Placed next to a door or window,...
Placed next to a door or window, they provide excellent protection from intruders.
They can turn the brownest thumb green. And for those concerned about conserving water, they are the camels of the plant world.
They are, of course, cacti and succulents, and hundreds of their varieties will be on display and for sale this weekend at the South Coast Botanic Garden on the Palos Verdes Peninsula.
“The majority of cactus have probably the most beautiful flowers in all of the plant kingdom,” said cactus enthusiast Edward C. Hancock, a trustee of the South Coast Botanic Garden and co-chairman of the show. “Cactus have personalities to them. Some have beautiful spines or beautiful shapes. They’re different. They’re like (a part of) your family. You get to recognize yours, and you love them more than others because they are yours.”
The 20th annual show is sponsored by the South Coast Cactus and Succulent Society, whose 100 members meet once a month to discuss succulents, of which cactus is a variety, and growing techniques. The show drew about 1,000 visitors last year.
Unlike most plants, cactus do their growing at night when it is cooler and there is more moisture in the air. They also have more chromosomes than other kinds of plants, and as a result, can adapt to adverse conditions better than most plants.
“They thrive on tender love and care, but at the same time are very tolerant of people who don’t give them tender love and care,” Hancock said. “You can go on a vacation and your cactus or succulent is going to look just as nice as the day you left.”
Exhibitors will have dozens of rare and exotic succulents on display, including many species of flowering cactus and several varieties of euphorbia, a South African succulent that has been used as a medicine and as a poison.
The best among them will compete in their size and species categories for prizes awarded by a panel of judges. The plants are judged according to their uniformity, variety, uniqueness and beauty.
Novices can purchase cuttings for as little as $1 or rooted plants for about $6 or $7. A rare specimen of cacti may go for as much as $25.
The show will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. today. Although the show itself is free, the South Coast Botanic Garden has admission fees of $3 for adults, $1.50 for students and senior citizens, and 75 cents for children ages 5 to 12. The South Coast Botanic Garden is at 26300 Crenshaw Blvd. on the Palos Verdes Peninsula.
