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New York Cactus and Succulent Society

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New York Cactus and Succulent Society

Meetings: 3rd Thursday of every month at 488 Madison Avenue, 19th flr (some exceptions)

06/18/2026

Tonight’s June meeting of the NYCSS is a special members only event. We will have several other events like this during the summer so we hope you will consider joining. 🤗 Our annual dues are $20 (per family), payable by Venmo or cash.

“In AD ASTRA / AD ASTERIAS Lucas Bucholtz will offer a survey of threatened biomes along the Rio Grande, challenging the adage that what lies up river eventually ends up down river- concluding with an in depth look at how economic and tech development as well as border politics in the Lower Valley have dramatically impacted multiple species whose unique habitat needs limit their range to just a few square miles within the United States. “

06/07/2026

A huge thanks to our member for hosting the society at his apartment a few weeks ago - we were treated to a sumptuous homemade feast in addition to getting a tour of his collection, including haworthias, copiapoas and Madagascan hissing cockroaches (not pictured) 👹

Come for the plants - stay for the people 🤗🌱🌵June through August will feature lots of great in-person member-only events! Shoot us an email or DM to learn how to join 🥳

05/22/2026

At last night’s May meeting, and gave an amazing recount of their trip to Arizona - regaling us with tales (and incredible photos!) of Sagauro National Park, nurseries, botanical gardens, observatories, hotels, restaurants… and Biosphere 2 🤗 Our minds started wandering to a potential group trip later on… 🥸🏜️ Always good to have future goals!!

After the talk we enjoyed a lively auction with some beautiful seedlings (some donated by , as well as some grown in NYC by our very own ) - as well as sharing of special Astrophytum hybrid seeds gifted to us by a fellow grower and enthusiast 🌱🌵

It was an extremely fun night - hope everyone enjoys their long weekend and hope to see you at a meeting or event soon!

05/14/2026

The Sonoran Desert is one of North America’s great desert ecoregions, known for its bi-seasonal rainfall, remarkable biodiversity, and charismatic desert flora, including the giant saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea) and organ pipe cactus (Stenocereus thurberi). Join us for our May meeting on 05/21, 6 PM at 488 Madison Ave Floor 19. Our members and will share highlights from their recent trip to Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona, where they explored the plants, habitats, and landscapes of the Sonoran Desert. Drawing from their hikes throughout Saguaro National Park, they’ll discuss the distinctive flora they encountered and the ecological conditions that shape this extraordinary region.

They’ll also share photos and anecdotes from their visits to local nurseries, renowned botanic gardens, and other landmarks including the Arizona Biltmore, Biosphere 2, Kitt Peak National Observatory, and El Charro Café, the legendary birthplace of the chimichanga!

This promises to be a great talk so we hope you’ll be able to come out and mingle! Feel free to reach out with any questions.

05/13/2026

One of our society’s goals has been to encourage growing cacti and other succulents from seed and so we were delighted and honored to visit - one of the best proponents of this vital practice in the continental US.

Scott was incredibly generous with his time and knowledge, as we discussed everything from seed sourcing to germination temperatures to watering to labeling practices. It was inspirational to see what he has grown through years of dedication and work - cacti, euphorbia, haworthia, stapeliads, adenia, pachypodium and more. We hope to bring some of that energy to NYC and continue to foster and develop such connections with like-minded individuals here and abroad. Come to one of our meetings or catch us at an event soon if you’re interested in growing together! 🤗🌱🌵

Finally, it was so, so wonderful to reunite with .degreg (the designer of our NYCSS logo!)

05/08/2026

Dear cactus & succulent lovers - some cactus blooms for your Friday 🤗🌵💐

Eriosyce heinrichiana var. setosiflora raised by - Weingartia neocumingii , Gymnocalycium pflanzii and mihainovichii grown from seed in NYC by .3786 and

05/03/2026

abdita is a remarkable cactus which grows naturally in silty lakebeds in Coahuila, Mexico. The natural fissures formed as the soil dries out provide cool, moist havens for seeds to germinate. During the rainy season the plants can be submerged under water for extended periods of time.

Pic 1 shows a grafted plant enjoying some rain outdoors (courtesy of ). Pic 2 shows some seedlings grown by in NYC - as seeds often germinate underground they are “programmed” to grow in height and reach the surface. One can also see the large taproots forming which help anchor the plants during seasonal deluges (and help them survive extended drought). These seedlings were then buried quite deep when repotting (pic 3) to hopefully establish a more natural growth habit.

Pics 4 and 5 show some plants in their natural environment (pics by .3786 ), a truly remarkable sight in such a desolate environment. The world of cacti and succulents is vast and inspiring and we’re always looking for new people to get involved & join us on the journey - hope to see you at a meeting or event soon! 🤗🌱🌵

04/23/2026

While the saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea) is probably the most famous columnar cactus, the genus pilosocereus is one of the more popular varieties for beginners. They don’t grow as large as the saguaro but for those of us living in apartments that isn’t necessarily a bad thing 😅 their characteristic blue color intensifies with UV light as a natural defense mechanism, although genetics do also play a factor. Pic 1 shows some 8 yr old seedlings recently moved to a balcony for the growing season, while Pic 2 shows some 2 yr olds as a size comparison.

“Pilosus” in Latin means covered with hair and as these plants grow, one can see fine white hairs emerging alongside spines (see details in 3-6). The hairs can serve as hiding places for pests (namely spider mites) so be vigilant to avoid damage to the growth point. Air flow and UV can help in this regard.

All plants in this post grown from seed by our member .3786 in Manhattan.

04/20/2026

Yesterday at the .plantmarket felt like a rite of passage for a northeast - both humans and plants got a healthy dose of cold, wind and rain 🥶🌧️💨

But all the plant lovers of NYC who braved the conditions and showed up (see the last pic!) more than made up for it - it’s the type of experience that stays with you and helps the community grow 🤗🌱🌵thank you to everyone who stopped by our table and took home seedlings, shirts and pots!

Was great seeing our fellow plant club - and of course thank you to and for making this event a reality. Looking forward to the next one!!!

02/12/2026

NYCSS Meeting announcement!! will be giving a talk on ariocarpus at our February meeting, next week Thursday (02/19) at 6 PM - 488 Madison Ave, Floor 19. On their trips to 🇲🇽 over the last two years, he and .3786 were fortunate to catch many of these plants in flower - come for the beautiful pictures and learn more about natural hybrids, fascinating habitats and much more. Hope to see you all there!

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488 Madison Avenue, Fl 19th
New York, NY
10022

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