At the Baton Rouge Cactus and Succulent Society, plants are treated like babies, dirt is fascinating and hobbyists get intense.
Since the society’s founding around 1994, those passionate about cacti and succulents have found a place to gather. Cindy Miguez, the newly elected president, says she wants to advertise the society and get more people interested.
“I really hope to help promote the society. It’s really just a fun group of people that all have the same interest, and we can talk about things that other people may not find interesting,” Miguez said. “And we help each other, educate each other.”
At the monthly meetings, the 30 members discuss their own plants, host a raffle and have a program based on various gardening aspects, most recently one on soil mixtures. Members often bring in the plants that they’re proudest of.
“We’ll have a show and tell, people bring their plants in and we give our advice, what’s wrong with it, why is it dying or they just bring it to show it off because it’s pretty and we’re all so jealous and envious,” Miguez said. “We strive for perfection and we definitely do have a few members that get there.”
The society takes succulents and cacti very seriously. Although the members are hobbyists, most have at least one greenhouse filled with these types of plants. Miguez said she first got into the hobby a few years ago, thinking they were pretty.
She says it’s very easy to get into, since succulents and cacti require little maintenance and watering. While the recent succulent trend hasn’t resulted in more society members, Miguez said they got a lot of interest at the recent plant sale. She thinks it’s the perfect starter plant.
“It’s so fun, it’s so rewarding,” Miguez said. “First, it lives for a certain length of time and when it blooms, it’s that much more rewarding. It’s just fun, just something to do and it definitely is just really soothing.”
Part of the appeal is how stress-free and undemanding the plants are. While some of the more specialized plants need tailored soil mixtures and greenhouses, most varieties of succulents and cacti can be forgotten for long periods of time without any issues.
“They thrive on neglect, so most of them do not require a lot of care, so they are easy for most people,” Miguez said. “Some of your smaller varieties that aren’t so picky — some can get very very picky — but for the most part they’re stand alone and take care of themselves.”
But she encourages people to come to the meetings anyway, to pick up plant care tips and experience the community.
“These meetings are open to the public and we’d love to share education and our knowledge with everyone,” Miguez said.

Gallery • 1 Photos

Courtesy of Cindy Miguez

3.18.19 succulent