TLDR: Just look at how healthy my new spring cactus I just purchased from Hella Leaf is! It's flowering (hella) profusely.
I (hella) love collecting, growing, and propagating succulents. As I am writing this review in early Spring, I have just recently starting re-potting and re-arranging my gardens for the year.
I had first become acquainted with Hella Leaf last year, at the Succulents, Sips, and Snacks Yelp Elite Event, where I was very impressed by Leah and her business.
(For anyone who is curious, you can find my review for that event here: https://bit.ly/3MzLBcE )
So, obviously, when I noticed the Hella Leaf pop-up tent at the Midtown Farmer's Market this past weekend, I had to stop by.
Inside the tent at the farmer's market, a succulent potting bar had been set up, complete with adorable planters, about a dozen varieties of rocks (including several neon colors), and boxes full of tiny plants to pick from.
Some of the plants were available for individual sale, while others were reserved for the succulent bar arrangements.
The first plant I spotted appeared to be a tiny prickly pear, with bright red flower buds. I noticed that it looked somewhat similar to my opuntia argentine at home, which has not born any fruit yet.
So, I asked Leah (the owner) if she knew the name of the plant. I was surprised when, rather than saying "opuntia" or "prickly pear," she said "I just know it's called a spring cactus. Those little red flowers will only be there for spring, and then they'll go away."
Surprised, I said, "Oh, I was just wondering if it's an opuntia argentine, because I have one of those at home." But, when she told me that the plant was only $5, and would only be $2 with my Yelp check-in offer, I decided to just buy it, and figure out the ID later.
When Leah started to give me her schpiel on caring for the plants, I said, "Oh, I know, I was at the Yelp Event last year! That's how I knew you had good plants-- I just re-potted my echeveria from the event last week!" Which, of course, led to a little conversation about the event.
As it turns out, the mini spring cactus is a rhipsalidopsis, not an opuntia. Good thing I Googled/double-checked the ID before adding it to my opuntia garden, since the care is a bit different.
Overall, I love Hella Leaf, and will definitely keep shopping here in the future. All of Leah's advice on re-potting and caring for the succulents is spot-on, and all of the plants I've bought from Hella Leaf are hella healthy and thriving so far. read more