succulent bed, which I'll show sometime soon. I'm still doing some tweaking there.
Best wishes for a wonderful spring weekend!
All material © 2012-2024 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
Oh, that crested Aeonium! So glad you got one of those crazy looking plant; a terrific addition to your Aeonium collection.
ReplyDeleteI suppose if one buys a unique succulent, it's often possible to justify splurging on an unusual pot, making it a conversation piece.
(I chuckled at the notion that rain in the forecast would prevent Southern California residents from attending an indoor plant sale;-).
Chavli
If you'd ever witnessed how SoCal residents drive in the rain, you might understand why rain is sometimes a turnoff, Chavli ;) As to the fancy pots, I've noticed a definite trend to associate sales of succulents and pots to "enhance" them over the past 10 years or so.
DeleteFun stuff! Although I think some of the plant and pot combinations get to be a bit too much.
ReplyDeleteI've noticed that few, if any, of the show plants have ordinary pots at these events. In fact, when I looked back at my 2019 photos (when the show was last held at SCBG), there was even a display dedicated to "artistic" arrangements of succulents.
DeleteA nice outing on a rainy day, and some new plants, too. Looking forward to seeing your succulent bed. Have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteThanks Tracy. I miss plant sales. In the prepandemic days, a number of plant societies (orchid, geranium, and fuchsia among others) used to hold sales at our local botanic garden in addition to the general spring and fall plant sales featuring specimens propagated by the botanic garden itself.
DeleteThe Pelargonium carnosum looks like a really cool plant! The comments on the San Marcos website indicate is is well worth growing.
ReplyDeleteI bought that Pelargonium knowing nothing about it beyond the name on the tag, HB. I was surprised when I googled it and found SMG's post. I considered potting it up, which I think SMG recommended, but I ended up planting it in the ground.
DeleteI so enjoyed this collection of succulents and cacti. The Mammillaria formosa especially caught my eye as it is so beautiful and unusual.
ReplyDeleteI can't help thinking of a cake every time I see that Mammillaria formosa, Lee ;)
DeleteI always enjoying seeing photos from other clubs' shows. You did a great job balancing the dicey lighting - it's always like that indoors.
ReplyDeleteI like the aloe you got. Sinkatana (or technically zubb) is a rebloomer, so this hybrid may bloom several times throughout the year.
I'd never heard of Aloe sinkatana but I have heard of Aloe zubb so thanks for the clarification, Gerhard. I may never keep up with all the classification changes, though. I can believe it's a rebloomer as it's got a tiny bloom stalk even now.
DeleteSome really cool plants. Was especially drawn to the Aeonium 'Sunburst' in slide 8. I'm never really drawn to the funky one-of-a-kind pots when I see them empty but once planted I change my mind. You are very lucky to have such great shows in your neck of the woods.
ReplyDeleteOh, we have all too few of these plant shows and sales since our local botanic garden stopped hosting them. The Huntington Library & Gardens hosts them regularly but attending requires a slog through downtown LA and, although I did that daily for 8 years at one time, I'm no longer enthusiastic about doing that.
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