2014 Succulent Extravaganza wrap-up, part 1

This might be my biggest post ever as far as the number of photos is concerned. I took well over 300 pictures at the recent 2014 Succulent Extravaganza held at Succulent Gardens in Castroville, CA, and it took much longer than expected to go through them all.

This post contains photos of the nursery grounds and the retail greenhouse. Part 2 is about the succulent-themed demonstration gardens installed by top landscape designers.

If you haven’t been to a Succulent Extravaganza, or haven’t seen my posts about previous years’ events, you’re in for quite a treat. Succulent Gardens is the premier succulent nursery in Northern California, growing more than 400 different varieties on three acres just a few miles from the Pacific Ocean. The selection is huge, and no matter what kinds of succulents you’re partial to, you’re likely to find something to tickle your fancy. (I will say, though, that for some reason their selection of agaves was smaller this year than before.)

Let’s start our tour in the parking lot. Usually I don’t pay much attention to other cars, but these two jumped out at me:

I believe this was on Michael Romero’s truck

I wonder if anybody in California has the license plate I ♥ AGAVES?

Crossing Elkhorn Road, you won’t miss this stunning display of aeoniums and Agave attenuata ‘Kara’s Stripe’. Usually I’m not a fan of ‘Kara’s Stripe’ because the leaves tend to look sickly, but these are fantastic.

Next you’ll see the main entrance.

But we’re not ready to go in yet. Let’s continue our stroll along Elkhorn Road to check out the jaw-dropping agave plantings. Here you’ll find Agave ‘Mr Ripple’, Agave franzosinii, Agave stricta, Agave ‘Blue Glow’, Agave ‘Confederate Rose’, Agave bracteosa, Agave parryi, and who knows what else.

LEFT: Agave ‘Mr Ripple’   MIDDLE: Agave franzosinii   FRONT: Agave stricta

Agave ‘Mr Ripple’ and Agave stricta

Agave ‘Mr Ripple’ and Agave stricta

Agave ‘Blue Glow’ and Agave ‘Confederate Rose’

Agave ‘Blue Glow’ and Agave ‘Confederate Rose’

Agave bracteosa and Agave parryi

Now let’s walk around the other side of the nursery and look at the plantings along Amaral Road.

This is Agave ‘Blue Flame’ heaven. The smaller plants in the foreground are mostly Agave parryi, with a few Agave guadalajarana thrown in.

Agave ‘Blue Flame’ and Agave parryi

Agave ‘Blue Flame’ and Agave parryi

NOID aloe, quite a beauty!

A little further up the road, beyond the other nursery entrance, you’ll come across a mixture of Agave franzosinii (powder blue) and Agave titanota (almost white). This form of Agave franzosinii is smaller than the massive form growing at the Ruth Bancroft Garden.

This is the most striking form of Agave titanota, in my opinion

Agave titanota

Agave americana ‘Striata’, pupping freely

Now let’s walk into the nursery from Elkhorn Road. These tables were packed during lunchtime and the Friday afternoon BBQ.

Plants every everywhere. Most of them are for sale.

One of the most beautiful specimens of Agave bovicornuta I’ve ever seen for sale. I should have snagged it!

Aloe distans with its capitate flower head (some now consider Aloe distans a variety of Aloe perfoliata, just like Aloe mitriformis, but I won’t go into taxonomical hair-splitting here)

Euphorbia tirucalli ‘Sticks on Fire’

Agave attenuata

Lots of aeoniums

Along the barn I spotted these three uprooted Agave ovatifolia. They weren’t labeled in any way, but I assume they were dug up for a customer. Beautiful specimens for sure.

In front of the Shade House is a small planting that I’m always drawn to:

Ferocactus peninsulae

Walking north along the side of Greenhouse 2 you’ll soon get to one of the most amazing features of Succulent Gardens: the Aloe polyphylla bed. I have never seen so many spiral aloes in one place, and all of them seem to be thriving in Castroville’s mild coastal climate.

Just beyond the Aloe polyphylla bed, in front of Greenhouse 3, is a row of Agave attenuata ‘Boutin Blue’ (also sold as ‘Nova’), all of them virtually perfect. I assume these are available for sale if anybody wants a landscape-sized specimen.

Now let’s take a left between Greenhouse 2 and Greenhouse 3. The first thing you’ll see is a row of Aloe ‘Hercules’, with Aloe brevifolia and Aloe distans in the foreground.

Aloe ‘Hercules’, Aloe brevifolia, Aloe distans

Aloe distans

Next you’ll arrive at another unforgettable sight: a long row of Agave ‘Blue Flame’ and Agave ‘Blue Glow’. This might be the most photographed spot in the entire nursery.

At the far side of the production greenhouses you’ll see rows upon rows of potted succulents. I’m not sure I was supposed to be back here, but the path wasn’t blocked off.

 

Adjacent to Succulent Gardens is a huge strawberry field. Strawberries thrive in this area. In fact, the nearby town of Watsonville is known as the strawberry capital of California.

Next we’ll walk back to the main nursery area and then enter Greenhouse 1, the retail greenhouse, from the entrance next to the Shade House. The rock wall planted with echeverias and the row of fan aloes (Aloe plicatilis) on top are very photogenic, as are the potted arrangements for sale.

 

 

Now we’re in the retail greenhouse. This is where you’ll find everything from pots and accessories to plants. Lots and lots of plants.

Monstrose form of the totem pole cactus (Pachycereus schottii)

Aloe barbadensis, the “original” Aloe vera. I don’t find it particularly attractive, as far as aloes go, and it’s quite cold-sensitive. But it’s still a popular house plant and produces a high-quality sap that can be used for medicinal and cosmetic purposes.

Stalactite plant (Kalanchoe ‘Fang’)

 

Lots and lots of echeverias

Echeveria ‘Purple Pearl’

Ruffles or no ruffles, what do you prefer?

Ruffled echeverias

I love the patterns formed by so many small plants packed together

So, are you suffering from succulent overload? Or are you eager to look at more photos from the 2014 Succulent Extravaganza? Check out part 2 of my recap for photos of the newly installed demonstration gardens.