Inge Hoffmann was born in Nuremberg, Germany on Nov 29,1930. She died in San Leandro, Calif on August 5,2013.Affectionately known as the "Seed Lady" by her friends and associates, she was a member of the following organizations;Cactus and Succulent Society, Palm Society, Bromeliad Society, California Horticultural Society, Pacific Horticultural Society and the European Palm Society.Inge traveled and lectured most of her adult life. She lectured in Spain, South Africa, India, Thailand and the USA. She introduced many heretofore unknown species to the trade, as well as discovering a species believed to be extinct. She collected specimens of plants from South America, Central America, The Orient, India and the Pacific Islands. She took six expeditions to the Amazon Jungle.Educated by Dr Professor Werner Rauh, at the Heidelberg Botanical Garden and Research Institute, her work in Botany and Horticulture gained the attention of leaders in her field. She was asked to work with them at the following Botanical Gardens; The Huntington Botanical Garden, Pasadena, California, The University of California Botanical Garden in Berkeley,California, The Bancroft Botanical Garden in Walnut Creek, California. She designed and constructed the cactus and Succulent garden at the Dunsmuir House in San Leandro,California. She and her Husband Hans, led the committee to construct the Palmettum at the Lakeside Garden center in Oakland,California. Her crowning achievement was the designing and planning the Cactus and Succulent Garden at the Nong Nooch Botanical Tropical Garden in Thailand where she spent time on over 20 trips to the country.Her own garden, in San Leandro, hosted student groups, college classes and many flower and garden clubs. She had 80 mature palmtrees, some over 75 feet tall, and over 600 cactus and 800 varieties of Succulent plans. Her life was dedicated to her work.She passed peacefully with friends, Her devoted caregiver RoseAlba Gonzales and travelling companion and soul mate Larry Shore (and her beloved cats) at her side.
