Succulents and More™

Dudleyas are a genus of succulent plants native to the coastal and inland regions of California and Baja California, Mexico. They are often found clinging to cliffs and rock outcrops where they survive on very little water – a testament to their remarkable resilience. With symmetrical rosettes that range in color from pure white to vibrant green, sometimes with reddish leaf edges, they are seductively beautiful. Even though dudleyas are found in many places from far northern California to the southern tip of Baja, they’re not well known among plant lovers, even in California native plant circles. Dudleyas did make the news in 2018 and 2019 after large-scale poaching of Dudleya farinosa  by foreign nationals had been discovered on the north coast of California. In response, legislation was passed in 2021 that provides important protections for dudleyas. To raise awareness, the California Native Plant Society has  introduced animated mascots for 18 California species. What fr...

Last weekend was the 2024 San Francisco Succulent Expo organized by the San Francisco Succulent & Cactus Society (SFSCS). With 40+ plant and pottery vendors and 150+ sale tables, it likely was the biggest event of its kind ever held in Northern California. The Bromeliad Society of San Francisco participated with about a dozen tables, broadening the range of plants you see at a typical cactus and succulent show. I, for one, was very excited about that because local retail sources for high-quality bromeliads are virtually non-existent. Bay Bridge on our drive in on Saturday morning I was there on Friday and Saturday to help my friend Justin Thiel with his plants (he was a vendor), do some volunteer shifts, and of course buy cool stuff. While I didn’t end up getting a lot (I’ll show you my haul at the end of this post), I did spend a lot of time looking. With thousands upon thousands of plants, this was a momentous task requiring mental acuity and good eyesight. Good thing I brought...