1. There is a new type of nut called Independence that has taken the nut industry by storm. Most almond varieties are self-sterile, meaning they must be transplanted with another variety to produce almonds. But freedom is self-fertile, meaning it can produce its own nuts. The advantage of being free to grow is that the process does not require bees as it can pollinate itself. You can purchase a liberty tree from any nursery that stocks plants from Dave Wilson Nursery. Visit wheretobuy.davewilson.com to find out which nurseries have their trees near you. However, research shows that where bees are available, open pollination produces more fruit but requires far fewer bees than traditional nut varieties, which require two hives per hectare to produce. However, this discovery is only important because California has more than 1.3 million acres of almond trees that produce 900 billion almonds a year, or more than 100 almonds for every inhabitant in the country. Even halving the number of hives needed to grow this crop would be a huge savings, since renting each hive costs about $200 per crop year.
2. Blooming pencils are gift items that look like regular pencils, crayons and eyebrow pencils. The only difference is that at the top in the leaf area is a biodegradable capsule containing sage, chia, thyme, basil and coriander seeds (note: coriander seeds grow on coriander plants); Carnations, Daisies and Forget-Me-Nots in the Flowers category and Tree Seeds in the Valves category. You can personalize the message on the leads that have sold 40 million. After pinching off the tip of your pencil, simply place the top tip in the soil, water, and watch the sealed seeds grow. To learn more about Sprout pencils, visit spoutworld.com.
3. There are a growing number of websites that can help you identify plants. But I found only one website that offers this service for free. The service is provided via Pl@ntNet (identify.plantnet.org). The resources you'll find here are endless, giving you a taste of everything the plant has to offer. Images of plants, all provided by the Pl@ntNet community, sorted by country. Find out what plants you may encounter when traveling to a foreign country or tropical island. The Caribbean island of Martinique has 1,929 plants and the island of Réunion, east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean, has 1,856 plants. You will also find many examples of "crops" from different continents, as well as invasive plants and weeds.
4. Pink Mula Mula (Ptilotus exaltatus) displays a unique cone-shaped pink and white bottlebrush flower that will take your breath away, especially when planted together. I've seen it growing locally at a nursery in Monrovia, but you can grow it from seed or roots. Native to the dry Australian plains, it requires full sun and very little water. It belongs to the amaranth family, a group of long-lived plants that includes Amaranthus caudatus and quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa). Technically perennial, Mola Mola is often grown as an annual. It is expected to increase its availability in retail nurseries as its appeal and potency becomes better known.
5. For self-seeding, long-lasting flowers, consider columbine (Aquilegia spp.). Its delicate appearance is a facade that masks its hardiness as a perennial garden plant. The flowers are daffodil-shaped, but there's nothing shy or unassuming about these plants, with attractive blue-green, lobed leaves that provide a refreshing antidote to sun and dry weather year-round. Coneflowers or Echinacea is another perennial that everyone should try. Though native to dry prairie areas and the edges of forest habitats, evergreens thrive in California gardens when planted with compost, careful mulch, and afternoon sun. Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) is another perennial with waves of bright orange-yellow flowers that begin when the weather warms. You can sow the seeds now so the plants will be ready to germinate when the heat comes. Anyway, how did Black Eyed Susan get her name? Well, the central disc of this flower is black, and according to legend, black-eyed Susan and sweet William fell in love. Black-eyed Susan and Sweet William (named after another perennial, a relative of the carnation, the plant Dianthus barbatus) flower at the same time, the two lovers named after two flowering plants at the same time.
Send your questions, comments and photos to joshua@perfectplants.com.
