Apopka may not have a lot to lure anyone living outside it's city limits for a visit, or within it for that matter. I can say this because I lived there for 2 years.  While I knew that Apopka does boast it's title of being the Indoor Foliage capital of the world, I always thought to myself, so what, who cares.

I'm not a farmer or a landscaper, I can barely keep air plants alive, so living in this mecca of greenery meant nothing to me.  I do however have a soft spot for succulents and cacti for no other reason than that I find them adorable and hard to kill.  So for quite some time, like a fool, I had been buying my plants at markets or even Home Depot and Lowe's. All the while, for almost as long as I have been alive, Florida Cactus Inc. has been growing some pretty stunning plants right there in the APK. That's street for Apopka.  Ya dig?

I took a drive over and just a little ways off Hwy 441, down a tiny dirt road are several greenhouses brimming with beautiful life.

I met a very kind woman who instructed me on the process for someone coming from off the street to make a purchase. Normally they are dealing with selling these babies wholesale to the places that I had been going!  It's a great way to cut out the middle man not to mention having a much wider variety to select from.

There was a price list and map of the nursery in their office, and black cartons you fill up with your choices.  A few areas were not for sale yet and were marked off with a ribbon, but there was still more than I could possibly process.  Lots of variety, different sizes and shapes.  It was succulent overload.

I give a lot of credit to the people I saw outside in this heat taking special care of these precious potted wonders.  I barely lasted 10 minutes before sweat was pouring off my body.

I can't wait to go back when the weather is a little cooler and take more time to inspect each greenhouse carefully.  It's very peaceful.  Next shindig I throw will absolutely be outfitted in these beauties.

Housewarming? You get a succulent!

Wedding shower? You get a succulent!

New Job? You get a succulent!

New Baby? You get a cactus.

I will be the Oprah of the foliage world.

I would recommend to anyone that buys succulents or cacti to visit this nursery and meet some of the very lovely people I got to speak with today.  It felt so much better than walking into Home Depot, that is for sure.

In total I bought 18 succulents/cacti, all differing sizes and my total was under $40.  Much cheaper than when I have bought from other places.  Tell a friend, take a field trip, and explore! The four Taco Bells within a 3 mile radius would be happy to have you.