By Jaan Lepson
Tuesday, July 21, 2026 – 7:00 pm Pacific Time (California)

Members and visitors can attend in person in San Francisco,
no Zoom this month.

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Program Description

Join Jaan on a spin through the wonderful world of Stapeliads. This diverse group was long placed in its own family, the Asclepiadaceae, but was recently merged into the family Apocynaceae, joining such familiar plants as Pachypodium, Plumeria, and oleander. Jaan’s talk, however, will focus on the many different carrion plants, famous for their exquisitely beautiful flowers and their not-so-exquisite “something extra.” His presentation will include plants from many genera both in cultivation and in the wild, mostly in South Africa and Namibia, but also the Canary Islands. Some highlights include wild Hoodia alstonii, Larryleachia martlothii, and Tavaresia barklyi.

About our Speaker

Jaan Lepson grew up in Hawai’i, where he developed a love for nature, specifically . . . rain forests. After receiving a B.A. from Princeton University, Jaan returned to pursue his Ph.D. at the University of Hawai’i, living for 5 years in an isolated tent 6200’ up the side of Mauna Kea, where he studied endangered native forest birds. After his first year of camping in the rain forest, he decided to take a vacation, and so he went camping in the desert, visiting Death Valley with Peter. And thus began his passion for cacti and succulents. Jaan’s interest in stapeliads really blossomed when he and Peter were briefly stranded at the Alte Kalköfen Lodge in Namibia at the start of Covid. Along with their famous Lithops collection, the lodge also has an extensive selection of stapeliads. Jaan and Peter now return to the lodge several times a year, where they conduct research in the greenhouse and in the field.

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Meeting Agenda

7:00 Mingling and announcements
7:30 Formal presentation starts promptly with Society business
7:35 Show and Tell Table
7:50 Leg stretch
7:55 Featured presentation

Show & tell table: Stapeliads on the succulent side, Parodia and Notocacztus on the cactus table, and Adenium  for the pachyforms, plus anything else that’s looking good or in flower.

Featured grower: PB&J Cactus and Succulents

Snack table: Some basics are provided by the club, but we suggest bringing something to share every couple of months if you partake regularly. As a thought, we are often short on drinks. 

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Watch Online

On Zoom: NONE THIS MONTH – Register or join the meeting in progress.

We will attempt to simulcast on our YouTube channel.

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