top of page
September 2026
Monthly Meeting
NEXT GENERAL MEETING: Hidden Agave: Tales From a Plant Explorer and Breeder, With Jeremy Spath, September 19, In-Person, Oasis, Rancho Bernardo, 1:30p -3:30p
Driven by a passion for discovering exceptional, rare, and new agave species, Jeremy Spath has spent the past 20 years exploring the natural habitats of agaves across the Americas. His journey began with a deep fascination for seeing these remarkable plants in their native environments, inspiring countless expeditions to uncover the beauty of agave habitats. His expertise extends to cultivating these plants, with a particular focus on selecting and growing exceptional clones.
Aug 26
Articles
TREES, PLEASE! Bananas – Are they Going, Going - Gone?
By Robin Y Rivet, for Let’s Talk Plants! August 2026. Banana Flower Close-up - Musa paradisiaca (Musa acuminata x balbisiana). Ruestz, CC BY-SA 3.0 <http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/>, via Wikimedia Commons. Are bananas as we know them doomed? Probably yes. Considering it’s the most popular and widely distributed fruit in the world, that ought to be a scary thought. Wild vs. Commercial Bananas. Composite image by ryrivet for SDHS 2026. What’s up? Bananas use
Aug 1
TREES, PLEASE! Mighty Myrtaceae – “the myrtle family”
by Robin Y Rivet, for Let's Talk Plants! June 2026 Anna’s Hummingbird seeking nectar from a eucalyptus flower. Photo by Karney Lee, USFWS on Pixnio. Mighty Myrtaceae – “the myrtle family” The tallest flowering tree in the world is the "giant mountain ash", which belongs to the Myrtaceae family. So does the diminutive dwarf common “myrtle”, an evergreen shrub often sold at San Diego nurseries as a tidy border plant. What do they have in common? Most members are trees or shrubs
Jun 1
TREES, PLEASE! Graft Smart - Don’t Grift
By Robin Y. Rivet, for Let’s Talk Plants! April 2026. Cherry Tree Grafting Calyponte , CC BY-SA 4.0 < https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0 >, via Wikimedia Commons. Graft Smart - Don’t Grift Grafting is not mysterious. Like other forms of plant propagation, success requires knowledge of biology
Apr 1
TREES, PLEASE! Are Your Trees Climate Ready?
By Robin Y. Rivet, for Let’s Talk Plants! February 2026. Photo credit: LadyCamera, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons. Are Your Trees Climate Ready? Valentine’s Day is looming, but February 2nd is Groundhog Day . Although we have ample sunshine for groundhogs to see their shadow, where are all the woodchucks? Duh. There aren’t any marmots in San Diego ( unless you count the one that hitch-hiked from NorCal in 2009 ). So how do
Feb 1
TREES, PLEASE! Urban Tree Observations: Conks, Stains, Saps And Bugs
By Robin Y. Rivet, for Let’s Talk Plants! December 2025. Turkey Tails - Trametes versicolor - fruiting body on rotting tree log. Bernard Spragg – Flickr Pro: https://www.flickr.com/photos/volvob12b/41856600312 . Urban Tree Observations: Conks, Stains, Saps and Bugs In October, I wrote about abiotic tree mishaps – especially those inflicted on urban trees by well-meaning humans. Many were preventable, so please re-read that essay if you’re a DIYer, as many of those failures
Dec 1, 2025
TREES, PLEASE! Is That Tree Really Sick?
By Robin Y. Rivet, for Let's Talk Plants! October 2025. Jacaranda tree loses its foliage before blooming in May. Nearby trees have already leafed out. "SelecTree. UFEI. " Jacaranda mimosifolia Tree Record." 1995-2025. Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo. Is That Tree Really Sick? “I think my tree is dying”. Sadly, this is a common lament for far too many residents. Decline of urban trees often arises from largely preventable abiotic causes. Environmentally stressed tr
Oct 1, 2025
TREES, PLEASE! Your Nose Knows to Sense Scents
TREES, PLEASE! Your Nose Knows to Sense Scents
Aug 1, 2025
bottom of page