My last nursery run this spring?

I visited a local succulent outlet late last week in search of small plants to fill in some of the empty spaces in the bed I've been renovating.  I shopped OC Succulents in Irvine for years but it's an hour-plus drive away; however, the company opened a "smaller" store in Torrance in 2018 only about thirty minutes away.  I hadn't stopped in since 2022 and, on that last visit, I found that their prices had climbed significantly but now that I've adjusted (somewhat) to the higher plant prices everywhere, I thought another stop was in order, especially as they offer a wider selection of succulents than any garden center in my area.

While the focus of my visit was on smaller specimens, that didn't stop me from checking out the inventory of larger plants.

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This is a small sample of what was available in 5-gallon pots. Top row: Aeoniums 'Merlot' and 'Zwartkop' and Agave 'Green Glow' Middle: Aloe cameronii, Crassula 'Crosby', and Mangave 'Mission to Mars' Bottom: Mangave 'Snow Leopard', noID Opuntia, and Yucca gloriosa 'Variegata'

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A view of the array of cactus and other succulents in 15-gallon pots

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15-gallon agaves with huge Euphorbia tirucalli in the distance

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Large barrel cactus (Echinocactus grusonii) in numbers you wouldn't find anywhere else nearby

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This Aloe 'Medusa' was $150 but, for a focal specimen this size, I think that's a relative deal.  OC Succulents sells plants in large volumes to landscapers and others with business licenses, who receive discounts.

The indoor plant selection, such a contrast to the succulents, always comes as a surprise when I walk into the store's interior area.

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Wide shots of the indoor plant selection

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Left to right closeups of  Agloanema 'Siam Aurora Red' (aka Chinese evergreen), Microsorum diversifolium (aka kangaroo paw fern), and Zamioculcas zamiifolia (aka ZZ plant).  I couldn't decide if I liked the variegated Chinese evergreen or hated it.

With my mission in mind, I didn't spend much time with the indoor plants, stepping outside into the tented area that houses both larger indoor plants and the smaller succulents.

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My focus was on the 4-inch succulents

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These 10-inch or larger plants were $20+: Agave parryi, Neoregelia 'Fireball', and Echeveria harmsii

Here's what I took home:

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The smaller plants aren't labeled but OCS does now provide a receipt showing plants by their species names; however, the 2 pale blue Echeverias were missed.  My guess is that they're Echeveria 'Cante' (although my camera's app disagrees).  Other purchases include: a ZZ plant, an Aeonium, a Corpuscularia, 2 varieties of Crassula, Echeveria 'Blue Prince', and Graptopetalum.

Will that really be my last trip to a plant nursery or garden center this spring?  Probably not.  In fact, I stopped by my local Armstrong Garden Center earlier this week to pick up some planting mix and pumice to pot up my dahlia tubers as they wait for space to free up in my cutting garden - but that doesn't count, does it?  I routinely admonish myself not to plant anything new - except succulents - after June but I'm not as disciplined as I'd like to be.  Just last night, I submitted a mail order for a succulent variety I couldn't locate locally but then succulents really don't count...

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