Long-time team member Mario shared a bit about his rich history in the plant industry alongside some of his best tips and tricks for growing succulent plants.
Q: Tell us about yourself and your role at OC Succulents and California Greenhouses.
A: I’m the lucky guy in charge of all the succulents at the greenhouse. I manage the watering, loading, and unloading of succulent plants, placing orders, keeping the area looking beautiful, and helping our customers with all things succulent-related.
I also monitor any larger specialty succulents that customers have asked for to check and inspect them myself, ensuring the high quality of everything that comes through the center.
Q: How long have you worked at OC Succulents?
A: I have been with OC Succulents for just over six years.
Q: It sounds like you enjoy your work, having stayed with OC Succulents for so long.
A: You bet! We are a busy specialty garden center and are often bustling all day. Some days it never stops, but between the fun of working with plants and meeting new people, you don’t even notice how busy you are. We pride ourselves on prioritizing customers, and no matter what the day is like and where it pulls us, this is always our top focus at OC Succulents. So yeah, I really like it!
Q: Did you always want to work in the gardening industry, or specifically with succulents?
A: I’ve been in the garden industry for 33 years already and have enjoyed being around plants all my life. I love working outdoors with both plants and people and was inspired by my father, who worked in garden centers for 45 years. He even got me my first job. I started my career in succulent propagation, moving into more work with imported plants and their care—which I loved! Eventually, I took on office work at the garden center, helping people with their plant orders and learning a lot about the industry.
Q: So your dad worked in gardening, and now you do, and your daughter Cecilia also works at OC Succulents. Are you proud of that generational legacy?
A: I am, although I was surprised that Cecilia wanted to work with me at the garden center! She finished high school and told me she wanted to work alongside me and the plants, which I enjoyed. My other children took different career paths, but every kid is different, and Cecilia was sure she wanted to work with me here at the garden center and start learning to work with succulents and tropicals. She also loves the great customer base we have established and finds tremendous joy in helping people achieve their plant dreams.
Q: Aside from working with your daughter, what is your favorite thing about working at OC Succulents?
A: That’s a tough one, but I would probably say that helping customers is the best part about being at OC. We’ll have people walk in who want to get rid of shrubs and annuals and put in succulents, and I get to help them figure out what will work for them and their space. Some people come in with questions about their succulents and cacti if they aren’t doing well, and I’ll give them tips on what might be going wrong and how to take care of their plants. It’s very rewarding!
Q: What’s your favorite succulent?
A: I really like Myrtillocactus. It stays short because it’s slow-growing, but it looks so beautiful. People go crazy over it. Another favorite of mine is Euphorbia lactea because they don’t grow much, whereas some cacti get pretty big. If you’ve got a fast-growing succulent in your garden, you need to cut it and trim it constantly, so it’s nice to have varieties that stay the size you want them to be!
Q: What does your garden at home look like?
A: I have a little bit of everything in my garden. I have echeverias, a few cacti, and so much more. It’s so nice working here because when I see a new or interesting cactus or succulent come through the garden center, I purchase it and add it to my own collection! I have so many cacti I don’t know what to do with them all, and I always have to pot them up! It’s a never-ending collection. Some of my favorites are Echeveria’ Afterglow’, Echeveria ‘Lola,’ and lots of cacti that bloom in all different colors.
Q: How do you enjoy your plants at home? Do you relax and take them all in, or is it more of a hobby?
A: It’s more than a hobby for me, I would say, and I really enjoy caring for them. They don’t necessarily require a lot of work, just occasional watering, cleaning, and repotting in the garden.
Q: Do you have any specific tips for caring for succulents that some people might not know?
A: Some people like to put shrubs or annuals together with cacti and succulents in their garden, which makes sense because they look great together. But you have to be careful with that. You have to choose your plants carefully because you can end up with either too much water for your cacti or too little for your annuals. If you don’t plan, you can kill your cacti or other plants, which we don’t want!
If you want them planted together, having them on different irrigation settings is not enough. I’d recommend putting your cacti on elevated parts of your landscape, like berms or hills. That way, when you do get water, it will drain away from the cacti and succulents instead of settling around their roots.
Q: Is there anything else you’d like to share with us about your work with OC Succulents?
A: Being in the plant industry for so long, I’ve worked in many places. Here at the OC Succulents Center, we get to do a little bit of everything and support our walk-in customers, which I really appreciate. Over 33 years, the customers are what make all the work worthwhile!
If you need advice on succulent care and guidance on the best varieties, come down to the OC Succulents garden center in Orange County, CA, to meet Mario and the rest of our amazing team! We’re here to help!
