Flower News: December’s Stories of Interest from Around the World

Mel Resendiz: A Protea Evangelist

The Resendiz Brothers Protea Growers supply the fresh blossoms sold at the “Festival of Trees” at the San Diego Floral Association’s December Nights celebration, in Room 101 of the Casa del Prado. Ismael “Mel” Resendiz began his career in agriculture as a young man picking cotton and harvesting sugar cane in the hot, dirt of Sinaloa, Mexico. He and his brothers, Profirio, Raul and Ramon farmed in various regions of Mexico until Mel stumbled upon an opportunity to work temporarily at Zorro Protea Farm in Vista in March 1978. The farm was growing protea from seed on 40 acres in the hills east of Rancho Santa Fe.

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Petals on Parade

Floral growers have a national stage to show off their best blooms.

June and her husband, Rene now own Ocean Breeze Farms in Carpinteria on California’s central coast. They grow gerbera daisies in greenhouses on 27 acres, and field-grown mums, avocados and cucumber on a few more. About an hour away, their son grows for Ocean Breeze on another 12 acres in Nipomo.

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North County farm grows exotic proteas

To get to the very top parcels of land in Rainbow owned by Ismael “Mel” Resendiz, you have to drive up a long, narrow road, much of it paved, some — oy — not, with more hairpin curves than the Grand Corniche above Monte Carlo. If Resendiz, who owns Resendiz Brothers Protea Growers and makes this drive up and down the mountain multiple times in the course of a day, is taking you up in his pickup truck, you’ll do it at a brisk speed that will swipe your breath away. Unconsciously, you’ll be clenching the seat and armrest while averting your eyes from the steep drop just below your window.

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Waratah: 4 things you didn’t know
about the iconic flower

THE WARATAH is one of Australia’s most iconic flowers, and while it comes in many different forms, Telopea speciosissima, more commonly known as the New South Wales waratah, is the most well-recognisable. With its bulbous, crimson flower head, green, razored leaves and long stem, it’s possible the waratah has adorned more Australian paraphernalia than any other flower: from stamps, all the way through to tea towels and belts.

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