Real Life Plant Parents: Billy

Billy is a US Army Veteran and the creator of SucculentMadness, an online community for people who love succulents. His love of succulents developed after his mother gave him a Jade plant, and Billy’s passion bloomed. Let’s get to know Billy in this month’s Real Life Plant Parent interview!

All Things Succulent

Though he started with just one plant, over the past three years Billy has cultivated a collection of about 125 plants.

I just love all things succulent. It started when my mom gave me a small jade plant that she was convinced my father was trying to kill with too much water. From there, my passion took off and I have since created a fast growing Facebook group called SucculentMadness.

A Lesson in Patience

Succulents can be tough, because they need a patient touch and willingness to let them do their own thing. This was a lesson that became very important to Billy when his mother passed away and left him a plant.

I started caring for succulents after my mom died over two years ago. My mom always told me that I lacked patience. Even after years in the United States Army, I failed to learn patience. After my mom passed, I was sad and desperate and I felt pretty hopeless. 

She left me a small jade plant and I started taking incredible precaution to keep it alive. I was afraid if it died, I would lose the last bit of my mom in this world. Long story short, I killed that jade but in the process I learned that succulents need space, they need time, they need a gentle touch. 

That is exactly what I needed at that point in my life. 

I learned to put the watering can down and in the process learned that it's okay to slow down, to take my time to enjoy the little things. It's the small things that matter and it's the greatest lesson my mom could have ever given me.

Succulent Madness

We love the idea of Billy’s online community. He created a Facebook group for succulent enthusiasts (from beginner to expert) to have a safe space to ask questions about these interesting and beautiful plants. Since its creation in September 2019, the group has grown to nearly 7,000 members! 

I really wanted a safe place to ask people "How do you keep this alive?" without getting mocked or told "Google it." That's what SucculentMadness is for. 

It's a community of like-minded people who share a common goal of growing amazing succulents. It's a place to encourage and to support. I'd rather you ask and learn and hopefully walk away armed with an arsenal of knowledge and confidence. Caring for succulents has so much potential to bring you so much joy. Everyone deserves to be a part of a community that shares that sentiment and provides that confidence.

Spiraling Out of Control

Billy’s always on the lookout for an interesting succulent, but his absolute favorite from his collection is a spiral cactus. 

The farthest I’ve driven to get a plant is 4 hours to Austin, Texas. I obsessed over spiral cacti for months and my amazing husband took me to a specialty nursery there and I picked a spiral Cereus cactus!

The spiral cactus is 1,000,000% my favorite plant. It’s my “The house is on fire, get the dogs while I get the cactus” plant!

Billy Takes His Own Advice

We asked Billy for his advice he gives new plant parents, and it turns out he takes his own advice pretty well too! 

Don’t be afraid! Sometimes you have to just be brave and pick one because you love it and remember that there are good communities of people out there who are so incredibly willing to share their knowledge and expertise. I’ve also learned that not every plant will grow the same for everyone. Sometimes you have to modify your growing methods to make it more conducive to your own growing conditions.

I was the best at killing and worst at growing echeveria for a while, but I recently took my own advice and modified my method to account for my particular conditions. Now I always look out for unique or interesting echeverias I can add to the collection.

We also asked Billy about some of the succulents he has lost through the years, and he wasn’t afraid to share his struggles as he started his journey. 

RIP Mr. Stringy and Mr. Stringy Part Deux. They were my two first String of Pearls plants. I loved them both so hard that I loved them to death. They were the first tender succulents I owned, and they were pivotal in my realizing the patience plants can actually teach me. Their untimely demise inspired me to keep growing in my love for plants!

The Power of Plants

Billy’s love for his plants is inspirational and we love seeing people so happy about plants! 

In a way, my plants have become my children. They are my source of inspiration, they fill me with a sense of wonder and of inspiration. Plants make me happy.

He’s also inspired every day by the members in his group coming together to support each other and develop a lasting love for succulents.

I have chosen to make my world a place surrounded by community and filled with life and with joy. It is my sincerest hope that this group puts a smile on your face just like it does mine every single time I look at our feed. This community belongs to each and every one of us.

Follow Succulent Madness

If you’re on Facebook, join the SucculentMadness group to share your own succulent pictures and advice! Billy is also on Instagram @succulent.madness.