San Gabriel Valley Cactus and Succulent Society

Program: Tylecodons

Tylecodons are succulent plants restricted to southwestern Africa, in mild winter rainfall districts. The 50 or so species exhibit a remarkable range of stem, leaf and flower characteristics. Dylan’s talk on this genus will feature a wide range of rare to more common species. The discussion will cover taxonomy, collecting, propagation, natural variation, cultivation, and conservation of these wonderful plants that are superbly adapted to our climate.

Biography: Dylan Hannon

Dylan was raised in Southern California, where he developed an early interest in a wide range of plant groups. Both his mother and grandmother helped nurture an avid appreciation of plants. He has worked for over 25 years in the botanical garden field, starting as a research assistant to Dr. Thomas B. Croat at Missouri Botanical Garden, working on the taxonomy of Araceae (aroids). He spent nine years as Plant Propagator at Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden in Claremont, CA, and has been Curator of Conservatory Collections at The Huntington Botanical Gardens since 2003. In between these posts Dylan worked in the wholesale cactus industry and for consulting firms as a field botanist in the San Diego area. His main interest is the propagation and distribution of cultivated plants, particularly material of known wild origin. These themes run through Dylan’s writing, lectures and plant collecting. He is blessed to have his supportive wife Antoinette by his side.