Our Mission
To study the culture of succulents under local conditions.
Strive to use the correct scientific nomenclature for succulents.
To study the use of succulents in landscape and home gardening.
To aid in civic projects involving succulents and promote protection of native species.
To aid and give assistance to educators, to the members, and to the general public, thereby furthering the knowledge of succulents.
Leadership
Jan 2024 – Dec 2025
Elected Officers:
President
Susan Palmieri
Vice President
Jennifer Rodgers
Secretary
Judith Haver
Treasurer
Pat Becker
History
The Sarasota Succulent Society was started in 1950 by an industrious and interested group of people who knew, worked and studied with Walter G. Sparkman at his home, a small house on 38th Street next to a creek. Mr. Sparkman started many individual gardens in his yard and carefully filled them with succulent plants from around the world–which he studied and watched carefully to see if they could grow in Sarasota.
After his students began to fill the yard with more and more families of plants, he suggested they form a club and buy more property–the lot next door had come on the market. They did so, and when the drainage ditch was dug, along the site of the creek, the rock and sand removed was left in piles on the bank on the Succulent Society property. These rocks and berms were incorporated into the gardens and have made a rolling property from a very flat section of west central Florida.
The Succulent Society property runs from 38th Street south to Myrtle and extends from Cocoanut east to the drainage canal. Mr. Sparkman’s depression era style home was awarded a local Historical Designation by the City of Sarasota. We use it as our clubhouse.
Legal Status:
Charitable Organization
“A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE (800-435-7352) WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.”
We have a Scholarship Program for local college students and we regularly offer free educational programs in our gardens. Please contact our president for details about the many convenient ways you can make a tax deductible contribution to our efforts.
Support Us
Membership
We would be delighted to have you become a member of the Society! All new members are warmly welcomed, regardless of their prior experience (or lack thereof) with succulent plants.
Volunteer Opportunities
We are always looking for new volunteers to bring fresh energy and new ideas to our organization. Although volunteering is not a requirement for membership, the Society depends 100% on its volunteers to function. As a member, or prospective member, we ask you to please consider helping maintain the vigor of the Society. We think you will find the work enjoyable and personally rewarding.
Donate
Presently, we find ourselves in need of a new roof on our propagation shed and badly needed electrical work around the grounds. To this end we must look to friends and others for additional funds to our only income, plant sales. Please help us sustain this wonderful local resource with a tax-deductible gift to the Sarasota Succulent Society.