Sex and the Single Cycad ("Sago Palm")

On December 11, Alec Pridgeon will discuss how to care for those cycads (“sago palms”) in your yard. An estimated 5-10% of homes in SCA were originally landscaped with at least one. Their ancestors date back about 280 million years in the fossil record, about 200 million years before true palms appeared. If not palms, then what are they besides dinosaur food? He will illustrate what Sir David Attenborough called the strangest plant species and will also show different cycads around the world. Be prepared to hear about their sex life, the most astonishing in the entire plant kingdom, and see things you can’t unsee. Holiday refreshments will be served along with some surprises for members in attendance. 

Starting off the incredible new year, Norm Schilling of the Schilling Horticulture Group and Nevada Public Radio promises to discuss the basic principles of gardening. Following him in February will be our own Paul Simpkins showing us how to grow fruits and vegetables hydroponically. Master Gardener, Vegas Voice columnist, and Chair of our House Call Committee, Howard Galin, will entertain us in March with a “penetrating” talk titled “I’m Stuck on Cactus, and Cactus Is Stuck on Me.” In April, David Bilik of Twilight Designs will illustrate the DOs and DON’Ts of landscape lighting so that we can relax and entertain in our gardens at nighttime as well the daylight hours. All of this is planned before the tour of members’ gardens and our annual luncheon. Other informative talks by experts are already lined up for the fall.

Don’t miss out on all these events. Join the club or renew your membership today to take advantage of the many benefits, such as our free house calls to answer gardening questions and address plant problems in your yard. All those who join or renew for 2024 can also pick up a FREE tote bag with the Club’s eye-catching new logo at any meeting; they cannot be mailed. Be the first among your friends to own one and make them critically envious.

We meet in the Penn/Morris/Nelson Rooms of the Independence Center from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. on the second Monday of each month except July and August. Free coffee, tea, and cookies are available from 9:00 a.m. Sun City residents are welcome to attend two meetings/year without joining. Dues for 2024 are rising from $10 to $15 to cover inflationary increases for refreshments (especially coffee!) over the last few years; checks may be made payable exactly to: Sun City Anthem Community Association, Inc. with “Garden Club’ on the memo line. Enrollment forms are also available at the Anthem Center kiosk and on our new website (see above) and can be placed in the Garden Club mailbox located outside Anthem's Fitness Center along with your check payable as above. Feel free to email any questions about the Club to its president, Dr. Alec Pridgeon (apridg1@gmail.com).