Last weekend was the 2026 San Francisco Succulent Expo hosted by the San Francisco Succulent and Cactus Society (SFSCS). Below is a quick recap. My main reason for going was to volunteer and to help friends who were vendors, so I didn’t take as many photos as I otherwise might have. I also didn’t have my “good” camera with me, just my phone.
The most expensive plant I saw was this impressive Dioscorea hemicrypta, yours for $2000. That may seem shockingly expensive, but bear in mind this specimen is decades old. Somebody had to take care of it all this time. (Coincidentally, another Dioscorea hemicrypta by Nick Wilkinson of Grow Nursery won Best in Show.)
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| Dioscorea hemicrypta |
I’ve been to so many events like this that it’s becoming harder and harder to find something I haven’t seen before. The biggest surprise this time wasn’t plants per se, it was what they were in: reused clamshell packaging from the grocery store. I think this is an ingenious idea, especially for the prickly pear pads in the second photo. Kudos to Jorge Quiñones (Q Cactus) for coming up with this brilliant idea.
The theme of this year’s Succulent Expo was “Beyond the Desert.” Many people think that cacti and succulents are strictly desert plants. Some are, but many aren’t. Plant displays and speaker presentations underscored the incredible biodiversity of succulents and highlighted species native to unexpected, non-arid environments, including wetter areas in the tropics.
The judged show, with plants entered by vendors and SFSCS members, had themed categories like “Always Dry,” “Seasonally Dry & Goldilocks Zone,” and “Tropical & Unexpected Places.” Awards were given out for Best in Category, Best Cactus, Best Succulent, and Best in Show (the top plant overall).
Here are some examples of plants highlighting the “Beyond the Desert” theme:
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| Haworthia truncata in the perfect planter |
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| Haworthia truncata |
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| Echeveria with pebbles — a simple, but very effective display |
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| Rhipsalis baccifera and fern |
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| Rhipsalis baccifera spilling out of a trunk |
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| Conophytums, very small succulents native to South Africa and Namibia |
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| Even tinier conophytums |
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| Beiselia mexicana, a caudiciform shrub in the bursera family, pushing the envelope of what is considered a succulent |
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| I thought the overall presentation was very striking |
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| Look at the tiny sea shells used as top dressing |
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| This container, made to resemble a Dioscorea elephantipes, was 3D-printed. I’m sure we’ll see many more 3D-printed items in the near future as the price for 3D printers continues to come down. |
In addition to the categories above, vendors and members were able to request table space for their own displays, whether related to the “Beyond the Desert” theme or not. This was a great opportunity for them to showcase their own plants. Here are some examples:
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| This display was mostly astrophytums |
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| My friend Justin Thiel’s display |
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| Probably the most perfect Aloe dorotheae I’ve ever seen |
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| Aloe dorotheae isn’t rare, but it’s rarely grown this well |
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| Dudleya densiflora in flower (Justin Thiel) |
One exhibitor displayed amazing lava rock containers:
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| Echeveria agavoides in a lava rock container that made me think of cork oak bark |
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| Pseudolithos migiurtinus, one of the strangest flowering succulents |
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| Two different kinds of sansevierias |
One of my favorite non-themed displays was by Nick Wilkinson of
Grow Nursery Nick’s plants are always impressive. It was no different this year: his
Dioscorea hemicrypta won Best in Show (see further down).
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| Agave victoriae-reginae ‘White Rhino’ |
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| Fockea edulis |
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| Ficus palmeri |
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| Ficus palmeri |
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| Climbing onion (Bowiea volubilis) |
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| Dwarf tree stonecrop (Sedum oxypetalum) |
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| Sedum oxypetalum |
And here is Best in Show, Nick’s
Dioscorea hemicrypta, a slow-growing yam prized for its tortoise-shell caudex. This plant has got to be 30-40 years old.
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| Dioscorea hemicrypta winning Best in Show |
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| Dioscorea hemicrypta |
My photos show just a small slice of the plants on display. Below is a great 3-minute video walkthrough of the show area by Al Klein (
Botanic Wonders). It’s well worth watching to see the huge variety of plants that are considered succulents:
If the video above doesn’t work for you, here’s the direct link: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1027817339744384
And if you ever have a chance to go to a show put on by your local or regional cactus and succulent society, don’t miss it!
© Gerhard Bock, 2026. All rights reserved. To receive all new posts by email, please subscribe here.
That exhibit and sale was very well put together, and more impressive than those I see locally (although I did miss my local event this year). My favorite in the SF exhibit was the beautiful Aloe dorotheae, even though it wasn't the most unusual plant in the show by any means.
ReplyDeleteI started bringing a few succulent sushi boxes in last year's show and sale as a way to use my old containers. This year I brought four times as much. I sold every box of mixed cuttings and all the Opuntia pads.
ReplyDeleteLooks fun, some day I will make it to this show!
ReplyDeleteBut what did you buy?
ReplyDelete