Monday, July 1, 2019

Cactus Mart, finally!

Back in 2012 I wrote about a nursery I'd only visited through their chain-link fence. It happened more than once too, I'd attempt to visit Cactus Mart, just outside Fillmore, CA, only to find them closed. This was truly a sad state of affairs.

So imagine my surprise when Gerhard and I drove past Cactus Mart on our way to Santa Barbara last April, for the Bromeliad Summit. Some 7 years after I wrote that blog post and it was still there. With nurseries seeming to going out of business left and right I was pleasantly surprised. Of course we didn't have time to stop then, but they were open on our way back to Davis (Gerhard's home base) and so we pulled in. Finally!

Naturally everything was too large for me to take back home on the plane, but that's never stopped me from dreaming.

Wow, those are some darn impressive Dyckia.

Propagation cuts I assume? Interesting to see the fibers inside.

Gerhard was seriously considering adopting a rusty new pet. If there had been room in the car I think it would have happened.

Tiny pink flowers on a hairy brain. That's what my eyes see.

Yes these were small enough to take home, but I can also get them at our grocery store nursery for about the same price.

This place is quite large, going on and on and on...

If only I were driving a truck. Well, and lived somewhere I could grow these things in the ground.

Carcasses of agaves that have passed on.

Odd pattern of leaves. Agave weevil?

This one almost looks like it bloomed, but then started to grow a new plant right out of the center.

Now those are some fire sticks!

About here is where we turned back. So much to still to see, but a long drive ahead of us.

Looks like this is the "to be weeded" section...

And these are the afters...

What the? Did this poor agave offend someone?

So tempted by those perfect spikes.

I should have saved this photo for Valentines Day...

Gerard pointed out these ginormous bromeliads were going for some ridiculous price like $15.

But how to get them home!?

That little problem didn't stop him though. This 5-gallon spiky Bromelia pinguin (which barely fit in the back of his car) was destined for his garden back in Davis (see photos here).

And because he's such a nice guy, Gerhard made sure I got my own little bit of the Cactus Mart too, he sent me a pup off his Bromelia pinguin. It's the large one on the left, on the right is a small xPuckia 'Sparkle' he sent along as well. It's a hybrid between Puya laxa and Dyckia fosteriana x platyphylla... ha, that just rolls off the tongue doesn't it?

Weather Diary, Aug 30: Hi 85, Low 56/ Precip 0

All material © 2009-2019 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

22 comments:

  1. How big were those beautiful red Dyckia? That would have sorely tempted me. How nice that Gerhard sent you pups. I'd love to have a rusty T. rex in my garden. I want one big enough to look out at everybody over the back fence.

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    1. Alison, I'm with you! A rusty T. rex peeking over the fence--how cool would that be?

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    2. If I remember right the Dyckia were in a two-gallon pot, and their spiky tips shot over the edge. There's no way that was going on the plane...

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  2. You're not kidding about the size of the plants at that nursery. Wowza!

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  3. I love nothing more than unpretentious serendipitous finds like Sal's! I'm so glad you still remembered where it was.

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    1. If I recall it wasn't too far off I-5, maybe you and Heather should have made a little detour to pick up your rusty T. rex on the way home from the Huntington?

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  4. Wow, at those prices the bromeliads alone are worth the trip. I'm glad Gerhard - and you - didn't leave without some kind of memento.

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    1. So you'll stop by on your next trip north, right?

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  5. Those Fire Sticks are huge! They look like a burning bush! Amazing.

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  6. I'd say that the chances are great that the Agave americana were infested with the Agave snout weevil. We have lost 2 large beauties to the little devils in the year we have lived in Tucson and the remains looked the same. I guess the agave garden I had planned will not be in my future... for the front gardens at least.

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  7. Glad you finally got to see it. I think the next time you travel to California you need to drive so you can bring back lots of cool treasures. At Chelsea (UK) this year there was a huge rusty dragon peering down from the top of a gazebo. Right up Gerhard's alley.

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    1. We made an epic road trip 10 years ago, where we drove. I wish we had the time to do it again.

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  8. I could use a few of those cacti! Google maps says I'm 5 hrs and 19 minutes away - if I got in the car now ...

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    1. I look forward to hearing what you buy...

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  9. Tell Gerhard that you just have to go back for a rusty dinosaur ! You just got to have one of those ! :) Make him so happy !

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    1. I bet he'll end up with one, sooner or later.

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  10. I think you will need to retire further south, in the desert, where you will be able to create the cactus/succulent garden of your dreams!

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  11. You must start taking a truck everywhere you visit so that you can fill it with plant finds!

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