ELK 2012

ELK is the name of Europe's largest convention for Cactus and Succulent lovers. In recent years, it has been held at the Duinse Polders Hotel in Blankenberge (Belgium) and the event features over a hundred sellers of cactus and succulent plants. The sellers come from all over Europe with Holland and Germany being well represented. Sellers from countries in Eastern Europe such as the Czech Republic / Poland also attend as do several sellers from the UK.

The event lasts for three days (Friday to Sunday) and it attracts visitors from all over Europe and further afield. During the event, there are also 4 or 5 talks from a variety of speakers.

These are pictures I took when I visited in 2012, and they give you idea of the size of the event, the type of plants that are available and some of the prices which tempt you to empty your pockets!



Small pots of lithops seedlings for 3 Euros and large pans for 7.50 Euros.



A mix of cacti. Further back, that's Beryl Potter (selling husband Bob's plants) in the bright blue top.



Some very nice cacti!



Pots of lithops seedlings are offered by a number of sellers. A good way of building up a collection if you don't have the patience to grow from seed.



These pots of lithops, like the previous photo, are only 3.50 Euros each.



A mix of cacti and succulents, 5 for 10 Euros.



That's German nurseryman Ernst Specks in the square-patterned shirt.



I bought several plants from this seller, they had a good selection of plants starting off at 1 Euro.



A shot showing the large variety of plants available.



This shot shows how spacious the first sales area is. The man with glasses in the checked shirt (towards the right) is Dutch grower Cok Grootscholten.



This is the second sales area.



A couple of sellers were offering a good selection of tillandsias and bromeliads.



Sometimes, some unusual things come up for sale. This is Citrus "Buddha's Hand" which due to a genetic trait grows fruit in the shape of a hand!



This was one of the trays of plants that I brought back. Didn't we see those lithops earlier?


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