Public Land Store is a plant store and gallery in Sacramento’s Curtis Park neighborhood. As their website says, they “offer an eclectic assortment of unusual cacti, succulents and tropical house plants along with goods, collectables and original art from a wide range of artists who use various mediums to explore and re-imagine the ways we experience, interact and perceive our natural environment.”
Last Sunday, Public Land had their Summer Cactus + Succulent Sidewalk Sale. A Facebook friend was wondering what a cactus sidewalk sale might look like, and I volunteered to investigate. Seeing how a picture is worth a thousand words – probably even more now, considering inflation – I herewith present my findings in photographic form:
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| Public Land Store at the corner of 21st Street and 1st Avenue in Sacramento |
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| Tables on the sidewalk along 1st Avenue. Many of the plants were grown by Public Land co-owner Austin in his own greenhouse. |
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| The selection was cactus-heavy |
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| Every specimen I saw was pristine |
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| Mostly euphorbias and caudiciforms on this table |
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| Rack near the entrance |
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| More small cacti as well as larger succulent specimens |
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| Some agaves, too! |
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| Inside the store along the floor-to-ceiling window facing 1st Ave |
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| View from the other direction |
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| While the plants on the sidewalk tables were in plastic nursery pots... |
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| ...most succulents inside the store are pre-potted in nicer containers |
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| Public Land also carries all kinds of tropical house plants |
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| So pristine and perfect! |
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| Public Land co-owner Austin McManus on the right, my friend and fellow plant nerd Kyle Johnson on the left |
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| Yours truly and Kyle |
There’s no dedicated cactus and succulent nursery in Sacramento; Public Land is the closest we have. Co-owner Austin McManus is an experienced succulent grower (and an all-round good guy) and can help customers find what they’re looking for.
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As a bonus, here are some cactus and agave sightings near Public Land:
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| The beast and the beauty: a clump of prickly bear in front a San Pedro cactus (Trichocereus pachinoi) loaded with flower buds |
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| I’m not a fan of Agave americana, but seeing one mutilated like that is sad. I wish people would stop planting A. americana in tight spots. They do get big, and they do pup! |
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| And finally, a tall Opuntia ficus-indica planted between the sidewalk and a parking lot. It looks like it gets trimmed regularly. It sure looks happy and healthy. I wonder if people collect the fruit when it’s ripe? It’s delicious. |
© Gerhard Bock, 2023. All rights reserved. To receive all new posts by email, please subscribe here.
Wha a fun event! Could you expand on your thoughts about A. americana? Too big? No variegation? Here in the southeast, it’s the common pass-along. Seems to tolerate our heavy soils. I’ve yet to branch out to other agave.
ReplyDeleteActually, I am aware of “Variegata”. It’s rarely seen around here. Everyone has the blue.
DeleteIt seems that invariably Agave americana gets planted in spots where it shouldn't be. People either don't know how big they get or they don't think that far ahead. The variegated form of A. americana gets even bigger. I walked by a smallish front yard not long ago where they had planted TWO variegated A. americana! The homeowners will be surprised when agave keep growing and growing--and offsetting.
DeleteOh, dear, that Americana is so sad. Looks like a terrific plant shop and nice healthy plants!
ReplyDeleteI wish we had a real succulent nursery but they probably wouldn't be able to stay in business.
DeleteNeat event (and store)! The Opuntia in your last shot is the best-looking one I've seen yet.
ReplyDeleteAnd in a parking lot no less!
DeleteNice little store and great to support small growers. Lots of great selections that looked fantastic. I like how the plants are named. Here we just get plants that are labelled 'succulent' or 'cactus'. It requires some sleuthing to determine who you have.
ReplyDeleteI much prefer to give my plant dollars to small growers! As for the labels, Austin is an expert--that helps.
DeleteBoooo! Just take out the agave already, why chop it up like that? Fun sale, although I was left wondering what the offered "seldom-seen greenery" was?
ReplyDeleteExactly! Take it out!!!
DeleteWhat a fantastic store, I've ordered online from them. But really need to make a trip in person.
ReplyDeleteField trip! Be sure sure to drop by!
DeleteI've seen folks plant redwood cedar in their parking strip! There's obviously no city enforcement, but eventually those beauties will have to go. Since the internet and google had taken, there is no excuse not to research a plant you put in the ground.
ReplyDeleteChavli