Summer in the Fields

During the month of July it feels a bit like taking an "intermission" - some flowers and foliage are leaving the fields and others are preparing to come on. July is a quiet time here on the farm and it provides us a sampling of the flowers soon to rest and others getting ready to bloom. The colors, textures and sights of summer certainly warm the soul and delight the eye!

This is the month when we see our beloved pincushions, colorful filler flowers and exotic kangaroo paws start to taper off and slowly vanish from the fields. We find ourselves cherishing every last bloom, knowing it will be months before we finally see them revisit.

July, is the month when our mysterious, almost alien looking brunia albiflora is ready to harvest. Brunia is truly a summertime favorite for many florist and designers, adding that interesting texture and unusual touch to any arrangement.

This is also the time of the year when we see a new season begin. Protea plants are showing their first blooms and the leucadendron are taking on their deep red and burgundy tones. We find ourselves waiting with anticipation, as the fields slowly start to show their flowers and fill with color once again.

So, as this month concludes, it is apparent there is truly a circle of life in nature too!

Kangaroo Paws

An unusual botannical from the Land Down Under

     There are few flowers that offer as much vivid color, distinctive form and unusual texture as kangaroo paws. Anigozanthos (pronounced an-ih-go-zan-thos) or more commonly known as “K-Paws” produce clusters of wooly tubular blossoms that do indeed resemble kangaroo toes. The size of the flowers, stem length and color vary depending on the species and cultivar.

      These are truly colorful kangaroo toes, ranging in color from black and green to Christmas red, orange, yellow, burgundy with over 40 varieties now on the market. They can grow to heights of five feet or more allowing them to survive well in the forest where they can thrust their colorful flowers above the undergrowth, advertising nectar to the birds that pollinate them. In addition, K- Paws have a sturdy stem, which is a natural perch and makes them ideal flowers for birds. The Kangaroo Paw's shape and the position of the pollen-bearing anthers enable pollen to deposit on the head of the feeding birds. Pollen is transferred from flower to flower as the honeyeaters or wattlebirds feast. Interestingly enough, these flowers have no fragrance but all flying creatures love them anyway.

      The decorative value of the kangaroo paw lies in the color and texture of these flowers. They grow in clusters and are slender rather than voluminous. For this reason many designers use K-Paws as line material. Some varieties are fuller and more branchy than others, with a structure like hat trees, adding further interest to the long stems and fingerlike flowers.  And here are a few of our favorite varieties.

Assorted Kangaroo Paws

Orange Kangaroo Paw

Orange & Green Kangaroo Paw

Red Kangaroo Paw

Black & Green Kangaroo Paw

Black & Green Kangaroo Paw with Orchids and Fern Leaf

Yellow and Red Kangaroo Paws in landscaping

     

Leucospermum - Pincushions

Leucospermum are some of the most popular members of the Proteaceae family and 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 like pins bristling from a pincushion, a similarity that has given rise to the popular name for these Proteas. So appropriate is the name “Pincushion Protea” that it has in fact replaced the original South African name of “Luisies” which refers to the grayish-white, rounded seeds found crumpled in the dried flower-heads, resembling insects in tangled in the fur of an animal.

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 or red blooms for years when grow under the right conditions.

Did you know that Pincushions flower is the spring to suit the insects?  The seeds are mature in the summer and are released when the ants are most active and likely to disperse them.

There are currently over 48 varieties of Leucospermum available throughout the world, a number that will continue to grow as new hybrids are created and marketed.



Pincushion Tango Plants



Pincushion Flame Giant



Pincushion Hawaii Gold



Pincushion Tango



Pincusion Erubescens



Pincushion Starlight



Pincushion Sunkist





Serruria

This delightful genus of 44 species from South Africa's Cape is a popular member of the Protea family. Serruria flowers in the springtime producing papery white and pink bracts, or floral leaves, surrounding feathery tufts of white to pinkish flowers. Blushing Bride and Sugar ‘n’ Spice are well-known varieties with their delicate and dainty white, pink and rose flowers.

It is thought Serruria "Blushing Bride" received its name in South Africa because of its traditional use in bridal bouquets and through the custom of young men in the Cape Region wearing the flowers in buttonholes when courting. Unfortunately, "Blushing Bride" seems to have been over-exploited as the species was near extinction or even believed to be "lost" for 90 years in the wild until conservation measures in the 1960’s and 70's saved it.

Serruria "Sugar 'n' Spice" is also a popular variety among florist for its use in posies, boutonnieres and corsages. In addition, it has become a very popular potted plant in Australia.

 

These treasured flowers are now being grown in South Africa, Australia, Israel and the US, including Hawaii.

Wreaths

Wreaths are more than just a decorative touch for your door, mantle, table or wall; they have existed in various forms since the time of the ancient Romans.  In fact, wreaths were first designed to adorn the bonnets of the rich and royal.

Today, wreaths can be displayed year round and are an eternal part of the holiday season. Much symbolism can be attributed to the wreath. The shape of a circle has no beginning and no ending. This may represent the eternal nature of a god's love, or the circle of life?  Evergreens, which survive harsh winters, are often weaved into wreaths to signify immortality and the strength of life.  Protea are also very hardy, long-lasting flowers.  As the saying goes - "Protea don't die, they just dry".  A Protea Wreath can last for years!

Wreaths have become a reflection of personal taste and some are reminders of special occasions or the season. Whatever the reason, wreaths continue to symbolize welcome, eternity and a joyful spirit - so true for us here at Resendiz Brothers.  The wreath has become our company logo, something we enjoy each and every day of the year. It symbolizes our way of welcoming all our friends to our world of flowers, our passion.  However, during this special time of the year, making beautiful Protea Wreaths does seem to give us even more of a joyful spirit!

We have created many different wreaths over the last ten years and we'd like to share a few of our favorites with you.

Happy Holidays and

have a wonderful New Year!

Berzelia

Berzelia, is one of approximately eight species found in the Bruniaceae family, one of the few families that is endemic to the Cape Floral Kingdom. It is a wonderful evergreen shrub that grows naturally in the wild from the northwestern to the southwestern parts of the Western Cape. Berzelia was named in honor of Count Jacob J. Berzelius (1779-1845), a renowned Swedish chemist and a professor of medicine.

Berzelia Lanuginosa in the field

Berzelia can grow to more than 4 feet tall. Its branches are long, slender and straight. Berzelia has wonderful soft, fern-like foliage that surrounds the entire stem from top to bottom in a spiral-like design. Its flowers are often massed in spherical heads and range in colors from creamy white to several shades of green, yellow and some varieties are even two-toned. Berzelia flowers from winter through spring. Then after flowering, it develops attractive, creamy white seeds that can remain on the shrub for at least one to two years. Berzelia has become extremely popular among designers throughout the world for its exotic appearance and wonderful texture which compliments a range of stylist moods.

Berzelia Lanuginosa



Berzelia Red Jelly



Berzelia Galpinii

Autumn - A Mosaic of the Season

Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all." - Stanley Horowitz

A Protea heaven on earth - that is what fall is like in our flower fields here is Southern California. The colors, textures, size and form of the various Proteaceae harvested provide an array of gorgeous flowers and foliage to choose from.  No wonder this family was named after the sea god Proteus in Greek mythology, who was the prophetic old man of the sea and shepherd of the sea's flock.

Proteus protected the seals of Poseidon on the island of Pharos, near the mouth of the Nile, and was able to adopt any shape he wished.  He knew all things - past, present and future and disliked sharing his knowledge.  If you wanted to consult him you had to surprise him during his siesta and tie him up.  Even when caught, he would try to escape by assuming many different shapes.  Even if you were able to trap Proteus, he would return to his original shape, answer your questions and plunge back into the sea. 

An amazing sea god and an amazing family of flowers and foliage.