Believe it or not, behind all the floral-themed fashion shoots, photos and artist interviews, there is someone who loves actual, root-in-soil plants. That’s right – I talk the talk and walk the walk. Aside from curating posts, I have a B.S. in Urban Horticulture, a full time job managing a retail nursery, care for a garden of my own and engage in lots of hardcore plant geekery.
This weekend, that included the San Diego Cactus and Succulent Society’s summer plant show and sale. Having spent a great deal of time in Arizona, I am not the biggest fan of cacti and succulents. But I do have a soft spot for rare and unusual varieties, and collectors’ societies are the best place to not only see amazing specimens, but purchase them, as well. So I came, I saw, and I bought.
Everything was covered in horrible blue tarp. Who does the planning for these events?
An award-winning Gymnocalycium covered in fluorescent pink flower buds.
A beautiful, unidentified Euphorbia specimen with pink-veined leaves and chartreuse bracts. Decaryi?
Gorgeous clump of Euphorbia obesa.
I was so excited, I forgot to write down the names of these plants. Whoops!
Considering that I made the mistake of going to the show with a large amount of cash, I think I did a decent job of restraining myself. The only real splurge here is the Hoodia gordonii – after seeing a huge specimen in flower, I have been dying to have one of my own. And for $20, this specimen couldn’t be any more perfect. It has lots of branches and not a single flaw. Here’s hoping I don’t kill it.
Aside from the Hoodia, I picked up an Ehinocereus rigidissimus, E. rubispinus, Mammillaria duwei, M. perezdelarosae and Huernia insigniflora. There were different aspects of each that I loved – their colors and spines, for the most part. I could have stayed there all afternoon: I think my general distaste for succulents might have been shaken. Great. Another entire genus of plants for me to lust over.
When you have a bengal, of course, nothing ever really belongs to you. Especially your plants. And your dinner.
3 Comments
BOY….THAT IS A GORGEOUS UNIDENTIFIED EUPHORBIA SPECIMEN WITH THE PINK VEINS AND CHARTREUSE FLOWERS!
IF SOMEONE EVER FINDS THE NAME OF IT AND IF ANY PLANTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR SALE, i WOULD LOVE TO HEAR BACK.
HAPPY GROWING,
BILLY
Hi, Billy! Thanks for the comment. Isn’t it lovely? While I don’t know the exact cultivar, I do know the species is Euphorbia decaryi. There are many beautiful, brightly-colored cultivars of this wonderful little plant!
actually that’s Euphorbia francoisii. A really great plant that’s hardy, doesn’t get too big. There are at least 3 major color forms.