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Grown locally in Long Beach CA USA
| Conserve water buy a cactus |
| 1535 Ohio Ave. Long Beach, CA 90804 USA 562-961-8554 |
Here's a
Little
something
about the
Captain:
Little
something
about the
Captain:
Capt. Cactus, plants find their niche
from the Press-Telegram 2/22/04
by: Greg Mellen
edited by: Leslie Davis-Madden
Community: Likowski stuck with pointed
passion on visit to state 26 years ago
passion on visit to state 26 years ago
Mark Likowski. Proprietor
He goes by the moniker of Captain Cactus. He is a sort of local sultan of succulents, an ayatollah of aloe, a pundit of prickly pear.
And in the coming months, he will lend his considerable expertise and estimable enthusiasm to a community garden scheduled to
be planted on an empty lot on the corner of East 15th Street and Hile Avenue in East Long Beach.
Mark Likowski will be landscaping nearly half of the lot with a collection of cactuses and succulents.
Of course, it doesn't take much to get the Captain talking about his passion. He came to California from Pennsylvania 26 years ago
and had a revelation. He loved cactuses.
" I must have been a cowboy in a former life,"Likowski says.
Since that discovery, cactuses have become his livelihood. He started as a hobbyist experimenting with different varieties and adding
to his collection. Seven years ago, the plants became a full-time profession. Likowski donned the Captain Cactus persona and has
been selling the plants at farmers' markets in Long Beach, Signal Hill, Cerritos and Wilmington ever since.
He does landscaping with cactus and succulents for those interested in conserving water. He also does personal requests for
homes and offices in the Long Beach area.
"For some odd reason, when Captain Cactus became a reality, it was a perfect fit," Likowski said "I'm putting in plants that belong
here."
The Captain says if people would just come around to the misunderstood cactus, Southern California would be better off
Likowski is mystified when he sees people using copious amounts of water for lawns, when cactuses and succulents can be used
to landscape yards and battle the drought.
"Every year I've been out here there's been drought," Likowski said. "People don't raise the right plants for their places. succulents
and cacti are great water plants. They're the perfect plants for out West, as they should be."
"I want to use this community garden for enlightenment, to give people pleasure and help the drought."
The Captain has developed an almost spiritual connection with the plants.
He says working with cactuses and succulents has helped ease the effects of his scleroderma, a disease that can cause swelling
and pain in the hands and joints. He also notes that cactuses conserve water, are edible and have medicinal and curative powers.
He says numerous skin care and beauty products come from the plants. They are also used to make tequila and peyote, the
psychedelic drug favored by spiritualist Carlos Castaneda and American Indian shamans.
And sometimes it's something much simpler. Sometimes they just provide a moment that brightens a day!
"They really are wonderful," Likowski says "I get to look at hummingbirds getting nectar from a prickly pear. How can you not like
that?
And in the coming months, he will lend his considerable expertise and estimable enthusiasm to a community garden scheduled to
be planted on an empty lot on the corner of East 15th Street and Hile Avenue in East Long Beach.
Mark Likowski will be landscaping nearly half of the lot with a collection of cactuses and succulents.
Of course, it doesn't take much to get the Captain talking about his passion. He came to California from Pennsylvania 26 years ago
and had a revelation. He loved cactuses.
" I must have been a cowboy in a former life,"Likowski says.
Since that discovery, cactuses have become his livelihood. He started as a hobbyist experimenting with different varieties and adding
to his collection. Seven years ago, the plants became a full-time profession. Likowski donned the Captain Cactus persona and has
been selling the plants at farmers' markets in Long Beach, Signal Hill, Cerritos and Wilmington ever since.
He does landscaping with cactus and succulents for those interested in conserving water. He also does personal requests for
homes and offices in the Long Beach area.
"For some odd reason, when Captain Cactus became a reality, it was a perfect fit," Likowski said "I'm putting in plants that belong
here."
The Captain says if people would just come around to the misunderstood cactus, Southern California would be better off
Likowski is mystified when he sees people using copious amounts of water for lawns, when cactuses and succulents can be used
to landscape yards and battle the drought.
"Every year I've been out here there's been drought," Likowski said. "People don't raise the right plants for their places. succulents
and cacti are great water plants. They're the perfect plants for out West, as they should be."
"I want to use this community garden for enlightenment, to give people pleasure and help the drought."
The Captain has developed an almost spiritual connection with the plants.
He says working with cactuses and succulents has helped ease the effects of his scleroderma, a disease that can cause swelling
and pain in the hands and joints. He also notes that cactuses conserve water, are edible and have medicinal and curative powers.
He says numerous skin care and beauty products come from the plants. They are also used to make tequila and peyote, the
psychedelic drug favored by spiritualist Carlos Castaneda and American Indian shamans.
And sometimes it's something much simpler. Sometimes they just provide a moment that brightens a day!
"They really are wonderful," Likowski says "I get to look at hummingbirds getting nectar from a prickly pear. How can you not like
that?
| CAPTAIN CACTUS www.captaincactus.net |
About Our
Business
Captain Cactus
is one of the
last Mom & Pop
business'.
All of our
products are
home grown &
sold locally in
Long Beach CA.
A love of cactus
that started as
a hobby
developed into a
full fledged
business in
1997.
Business
Captain Cactus
is one of the
last Mom & Pop
business'.
All of our
products are
home grown &
sold locally in
Long Beach CA.
A love of cactus
that started as
a hobby
developed into a
full fledged
business in
1997.
Press-Telegram
Long Beach CA
October 1, 2007
A succulent solution
‘Captain Cactus’
Cactus grower Mark Likowski said he has noticed an increasing interest in the cactus he sells at area farmer’s markets.
At his home at 1535 Ohio St. in Central Long Beach, Likowski’s yard looks more like a flourishing desert ecosystem.
A 20-foot African sure tree cactus reaches for the sky in one corner of the front yard. The cactus has almost tripled in height since
Likowski planted it there when he moved into the house in 2001.
Yucca plants, blue agave cactus and other prickly dessert flora fill Likowski’s yard, which is the source of the plants he sells.
He only waters only about once very two weeks and sparsely at that. He said that with water supplies diminishing in the areas
naturally dry, desert climate, his home may be the future of Southland lawns.
“They’re going to move to the point where you have succulents, cactus, rock gardens and maybe a patch of grass,” Likowski
said.
Our mission:
- To enlighten people
of the beauty of
cactus' & water
conservation.
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