Palms at Tropiflora - A Debut in Sarasota

[Palmarum]

Palms at Tropiflora

A Debut in Sarasota

 

Tropiflora's Fall Festival - Sarasota, Florida

October 25th, 26th, & 27th - 2019

 

For the first time, Searle Brothers Nursery and The Rainforest Collection were invited to participate in Tropiflora's giant open house sale in October, known as the Fall Festival. Due to space limitations, the staff at Tropiflora limit the number of vendors that may attend. They also specialize the vendors to certain plant groups to reduce competition. For one reason or another, they have not had a Palm vendor in close to ten years. After the invite, we reciprocated and invited Tropiflora to showcase their unique and popular plants at the Fall Extravaganza; that took place earlier in the month. For me personally, I was completely intrigued at the idea of attending their Fall Festival. I had heard many wonderful and incredible things about Tropiflora's events for many years, but I had never attended one before now. This was their 19th Fall Festival, and from I had seen and from what I had heard, they keep getting bigger and bigger.

We had a rough idea of what plants to bring, as it was our first time at the event. The selection process began immediately after the 'Ganza had ended. With the focus on Palms, we had to decide on what species, sizes, etc. to bring. The selected plants became a hodgepodge of almost everything we could choose from while representing the Palm family. We had no trend to go on, but we were receiving requests and ideas from Forum members and collectors who live in the area. The selection tried to cover all the bases, as it were. We were also allowed to bring Cycads, Aroids, Heliconias, Flowering Trees, Shrubs and Vines. And of course, the weird and obscure had to come as well.

The load of plants barely fit in the larger landscape truck and the white trailer. We had plants stuffed in everywhere, like a giant 3D puzzle. I spent the trip holding sale stuff on my lap, squeezed into the truck cab like a sardine but we got it all there. It was almost our longest trip to a plant sale, but our Key West sale was a few more miles and minutes further away (we sat there and figured it out for the fun of it). We had a very rough idea of the dimensions and size of our booth. We received photos of the booth, but it was a constant guess as to the size area and the vagueness kept us wondering if everything would fit, but it did. We spent all day Thursday, the setup day, making sure it did. Afterwards, we awaited the dawn of the first sale day...

 

Friday, Oct. 25th

- 7:27AM - Everything was new. New sounds, new location, new booth. The vendors at the sale were spread across an area to the rear of the nursery property. This area included numerous old growth trees, oaks and full-sized canopy that provided heavy shade. It was a half-hour before opening and sunlight fought hard to light the area. We placed the tent at the front corner of the booth, which was adjacent to a giant clump of Bamboo. I forgot to get the name on it, but it resembled a Dendrocalamus of some sort. To act as flag and sentry, a 65 gal. Dwarf Betel Nut Palm, Areca catechu cv. 'Dwarf', was selected to 'take point' at the corner. It had smaller three-gallons for company. A nearby 7 gal. Ficus dammaropsis was there as a suggested plant and 'sort of' pre-order. (B) The front of the booth as it faced the walkway. Larry Searle was getting things ready as I ran around taking my usual, early morning photos. I was trying to do it quickly as I wanted time to get to the nursery entrance before the sale opened.

- It was still dark. A blurry photo shows my attempt to hand-hold a 1/10th second shot of the booth with available light. This area of the nursery property includes near-untouched forest which held the sunrise at bay.

- Larry keeps setting up the sales area as I photograph the side of the booth. We made a few larger signs to make sure customers knew we had Palms, if it wasn't already obvious enough. (B) Along the main road that runs through the middle of the nursery proper and the back property, we had space to run a line of palms. They were a single species deep and consisted of larger seven gallon-sized material and up. This turned out to be a good decision as it served as a Palm-rich greeting to customers as they entered the area from the left. That white square at the left edge of the photo was this (C) sign at the edge of the booth. A pair of 7 gal. Pelagodoxa henryana, with their silver undersides, marked the beginning of the selection. Hmm. I will have to figure out if that name will need to be changed.

- A shot of the corner from a different angle. (B) We had a lot of frontage to work with. A grouping of 3 gal. Seminole Pink Dombeya sit out in front of a batch of tall, Chambeyronia macrocarpa. We got lucky, as a few specimens were throwing a new red leaf. (C) The flash and exposure made it seem like midnight. The booth had one parallel pathway after another, each stuffed with plants or tables on both sides.

 

Link to the For Sale topic, which began a couple weeks earlier: The 'Ganza Heads North! – Vendor at Tropiflora’s Fall Festival

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 7:31AM - One of several pathways through the booth, before the customers arrived and attacked the selection. The tables were packed and ready. (B) The last pathway at the far end of the booth held a table on one side and the Full Sun Palms on the right. We figured, that at around midday, this would be the sunniest spot we had.

- A 10 gal. Eden Pink Heliconia, Heliconia orthotricha 'Eden Pink', was in full bloom. We brought it along with a mass of three gallon plants. (B) The Ficus dammaropsis seen above had an emerging new leaf. It seemed to be gaining an inch an hour in size.

- The Rare table, or actually one of them. Some species had more than one card each, so it was packed. From the right angle, it looked more card than palm.

- Under the tent, we were ready to go. (B) Moving forward from under the tent, the center of the booth held various palms and what we call "One-of's" These are typically a single specimen of a species that does not fit in anywhere else, usually a three-gallon plant.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 7:35AM - The rear of the booth was a bit of a work in progress, right up until we opened. We were butt-up-against a 'utility' area of the nursery that was overgrown with wild plants covering pots, tires you name it. We pushed into it as far as we could and placed a line of palms along the back of the booth, with a path in front. This plan worked out well. We just had to remember where everything was.

- A little rework was needed on one table, then it was ready. Time to go see what else was going on...

- 7:40AM - I headed up front towards the entrance, pausing for a second along the main road, where the vendor area merged with the main six-acre section of the nursery. This area consisted mainly of various different shadehouses and poly-covered greenhouses. The vendor on the right pulls back the sides of her booth as more vendors and staff members make their way down the road.

- Staying in the same spot, I turned to the right (facing to the bright east) to look at one of several shadehouses. As expected, it was full of Bromeliads, mostly Full Sun types. It was covered with light density shade cloth, maybe 10 or 15%. Just enough to give the plants a break from intense heat to green them up, but not too much to keep them from blooming.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 7:40AM - Turning around again, doing a full 180º, I was looking at the front of the booth belonging to Valkaria Gardens. They had one of the first plant booths as you entered the vendor area. Those trees in the background were adjacent to the back of our booth, up around the corner on the right. (B) I kept making my way to the nursery entrance. There was that classic buzz of activity as the morning of a plant sale approaches opening time. The festive fall theme was apparent throughout the sales area. It was decorating the tent on the left, belonging to vendor Pine Island Tropicals. They had every jam and jelly you could think of, along with a wide array of pickled items. 

- Halloween was a big part of the theme. This decorative witch was sitting atop a large potted Bromeliad, situated in front of the event booth, soon to be filled with donuts. (B) Across the road, the food vendors, Choo Choo's BBQ was getting set up. The smoke was making me hungry.

- 7:43AM - The Orchid vendor, Plantio La Orquidea, had a long booth adjacent to the main road. They had their own part of the nursery area, as they are actually located on the property; occupying one or two shadehouses. They had a ton of material spanning so many genera. The tables were packed with specimens of all sizes, including many show plants that were in bloom and for display only. Wait, someone was in there looking... (B) It was Jeff Searle of course, checking out the plants before I could even get there.

- To try and sum up the Orchid selection would be pointless. There were some familiars, even to a beginner such as myself, but most were new to me. They had flowers that captured your gaze with color and tickled your nose with fragrance.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 7:44AM - The first sale section encountered as you entered the nursery and easily one of the most popular, is the Bargain Bin area. This section consisted of a few large tents, packed with benches that were loaded with all sorts of plant material. Mostly it consisted of Orchids and Bromeliads that were past their bloom period and marked down in price. Plants of all sorts ended up in this discounted area. They were all healthy plants, they had just reached a point where they couldn't be sold wholesale or used in one way or another. They were not all common plants either. Anything could be found here, from landscape ornamentals to the very rare collectable. Many were accompanied with sale cards and photo cards showing the flower, bloom, info, etc. One could spend hours here browsing, but don't take too long, as someone could grab the last plant right from under you. The benches and trays sold out quickly during the day and were promptly replaced with more plants. Golf carts with loaded trailers would make stops at the section all weekend long.

- The main road, looking out towards the nursery entrance. That green umbrella in the center marks the actual entrance point or welcome center for the festival. The white pointed tent on the right is the checkout area for Tropiflora's own plants. (B) The Check Out Station was being set up. It was designed to handle a large flow of customer traffic. Three separate check-out lanes existed, each one taking any form of payment. All those boxes were empty. They had been stockpiled by the nursery just to be used by customers. Grab a box and go fill it.

- Carts were readied for customer use as (B) as cars continued to pull into one of the parking lots. This lot was not large and filled up quickly, but was the closest one to the sales area. Other lots were outside along Tallevast Street, and some were down the street at a school and others were being filled elsewhere.

- One vendor spot was located right upfront at the entrance. It is the first place to be seen by customers, but it is way out in the open with no shade. The bamboo and plants belonging to Island Bamboo luckily didn't need much shade. (B) A view looking back inside from the entrance. The sign on the right reminded customers as to the vendor area at the back.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 7:48AM - They had lots and lots of empty boxes. An entire trailer full with more from another source. Staff members and volunteers were transporting them over to the check-out area. It is a great idea to stockpile them for the sale. I wonder how long it takes to get so many. I would guess all the time between the two festivals. (B) They're here... Customers began to enter the sales area before 8:00am. It started as one or two, then it began to increase.

-Another vendor featuring vegetable plants of all kinds. (B) Next door, Beads, Baskets & Balls showcased their namesake wares which included, well as you would guess; many items made of beads, baskets of different types and large, glass ornamental balls.

- Here they come. What started as a trickle of one or two customers quickly escalated. I was getting antsy, trying to figure out where to stand, where to go, and how long I should be here before getting back to the booth. (B) One plant (actually hundreds did) caught my eye. A specimen of Stapelia leendertziae, Burgundy Bells, was in bloom. It was a display example and not for sale. It was hanging in front of a separate section featuring succulents and cacti. There were smaller plants for sale not far away.

- I began to backtrack up the main road towards the vendor area. Another view of the Orchid section, (B) as customers began to flock to the Bargain Bin in droves.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 7:51AM - The opening minutes of the Fall Festival were upon us. Customers entered the nursery and headed to different plant sections, areas of the nursery that were accessible and to vendors. (B) The main road was the sole method of transit through the nursery and its margins served as the bulk of the sales area.

- 7:53AM - Those who passed the Bargain Bin, headed to vendors across the road or continued further down. Many chose to make a turn down the access paths to enter one of the shadehouses to browse the vast selection of plants contained therein. I found out that Tropiflora was giving a small discount on their plants to those who brought their own cart. A neat way to entice customers to bring their own conveyance.

- 7:55AM - The area in front of the Bargain Bin was becoming a parking lot as more and more people entered the sales area.

- 7:59AM - Plantio La Orquidea, the Orchid vendor, had their own sale later in November. It was held at the same spot in the nursery. (B) I was beginning to head back when Karen walked past in front of me. She was on the plant hunt for different things, including unusual Sansevierias.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 8:10AM - I followed the wave of early arrivals back to the booth, to find it busy as expected. We had been told that Friday morning was not as busy as Saturday morning, but it was certainly picking up. I knew it was inevitable that I would need to put the camera down when it got real busy. Customers were browsing the tables when I made it back. One was holding a 1 gal. Oenocarpus mapora I believe. (B) One of two neighbors across the pathway was Mark Peters of Peters Croton Nursery. He and Jeff talk Crotons for a little bit as the sale was slow for a minute. Mark's selection of plants consisted of Croton and Cordyline cultivars.

- 8:16AM - The back part of the nursery or the vendor area seemed like a completely different world. The intense canopy cover kept it shady throughout the day. It took forever for it to brighten up. Minute by minute, more and more customers were finding their way to the rear vendor area. The secondary trail or pathway went off from the main road and ventured into the distant wooded unknown of the property. It separated our booths pretty well and allowed access to the entire Palm selection. Mark's truck served as a stop for those who might wander off into the other twenty-six acres of the woods.

- 8:45AM - Carts filled quickly. I turned around, and in one second a cart was loaded with a 1 gal. Ptychosperma sp. 'Wotoboho', a 7 gal. Borassodendron machadonis and a 7 gal. Dypsis carlsmithii. (B) Our other neighbor across the way was Mitch Armstrong Nursery. They had all sorts of plants, especially those attractive to butterflies.

- The vendors lining the main road extended out to the nursery area. Many of those to the left had a mix of different plants. The Palms lining the right side were some of the first to be bought.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 8:49AM - Another view of the order seen in the green cart above as customer traffic began to build. We saw many familiar faces during our visit to Tropiflora... some we had not seen in a long time. These included collectors, sale goers and former vendors from the Palm world. Some had moved north out of range of S. Florida, while others had shifted priorities in their lives; making a trip down south harder to make time for.

- 9:11AM - An hour into the sale made a big difference. The rear vendor area was getting packed with customer traffic. I was only able to photograph in between rushes. On the left, Karen and Larry were stuck at the round table, working as cashiers for much of the morning.

- We did get many visits from Forum members throughout the weekend. A few of the visits represented first-time meetings but many were Forum familiars. A couple members found it interesting that we were now so close to them, versus in the past, where they would have to travel so far to visit us. On the left, Jeff talks with FM. Ana Bowers (annafl) as her husband carries a 7 gal. Ptychococcus lepidotus to the tent. The palm was positioned between two tables - why the card was hanging from a petiole. The Bowers didn't have far to come this time, as they reside in Sarasota. (B) A pair of thin wood posts and some string mark the line between two booths on the left. Those Variegated Alocasias, one in the cart, one at the customer's feet, were very popular plants. I have more shots of them coming later.

- 9:19AM - 9:53AM - We positioned more of the notable plants right along the pathway, leaving some sleeved and piled at the back of the booth to save frontage space. As one sold, we brought another out. Not always that fast though. Customers make room in their cart for a 3 gal. Dwarf Red Jade Vine/Bush, Camptosema spectabile (a.k.a.) Camptosema grandiflorum. I have been playing with that common name. I have yet to find a word that means both shrub and vine mixed together. (B) A packed cart waits for its owner to return. If they come back with a plant, I dunno where it will fit. Crotons occupy much of the cart, with a small Rhipsalis sp. hanging from the handle.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 10:17AM - A new method to carry your small Palms around. A 4-in. Calyptrocalyx polyphyllus goes for a ride in a pocket of a collector. (B) "Arrr... arf!" Translation: "This is my cart!" A small dog defends his transport as he travels through the sales area, complete with blanket. I couldn't get him to face me. His attention was focused elsewhere.

- 10:26AM - As a first time vendor at Tropiflora, our exhibition of Palms was a lot for seasoned sale goers to absorb all at once. Many got an education. More so for those who thought "There's only ten or twenty palms in the world." We ended that belief with weight and certainty. The selection included about 150 palm species in various sizes. The Dwarf Betel Nut Palm's ability to attract customers was without equal. Like a giant green magnet. (B) As we were stationed at the rear of the nursery, our only feedback in regards to how well the sale was going, was watching the ebb and flow of customer traffic along the main road. From what I saw, the sale was rockin'.

- 10:52AM - Across the main road and under the red tent was vendor The Plant Place out of Bradenton, Florida. They a diverse selection of ornamental grasses, garden favorites, bedding plants and decorative container specimens. They also featured unusual edible plants and natural soil amendments. That retail display to the right of the tent was showcasing a new type of chicken feed. There were about eleven vendors at the event, each with their own unique palette of plants.

- The crowds continued to arrive, even as the morning was approaching midday. On the right, Jeff talks with veteran Palm grower, collector, biennial familiar and FM. Rob Branch (Rob Branch) in the white t-shirt. Rob regularly volunteers at Tropiflora's events as his plant knowledge is legendary. Speaking of the white shirt and volunteering, when Rob first arrived he was wearing a Tropiflora t-shirt. After spending much of the morning in our booth, talking and hanging out with all of us, he decided the shirt wasn't going to 'suit the moment' anymore. He changed to the white shirt after a while. (I took a timely photo of the shift in apparel, but it didn't come out so well).

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 11:04AM - A customer checks out the description on a large Pritchardia vuylstekeana. Those leaves do stand out a bit.

- If Saturday was busier compared to Friday, I couldn't wait for tomorrow.

- 11:34AM - 11:53AM - A 7 gal. Clavija domingensis definitely counts as the weird and obscure. I noticed the card still read "Presumed Extinct in Habitat". I need to change it. It is now, unfortunately, extinct in habitat. (B) An order began to take shape out in front of the booth. A group of serious plant people were looking through the selection and carefully deciding on what palms to get. So far, they had selected a 7 gal. Areca vestiaria var. 'Maroon Leaf' and a 7 gal. Licuala peltata var. sumawongii.

- 11:59AM - The trio of plant hunters moved back and forth from every vendor. They noticed a few Cordylines to get from Mark's booth.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 12:03PM - There was a bit of nursery history behind our booth. In the overgrown area, an old tree house was still hanging on about 20 ft. (6m) above the ground. It was built by the Cathcart family years ago for their two 'kids' Scott and Robin. The kids now run the nursery, and do not use the tree house much anymore. During one of their visits to the booth, Scott and Robin were describing several of their adventures using the elevated fort. (B) If you look closely towards the right, the metal chain ladder can still be seen. I couldn't find anyone who wanted to try and climb it.

- The trees serving as our canopy were loaded with Spanish Moss, Tillandsia usneoides. The branches were completely covered with it. Every wind gust would drop clumps down upon the booth. (B) A Chinese Crested (dog) was getting suited up for dealing with direct sunlight. It was also a service dog. This hairless breed is often extremely sensitive to UV radiation.

- 12:15PM - It had turned out, the trio of plant hunters were working for Sunken Gardens, of St. Petersburg, Florida. They were working on building up the palm collection of the historic botanical institution. With their cart now full, they were happy and headed out.

- 12:23PM - I needed a closer look at the variegated Alocasia I had noticed earlier. Only a few plants were left.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 3:15PM - 3:30PM - Between a hectic afternoon and a long lunch, I was not able to take many photos until the customer traffic slowed down around three o'clock. The front of the booth saw changes as plants sold out and others were brought up to replace them. With a lull in activity, a couple of us were able to take a walk around the sale. (B) We headed upfront, first stopping in the booth belonging to Valkaria Gardens. They had many interesting plants that deserved a second look. On one table, a specimen of a rare species of aroid, Philodendron billietiae, caught the attention of many. Those orange petioles are quite amazing. (I have actually seen a variegated form of this species that is out of this world!)

- On a nearby table, we were treated to another orange-laden surprise. This is Fire Flash, a cultivar of the spider-plant genus Chlorophytum, (Chlorophytum filipendulum subsp. amaniense cv. 'Fire Flash'). This plant was originally introduced to the industry and named by Jeff Searle, back in the 1990s. It pops up here and there among growers in S. Florida, depending on who has it in tissue culture. It is not as common as it used to be, so it is a surprise to find specimens at a sale.

- 3:40PM - Bromeliads as far as the eye could see. We entered one of many shadehouses dedicated to the production of numerous species, cultivars, hybrids and forms of Bromeliads; the key operating function of Tropiflora and what has made the nursery world-famous. On the left, we were joined by Jim & Judy Glock, who made the trip up from Ft. Myers. Jim and Jeff were trying to take it all in. I was still figuring out what plants were for sale and which ones were not. There were benches running down the center of the sidewalk with priced plants, but I believe any plant could be purchased. They would know the price at the check-out.

- There be some plants on those benches. Certain groups had price signs out in front. So many Bromeliads...

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 3:48PM - The front area by the nursery entrance seemed to be finally cooling down from the craziness of the day. Golf carts that are normally running people and plants back and forth from the sales area and the various parking lots are still for a moment. (B) With Jeff on the left and Judy (obscured) & Jim Glock on the right, we looked through the Orchid booth once more. There were holes in among the tables. Trays that began full in the morning are now showing numerous empty spaces. I am sure they were able to restock for Saturday, as they were being grown just feet away.

- 3:56PM - Jim browses through the succulents and cacti booth. The bulbous bases near the foreground belong to a group of Jatropha cathartica. (B) We began to swing back towards our own booth to hang out for the rest of the day. We ended up back in Valkaria Garden's booth to browse and to chat with the owner. A group of variegated Osmoxylon sp. were right on a corner. I was surprised to find out these had been grown in all-day full sun.

- 4:00PM - Jeff poses with long-time friend and owner of Valkaria Gardens, Cleofar (Cleo) P. Millare. They have known each other for almost forever, with their mutual connection to tropical plant and Croton legend Dr. Frank Brown, a connection that goes back to at least the early 1990s. (B) Remember when I mentioned the Spanish Moss falling from the trees? Well, a small piece fell down and landed right on Jim's ear, resembling a fancy earring.

- 4:08PM - Tropiflora's media manager & graphic arts designer Jessica points the way for a pair of customers. She was also running people back and forth along the length of the nursery, which was a good hike. (B) Late Friday afternoon was spent in the booth, helping customers and discussing the events of the day. Larry and Jeff give a report over the phone, as Karen chats with Judy and Jim. The Glocks were our hosts for Jeff and myself for Friday evening. This was just part of a wild set of travel logistics that occurred during the sale. More about that later...

Ryan

[Palmarum]

Saturday, Oct. 26th

- 8:32AM - The morning of the second day began slow. It wasn't until the later morning that we began to see crowds reach the vendor area. I did speak with a couple collectors who could not attend on Friday and made it a point to attend as early as possible. (B) Jeff really can move fast when he wants to. He blurs past, talking to customers while re-arranging plants and cards. The customer in the blue carries a 3 gal. Kentiopsis oliviformis.

- Our neighbor across the way had restocked for Saturday. They had a mix of new plants for the booth including this White Ghost Euphorbia or Candelabra Spurge, Euphorbia lactea cv. 'White Ghost'.

- Percy! The young labradoodle 'puppy' is Tropiflora's own curly-coated mascot. He was being led around on a leash, but is often seen meandering around the sales area on his own. He went where ever his nose led him. (B) We were anticipating a busy day and we were not disappointed. We prepared by spending the morning spreading plants around, moving groups from back to front, and adding plants to the main road's display of larger palm species.

- 8:58AM - We continued to spruce things up as the first hour of the sale came and went. Saturday was the only one of the three days that held a low rain chance, so we had to get ready for that. On the right, Andrea Searle had arrived to increase our crew compliment to five. (B) Andrea and Jeff talk with an early customer, as Larry does the same with the couple on the right. Carts became portable holding areas as they were often parked out in front of the booth, as their owners dived head-first into the selection.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 9:25AM - Time for an Interview with a Vendor. Jeff was asked to do a short interview for a social media post conducted by third-generation Tropiflora family member Isabel and Jessica, head of media relations for the nursery. I could sense his head growing bigger as soon as they asked him. They were still figuring out how they wanted to do the interview, camera position, questions to be asked, etc. They were making it up as they went, as Isabel seemed like it was her first interview, while Jessica was a media maven.

- 9:45AM - The sale went from first gear to third gear in one jolt. One minute we were discussing moving a plant around then were were surrounded by plant seekers of all kinds. I was standing in among the Cordylines across the way when I did a series of panning shots from right to left, showing the front of the booth.

- A 3 gal. Licuala grandis is selected then gets hand-carried up front. The customer weaved her way through the crowd without hesitation, reaching the white tent in no time.

- Across the way, opposite side of the main road, the Hang-a-Pot pot hanging device was being displayed in its multiple formats and uses. If you use a lot of clay pots, you can hang them anywhere with this handy item. (B) The noise of the sale was carried down through the road like an echo. It sounded busy up front. From our booth, which was excellent in all respects, we only got a single viewpoint of the entire sale. A typical dilemma.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 9:49AM - Having five people manning the booth was very helpful, as two are often stuck as cashiers for much of the day. (B) A couple interested in full sun Palms brought me to the far end of the booth, where I helped them decide on a species. I turned to the left in time to see a wave of customers approach the area.

- 10:07AM - Two hours in and the activity was building. We began to see intense periods and short-spurts of hectic sales where photo taking was replaced with question-answering and assistance. (B) She ain't going to make it any better than that. In Mark's booth, a few of his Cordylines became building supports for a nearly perfect spider's web. It was done quickly, as it was not there the day before.

- Rob Branch has an assortment of custom t-shirts. Some of them make it real easy to remember his name. He was spending much of the day, let alone the weekend, in our booth; as it was becoming a popular hangout for palm enthusiasts and Forum members. This was very opportunistic, as Rob has the expertise and knowledge to sell anything in the booth. (B) He is seen here doing just that, by describing the growth of one palm to the customer standing next to Jeff. Rob often opens his own private garden to tours throughout the year. I have never been there, but I have only heard incredible descriptions about it. I also found out for the first time, that he has his own 'open house' type sale that he holds on various weekends four times a year.

- Attacked on two fronts. A table featuring a mix of the botanical oddities was being inspected from both sides.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

Mmm... getting blitzed on too much pumpkin pie... Can't stop... -explodes-

 

- 10:13AM - Jeff assists the same customer seen above, taking him out and around the corner to a species along the main road. A different species down the line was already tagged with orange flagging tape. (B) The 'end' of the main road turns into a small cul-de-sac with vendors on all sides. The road either turns into the side path I'm standing on, or goes further to the left, leading on back to the staff residences.

-  The reactions many customers have to seeing a new plant for the first time is varied as the customers themselves. Some are surprised, a few are shocked, and others are taken back by the price, the details, etc. It's always interesting, no matter the reaction. I couldn't tell if the two are reacting to the Dwarf Betel Nut Palms, or the smaller Thai Snow Ixoras, siting out in front.

- 10:17AM - The Plant Lady in action.

- I don't know where they were heading, but they were making good time. Quite soon, they would have to turn left or right. (B) The dog was happy where ever she was going, it didn't matter.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 10:39AM - A palm duo, representing both ends of a species, either undivided or split. (B) Two easy choices if you are a Licuala enthusiast, a 7 gal. Licuala peltata var. sumawongii and the standard split-leaf variety, a 7 gal. Licuala peltata.

- "Hmm... do I check out the smaller cordylines, or save them for later." Watching the customer traffic decide on which booth to go to, or what plant draws them in, is always intriguing. Like trying to map out the 'plant nerd gene'.

- 10:55AM - Rob was at it again. He even brings the customer to the checkout table. The only thing he doesn't do is write the receipt, being done by Karen on the left. Jeff is at the center of the booth helping one customer while Larry heads to the outside of the booth to help another, busy times.

- One thing I had to think about, is whether a customer saves money for the vendors at the back. They had an incredible spread of plants to travel through before reaching us at the rear. I know I would have had difficulty in their position.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 10:59AM - I would state that every booth was looked through by customers and no one was overlooked. At Mitch Armstrong Nursery's spot, they kept rotating their stock with new arrivals. The silver plant in the foreground-center caught my eye. (B) It is a large example of Euphorbia stenoclada, and it was one of the morning's restocks. It is also known by a slew of common names too numerous to mention. The vendor and a customer were going back and forth over the plant, with the customer eventually buying a smaller specimen. What tipped the decision, was a photo the customer found on her phone; of a lemur tip-toeing through a wild Madagascar specimen and eating the sap, which is non-toxic to lemurs.

- [thud] As I was walking past the booth, a large wig-like clump of Spanish Moss fell down right in front of me. I was tempted to put a lavender price tag on it and put it in the booth. With clump in hand, I walked around looking for something funny to do with it, but nothing came to mind. I knew if the right plant people were in attendance (complete with abundant booze) it would have been used as a wig for sure. (B) With no cool use springing forth from my head, I laid it down on the nearby scrub. It is probably still there, looking the same way.

- 11:03AM - Traffic jam. The main road began to see bottlenecks of customer traffic as we approached midday on Saturday. At this point in the road, one could hear the music being played in the distance and around the corner on the left. For some reason, the empty spot on the right became a rest area, complete with plastic chairs. I had to warn a few resting sale goers, as immediately behind the chairs was a good 5 ft. (1.5m) drop leading to an open drainage culvert. 

- 11:16AM - Even with two cashiers, we still had short periods of wait for paying customers. The process went quick, from lots of practice. (B) The large clump of Bamboo providing shade and wind-chime sounds for the booth required a closer look from time to time. It was an aged and well-established clump, but it did have a few broken culms, One of which was hanging down and nearly touching the peak of the tent. There were other broken sections higher up and these were bumping against other culms with every wind gust. Every "creaking" sound made us look up. I began to think of potentially falling spears of bamboo, or widow-makers.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 11:17AM - "That is one incredible tree." Reactions to the Dwarf Betel Nut Palm were free and abundant. Notice the customer, mid-image, with the camo hat and dark, olive-green shirt -- he was completely taken aback by the Areca catechu cv. 'Dwarf'. He was transferring every cubic-inch of the palm to memory...

- He grabbed a 3 gal. specimen of the Dwarf Betel Nut Palm to take home along with a few other plants. He had that look though, like he wouldn't be able to forget about the big one. (B) He and his wife began the trip outwards with their cart in tow. The tip of one leaf belonging to the 3 gal. Areca catechu cv. 'Dwarf' can be seen touching her elbow.

- 11:47AM - With the sale showing no signs of slowing down, the crew began to take lunch shifts, just so we were not eating all at once. (B) A line was forming at the tent, including one cart holding a 3 gal. Red Sealing Wax Palm, Cyrtostachys renda.

- The tables are always a favorite feature of the booth. Those tropical table cloths have become a symbol of palmy goodness. The one-gallons and smaller plants were being picked through constantly. Many of the species were available in three or four plants, but some were only represented by a single specimen. A group of plants sold out earlier in the morning and created a space upfront, easily filled by bringing the 7 gal. Lanonia dasyantha from the back of the booth. I did answer questions about him, mostly about why the leaves looked "weird and discolored" referring to the mottling. An easy answer ensued.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 11:49AM - I took a moment to appreciate the canopy we had over the booth. We could have been out in full sun, or in a hot location, quite easily. The filtered light made it cool and a slight breeze made it perfect.

- This was it for full sun. A single beam of sunlight represented our plan to put the full sun palms in this spot. Oh well. They were doing fine. As the one-gallons sold, the tables had their plants spread out to absorb the spaces as much as possible. Enough room was made to allow a few shorter three-gallons up onto the tables. (B) A customer reads the card belonging to the group of Beccariophoenix alfredii. This was a popular species during the sale. Many enthusiasts arrived already knowing about this coconut look-a-like and its cold tolerance. The Old Man Palms, Coccothrinax crinita, on the right were even more popular. It seems everyone, even many non-palm people, know about this hairy palm.

- 11:54AM - Jeff continues to chat with a customer, as the activity level of the sale reaches a high point. (B) The newly red emergent leaves of the Chambeyronia macrocarpa were selling the smaller plants quite easily.

- 12:03PM - A customer duo begins their journey out to the parking area with two new plants, the 3 gal. Red Sealing Wax Palm seen above and a 3 gal. Stingray Alocasia. (B) They pause for a second to allow Larry to tie up the petioles of the 'Stingray' hybrid.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 12:09PM - I was answering questions while showing people around the booth, when I happened to look off in the distance and noticed this large and very healthy Bismarck Palm, Bismarckia nobilis, growing in the middle of the property. It has withstood everything cold and storm related this area has seen in a long time.

- The sale was humming along nicely. Customers were flowing in across the way. (B) 'Woof'. One got to practice their canine communication during the event. Dogs off all types and sizes were in attendance. (C) A full cart had just departed Mitch Armstrong Nursery's booth, filled with Canna lilies, Plectranthus, and a few Vriesea bromeliads.

- 12:20PM - Mark Peters, the ultimate Croton and Cordyline salesman. He can describe every cultivar and variety in his booth.

- 12:25PM - This was a weird, but expected moment. I was standing in a good spot to capture when Jeff decided to 'pretend' to be an obnoxious person by cutting in front of his friend Keith. Jeff nearly stepped on his feet while jumping in front of him, then saying "Oh, it's you!" Keith is very well-known in the Croton world, as he is a veteran collector and popular hybridizer. Many of the Croton regulars wait in line just to see what plants he will bring to a Croton auction. Many refer to him as simply 'Keith', like they would say Sting or Bono. I don't know what his last name is, or if he even has one. He had made the visit to Tropiflora to see what rare & unusual Crotons Jeff might had brought, but since we were not allowed to bring any, he was bummed out.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 12:27PM - Mark's selection of Crotons outnumbered his Cordylines. (B) His other half, Deidre (left) was helping a customer identify a plant via her phone. (C) The clouds were beginning to gather, throwing a grey cast over the sales area.

- 12:32PM - The plant selection within our booth was thinning out to the point where we could see across to different sections. Some of the areas at the back were packed solid with material and we were now able to spread things out even more. (B) Larry and Andrea assist one customer with who needed info on a plant in another vendor's booth, for some reason.

- Mark loads a selected 3 gal. Cordyline for a customer. I am not sure as to the cultivar. Jeff and Keith continue chatting on the right.

- 12:34PM - One of the coolest and most complimentary of actions at a plant sale, is when customers sell your plants for you. When the conversation turns to a plant, that another nearby customer knows about, and thus points out said plant in your booth to the first customer... that is magic.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 12:37PM - "Well lets see... move this there, no wait take that one out... wait, let me get my glasses, ok, now it should fit." Customers use co-op mode to load a 3 gal. Dwarf Red Jade Vine/Shrub, Camptosema spectabile, into a small wheeled cart. (B) Another cart gets packed to the limit.

- 1:04PM - Andrea describes the notable differences of the Dwarf Betel Nut Palm to a pair of customers on the left, and Keith on the right. She was pointing at the absence of a petiole. (B) She continued with the description as other customers paid for plants under the tent.

- 1:59PM - 2:10PM - See, that is the reason we brought it. The wind was increasing and the chance for overnight rain required that we secured the booth; including tying the tent to something. Well, we didn't have anything, so... we tied it to the Dwarf Betel Nut Palm. The crownshaft was just the right height and he didn't mind. (B) Time to rest our feet a bit. The crew relaxes in the booth while chatting with a customer. 

- 2:15PM - Both originally native to the Philippines, Cleo of Valkaria Gardens takes a photo of the card belonging to Heterospathe cagayanensis, which happens to be from his home province of Cagayan, on Luzon Island. Small world. (B) Oh Percy... Like a bull in a china shop, the nursery's scent hound followed his nose into the Hang-a-Pot booth and started pushing stuff out of his way while tracking smells, good or bad. Maybe he thought a squirrel was in there, or just someone's lunch.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 3:42PM - 4:41PM - The many avenues of plant world history run deep and far. Chatting with customers often leads to some incredible background into all-sorts of botanical history, both recent and ancient. This couple had shared with us many different stories and interesting anecdotes from their own plant-filled lives. Before heading out from a wonderful time hanging out in the booth, they bought a 3 gal. Dwarf Betel Nut Palm. (B) During the setup day, Thursday, we were made aware of a regular tradition at Tropiflora. After the sale concludes on Saturday, a party is held by the staff and vendors to celebrate the event. As it was now, almost twenty-till five, we decided to make our way up the road to the gathering. Along the way, I photographed the corner of the booth, the 'line of palms' at its current state. On the left, the duo of 7 gal. Pelagodoxa henryana had been reduced to one.

- 4:43PM - We began to make our way up the main road to the area between the office trailer on the right and the warehouse on the left. They were in the process of closing off the road to vehicle traffic and setting up chairs. Jeff talks with one of Valkaria Garden's salesmen as I spent a moment looking through their booth. (B) It was stretched thin compared to the day before. Plant groups were reduced a scattering of specimens.

- Next door was the artistic and colorful booth belonging to Atizana Inspired. Both inside and out, they had a vibrant selection of Haitian-made, metal wall art. In addition to the larger pieces on display on the outside, the inside of the tent held many smaller pieces.

Tropiflora's Vendor Party

- 5:09PM - The second day of the sale was over and it was time to celebrate. As Sunday was a shorter sale day, 10am to 3pm, this was the key time for volunteers, vendors and staff members to hang out and relax during the Fall Festival. Sale activity was shut-down and tables were assembled by the event tent on the left, ready to receive food off all kinds. Everyone was finding a seat, grabbing a drink, or delivering food. As I got closer, Jeff threw his hand up to get my attention... (B) He had a chance to get a group photo with nursery patriarch and founder of Tropiflora, Dennis Cathcart. As many know, Dennis is a legend in the Bromeliad world. He continues to give talks and presentations at plant society meetings and botanical gatherings around the world. They focus on his numerous plant adventures, species discoveries and new plant introductions.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 5:10PM - The party was beginning to take shape. One cherished aspect of the party that has become a tradition, is the never-ending flow of Mango Daiquiris provided by the vendor of Pine Island Tropicals. She stockpiles a huge amount of mangoes just for the event. She holds up the blender jar with a ready-to-go batch while announcing to everyone that they are ready. Just in front of her on the table, that large bottle of Mount Gay Rum is one of many to be emptied this evening. (B) The vendors were asked to bring an appetizer or other finger-food to the party. Soon there would be more food than table space. The tray closest to the camera held freshly sliced pineapple and some very good Starfruit, Averrhoa carambola.

- 5:15PM - As vendors finished up for the day and readied their booths for Sunday, they arrived at the gathering. Nursery staff, volunteers and family members were joining the party as the sale was winding down. With a cup full of daiquiri in one hand, the line of attendees turned the corner and dove into the food spread.

- As more people arrived, more chairs were added. The road was now officially closed to vehicles as party sounds and music filled the area. (B) Jeff and Cleo enjoy the after-event. More than likely, they were talking about plants.

- Walking through the center of the frame, was Robin Lockhart, Tropiflora's Office Manager. She is often the person you talk to while calling the nursery or placing orders over the phone.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 5:19PM - It's good to be the king. You could be a king or queen yourself with this custom-made throne comprised entirely of driftwood. It was positioned just feet from the party and I had to photograph it as soon as I saw it. For $3,500 it could be yours, delivery may be extra. (B) Karen was one of many working their way through the line. She was getting crackers for one of the homemade spreads that occupied those shallow bowls. One of which was my favorite, an awesome Habanero Jelly mixed with cream cheese. It was so good.

- I didn't notice if she had a back-up motor or not, but this one was cranking away daiquiris non-stop. There was plenty to go around, including the rum. (B) As one tray or platter emptied, another took its place. There was something for every taste.

- 5:21PM - I got my fill and continued to photograph my first time attending the vendor party.

- 5:31PM - While in between plant story and beverage, Cleo poses for a second with Jeff and Andrea. In addition to being a nurseryman, collector, landscape designer and event manager, Cleo is also an accomplished chef. He often prepares the food himself for the events that take place at Valkaria Gardens; parties, receptions, etc. He brought a tray of gourmet chicken wings that were excellent. (B) Time for the speech. Making his way over to the green umbrella, Scott, Tropiflora's General Manager of Operations, began to get everyone's attention...

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 5:37PM - He had to close the umbrella first, as he is too tall to stand beneath it, but Scott began by welcoming everyone to the party. He went on to say it was one of Tropiflora's most successful Fall Festivals in history. This was met with applause from the crowd, with a couple standing up and cheering. (B) He went on to say how appreciative the nursery was with all the staff, volunteers and with the vendor participation.

- In addition to being one of the most successful Festivals, Spring or Fall, he mentioned it was also one of the most highly attended as well. (B) He thanked each of the vendors for participating, including Searle Brothers Nursery, by which he turned to Larry with a funny comment that I missed, but not his reaction.

- 5:43PM - Scott thanked everyone again in general and proceeded to talk with everyone individually... (B) With his mom, nursery matriarch Linda Cathcart, 'pointing' out and reminding him of something he forgot. (C) Cleo refreshes a group of drinks for attendees, as the rum is added to another batch of mango daiquiris. Is that the last of the rum? I doubt it.

- 6:19PM - The party continued for another half-hour or so, and then people began to head home. Many were still walking and talking, so I had some time to kill, which I spent perusing different booths. Aquatic plants always seem to be under represented in many plant sales, so I was happy to see the selection belonging to Wonderful Waterlilies. (B) They had an interesting mix of lilies, many with buds and open blooms. (C) As I walked around the water tub, I noticed it had wheels and was in fact, a trailer. The entire 'booth' was on wheels. I bet it made packing up easy to do.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 6:24PM - With the extra time, I was looking for unusual items or plants that were new to me. This Bowtie Vine, Dalechampia aristolochiifolia, was one that was new to me. I don't see this vine much in S. Florida, at least not where I have been. I do not know if it's new, rare or just new to me. The namesake flower bracts were quite interesting.

- A purdy Hibiscus.

- A couple shots of Valkaria Garden's Variegated Small-leaf Clusia. Every time I see this variegated form, the variegation seems to vary a lot from plant to plant. i.e. yellow/green variegation versus white/green forms.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

Sunday, Oct. 27th

- 10:08AM - As Sunday was a short sale day, I knew it was going to fly by. As soon as the sale opened at 10:00am it felt like the day was already half over. We arrived early and began to change things in the booth, mostly the re-arranging of plants. As 3:00pm was going to be here fast, we started to think ahead to the often chaotic end-of-sale loading. We brought what plants we could to the front edge of the booth, including the remaining 3 gal. trellised Jade Vines, Strongylodon macrobotrys (center), to the right, the two remaining Sealing Wax Hybrids, Cyrtostachys sp. 'Hybrid' were squeezed into a spot, followed by the remaining 7 gal. Old Man Palms, Coccothrinax crinita.

- As it was our first time at the sale, and in this booth, the logistics of moving the truck and trailer into position were completely new. The math also involves what the other vendors are doing at the same time with their vehicles. Certain plant groups at the back of the booth were moved up to make it easier to load them later. At the front corner, encroaching into the road a bit, we moved the remaining 3 gal. Coccothrinax borhidiana to show them off to the crowd. (B) The weather was flawless for the day, as what ever rain that was going to fall, did so over night. A steady breeze kept the vendor area perfect, with every loud creak from the bamboo making us look up.

- 10:48AM - A parked cart held a 7 gal. Silver Bailey Palm, Copernicia baileyana var. 'Silver', a 3 gal. Eden Pink Heliconia, among other plants.

- The Sunday morning crowd was on time and hit the sales area with drive. It was still slow until midday, but a few collectors did mention they could not attend Friday or Saturday. They were still happy with the available selection and found items on their wish lists.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 10:50AM - I was thinking ahead to my BBQ lunch when I went across the way to check the names of a couple unknown plants. (B) On my way back across, I noticed a few more customers in the booth.

- 11:11AM - Music had reached the sales area and began to flow down the main road. I was taking photos and changing positions when I saw a familiar customer approach the vendor area...

- 11:21AM - 11:23AM - Time to clear space around the 65 gal. Dwarf Betel Nut Palm, Areca catechu cv. 'Dwarf' because... (B) It is sold. The excited customer from the day before had returned, with total focus on getting the larger specimen; to go with the three-gallon he had just purchased yesterday. "I have had that palm on my mind all night" he said, describing the mental connection he had made with the palm. He just had to get it, now he just has to get it home. The customer and his wife discuss the transportation of the palm with Larry.

- After we cleared the other plants away from the palm, Larry works it back and forth away from the tent, after he untied it. (B) Larry flags down a passing golf cart driven by a Tropiflora staff member. He runs through the possible transit options for the large palm with the staff member, before settling on the use of heavy machinery.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 11:27AM - As we waited for assistance in moving the large palm, we answered questions in regards to transportation, planting instructions, irrigation, light levels and so on. The majority of our focus was on this one giant dark green palm that had been the anchor of the selection since the start of the sale. The conversation continued until I began to hear the low rumbling of a heavy engine, giant tires rolling over gravel and the hum of a hydrostatic drive... (B) I looked up the road to see the nursery's Bobcat heading towards the booth.

- The Bobcat was steered right up to the palm, and with the bucket attachment, all Larry needed to do was tilt it back a little... then a quick push and shift...

- 11:30AM - ... and it was loaded. The Bobcat operator and Larry were talking with the customer, about what I couldn't tell with the engine running. I think he was describing the size of his truck. The pot was steady in the bucket, but with the jerky motion of the Bobcat the palm was rather top heavy. To steady the palm, Larry was going to ride with it on the way to the loading area. (B) Off we went. The next part involved making a path through the crowd. In addition to taking photos, I took the post as spotter, to guide them down the road and to try to keep any customers from getting run over. With the Bobcat immediately behind me, I moved people, carts and plants out of the way.

- 11:31AM - I turned around to see the transport mission moving steadily down the road. Larry had one hand on the palm and the other on the Bobcat. It took a minute or two, before we left the vendor area and (B) made it to the main road. Customers, vendors and staff members were throwing comments at Larry from all over, making him grin from ear to ear.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 11:31AM - We reached the road near Tropiflora's event and hospitality tent and the volunteers were poking fun at Larry. Of course, I couldn't hear any of it.

- We continued down the main road at a slow speed. Many along the road knew to 'part the way' and let us by. The reactions to the palm in motion were interesting. A mix of "What is that?" and "Ooh, nice tree."

- 11:33AM - We reached the customer loading area near the checkout. With Larry directing the operator, he turned the machine off the road and headed to a safe spot away from the crowd. I couldn't tell what he was signaling with his hand, maybe their speed or the height level of the bucket.

- With some added maneuvering, they reached a temp spot at the loading area. Now they were waiting on the customer.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 11:33AM - As we waited on the customer to retrieve his truck, we took the time to absorb the activity of the front area of the sale. Others were still focused on the Bobcat and that funny looking palm tree it was carrying around. (B) A view towards the nearby parking lot, one of many for the event. I wasn't sure which one was used by the customer. He might've had a longer walk to one of the further parking areas.

- Leaving the support staff in charge of the booth, Jeff had arrived at the front area to help load the palm. I could not make out what was said, but he had a funny back-and-forth with the volunteer working the welcome and raffle table. She mentioned something about the size of the palm that made him smirk and herself giggle.

- 11:34AM - Within the checkout tent, it was business as usual. During one of many similar scenes that took place over the course of the event, a large amount of Bromeliads gets tallied up. In this instance, Tropiflora's Office Manager Robin Lockhart was working one of the checkout lanes. The tent in the distance was the holding area.

- The customer had arrived and parked his truck in the loading area. Larry took his position back in the bucket holding the palm steady. They pulled back out near the road and took a wide turn back towards (B) the customer's truck. With Larry guiding, and Jeff asking the customer how he wanted it loaded, they slowly moved the bucket and palm closer to the tailgate. (C) Inch by inch, centimeter by centimeter, they moved the heavy load to the tailgate...

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 11:35AM - Movements and adjustments to speed were reduced to the smallest increments possible, as the heavy bucket could do serious damage to the tailgate, like a hot knife through butter. With Larry judging distance, and Jeff keeping an eye on the height, they got the leading edge of the bucket over the tailgate.

- "That's good!" The bucket was close enough to the truck bed for the next step. With Jeff on one side and Larry on the other, they dragged the pot off the bucket and onto the tailgate...

- ... With another tug and pull, the pot was half off the tailgate and moved onto the truck bed and standing upright. (B) Larry needed a good spin of the pot to have it clear the tailgate. (C) Now, do we leave it up or lay it down? A quick conversation with the customer revealed a decent trip of average velocity, so it was decided to lay the palm down...

- 11:37AM - Almost oops... Larry and Jeff pulled the pot all the way forward, then laid the palm over, but they almost crushed the tiny inflorescence (holding one developing seed) on the tailgate; which had been raised as support for the crownshaft. The customer noticed at the last second, so they rolled the palm over 180º degrees, the tiny soon-to-be seed now safe. I went and retrieved a cardboard box from the holding area, which was instantly flattened and used to cover the tailgate, protecting the crownshaft and leaf bases.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 11:41AM - We got it loaded and almost ready to go. The customer had supplied tie down straps and Tropiflora's staff had more materials and crew skilled in securing plants for transport.

- 11:41AM - 11:44AM - We thanked the customer once again and parted ways for now. I had a feeling we would be seeing him again. We might have created a die-hard palm nut, or an enthusiast in the least. A great palm and its shiny crownshaft were now on its way to a new home (still with the single developing seed). (B) A staff member secured the palm to the truck bed. It wasn't going to move at all. I did warn the customer not to accelerate too fast.

- Whew. With that excitement over, it was time to head back to the booth. I took a couple photos of the Sunday afternoon foot traffic as I was heading back up the road.

- 11:52AM - As soon as I got back to the booth, nursery matriarch Linda Cathcart was chatting with the crew as she had heard of (and probably saw) the large palm leaving the sales area. We were talking for a bit, when she invited us to help identify some palms planted near one of the houses at the back of the property. We couldn't leave the booth for too long, so Jeff and I, along with Rob Branch, headed into the property, led by Linda. When we arrived, we noticed that many of the palms were common, but large, old and well-grown. We identified an Arenga engleri by its growth, low shrubby habit, its leaves and its infructescences. We cautioned her about the fruit. (B) Not a palm, but cool to see -- a very large specimen of Ceratozamia hildae, known as the Bamboo Cycad in certain circles.

Ryan

[Husain]

Awesome, what a beautiful festival really heaven to palm lover 

[Palmarum]

- 11:55AM - The identification tour continued for a short while then we made a turn back towards the sales area. On our way back, we went past that large Bismarck Palm (posted earlier) so we could get a closer look. (B,C) I noticed a couple different groups of these interesting trees planted around the nursery. They are a species of Eucalyptus and they had a very smooth, yet peeling, green bark. This was one group near the rear vendor area, and there was at least one more further up the main road. Scott had told me the species, but the note had vanished. I believe the species began with the letter "T".

- Underneath the Eucalyptus seen above, was this mass-clump of a super spiny Bromeliad, with almost every plant featuring a upright infructescence loaded with bright orange fruit. It was identified by Rob Branch as the Bromeliad family's type genus, Bromelia. Our guide Linda Cathcart, mentioned it was cultivated at one time long ago but has since escaped and naturalized itself in this area. She does sell parts of it to those who are interested, but they have to get it themselves. The leaves have razor edges and extremely sharp spines. (B) That fruit was tempting, but I wasn't going to try and get it. I did a quick run through the genus to try and identify it and came up with Bromelia balansae as a possibility.

- 12:05PM - By the time we got back to the booth it was lunch time. We continued where we left off, helping customers and preparing for the post-sale chaotic loading of plants that would be upon us in three hours. (B) On the right chatting with the group was Darryl Windham of the Naples Zoo. He had made the journey north from the zoo to check out the sale.

- 12:18PM - A customer creates a stash out in front of the tent, as Jeff and Larry continue to do mental prep for 'striking the set' and packing up everything. Where to position the truck and trailer was the big question. We didn't want to block the road for everyone else. The stash currently included a 15 gal. Burretiokentia hapala, a 7 gal. Neoveitchia storckii and a 3 gal. Red Sealing Wax Palm, Cyrtostachys renda. (B) The customer seemed to have been waiting for someone to return with a cart, but ran out of time and decided to start hand-carrying his plants, beginning with the 7 gal. N. storckii.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 12:26PM - "Hold these for me, I'll be right back!" A quick rush by a dedicated enthusiast led to the use of a chair as a mini holding area. It was Jeff's chair, so I knew he wouldn't mind. The instant stash included a 3 gal. Areca macrocalyx var. 'Mariae' (showing a bit of burgeoning red), a spotty 2 gal. Dracaena cantleyi and a couple 4-in. Calyptrocalyx polyphyllus. (B) Discounting the shortness of the sale day, Sunday was not as busy as Saturday or Friday, but the day did have its moments, the episode with the big Dwarf Betel Nut Palm was a certain example.

- Some dogs got to ride in style.... (B) While others got the increased freedom of a long leash and dirt under their paws.

- 12:34PM - One more shot of the booth under our ideal canopy before we began to move things about. The bent and twisted bamboo culms that were falling over and keeping our interest during the weekend, never quite reached anything during the sale, but they did get lower. I liked the booth arrangement, but we could always tweak it for next time. We had ideas to expand into the 'wilderness' or the rough edges at the back of the booth. If anything, we might reach the tree house.

- 1:05PM - As every one of the three gallon plants had sold, it was time to sell the big one. The 10 gal. Eden Pink Heliconia had done its job. The plant and its colorful blooms had sold all of the smaller specimens. Now, the larger one itself had been bought, and was being carted out by Larry.

Ryan