University grower

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apoplast
Posts: 28
Joined: Sat Jun 24, 2017 12:58 am
Location: Minnesota, USA - Perfect for cactus, right?!

University grower

Post by apoplast »

Hello everyone! My name is Alex, and I grow plants for the UMinn CBS Conservatory (https://cbs.umn.edu/conservatory) - a collection of over 1300 species, in over 170 plant families. I've grown just about every category of plants, and a few which are difficult to categorize. I have a few groups of plants that are definitely a focus for me. Perhaps the largest group is carnivorous plants, and related to that interest I am a board member for the International Carnivorous Plant Society (http://www.carnivorousplants.org/). But I've grown my share of arid adapted plants too.

I first started growing arid species when I lived in Tucson, Arizona. How could I not?! When I was there I was mostly interested in growing different plants that were cool examples of convergent disallowed - see forum rules. After all, succulents are wonderful for that. Didn't have a ton of interest in cacti specifically at that point. I did grow some, but mostly because Miles sold me on a few when I would visit. He's very persuasive!

Then I moved to the Midwest and carried my convergence collection around between a few states in the region. Finally, I donated my collection to the then UMinn CBS Greenhouses. After a few years I found myself working at the same facility where I had donated my plants. Though the collection is quite different now, all of my plants are still there and doing quite well.

I've started to grow a few arid species at home again recently, as well as build and diversity the university collection. This time around, I have found the beauty in cacti. In addition to some interesting anatomical adaptations, they represent one of only two plant families that are as biogeographically and ecologically extensive in their adaptive radiation. Oh yes, forgot to mention - I am a nerd.

Anyhow, as I grow these plants at home again, in a climate that is far less favorable to do so, plus build the university collection, I thought it would be good to have the opportunity to interact with folks in the know. So here I am. To learn from all of you. To be inspired. And to soak it all in. Thanks for letting me drop by from time to time!
"If you are not killing plants, you are not really stretching yourself as a gardener."
-- J.C. Raulston, horticulturist, founder of the J.C. Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh, N.C.
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gemhunter178
Posts: 2762
Joined: Mon Oct 31, 2011 6:10 pm
Location: Massachusetts,USA. Zone 6A

Re: University grower

Post by gemhunter178 »

Welcome! That's quite a journey you've had!
A cactus and succulent collector who especially likes Ariocarpus. …Though I have a bit of everything! Want some pictures? See my flickr! I also do art and such.
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hegar
Posts: 4596
Joined: Mon Jan 23, 2006 4:04 am
Location: El Paso, Texas

Re: University grower

Post by hegar »

I too welcome you to the cactus and succulent forum on CactiGuide.
You have quite a job, taking care of so many plants with different requirements. While you are not living in a favorable environment any longer to grow cacti outdoors, you do have the advantage of growing them in a controlled environment.
By the way, I am a nerd too, with a background in the field of Horticulture. :)

Harald
xerophyte
Posts: 10
Joined: Tue Jun 13, 2017 10:03 am

Re: University grower

Post by xerophyte »

Can't be the worst job in the world you're doing! What other types of plants are you growing that are really interesting to you personally, apart from carnivores and cacti?
apoplast
Posts: 28
Joined: Sat Jun 24, 2017 12:58 am
Location: Minnesota, USA - Perfect for cactus, right?!

Re: University grower

Post by apoplast »

Hi Gem Hunter - Thanks for the welcome! "Quite a journey." Yup, I did ramble on a bit there. :lol: I do that. Feel free to call me on it.

Hi Harald - Thank you for the welcome as well! While it is true that I get to grow quite a bit under glass, I am very careful to separate my personal collection from that of the University's. In some ways I am probably a bit more militant about that for myself than I need to be, but I never want to give the wrong impression of what I am doing for the university. This means my plants live on my deck and under my eves in the summer and under grow lights in my basement for the 9 months of the year it is too cold for them. I suppose that is where I feel the climate issues more. Oh and anytime you want to nerd out, I'm in for it!

Hi Xerophyte - I'm certainly no dynamo at what I do. I try to get by. Until I can get to and maintain 200 plant families, I feel like I'm below the benchmark I've set for myself. Tough question about other plant groups. No short answer there, sorry! In terns of other plants I'm currently excited about, the other family level adaptive radiation I have started to delve into is Bromeliaceae. Both those and cacti are these characteristic New World families that have spread widely and are essentially diagnostic for many New World environments. They are terrestrial, arid, mesic (to some extent at least), and range from well into North America down through much of South America. It's pretty amazing and there is nothing like it in the Old World, or Australia at the family level. But for arid lineages, I'll also always love the Fouquieriaceae. I had all of the species when I moved from Arizona. Several moves later through less than ideal circumstances and I lost F. shrevei and haven't been able to find it again. Bummer too because it's my favorite species in the group (those membranes at the leaf margins!). However I also have geographic and larger taxonomic biases too. I love basal angiosperms! Plus I can't get enough of Gondwanan relict flora, especially conifers. Oh, and cycads. Cycads are awesome! So there are a few groups. :D
"If you are not killing plants, you are not really stretching yourself as a gardener."
-- J.C. Raulston, horticulturist, founder of the J.C. Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh, N.C.
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