{"id":117064,"date":"2026-01-02T06:09:21","date_gmt":"2026-01-02T06:09:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/117064\/"},"modified":"2026-01-02T06:09:21","modified_gmt":"2026-01-02T06:09:21","slug":"start-2026-by-playing-plant-bingo-in-southern-california","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/117064\/","title":{"rendered":"Start 2026 by playing Plant Bingo in Southern California"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Welcome to 2026! Cue the horns, confetti \ud83c\udf89 and sighs of relief that we can finally put 2025 behind us. <\/p>\n

We have a good list of January plant-related activities below. Note that January is the traditional time to start pruning roses and fruit trees in Southern California. But first, I have to tell you about a new gaming opportunity taking greater L.A. by storm. There are pop-up Plant Bingo events where the game cards feature houseplants and the prizes are \u2014 you guessed it \u2014 glossy houseplants. <\/p>\n

Bingo is one of those games that gets under your skin, with the enduring hope that next time, you\u2019ll get the winning numbers. That quest is certainly fueling interest in Plant Bingo events in Southern California, but local organizers say learning about plants, and getting a chance to win a plant, appears just as important. <\/p>\n

\u201cPeople just really love Plant Bingo now,\u201d said Genevieve Aleman, who, with her business (and life) partner Donovan Moreno, owns the Greenprint Co.<\/a> in Riverside. They\u2019ve been offering multiple pop-up Plant Bingo nights at restaurants and breweries around the Inland Empire every month since September and selling out to crowds of 25 to 40 people every time. <\/p>\n

\"A <\/p>\n

Genevieve Aleman walks around the tables on the patio of the Redlands Public Market on Dec. 14 and shows off a plant the players are competing for during Plant Bingo.<\/p>\n

(Miguel Esparza \/ For The Times)<\/p>\n

\u201cWe dropped eight dates for November, and they all sold out within a couple of days,\u201d Aleman said. \u201cWe just wanted to create a community event where people can come and learn about plants. We get all kinds of age groups \u2014 young children, middle-aged, teenagers \u2014 and it\u2019s just awesome the way that plants bring all kinds of people together.\u201d <\/p>\n

Jenny Fernandez-Navarro, owner of Long-Beach-based Que Chulas Plantas<\/a> (\u201cWhat Beautiful Plants\u201d), which sells plants and plant services online, began her pop-up Plant Bingo events in Long Beach and Pico Rivera in June and has seen a similar enthusiastic response of sold-out events. <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been selling plants since 2020 but I noticed something was missing,\u201d she said. \u201cA lot of my customers are first timers and have never had plants before, so I\u2019m helping to educate them. I want to help people be successful with plants, and they like that they\u2019re learning about plants while playing Plant Bingo.\u201d<\/p>\n

That was certainly the vibe in mid-December, when Aleman and Moreno hosted a sold-out Plant Bingo event on the patio of the Redlands Public Market. Most of the 40 people there were young to middle-aged women, but there were also a few men and children in the group of participants. Aleman and Moreno brought a sound system with a lively playlist and covered a table with lushly green houseplants of various species and sizes, along with a small assortment of succulents and plant accessories such as pots. <\/p>\n

Plant Bingo games<\/a> are available for purchase, with cards that look similar to traditional bingo cards, except instead of letters and numbers, each square is filled with a picture of a houseplant. The magic with the pop-up events is all the information people get during the games. Aleman and Moreno take turns wandering through the crowd, displaying the prize for each game, such as a distinctive Calathea fishbone plant, a.k.a. fishbone prayer plant, and offering advice about how to keep it healthy. <\/p>\n

\u201cThis guy is a humidity lover,\u201d Aleman says, \u201cso when you take a shower, put him in the bathroom to get the humidity from the shower once a week.\u201d <\/p>\n

\"A <\/p>\n

Rosalie Rivera holds a bingo chip in anticipation of the next plant to be called during Plant Bingo. <\/p>\n

(Miguel Esparza \/ For The Times)<\/p>\n

\"A <\/p>\n

Donovan Moreno calls out the plants for another round of Plant Bingo by pulling the names out of a pot. <\/p>\n

(Miguel Esparza \/ For The Times)<\/p>\n

After a brief tutorial on how to play, Aleman or Moreno calls out the winning pattern for that particular game. Once they confirm the person has a bingo, the winner gets the plant that\u2019s offered for that game. If they\u2019ve already won, they have to choose from the accessories pile. <\/p>\n

The last five championship games offer the biggest plant prizes and are open to anyone whether they\u2019ve won before. <\/p>\n

Psychiatrist Mohamed El-Menshawi of Redlands came alone that evening, but was soon chatting with a husband and wife at his table waiting for the game to begin. This was his first time to play Plant Bingo, but El-Menshawi said he was attracted by the chance to win a plant. \u201cI\u2019m a plant lover, a plant daddy,\u201d he said, laughing. \u201cI once had about 200 houseplants but I had to downsize a little in my new place. I only have about 100 now.\u201d<\/p>\n

He sees parallels in nurturing plants and his patients, primarily middle-school-aged children. \u201cIf houseplants aren\u2019t doing well, you don\u2019t blame the plant; because you know it\u2019s not getting what it needs to flourish,\u201d and the same can be said for humans too, he said. <\/p>\n

Carey Sanchez, a CalTrans employee who lives in San Bernardino, started attending Plant Bingo nights in October because she wanted plants but had no aptitude for keeping them alive. \u201cThey would last for a while and then they would die, and I didn\u2019t know why,\u201d she said. But since she\u2019s been attending, she said she\u2019s won several plants and learned lots about their care. <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve even learned to propagate them and give the new plants away as gifts, which is wonderful,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n

\"A <\/p>\n

Mohamed El-Menshawi plays Rock, Paper, Scissors for a tie-breaker during Plant Bingo at Redlands Public Market on Dec. 14. It was his second tie. He lost the first one, but won a plant the second time. <\/p>\n

(Miguel Esparza \/ For The Times)<\/p>\n

Aleman and Moreno, both 23, used to sell houseplants from their apartment, inviting people to come shop at their home. After their daughter, Reign, was born in early 2025, they decided to transition to Plant Bingo events. They set up at restaurants mostly and sell tickets for about $40 that include a meal and soft drink, along with 25 rounds of bingo games. They\u2019ve hosted a few events at breweries, Aleman said, but their goal is having events that are more family friendly. <\/p>\n

\u201cOur meal offerings are non-alcoholic, but people can purchase alcohol if they want,\u201d she said. \u201cWe like to provide food because not everybody wins, so at least you can say you got out, had dinner, played bingo and learned something about plants.\u201d <\/p>\n

There are worse ways to start the year. Wishing you and yours a green, plant-filled 2026 full of love and happy adventures. <\/p>\n

\"\" Other garden bits<\/p>\n

Calling sago palm experts: Scott Wardlaw, president of Altadena\u2019s Christmas Tree Lane Assn.<\/a>, writes that his friend, John Jackson, lost his home and nearly everything else in the Eaton fire, save a large sago palm (about eight feet tall) on his patio \u201cunder which John held court at his many dinners and lunches for his multitudes of friends.\u201d Jackson wants to rebuild his home, but the new plans call for relocating the sago, so the project is on hold until he can figure out a way to save his beloved plant. Sagos (Cycas revoluta) are actually slow-growing, ancient cycads that look like palms with stiff, feathery (and very pokey) fronds, but are actually more closely related to conifers. They are natives of Japan and can live for centuries, which is Jackson\u2019s hope. Are there any experts out there who can advise him about how to safely move his sago, so he can start rebuilding? Email me at jeanette.marantos@latimes.com, and I\u2019ll pass your ideas along.<\/p>\n

\"A <\/p>\n

This Joro spider, a type of orbweaver native to East Asia, was found in Santa Barbara County this fall, likely a hitchhiker on a plant that was delivered nearby. <\/p>\n

(Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History)<\/p>\n

Harmless to humans, but … gah! The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History reports that a 3-inch-long, brightly colored Joro spider \u2014 an orbweaver spider from East Asia \u2014 \u201cwas spotted lurking in the manicured landscaping at a high-end coastal business in Santa Barbara County this fall.\u201d Joro spiders were first spotted in the U.S. in Georgia in 2014 and have been found as far west as Oklahoma, according to a news release from the museum<\/a>, \u201cbut the discovery in Santa Barbara is the first report west of the Great Plains.\u201d Bottom line: The spider was discovered \u201cnear an area where shipments of flowers and plants are received,\u201d so it was likely a hitchhiker on a plant from another part of the country. No other Joro spiders or their webs have been spotted since around Santa Barbara, and the captured spider is now part of the museum\u2019s permanent specimen collection. But if you happen to see any others around SoCal, contact the museum\u2019s chair of entomology, Alex Harman<\/a>.<\/p>\n

You\u2019re reading the L.A. Times Plants newsletter <\/p>\n

Jeanette Marantos gives you a roundup of upcoming plant-related activities and events in Southern California, along with our latest plant stories.<\/p>\n

By continuing, you agree to our Terms of Service<\/a> and our Privacy Policy<\/a>. <\/p>\n

\"\" Upcoming events <\/p>\n

Consider subscribing to the Los Angeles Times<\/p>\n

Your support helps us deliver the news that matters most. Become a subscriber.<\/a><\/p>\n

Jan. 4
Hummingbirds at the Huntington, a class about hummingbirds at the Huntington\u2019s Tiffany Sisters Hummingbird Gazebo, 11 a.m. to noon, free with $34 general admission, $28 seniors, students 12-18 and military with ID, $15 ages 4-11 and children ages 3 and younger free. huntington.org<\/a> <\/p>\n

Jan. 7, 14 and 21
3-Part California Native Garden Design with landscape designer Mari Taylor, noon to 4 p.m. at the Theodore Payne Foundation in Sun Valley. Register online, $396.11 for individuals, $471.96 for two adults working on one design. events.humanitix.com<\/a> <\/p>\n

Jan. 7
Cherry Blossom Garden Club Program: All About Medicinal and Healing Herbs, 10 a.m. at the Sepulveda Garden Center in Encino. Admission is free. facebook.com<\/a> <\/p>\n

Jan. 10, 17, 24 and 31
Otto & Sons Nursery Rose Care University 2026, two-hour sessions in rose pruning, feeding and other rose-care tips, 10 a.m. to noon each Saturday in January (except Jan. 31 from 1 to 3 p.m.) at the nursery in Fillmore. Register online; each class is $28 and includes a goodie bag and $10 gift certificate toward a purchase at the nursery. ottoandsonsnursery.com<\/a> <\/p>\n

Jan. 11
Bolivia in Bloom, a presentation by avid cactus collector Gary Duke about his three-week tour cactus hunting in Bolivia for the South Coast Cactus & Succulent Society monthly meeting at 1 a.m. at the Fred Hesse Jr. Community Park in Rancho Palos Verdes. Free to members or first-time visitors; membership is $25 a year. southcoastcss.org<\/a> <\/p>\n

Jan. 13
Botanical Workshop: Rose Pruning, two workshops with Stephen Reid, head gardener of the Huntington\u2019s rose garden, at 9 to 10 a.m. or 11 a.m. to noon at the Huntington in San Marino; includes a pair of Felco 2 pruning shears. Register online $140. huntington.org<\/a> <\/p>\n

Orange County Organic Gardening Club welcomes speaker Elizabeth Bruckner, author of \u201cThe Homesteader Mindset: Build a Sustainable Life Wherever You Are,\u201d<\/a> for its monthly meeting at 7 p.m. at the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa. Admission is free. californiagardenclubs.com<\/a> <\/p>\n

Jan. 15
The Huntington\u2019s Annual Bare Root Rose Talk and Sale, 2:30 to 5 p.m. at the Huntington\u2019s Rothenberg Hall in San Marino. The sale proceeds after the talk by rose garden curator Tom Carruth. Admission is free with reservation. huntington.org<\/a> <\/p>\n

Jan. 19
MLK Jr. Day of Service with Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy, 9 a.m. to noon at the White Point Nature Preserve in San Pedro. Free, but registration is required. pvplc.volunteerhub.com<\/a> <\/p>\n

Jan. 24
Botanical Printing on Paper: A Natural Dye Workshop with painter Linda Illumanardi, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Theodore Payne Foundation in Sun Valley; about creating Victorian puzzle books dyed with California native leaves and wildflowers. All materials included, but participants should bring their own scissors and a ruler. Register online $100. events.humanitix.com<\/a> <\/p>\n

Jan. 31
13th Annual Santa Barbara Botanic Garden Conservation Symposium, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Santa Barbara City College includes a keynote talk by author and entomologist Doug Tallamy<\/a>, who will receive the 2026 Honorable John C. Pritzlaff Conservation Award, <\/a>and presentations about native plant research and safeguarding. Register online, $40 ($15 students, online attendance is free but registration is required.) sbbotanicgarden.org<\/a> <\/p>\n

Finding Our Way Home with Fungi, 10 a.m. to noon in the Crescenta Valley, a Theodore Payne Foundation workshop led by mycologist Aaron Tupac, chair of the American Mycological Assn.\u2019s<\/a> Conservation and Stewardship Committee. This is a walk-and-talk class to learn about local fungi and does not include foraging. The exact meeting location will be revealed after registration. Register online, $42.85. events.humantix.com<\/a> <\/p>\n

\"\" What we\u2019re reading<\/p>\n

This is tangentially plant-related, but you know, inquiring minds are asking: What\u2019s the deal with … banana water?<\/a> My Times colleague Deborah Vankin found some answers.<\/p>\n

L.A. Times outdoors writer Jaclyn Cosgrove has created a terrific (and very handy) hiking and camping guide to the 700,000-acre wonderland that borders north L.A.: the Angeles National Forest. <\/a> <\/p>\n

Someone is hacking the leaves off giant agaves, a.k.a century plants, outside posh homes in east Torrance. The question isn\u2019t just \u201cwho?\u201d but \u201cwhy?\u201d<\/a> <\/p>\n

Speaking of 2026, my creative colleagues have come up with 25 ways to say goodbye (and good riddance) to 2025<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Finally, it was my pleasure to meet the Robles family and tell the inspiring story about a family who has been selling Christmas trees in Los Angeles for four generations<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Welcome to 2026! Cue the horns, confetti \ud83c\udf89 and sighs of relief that we can finally put 2025…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":117065,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[62244,5759,7,9,62247,8,4300,1431,62245,1073,1637,1741,2302,534,62246,62243,13560,72],"class_list":["post-117064","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-california","tag-90-year-old-nursery","tag-altadena","tag-california","tag-california-headlines","tag-california-native-plant","tag-california-news","tag-eaton-fire","tag-family","tag-great-work","tag-home","tag-life","tag-lot","tag-may","tag-pacific-palisades","tag-rummy","tag-seed-bomb-project","tag-wildflower","tag-year"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/117064","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=117064"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/117064\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/117065"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=117064"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=117064"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=117064"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}