Meeting Location: Papago Buttes Church of the Brethren, 2450 N 64th St, Scottsdale

Meeting Time: 2:00 p.m

Presenter: Tristan Davis


Born into a very “outdoorsy” family, Tristan was introduced to the natural World at a very young age. His initial interest was specific to South American birds, and subsequent education at Louisiana State University and the University of Kansas allowed him to accompany scientific expeditions to most South American countries, as well as China, the Philippines, and Equatorial Guinea. It was obvious early on in his travels that Tristan much preferred those locations with less humidity (western Peru, the pampas of Argentina, etc.), and this was a significant reason he moved with his husband to Arizona in 2001.
Once arriving in Arizona, Tristan readily transitioned his scientific passions to cacti and succulents, and although Tristan has authored numerous scientific publications related to ornithology, he published his first paper on desert succulents in 2011 in the Cactus & Succulent Journal.
Tristan’s current interests and scientific pursuits include Mexican agaves with Greg Starr, Peruvian Puya, and South American Cleistocactus, as well as neotropical birds. And whatever else piques his interest along the way.
Tristan currently resides in Chandler, AZ and is a member of the Central Arizona Cactus and Succulent Society; he served on the Board of Directors for the society, and currently administers the Propagation Education Group (PEG) and the Seed Depot for the society. Tristan also volunteers at the Desert Botanical Garden.

Presentation: Shining a light on a hidden Agave, when you know that they don’t know that they don’t know

Have you ever looked at a plant with an ID and thought, “Hmmm…that’s weird.”? Trying to answer those types of questions is what Science is all about. In this presentation, Tristan will take you on a storybook adventure with Greg Starr that ended in a surprising place. It all started with a photo and someone saying, “Something is going on here.” The story will take us from the Internet, to a nursery, to our gardens, and all the way to Mexico. It’s a story that has a happy ending – and lots of pretty photos! It’s also a story that has an unwritten sequel.

Tristan Davis and Greg Starr