more...

and then Euphorbia...

still more...

Pachypodium...

bulbs/caudiciforms

Aloe, Gasteria, Haworthia

mesembs and a couple others...

And the grand finale, my absolute favorite...

That Ariocarpus retusus must be sooo freakin old:)! I wonder if that person wins a blue ribbon every year or takes a year off to give others a chance;). I'm a sucker for the Pachypodiums:). They look really good.

That double header Uebellmania is incredible. The Melos are gorgeous too;)! It amazes me when people can grow beautiful succulents in cold climates. It's easy to grow plants in California.

I was writing and you put more beautiful pics up! The Conophytums are incredible. The standout is definitely The Conophytums bergeri. I bet it's stunning when it blooms. That Pseudolithos must be an oldie too.

I bet whoever grows that Diplosoma luckhoffi has to walk on eggshells around it. Nobody breath or that plant will perish;).

Beautiful plants, many are the results of years of TLC. Thanks for sharing the photos. The first one is amazing!

Kara--I've had the same thought about growing in CA, my zone 10a. I think I know something about growing c/s, but actually they grow quite well without much help here. I appreciate all the work of those who have to move them in for the winter, work with proper lighting.

They grow them in California, and show them in

Connecticut, but seriously those are some amazing plants.

A lot of these the growers have had the plants a long time (20 years for some of the Ariocarpus). Many of the Conophytums were grown from seed. So a lot were grown in Connecticut, at least for much of their life :-)

Here's a pic of the plants I just had to bring home

sld

I really appreciate that you got so many labels with names in the photos!

Great plants, love them all. Your favourite is fantastic, lol. And that Pseudolithos and the Medusa head...

Very impressive plants! Especially for Connecticut.

I’ve always wondered how they transport the plants.

Very impressive and so humbling, thanks for sharing. They may grow them in Connecticut but seems they get their strawberries from CA...:), I have a feeling my wallet will empty in a couple weeks...San Jose show coming up!

Wow some really we'll grown plants, that pile of burgeri is truly stellar, in guessing its 15+ years old ?

Beautiful plants!You are very lucky to be able to go there!Good buys too.So,the last picture with your favorite plant is a dead cactus?Did I get that right?

Lovely display, specially the cacti !! Love the Copiapoa and the Melocactus.

The dead cactus was in a novice class. I thought it was pretty funny. I've grown a few like that :-) Never thought to enter them in a show, though!

Thanks for taking the time, SLD. Totally jaw-dropping! That A. fissuratus, especially.

Awesome show and plants. I'm a sucker for the pachypodium as well, and the caudiciforms, and the Euphorbias, and the..... well I guess all of them lol.

Nice haul SLD, I'm loving that dioscorea.

Some truly incredible plants ... all the more so for being in Ct!

LOVE the Conophytum obcordellum! The dead cactus was actually incredibly cool looking -- worth keeping as "natural art" in its own right.

I like that the labels have a spot for age of plant. Unfortunately many of my plants would never get to the show. I would be unable to remember how long I have had them.

Thanks for sharing the photos! Was the show as crowded as usual?

Can't be there this year, have work commitments. :(

OP - I see you scored a really nice Dioscorea Elephantipes. Been always eyeing for one of those, yours is looking gorgeous! Care to share how much you bagged it for?

I got there early, well before the 10 a.m. opening time posted. It was busy, but not packed. very crowded by the time I left. I've been wanting a Dioscorea for a long time, so, when I saw it I could resist although it was pricy ($75). Hence, the empty wallet :-) The seller had two and I just couldn't pass it by. Someone else nabbed the 2nd while I was paying.