Whether your subject is a single perfect specimen or a thriving garden display, we want to see how your photos bring these remarkable plants to life
Theme – From the Garden (Cultivated Plants)
Photos must feature cultivated cacti and other succulents grown in gardens, containers, or greenhouses. For the purposes of this contest, greenhouses are considered gardens, recognizing that many of our members rely on greenhouse growing due to climate challenges.
📅 Entry Period: January 1 – April 1, 2026
🌵 Enter Here: https://form.jotform.com/260030545158147
Before submitting your photos, be sure to watch the January Webinar presented by Irwin Lightstone – Creating More Compelling Images with Greater Impact. For more details and to register, CLICK HERE.
📸 Winners will be announced in Cactus and Succulent Journal 98-2 and during the CSSA 2026 Annual Show & Sale – June 11-14, 2026
Submission Guidelines
- We are seeking visually striking images of succulents and other cacti in sharp focus
- Original photos only, with copyright owned by the entrant
- Each entrant may submit up to three high-resolution JPG images (max 20 MB per image)
- File naming format: Birth Year + City of Residence + image number (e.g., 1965-Altadena-01.jpg)
- Include the location and year photo taken, and plant name for each image
- All photographic techniques and app editing are allowed—no AI-generated photos
- Entries must be submitted through our website portal
Contest Period
- Start: January 1, 2026, at 12:00 PM (Pacific Time)
- End: April 1, 2026, at 12:00 PM (Pacific Time)
- Submissions outside this window will not be accepted
Eligibility
- Open to all current CSSA members -Supporting and Standard Members (and their household Associate Member)*
- No entry fee is required
- CSSA board members, employees, judges, and their family members are ineligible
Prizes
- 1st Place: $250
- 2nd Place: $150
- 3rd Place: $100
- Honorable Mentions: $50
All winners will be featured in the Cactus and Succulent Journal.
Previous Winners
2022 Winner
– Rob Skillen, Central Coast Club
2023 Winner
– Lukas Liebischer, Ventura, CA
2024 Winner
2025 Winner
Our 2026 Jurors
This year’s entries will be judged by a panel of jurors with both an art background and expertise in the succulent hobby.
Irwin Lightstone
Irwin is a renowned professional photographer featured in National Geographic and CSSA publications. He serves as the Vice President of the CSSA board and chair of the conservation committee.
Kelly Griffin
Kelly is a published author and plant hybridizer for Altman Specialty Plants in Vista, CA, with nearly four decades of experience photographing succulent habitats, especially the genus Dudleya. He serves on the CSSA board and is the President of the San Diego Cactus & Succulent Society.
Ann Hopkinson
Ann is a member of the Conejo Cactus and Succulent Society formerly holding the positions of Secretary and Vice President. She is serving her first term as a Director on the CSSA Board. Ann is a life-long lover of plants and earned a BS in Plant Science. Ann enjoys photographing cacti and other succulents.
John Martinez
John is an artist and CSSA board member with a passion for xeric plants and photography. He is the chair of the Affiliates Committee.
Vonn Watkins
Vonn brings decades of experience as a photographer, designer, and cactus specialist to his role as a CSSA Photo Contest juror. Introduced to cacti and succulents while growing up in North Carolina, he later studied graphic design and photography, earning a BFA from East Tennessee State University before moving west to explore and document cactus-rich landscapes across the western U.S. and Mexico. A longtime member and current Vice President and Program Director of the Tucson Cactus and Succulent Society, Vonn has organized hundreds of educational programs and helped found the TCSS plant rescue program and Pima Prickly Park. He is a board member of the Cactus and Succulent Society of America, a co-author of Field Guide to Cacti & Other Succulents of Arizona, and a retired graphic designer with 30 years at the Arizona Daily Star, bringing a trained eye for both botanical accuracy and visual excellence.
Contest Details
The Fine Print
By submitting an entry to this contest, the entrant grants the Cactus and Succulent Society of America (CSSA) an irrevocable, royalty-free, non-exclusive, worldwide, perpetual license to use, reproduce, publish, display, distribute, and otherwise reuse the submitted photograph(s), along with the entrant’s name, city, and state of residence, in CSSA publications, journals, online galleries, websites, social media, promotional materials, educational resources, merchandise offered for sale, and other media formats, now known or hereafter developed, without compensation, notification, or further permission, except where prohibited by law.
CSSA retains sole discretion to crop, edit, resize, or otherwise enhance submitted images, provided such modifications do not materially misrepresent the original work. CSSA is not responsible for late, lost, delayed, misdirected, or incomplete entries, or for technical or computer-related errors. CSSA reserves the right to disqualify any entrant for cheating, deception, or harassment of CSSA representatives.
The entrant certifies that all submitted images are the entrant’s original work and that, if the images are copyrighted, the entrant is the sole copyright holder. Copyright to the images remains with the photographer. The entrant further represents that they have obtained written consent from any individuals clearly identifiable in the submitted images and agrees to provide proof of such consent upon request. CSSA will provide photo credit where reasonably possible.
By submitting an entry, the entrant agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless CSSA, its officers, directors, employees, volunteers, and agents from and against any and all claims, actions, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, or expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising out of or related to the use of the submitted images, including but not limited to claims of intellectual property infringement or violation of privacy or publicity rights.
* Members of CSSA Affiliate Clubs are eligible for a $10 discounted Supporting Membership through their local club. Contact your Affiliate Rep for more information.
Featured photo is credited to Irwin Lightstone
