Mesemb Madness

While everyone else in Phoenix seems to be busy with Super Bowl paries and activities, I was out and about, attending an Open House hosted by a serious Mesembryanthemaceae (Mesemb) collector. He had thousands of unusual plants displayed on tables in his small back yard. I'd never heard of most of them. The sight of all these plants made my cactus and succulent collection look puny by comparison!

This was just one of about ten tables, with every available inch covered with plants. There were plants on the tables, under the tables, and in every nook and cranny in his garden.

These Mesembs look like little buttons, and are they sometimes called living rocks. They are winter growers, and shouldn't be watered in summer.

This odd-looking South African plant can be grown from a bulb or seed. The collector grows many of his Mesembs from seed.

I liked this plant, and wouldn't mind trying my hand at growing one. All plants in the Albuca genus are grown from bulbs. The small table that held plants for sale didn't include this species, so rather than leave empty handed, I had to buy a tiny arrangement of living rocks. Although I've never been a fan of these plants, for two bucks, I just couldn't walk away.

P.S. Go Patriots! I'm only 10 miles from the stadium, and that's close enough for me!