In spite of last weekend’s damp and rainy weather, both people and plants stayed dry at the Austin Cactus and Succulent Society’s Spring Show. I had decided to visit the show at the Zilker Botanical Gardens between storms on Sunday afternoon and was very glad to find out that everything was set up indoors.

Inside the Garden Center building, about a dozen vendors were selling cacti, succulents, and hand-made pottery. Local Society members had also gathered together an impressive display of their own not-for-sale plants. A raffle was held at the top of every hour. I bought some tickets, hoping to spruce up my apartment with free greenery, but I did not win.

Perhaps you, too, were wondering: what is the difference between a cactus and a succulent? The answer seems to be complicated. Succulents can store water, cacti have spines. According to Wikipedia, “nearly all cacti are succulents but not all succulents are cacti.” I think I purchased three succulents and one cactus…or maybe four succulents? I’m not really sure.

I also strolled through Zilker’s outdoor Cactus and Succulent Garden. It’s near the front entrance gate. With all the rain we’ve been having, the garden was looking spectacular. Hopefully those succulents are storing up plenty of water for our inevitably hot and dry summer months!

© Austin Downtown Diary, 2016. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Austin Downtown Diary with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.