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  [aroid-l] Synandrospadix
From: "Leo A. Martin" leo1010 at attglobal.net> on 2002.09.03 at 21:42:47(9330)
Hello Randy,

> Did you bring the hellish temperatures here this
> weekend from Phoenix? 107? on Sunday, 104?
> yesterday (42? and 40? for most of the world). Ugh!!!

That's not hot. I almost needed a sweater. I grew up in southern California but everybody there is too soft now. Must be from too much organic produce and too many pesticides in the landscaping.

> Actually I was the one who found the Synandrospadix earlier
> this summer, although I think I mentioned it in a private
> response to a different subject on the other Aroid list.

Thanks for alerting me to the plant. I might have overlooked it otherwise, but when I saw an aroid in the sales area I knew what it had to be.

> Quite a few people at the sale looked at me (or
> even questioned me) with puzzled expressions as to
> why I was buying just a "small leaf" that didn't
> even appear to be a succulent.

Because the sale was run by the Cactus and Succulent Society of America!

> Leo, did you get the same reaction about buying
> the plant? Or perhaps the crowd was more sophisticated?

Actually, most of us were in a feeding frenzy. The beer helped, I suppose. The only reason anybody looks into somebody elses' box at such an event in the C&S world is to be sure they didn't miss something. But I'm sure the elegant crowd on this list doesn't display such degenerate behavior at plant sales.

Over the last ten years or so more and more "different" succulent (or at least xeric-adapted) plants are being grown by C&S lovers, so the people were more interested in finding out what it was and seeing if they should get one than questioning why I bought something with leaves and no visible caudex. There were only 3 in the growing area.

> I just checked the Huntington site and noticed
> a $70 registration fee for that symposium--so it
> must have been a pretty serious group. Or were
> people too busy buying things to notice?

It's a 25-year-old event. Six lectures, lunch, and optional dinner. Plus a trip to the sales-growing area, off-limits to the public. The attendance roster is usually a who's who of succulent academics, growers, explorers, hobbyists, and writers. (I mean "those who study succulents and grow them", not "thick, squishy, and waterlogged.") The fall CSSA board meeting is held the following day at the Huntington. The registration fee barely covers the costs of the event, as those of you who have managed conferences will well understand.

Such events are great opportunities to meet real experts and learn from them, as I did from Myron Kimnach. Plant people in all orders of the kingdom tend to be very approachable, friendly, and generous with their time, experience, and cuttings.

> Thanks for all the info about this plant!

You're welcome. I'm looking forward to watching it grow, too.

Leo

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