Jeff Moore, the hardest-working plantsman in Tucson

Some home gardeners, myself included, occasionally romanticize the life of professional growers: being around plants all day, fussing over them, propagating them. All of that’s true, but it’s not necessarily a glorious occupation. It’s hard work, underappreciated, and underpaid. It involves fixing things that break, usually irrigation but sometimes the very structures that house the plants. Long-term success requires patience, discipline, and dedication. Ask a dozen growers, and the majority of them will tell you that they’re nuts for being in the plant business, but at least a handful will profess to loving their job in spite all the trials and tribulations.

The hardest working grower I know is Jeff Moore in Tucson. No, he’s not the author of books like Under the Spell of Succulents and Agaves: Species, Cultivars, and Hybrids. That would be Jeff Moore of Solana Succulents in San Diego County. That Jeff Moore sells awesome plants, but he doesn’t grow them.

Jeff Moore of Arid Adaptations with two of his dogs

The Jeff Moore this post is about runs a nursery called Arid Adaptations. Located at his home northwest of Tucson, Jeff has 11 greenhouses on 3 acres. According to his own estimates, he has more than 250,000 plants representing 2,500 species, including cultivars. In this recent Instagram video, Jeff gives a quick tour of a greenhouse with 400+ cactus species. Remember, that’s just one of 11 greenhouses.

Jeff and I have become friends over the years, and I visit him every time I’m in Tucson. Needless to say I never leave empty-handed; on my recent trip, I even bought plants for friends here in California. If I lived in Tucson, Jeff would be the go-to source for all my plants.

Tucson has several excellent succulent nurseries, including Bach’s Greenhouse Cactus Nursery, B&B Cactus Farm, and Arid Lands, all of which sell great plants. Arid Lands has an enormous selection, but since they’re primarily geared towards mail order, most of their plants are in 4" pots or smaller. In contrast, Jeff has a huge inventory and many of his plants are large so they can go right into your landscape.

What makes Jeff’s operation even more impressive is that he does virtually everything himself. Yes, one guy, four dogs, and some chickens. He does have occasional help, especially when things are particularly crazy, but most of the time, it’s just Jeff himself. It’s a good thing that he doesn’t seem to need much sleep—and is a workaholic. Judging from his Facebook posts, he’s often in the greenhouse by 5 a.m. and still at it at 11 p.m. Mad props to somebody so driven and dedicated!

I didn’t take a lot of photos when I stopped by Jeff’s place in December because I was too busy yakking. But here are some random snaps from around the nursery.

Tephrocactus weberi

Lots of good-sized Astrophytum myriostigma

Mammillaria geminispina

Inside one of the hoop houses

Polaskia chichipe (left) and Agave dasylirioides (right)

Astrophytum myriostigma babies in many sizes and (winter) colors

Eriosyce villosa

Cochemiea halei

Agave chazaroi seedlings; I bought two of them

Pseudolithos sphaericus, a plant so ugly strange only Jeff and hard-core collectors could love

Peniocereus rosei

Euphorbia canariensis

Cacti with glowing spines

Trichocereus hybrids. I like this image so much, I’ve made it my desktop background

Thelocactus bicolor, aka Glory of Texas

Miscellaneous cactus and euphorbia cuttings

Cactus cuttings

Jeff and Agave xylonacantha inside one of his greenhouses

Look at these teeth and bud imprints!

Jeff’s nursery isn’t open to the public, but people can contact him to make an appointment if they’re looking for something specific (contact info here). The plant list on his web site may not be completely up-to-date, but it gives you an idea of the kinds of plants he grows.

Tucson-area folks can find Jeff and a rotating selection of plants at the Rillito Park Farmers Market (4502 North 1st Avenue) every Sunday. Check the Market website for current hours.

RELATED POST:

• 7 days, 2300 miles: December 2022 Arizona road trip
• Visiting Jeff Moore / Arid Adaptations Nursery in Tucson, AZ (May 2021)
• Visiting Jeff Moore's Arid Adaptations Nursery in Tucson, Arizona (December 2019)

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