More than 150 varieties of succulents will be available at Cal Poly’s Succulentopia plant sale from noon to 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 25, and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, at the Horticulture Unit near the Poly Plant Shop.
More than 7,000 plants will be available for purchase. Five students are involved in the student-run project, which is one of several hands-on experiences offered by the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences’ Horticulture and Crop Science Department.
Student succulent manager Shannon Kerner, a junior agricultural and environmental plant sciences major, is overseeing the production team, gaining greenhouse management skills. This is her second year of working on the succulent project.
Four additional agricultural and environmental plant sciences students also assisted with the succulent production: junior Boden Cunningham, senior Beth Funke, sophomore Maddy Garner and freshman Claire Snodgrass. Lecturer Mike Bush oversees the project.
“Our students learn the hands-on techniques of growing professional, quality succulent plants,” Bush said. “They also gain insight into skills that will help them in the workforce, such as marketing, retail and detailed planning.”
This is Funke’s second year working on the project. The 21-year-old from Gilroy, California plans to attend graduate school to pursue a master’s degree in botany after she graduates in the spring.
“Being a part of the succulent team has helped me grow tremendously,” Funke said. “We have the opportunity to work directly in nursery production in an environment where we are able to test new propagation techniques and production skills. It has been an amazing experience, and I am excited to continue to work with my team to test and grow new varieties of succulents and cacti.”
The cost of the plants will range from $4.50 to $7 for 4-inch plants. Larger plants are priced accordingly, mostly below $12; 6-inch succulent gardens are $12.50; and 8-inch succulent gardens are $25. Varieties include Crassula, Echeveria, Sedum, Sedeveria, Aloe, Gasteria, Haworthia, Kalanchoe, Graptopetalum, Graptoveria, Senecio, Agave, Peperomia, Aeoniums, Callisia, Cyanotis, Adromischus, Sempervivum, and Orostachys, among others.
About Cal Poly’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences
Cal Poly is a nationally ranked, comprehensive polytechnic university. The university’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences is comprised of expert faculty members who take pride in their ability to transform academically motivated students into innovative professionals ready to solve the complex challenges associated with feeding the world in sustainable ways. Students have access to state-of-the-art laboratories, including ranch land, orchards, vineyards and forests, all of which provide the basis for Cal Poly’s Learn by Doing methodology. It is the fifth-largest college of agriculture in the country, with 4,000 undergraduate students.
Photo information: Succulents.jpg — Members of the succulent enterprise have worked for months propagating succulents for this weekend’s sale. The student team manages every aspect of the event, from greenhouse management to promotion and sales.