Cactus & Succulent Market in Essen 2017 (11 pics)

Yesterday I went to this year's Cactus & Succulent Market in Essen. No, "I went" sounds too casual. It was a 10 hour train ride, thanks to the terrible service of the Deutsche Bahn. In the end I could spend only 2 hours at the fair but it was SO worth it! Oh how I wished I could spend the whole day there... But hey, I arrived home within the same day, unlike last time, so that's good. 

Unfortunately I didn't have time to check it out in all detail. I spent most of my time chatting at the Mesemb stand. How wonderful it is to actually talk to someone about our hobby! If only I lived closer to places where other growers live or such events take place. I was so excited I was mostly mumbling or talking gibberish because I wanted to include so many topics into the conversation. And I loved every bit of it. Also, I realized, while always communicating in writing I often don't know how to actually pronounce names of people and plants properly. That was slightly embarrassing but exciting at the same time, just like everything else there.

I went out in the rain to try and take pictures of the rest of the fair which was not very productive. Please check out my 2014 and 2015 reports for better view on what is normally going on there.

So here is this wonderful place I am talking about.

Looking at the pictures, there are so many plants I would have liked to take home with me.

Not many conophytums. I think, I was too late. Still took 6 plants home.

The other stands were mostly for cacti.

This one was interesting but I didn't have time to check it out.

And here are my purchases. I'll post better pictures next time.

Discovered this little monster on one of the stands.

I also got one Ariocarpus, even though I don't grow cacti. Ariocarpus is one that visually fits very well with my collection, I thought, so I'll try growing it.

Cactus & Succulent Market in Essen on July 5th (6 pics)

Back to business :)

I have spent such a wonderful day in Essen. I think my friend was pretty bored but I needed to see all those lovely plants in detail so I was just wandering from table to table, letting the impressions sink in. I was also trying to listen to some conversations among cacti growers - those people can be quite eccentric! And I mean it in a best possible way.

Well, I knew where my journey was taking me from the start - to the Klaus Ingenwepelt's mesemb table. So, after I got myself a Sinningia (leucotricha?) and an Albuca spiralis at a very reasonable price (I wanted both for a while) I went straight there. I thought Mr. Ingenwepelt was a little skeptical towards me last year when I told him I grew my plant on a sunny windowsill. I was pretty sure he didn't take me seriously after that. But in fact he remembered me! And, as I reported to him that all his plants have survived and are doing fine, even the conophytums that were back then new to me, we started talking and I learned so much about his way of growing mesembs. Also, I didn't even know his book "Mittagsblumen, Eiskraut und andere Mesembs" has been released this year and now that I have it I'm going to study it cover to cover. As I've probably mentioned several times in this blog already - the way his plants are grown is my absolute goal. I was walking around for a while and when I came back to pick out the plants I wanted to buy from him (I got two boxes!) there was another grower at his table who made me blush very badly when he recognized me as Rika from the Lithops Stories blog right away. I still can not believe this. How did you do it? :) Thank you so much for reading my blog, please email me, I really want to stay in touch and I'm seriously thinking of going to Blankenberge this September. 

We started talking about our plants and all possible things and it was such an amazing experience. I think it was the first time for me to actually actively talk live with mesemb enthusiasts. Thank you so much for this!

Cactus & Succulent Market in Essen (33 pics)

Last Saturday I went to the Cactus & Succulent Market in Essen. I'd take any chance to see with my own eyes what I would normally only see on pictures online. And since there obviously was an opportunity to purchase something - how could you say no to such a trip? The only problem was the rain but, for me, it didn't matter much - I was running around and taking pictures anyway. There were a lot of cacti and caudex plants but in terms of mesembs there was only one grower presenting his. And actually it way enough - I stopped there and couldn't walk away untill I've seen his plants from all sides. Those were the tiniest mesembs you could possibly imagine. I didn't even know you can grow them that compactly - a dreamlike scenery and a goal to pursue. Who knew you could grow a Cheiridopsis species of the size of the smallest Conophytum! He had a beautifully grown selection of Conophytums there so, totally impressed, I bought 6 plants. You probably can't see it from the pictures but they are really really tiny.

(please click on the pictures for full size)