Los Angeles
Cactus and Succulent Society
Come and Visit!
Welcome to the website of the Los Angeles Cactus and Succulent Society. Our nearly 200 members come from throughout the southland and share a passion for cacti and succulents. Throughout the history of LACSS, many of the most prominent researchers, authors, and collectors of the succulent world have been leaders and members of our society.
LACSS meets monthly in the San Fernando Valley to enjoy stimulating presentations, hands-on workshops, plant sales, mini-shows, raffles, trading, and other activities. In addition, LACSS offers field trips to member gardens, nurseries, and private collections. We serve the greater community by offering free educational activities, and presenting an exciting annual festival in April or June, and a Fall Sale.
In order to share the joys and benefits of collecting and cultivating cacti and succulents, we invite you to check out our general meetings on the 1st Thursday of each month at ONEgeneration Senior Enrichment Center at 18255 Victory Blvd.
Doors open at 6:15 for the Social Hour, Ask an Expert, and much more. The business meeting starts promptly at 7pm. Attendance is FREE and open to the public. Each new visitor receives a free plant! We hope to see you at a meeting soon.
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REFRESHMENT REMINDER
Our next meeting is March 6, 2025 Last names beginning with G, H, I, or J please bring treats! If you missed your month this is a great time to bring a treat to share.
It is a collective effort that we provide refreshments for our members at the meeting! As you know, bringing refreshments to the meeting is a way to make our meetings more enjoyable and welcoming for everyone.
This month, last names beginning with G,H, I or J. If you missed your month this is a great time to bring a treat to share.
We kindly ask that each member brings a small contribution of snacks or drinks to share with the group. A lot of us are coming straight from work and appreciate that we are mindful of empty stomachs.
Examples of refreshments that you could bring include:
Appetizers / Sides Cookies or pastries Fruit or vegetables Chips and dip Finger food Pizza
Please bring your contribution in a “disposable” dish!
If bringing refreshments is a difficulty, we ask that you leave a donation in the “Donation Jar” at the Refreshment Table. The club relies on your contribution to continue supplying our membership with sustenance.
We appreciate your cooperation and look forward to seeing you at the meeting.
Thank you,
LACSS
Renew your membership NOW!
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Meeting
March 6, 2025
Doors open 6:15PM
One Generation
18255 Victory Blvd
Reseda CA
March Plants of the Month:
Lobivia and Echeveria
Speaker
this Month:
Adam Baker
Astrophytums
Woody Minnich Program
Cacti & Succulents of the Bolivian Highlands
Wendell S. Woody Minnich 2007-2017
Bolivia, an inland island in the western regions of South America, is south of Peru and north of Argentina-Chile and west of Brazil. Being squeezed by past wars with its neighbors, Bolivia is now a small country with no direct connection to the Pacific Ocean. It is mostly made-up of high Andean mountain environments often divided by deep river gorge valleys. From sea level to altitudes in excess of 24,000feet, it is well known for its Inca ancestry, high altitude terrace farming and the beautiful llamas, alpacas and vicunas. Due to it being mostly high in elevation, many of the cacti and other succulents are endemic to very specialized and uniquely created cold hardy habitats. When flying into La Paz, the capitol of Bolivia, one soon becomes aware of their first immediate adjustment. As soon as you step off of the airplane, you really feel the altitude of near 14,000 ft. Normally, a few days of acclimation are necessary, thus what better way to see this historically beautiful city, than to just meander verrry slooowly from street to street! The people and their culture are pronounced, and the colors and vibrancy of their life style is inspirational. One would think, at this mountainous altitude, the winter temperatures would get very cold and thus prohibit the growth of most succulent plants. Surprisingly, there are numerous cacti and other succulents found growing everywhere. And, if the altitude makes you feel ill, there are always vendors along the cobblestone streets anxious to sell their famed cocoa leaves. Just chew some, dribble the juice down your chin, and soon you’ll feel as if you’re back at sea level. From La Paz into Bolivia’s more remote regions, one quickly begins to view fantastic scenery from snow covered peaks to deep valleys and sculptured geological formations. Soon the Puyas and columnar Cereus become the dominate vegetation. If curvy winding roads with sheer drop-offs are not to your liking, this may not be the best place for you. Pretty soon, many smaller cryptic genera become visible from the window of your Land Cruiser. You totally forget about the rough roads and immediately get excited by more and more species appearing with each and every bend in the road. Sulcorebutias, Rebutias and Weingartias are the most dominant genera, and when they are in flower, they seem to glow with their big electric red, yellow and burgundy flowers. The Echinopsis, Lobivias, Oreocereus and Cleistocactus are also very common and are often found growing in association with numerous Bromeliads and the occasional Echeveria. Everyday in Bolivia is like riding a rollercoaster, from sea level to 20,000ft, and from one species of cactus to another. In some areas, the cacti dominate the landscape, and in others, the cacti are as cryptic and camouflaged as chameleons. Hopefully sharing my travels in Bolivia from Lake Titicaca to Sucre, will be as exciting for you as it was for me. For those of you who may never make such a trip, perhaps this presentation can take you to Bolivia without ever leaving home.
Biography Wendell S. (Woody) Minnich 2025 I was about 5 years old when my dad introduced me to the cactus of the Mojave Desert. As the years passed, I became really fascinated with these wonderful plants and their near relatives, the other succulents. Soon after my introduction to the Mojave Desert cactus , I started my own cactus garden, and a coveted collection of rare potted specimens. In the late 1960’s I became a totally addicted cactophile. I joined the Los Angeles, the San Gabriel, and the Long Beach Cactus and succulent societies, and soon became a very active member of these clubs. Over the last 55 years I have been privileged to be very active in many cactus society leadership roles, (President, V. P., Show Chair, Newsletter editor, Program Chair, Conservation Chair, Plant of the Month, etc,). During these early years I also introduced the first cactus T-shirts, which are still popular today. I then quickly dedicated myself to doing extensive field work to study and photograph the cacti and other succulents from all around the world.
March Speaker
Woody Minnich
Los Angeles
Cactus and Succulent Society
