SAN LUIS OBISPO — More than 100 varieties of student-grown succulents are now available for purchase at Poly Plant Shop at Cal Poly. The succulent plant sale, typically held during spring quarter in the college’s Horticulture Unit near the Poly Plant Shop, was moved to a reservation-based system to meet state physical distancing guidelines for COVID-19.
Poly Plant Shop is now open Thursday through Saturday. While walk-in customers will be accommodated as space allows, customers may make a reservation for up to two people for one hour at the plant shop to guarantee their entrance. To make a reservation, visit polyplantshop.com. Appointments are available from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with a limit of six reservations per hour.
“The community has traditionally shown huge support for Succulentopia, and we have worked diligently to find a safe way to continue to offer the sale to the public,” said Wendy Robinson, unit manager. “Students grew and cared for the plants in campus greenhouses and prepared for the sale throughout the school year, and we are thrilled to be able to continue to highlight their hard work.”
More than 4,000 plants are available for purchase. Cost is determined by size, with prices ranging from $3 to $30 and sizes ranging from 4-inch pots to 8-inch succulent gardens. Additional large plants are priced accordingly. Varieties include Crassula, Echeveria, Sedum, Sedeveria, Aloe, Gasteria, Haworthia, Kalanchoe, Graptopetalum, Graptoveria, Senecio, Agave, Peperomia, Aeoniums, Callisia, Cyanotis, Adromischus, Sempervivum, and Orostachys, among others. In addition, a variety of indoor plants, cut flowers and orchids will also be available for purchase.
A handful of students who continued working on campus to help maintain the horticulture unit during the spring quarter worked hard to prepare for this year’s unconventional sale. The student team took on the additional task of a creating a Cal Poly “grow your own” project, cultivating seeds of varieties of melons, peppers, squash, cucumbers and beans. More than 30 unique vegetable varieties in 4-inch pots are now available.
For everyone’s safety, all Poly Plant Shop employees and visitors must follow state guidelines by wearing a face covering and adhering to physical distancing guidelines. No cash will be accepted — only credit cards. The campus greenhouses remain closed to the public at this time. The nearby Leaning Pine Arboretum is open weekdays and Saturdays during daylight hours.
