Pincushion Season

As we slowly slide into springtime, nature starts to bloom in its signature fiery hues. The transition into leucospermum or "pincushion” season is a subtle one, but it’s unmistakably beautiful.

These remarkable flowers are known for their spiky, orb-shaped blooms that resemble a pincushion with their long, thin stamens reaching out in every direction. As they begin to take center stage in the fields and our bouquets, it’s clear that the season is shifting.

The arrival of pincushions often coincides with a gentle, yet noticeable change in the fields. Their vivid colors—ranging from sunset oranges and fiery reds to warm yellows and peaches, offer a visual cue that warmer days are on the way. As they stand tall and sway in the breeze, these flowers bring a sense of energy and anticipation to the air, like nature itself starting a new chapter.

For those who haven’t noticed yet, leucospermum are more than just a pretty face in the fields. These proteas are incredibly hardy, and their unique shape makes them stand out in any bouquet. The pincushion’s structure, with its twisty, radiating petals, creates a playful contrast with the more traditional blooms we’ve seen earlier in the year.

So, as the light starts to shift and the days lengthen, keep your eyes peeled for these fiery blooms. The slow transition into pincushion season reminds us that even in the quietest moments, change is always just around the corner…bursting into full bloom when we least expect it.

Spring’s Finest: Leucospermum – Pincushions

From the vibrant yellow blooms of High Gold to the soft, golden-peach hues of Brandi dela Cruz and the bright tri-color shades (red, orange + yellow) of Erubescens, we are falling for these classic spring-Leucospermum (and many more) all over again this season.

These prolific plants deliver breathtaking living color in the fields from March through June. The textural blooms are formed mainly with long, sprout-like structures that end in a round knob called a pollen presenter. Together, the mass of styles looks a lot like pins bristling from a “pincushion”, a similarity that has given rise to the popular name for this genus.

Leucospermum includes some forty-eight species as well as several new hybrids. Unlike flowers of the genus Protea, which rely on their showy bracts for visual appeal, Leucospermum put all their art into the colors of the flowers themselves as well as the flowing shape of each curving component.

Inspired by this fanciful protea and ready to grow your own? Here are a few tips:

• Leucospermum flourish in full-sun exposure with good air movement around the plants. 
• When transplanting, set plants into the soil at the same level that they were in the container. 
• Plant on a mound or slope to promote excellent drainage in soil that is slightly acidic. 
• Mulch to conserve water but keep mulch free of the crown of the plant. 
• Water regularly until plants are established. 
• Protect from frost.

When harvested, Leucospermum are stunning when displayed in a vase on their own, or mixed with more traditional flowers like roses, tulips, ranunculus, snapdragons and more.

In the Field: Leucospermum – Pincushions

Spring has finally sprung here in Rainbow! The Leucospermum fields are slowly starting to come to life, and with your first glimpse of these unique looking flowers… you just might think a fireworks display somehow fell out of the sky.

Some of the most popular members of the Proteaceae family, Leucospermum are easily recognized by their flower-heads with long, conspicuous styles, each one thickened at its apex to form a pollen presenter. Together the mass of styles, look a lot like pins bristling from a pincushion, a similarity that has given rise to their popular name Pincushions.

Unlike flowers of the genus Protea, which rely on their showy bracts for visual appeal, Leucospermum put all their art into the colors of the flowers themselves as well as the flowing shape of each curving component. These fanciful blooms atop sturdy stems create colorful focal points in the field and when displayed in floral designs.

Leucospermums are not only popular for their beautiful flowering heads, but the plants are also easily cultivated and make wonderful garden shrubs. They are fast growing and can produce a fabulous display of yellow, orange, red and even multi-colored blooms for years when grow under the right conditions.

February Articles of Interest

The Flower Fields Brim With Blossom-Adjacent Events

YOU CAN TALK TO FLOWERS, and plenty of gardeners do, but you really can't make demands. You can politely request that the petal-rocking specimens start to grow, or grow faster, or grow bigger, but flowers? They have a rather predictable if wonderful way of keeping to their own schedule. Which is all to say this: There is a schedule at the famous Flower Fields in Carlsbad Ranch and... there really isn't. The schedule part of that somewhat contradictory statement? The iconic attraction, which is known for sporting thousands of Giant Tecolote ranunculus blooms each spring, blooms that boast the most astounding colors, opens Sunday, March 1. And there's already a closing date on the 2020 calendar: It's Mother's Day, which is Sunday, May 10. There's your firm, set-in-soil schedule, but here's the truth: The flowers will open at their own pace.

Read more here.
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Protea Wedding Bouquets

Protea plants, also known as sugarbushes, have become a favorite in the wedding world. The blooms—which are native to South Africa—come in a number of different varieties, and each is beloved for its unique shape or color. These include the big king protea, the unusual pincushion protea, and the aptly-named blushing bride protea. Whichever you like, we recommend incorporating it into your wedding bouquet for a bold and beautiful arrangement. For inspiration, look no further than these unique protea wedding bouquet ideas.

Read more here
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Pincushion Protea Wedding Feast at Cheerio Gardens

At one stage when I was creating South Bound Bride I considered giving it a name with ‘protea’ in the title. Not that I ever came up with a good one, but it would have been pretty darn appropriate since as you know, we loooove proteas around these here parts. Today we’re talking pincushions, with a wedding that uses these beautifully unusual blooms against lush greenery and soft charcoal for their bright pops of orange colour, and boy does it ever work! Add in elegant rustic style elements – slate boards, wooden tables, chalkboard signage – and you have yourself a real pretty party! And then with Charl Van Der Merwe‘s lovely pics… well, see Derek and Jana’s big day for yourself – and enjoy!

Read more here.

Field to Vase Dinner Tour Comes to Rainbow

Happiness radiates like the fragrance from a flower and draws all good things towards you. -Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

Here at Resendiz Brothers, we couldn’t be happier the American Grown Field to Vase Dinner starts its 2018 season right here in Rainbow on April 7th. The widely-acclaimed dinner tour is kicking off this year's circuit in one of our protea fields and will be drawing guests from across the country to enjoy this ‘safari-style’ evening among the flowers.

Rene’ Van Rems, AIFD, our featured designer, will dazzle guests with his artistic talent and cheerful wit. On Friday, April 6th, Rene and a team of designers will be creating a variety of centerpieces and displays using an array of Proteaceae and unique botanicals. Then on Saturday they’ll venture up into the hills of Rainbow to a remote location to install the entire event. Rene is already preparing for what is sure to be an amazing evening!

Here are the details of Rene’s special workshop:

Video Shoot: Behind the Scenes with California State Floral Association

While I’m usually content wandering the fields with my camera photographing flowers, this week a video crew came out to the farm and made my field trip extra special! If you’re big on cameras, drones, flowers and farmers, follow me into the fields, where the ‘action’ took place. With a recipe from the California State Floral Association (CSFA) calling for California flower farmers and protea (plus a couple of colorful flowerbeds), the Windsong Production crew captured our story and photographed the flowers we are so passionate about growing. I invite you to take a glimpse behind the scenes as the cameras rolled.

Harvesting protea – Great shot of a ‘field bouquet’.

Temperatures are rising – Keeping the protea hydrated!

A bird’s eye view from the drone.

Can’t resist this ‘flowerbed’!

A quick photo of Nick Matteis (CAGROWN), Mel and his brother Ramon.

Filming amidst the Pink Ice.

Mel, sharing his story, his passion.

Chatting about the many hats I wear on the farm.

Another awesome ‘flowerbed’!

A few final field shots.

Making time for Mel’s favorite ‘pastime’ – Bouquet making!

Thanks to Sara and the entire Windsong crew for making this field trip a fun adventure! And, kudos to our friends at Rainbow Protea for sharing some of their beautiful flowers with us. Can’t wait to see the video!

A Field to Vase Celebration

A blissful welcome to the spring season, surrounded by a sea of gorgeous ranunculaus the Field to Vase Dinner Tour brought good cheer to The Flower Fields of Carlsbad. Clear skies and perfectly tepid temperatures greeted guests as they enjoyed American grown flowers while savoring an artisanal meal prepared by a local chef, Jeff Rossman, of Terra Catering. A skilled, self-taught Chef of nearly 30 years, Jeff helped pioneer San Diego’s thriving farm-to-table movement by purchasing fresh, organic produce from local growers before it was en vogue. Travelling to farmer’s markets before farmer’s markets were cool.

The dazzling floral décor was designed by Flower Duet’s sisters, Kit and Casey, who blended a bounty of locally grown blooms into each centerpiece and display. Kit and Casey discovered their love for flowers at a very young age thanks to their parent’s beautiful garden. Creating custom pieces for special events, they also engage in teaching flower arranging classes at their studio in South Bay of Los Angeles.

The idea behind this dinner series is to help people connect the growing “farm to fork” movement to flowers, and to share why the flowers on the dinner table should be as fresh, local and sustainable as the food on your plate. There’s no better place to celebrate the season and make that connection to flowers than in the breathtaking Flower Fields!