Cactus and succulent plant fever has swept Nagaland and gardeners are discovering the joys of growing these spiky plants over flowery ones. Go to any market or visit people’s home and you’d be sure to see pots with a cute cactus sitting on top. It is also an addictive pastime from having the first plant to the next.
Meet cacti and succulent grower and enthusiast Pezangunuo Azai Kerhuo from Kohima who shared about her journey in growing cacti and succulent plants. She owns the only exclusive cactus and succulents’ gallery in Nagaland.
For Azai, her fascination started when one day while visiting a friend, she fell in love with the unique form and beauty of these plants. From there on she started collecting her own and the addiction just started getting stronger. She remembers being a flower lover from an early age but never thought of taking it as a profession. In fact, after completing her graduation from Patkai Christian College, she did a course on Fashion Designing and after which she worked with fashion houses in UP for a few years. This was three years ago, when her collection started after which she decided to take it up commercially.
Giving us a sneak peak, she informed, “My gallery is located opposite the World War 2 Memorial, Kohima and initially when I started off I got visitors in my gallery who just wanted to see what varieties I grow, but today I am overwhelmed to see the number of visitors in my shop. The gallery is built with my own savings and we have approximately 500 plus varieties of cacti and succulents. I work with two locations one at the said address and other at my residence. I have four Naga youths working with me right now and my plants price ranges from 250 to 2500.”
Presently, she is catering to clients from the neighboring North Eastern states as well as the mainland, so to meet these demands she is planning to expand the nursery in order to multiply and supply. “I feel that it is high time we need to start selling outside instead of always buying from outside our state. We should become producers and not remain a consumer forever right?” she posed a challenging question.
Azai opined that the increase in the number of collectors is overwhelming. She felt that we are blessed to have the best weather to grow these plants and so people need to take advantage of this factor. Apart from cactus and succulents, she also grows carnivorous plants, ornamental trees like maples, gingko, and cherries to name a few.
Azai admits that there are many obstacles in her venture. One main obstacle she listed is how her plant trading is solely dependent on the postal services, private courier services, and other transportations. “However living in the corner of our country where we are so deprived of efficient and professional services, parcels getting delayed are nothing new. Many a times I face 50 % mortalities which lead to huge losses and disappointments, luckily cactus and succulents are hardy tolerant plants and they can survive the transit duration or else I’d be long gone,” she concludes. She gives glory to the one above for all the good things happening, saying, “When I get anxious about business I take a few seconds and say it in my heart that God will take care of everything and I need not worry one bit.”
Today, Azai fondly recollects the time when she had first started off and all she dreamed about was to go cactus shopping. Her current obsession is getting identities on the plants she is selling. "I love to label my plants because they each have a story to tell through their names," Azai adds.
If you just take the time to look at these unique cacti and succulents, listen to the story behind their names (like Boxing gloves, dumpling cactus, echeveria black prince, old man cactus, white ghost, mother-in-laws cushion, brain cactus, peanut cactus, cobweb, hens and chicks, dancing bones.) I assure that even non-lovers will soon get addicted, Azai promised!
