Cornucopia: A Symbol of the Harvest

A cornucopia, also called a horn of plenty, was traditionally made of a goat's horn overflowing with fruits, flowers and grains of the harvest.  It symbolizes abundance, prosperity and good fortune.

At what time the cornucopia made its way into our country's consciousness as a Thanksgiving holiday symbol is difficult to say.  But with its meaning of abundance and good fortune, the horn of plenty is now a symbol of Americans’ thoughts of thankfulness each November.

Cornucopias have become customary fall centerpieces and usually feature a basket woven into a horn-like shape.  Today, we fill these baskets with autumn foliage, fresh flowers, pods, and fresh fruits such as persimmon or pomegranates.  Whether it goes by the name cornucopia or horn of plenty, the meaning of this ancient symbol still resonates today.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Protea: Perfect For Fall Nuptials

When it comes to fresh, beautiful protea for autumn weddings there's an abundance of seasonal offerings.  Even though many trendy wedding favorites like Blushing Bride and Kings are not in season, there are plenty of other gorgeous blooms to fill out any bouquet. Pink Ice and Neriifolia 'Minks', being harvested now, bring an exotic and unique touch to any bouquet, especially when combined with other rich jewel tones. When paired with textural foliage like leucadendron and eucalyptus, and year-round flowers like roses or orchids, you can expect lots of personality. Here are some lovely pictures of wedding bouquets with protea used in very artistic and beautiful ways!

Protea in Art

My love of flowers is very obvious, as I live and work on a flower farm and surround myself daily with colorful bouquets and my favorite flower photos. It's not often enough that we speak of the inspiration, the pleasure and the hope we feel when looking at one of these amazing gifts from Mother Nature. Their vivid colors and exotic shapes make us joyful while their textures add a unique feel. Flowers evoke memories and transport us to a more naturally beautiful place.

As a flower farmer, I am always inspired by the perfection found in flowers and thrilled by the way they impact and arouse all of us differently, which for me, is certainly proof of their natural artistic qualities. With that in mind, I thought it might be nice to share a few different ways artists have used protea in their work – some have used them to enhance beauty while others have used them to tell the story of life itself.

"I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers."

- Claude Monet

The Thanksgiving Table

The Harvest Season is definitely underway and as Thanksgiving approaches, more emphasis is placed on the importance of color and texture. When we think of autumn, we often think of more conventional decor that feature reds, oranges and yellows. While this works for many occasions, I personally prefer variations on the tried and true traditional fall colors. 

By taking our cue from color experts, perhaps it is time to kick it up a notch - add a little textural Proteaceae, and feature designs that favor the more trendy 'Jewel Tone' shades of ruby, sapphire, amethyst, emerald, and yellow topaz. These lovely hues not only have a warm and welcoming appeal, they also exude a special 'farm-to-table' and 'field-to-vase' charm, and after all isn't that what harvest season is all about? Here are some of the ways I imagine my Thanksgiving table garnished! 
 

California Protea Association General Meeting

This fall Resendiz Brothers hosted the California Protea Association's (CPA) General Meeting. The program started out with a very informative presentation by Rolf Timmerman, Head International Technical Consultant, from Chrysal International. Rolf covered several important subjects: First, he gave an update on Protea Post-Harvest Treatments and the latest research from South Africa. Then he discussed Waxflower Post-Harvest treatments and practices; as well as the best practices on tinting greens. For more details on these topics we've provided a link to Rolf's power point presentation. 

In addition, Ben Gill with California Protea Management gave a brief update on South America's current protea production, and Diana Roy shared information about the California Cut Flower Commission's Sustainability Program and the newly developed California Cut Flower Co-op. 
 
The evening's final guest speaker was Rene' van Rems, who did an enlightening presentation on current style trends like Shabby Chic, Eco Glam, Patch World, Curio as it relates to old world, and New Neutrals - the grays, beiges and soft greens that so often coincide with what we see here on our flower farms.

The meeting concluded with the CPA's traditional plant and floral raffle and also included samples that were donated by Chrysal. Many thanks to all the speakers and flower farmers who participated and attended this event!

Susara - A Little Royalty

Red, orange and yellow are the colors we often associate with fall, so it's no surprise that many of the flowers we get requests for at this time of year are also in those shades.  Leucospermum, or more commonly called pincushions, definitely fit the bill, but here in California they're off season until early winter.

Most of the Protea we're currently harvesting are found in hues from pink to burgundy, and with this year's very popular 'jewel tone' trend they're doing quite well.  However, if you’re a traditionalist and partial to the basic autumn colors, then you need to meet Susara.

Susara has entered the Protea scene with quite a splash and rightly so -she's Gorgeous! Often called our Mini-Queen, Susara is a combination of P. Magnifica (Queen) and P. Susannae - definitely a 'Royal Bloom'. This flower has divine grey-green leaves and cream to salmon-pink blooms with a dab of black atop her puffy cream colored center.  Susara looks great mixed with other protea or combined with an array other colorful flowers and foliage. Here are just some of the lovely ways we've found Susara displayed!

We'll be harvesting Susara throughout the fall and into early winter - so be sure to make 'a little royalty' part of your next creation!

Protea Repens - Sugarbush

Repens means 'creeping' although this protea is anything but creeping. Its name was erroneously given, based on a misleading picture. It is in fact, a tall, upright bush that can reach heights of 4 to 6 feet. Far more accurate is the common name 'sugarbush' honoring the species reputation of producing more nectar than any other protea, to the extent that it sometimes overflows. 

Sugarbush was a first in many ways. In 1774, it was cultivated under glass in the Royal Collection at the Kew Gardens where, in 1780, it became the first protea ever to bloom in cultivation away from the Cape. From 1890, it was also the first protea to grow outdoors in Australia, New Zealand and here in California.

Bountiful with sweet nectar, Sugarbush or Suikerbossie (Afrikaans) was South Africa's national flower until 1976. It's also a term of enderament that could be translated as "sweetie". The song Suikerbossie ek wil jou he (Sugarbush, I want you so) was composed on Lion's Head in Cape Town and shows how sweet the Sugarbush must be to inspire such romance. Suikerbossie ek wil jou he is a traditional South African Barn Dance Song and this English version of the song eventually became an international hit.

SUGARBUSH, I WANT YOU SO:

Sugarbush, I want you so

Sugarbush, I want you so

Sugarbush, I want you so

What will your mother want to say.

Then like that, we'll walk under the moon 

Then like that, we'll walk under the moon

Then like that, we'll walk under the moon

Together, my sugarbush and I.

 

Sugarbush bloom here in California from autumn through early winter - so now's the time to make these delightful 'sweet' blooms a part of your next arrangement or bouquet!