Evolving interests of an expert novice by Barry Rice
It has been a few years since Barry talked to our society. He is a little unpredictable regarding exactly what he will talk about (“talent” can be so difficult sometimes!) but he says he’s going to talk about his current favorite passion — Echinopsis hybrids. He will describe just why he loves these, and why you should too. He’ll also talk about how you can take a small Echinopsis bud — even an unrooted one — and turn it into a glorious plant that will make your collection a crowd pleaser. And even more, he’s going to go into detail about best practices for grafting. After all, any cactus grower should know at least the basics of grafting, because it can be an effective way to guard against the loss of a beloved plant.
Finally, he will describe some of the challenges and successes of breeding your own plant. You could…if you wanted…create a unique plant that never existed on the planet before. Imagine that!
All that said, Barry will no doubt touch on a few other things on his mind…for example, some major changes that have gone on in Astrophytum cultivation during the last few years, and also something he just recently learned about selling plants in California…that EVERYONE selling plants should know about. It’s The Law.
Barry Rice is, by profession, an astrobiologist who has his Ph.D. in astronomy from the University of Arizona and is a tenured professor at Sierra College (Rocklin). He is also an expert in carnivorous plants, having written two books, many scientific papers, and long-term editor of the most prominent carnivorous plant journal on Earth.
His experience with cactus horticulture really only spans the last 15 years. However, he jumped into the field with vigor and passion. A scientist by profession and heart, he has optimized many aspects of cactus growing in the blast furnace of the Central Valley. While he has grown cacti from many genera, he specializes in named Echinopsis cultivars but also any really peculiar genera and species that catch his eye.
Meeting details:
Date: Monday, June 23, 2025
Doors open at 6:15 pm for plant sales and fellowship.
Program begins at 7:00 pm.
Shepard Garden & Arts Center
3330 McKinley Blvd
Sacramento, CA 95816
