Horticulturist Victoria Padilla, 81, Dies : Retired Teacher, Author Was Expert on Southern California Flora

Victoria Padilla, one of Southern California’s best-known horticulturists and a leading author and expert on the flora of the region, has died at the age of 81.

Miss Padilla, whose home and garden was in Brentwood, also was a versatile teacher who worked for many years in Los Angeles public schools.

She died Sept. 16 at CIGNA Medical Center. Friends said she had suffered from heart disease.

Miss Padilla was a native of San Francisco, but lived most of her life in Southern California. She graduated from UCLA in 1927, and received a masters of arts from USC in 1933.

Although not a professional in the field, she was recognized internationally as an expert on the bromeliads, the genus of plants that includes plants as diverse as the pineapple and Spanish moss. She wrote three books on the genus--”Bromeliads,” “Bromeliads in Colors” and “The Colorful Bromeliads.” She also wrote “Southern California Gardens,” considered the basic resource for scholars tracing the history of flora in the area, including both native and exotic plants. She also wrote many articles for gardening magazines and horticultural journals.

As an educator, she taught secretarial science at Los Angeles City College from 1938 to 1940, then taught the same subject plus music, business and English in various junior and senior high schools in Los Angeles. She returned to City College in 1949, again teaching secretarial science and later English. She retired in 1969.

Miss Padilla was active in the Southern California Horticultural Institute for more than 40 years, serving as executive secretary from 1956 to 1971. In 1972, she was given the institute’s highest award for her contributions to horticulture. She is survived by her brother, Jules Padilla.

Private funeral services were held Friday.