UPCOMING MEETING DATES
Meetings are held at the Park Avenue Community Center (210 E. Park Ave.) in Escondido unless noted.
Note that events might be canceled or modified without notice due to events beyond our control.
Check back regularly for updates.
January 27, 2024
Speaker: Brandi Eide, Senior Director of Facilities, San Diego Botanic Garden
Topic: The Arizona Desert Garden
Plant of the Month: Aeonium
February 24, 2024
Speaker: Pam Hyatt, Owner Bird Rock Tropicals Nursery
Topic: Werner Rauh, Late Botanist
Plant of the Month: Astrophytum
March 23, 2024
Speaker: Woody Minnich, Field Researcher, owner Cactus Data Nursery
Topic: The Island of Socotra and Its Fascinating Flora
Plant of the Month: Rhipsalis
April 27, 2024
Speaker: None (Spring Festival, Escondido Community Center)
Topic: None (Spring Festival – Sales – plants * pottery * etc., Workshops, Non-judged Show)
See Festival Schedule
Plant of the Month: None (Spring Festival, Escondido Community Center)
May 25, 2024
Speaker: Kelly Griffin, Altman Growers, Succulent plant development, hybridizer
Topic: Namibia
Plant of the Month: Hybrid mini aloes
June 22, 2024
Speaker: Gunnar Eisel, Past President CSSA
Topic: Collecting Cactus & Succulents
Plant of the Month: Ferocactus
July 27, 2024
Speaker: Ernesto Sandoval, UC Davis Conservatory
Topic: Propagation of Succulents from Seed
Plant of the Month: Espostoa
August 24, 2024
Speaker: None (Picnic at Palomar College)
Plant of the Month: None (Picnic at Palomar College)
September 28, 2024
Speaker: Tom Glavich, CSSA board member
Topic: Exploring Euphorbias
Plant of the Month: Euphorbia
October 26, 2024
Field Trip to Desert Theater Nursery in Escondido CA
November 23, 2024
Meeting canceled
December 21, 2024
Speaker: None (Holiday Party, Escondido Community Center)
Topic: None (Holiday Party, Escondido Community Center)
Plant of the Month: None (Holiday Party, Escondido Community Center)
MONTHLY MEETING HIGHLIGHTS
Meetings are the fourth Saturday of each month, with a few exceptions, at the Park Avenue Community Center in Escondido, 210 E Park Ave, Escondido CA 92025. Check the newsletter or website for the exact dates. The basic schedule is as follows, with times being flexible:
11:00 – 12:00 pmSign in, check out the Brag, Exchange, Benefit Drawing, and Sales Tables. Meet up with friends.
12:00 – 12:50 pmMeeting starts – Announcements, Club Business, Brag Table Judging
12:50 – 1:20 pmBREAK – Refreshments, chat with fellow members, enjoy all the plants
1:20 – 2:30 pm Name Badge drawing, Main Speaker presentation
2:30 – 2:50 pmBenefit drawing followed by Exchange Table drawing
2:50 – 3:00 pm Clean-up
Check-in Welcome Table – Members and guests sign in here, join or renew their membership, order nametags, sign up to bring refreshments, and get name badge drawing tickets. There are also handouts, flyers, etc.
Programs – Experts in the hobby present a variety of programs and sometimes bring plants to show. Some are club members, but more often they are other well-known guest presenters, some from around the world.
Plant of the Month – A different cacti/succulent is featured. Members are encouraged to bring in their specimens of the featured plant to share and to enter them in the Brag Table competition, if desired.
Brag Plant Table – Bring in your favorite plants and show them off! This is a mini-competition with 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners chosen in Novice, Intermediate, and Advanced divisions of both cactus and succulents. Members get a chance to see each other’s special plants, and this is also excellent practice for our big Annual Show held at San Diego Botanic Garden. The judge shares details about the plants as they are evaluated. Winners earn 3 points for first place, 2 points for second place, 1 point for third place, plus 1 point for each plant entered. The points go towards choosing from a selection of beautiful gift plants at the December Holiday Luncheon.
Exchange Table – Cactus and succulent enthusiasts love to share, and this is the place! Bring in cuttings and/or plants, used pottery and get a ticket to participate in the Exchange Table drawing. One ticket per person. Tickets are randomly drawn and each person chooses what they want from the wide assortment available. After all tickets are called, you can help yourself to what is left over. This is an excellent way to share your surplus and to collect cuttings or plants that you’ve been searching to find.
Benefit Drawing – Each month members donate plants, pottery, and/or other garden related items to the Benefit Drawing. These items are a bit nicer than those for the Exchange Table. The club also provides plants to enlarge the selection. Tickets are $1, or 6 for $5, with proceeds going to the club. This is the place to pick up some excellent plants for a bargain.
Plant Auction – Plants that have been donated to and/or purchased by the club will be auctioned off. It’s a great opportunity to get some harder-to-get plants at a good price and also support the club activities monetarily.
Sales Table – Members sell plants they have grown or collected, in addition to pots, rocks, and other merchandise of interest to succulent fanatics. See our Treasurer for information if you are interested in selling. At some meetings the Speaker will be selling plants, pottery, or books that they have brought to the meeting.
Library – Our library has over 200 books, journals, etc. Many are not available at your local library. New books are purchased regularly, and we love suggestions.
Name Badge Prizes – To encourage members to sign in and wear their name tags so that everyone knows who you are, we have a name badge plant drawing. When you wear it to a meeting, make sure to get a ticket at the Membership Table to enter in the drawing. After the break, 3 lucky members will have their ticket chosen! You can order a name badge for $8 at the Membership table.
Refreshments – The club provides coffee and bottled water. Members take turns bringing in food for the break. Sign up and treat everyone to your specialty or something else tasty! If you are not able to bring something, you may make a small monetary donation towards the cost.
Socialize – Spend some time with old friends and get to know other fellow club members who share this rewarding hobby. Introduce yourself to someone you don’t know. The club is full of wonderful people with a wide range of interests! They love to answer questions, so don‘t be afraid to ask!