Tag Archives: Ferocactus

Cacti in Southern Utah and Arizona

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With Michiel Pillet
Tuesday, May 21, 2024 – 7:00 pm Pacific Time (California)

An image of Michiel Pillet and several cacti

Members and visitors can attend in person in San Francisco,
or register/join the meeting in progress on Zoom.

Program Description

Last summer, Michiel led a field course for University of Utah students to learn about cacti. They drove from southern Utah to southern Arizona, encountering incredible diversity of ecosystems and the species that live in them. During the trip, participants discussed topics ranging from speciation (how new species come into existence) to seed dispersers and conservation. Join us for a virtual adventure through some of the most beautiful landscapes of the Southwest!

About our Speaker

Michiel (Mich) Pillet is a doctoral candidate at the University of Arizona in Tucson in the department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. He is a member of the Tucson Cactus & Succulent Society, and also serves on the Conservation Committee of the Cactus & Succulent Society of America. He is dedicated to cactus conservation, and studies the impact of climate change on cacti. He is deeply involved with International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and their efforts to protect cacti. He became interested in cacti as a teenager growing up in Belgium, where he had a small cactus collection. When he moved to Tucson in 2016, he began growing on a bigger scale, and in 2021 he opened a conservation-focused cactus nursery, Prickly Prospects, which focuses on ethical propagation of the most endangered species. He believes strongly in the importance of holistic conservation management, including
both research in the field as well as safeguarding the future of cacti by cultivating them. While
he tries to avoid picking favorites, he’s partial to columnar cacti, Brazilian species, and
opuntiads.

Show & tell table: we will feature Gasteria on the succulent side, and epiphytic cacti on the cactus side, plus anything else looking good or in bloom.

Featured grower: Michiel Pillet

Snack table:, There will be a shared spread, but we suggest bringing something every couple of months if you partake regularly. As a thought, we are often short on drinks. 

Covid precautions: We will keep doors open to ensure adequate ventilation. This can make the room a bit chilly, so dress appropriately.

Meeting Agenda

7:00 Mingling and announcements
7:30 Formal presentation starts promptly with Society business
7:35 Show and Tell Table
7:50 Leg stretch
7:55 Featured presentation

Watch Online

On Zoom: Register or join the meeting in progress.

Or watch the simulcast on our Facebook page: http://fb.me/sfsucculent

Upcoming Events

  • May 23, 2024 – UC Berkeley Field Trip – MEMBERS ONLY – Join us for this Thursday Morning tour given by their staff. Link in April and May Newsletters.
  • June 14-16 2024 – SFSCS Annual Show and Sale
    Featured speakers will include Kelly Griffin and Steven Hammer on Sunday June 16th
  • June 18, 2024 – No Meeting