California Dreamin’…
By Jason Edmonds – Transflora
EUCALYPTUS
Several great Australian botanists were active during the 19th century, particularly Ferdinand Von Mueller whose work on Eucalyptus contributed greatly to the first comprehensive account of the genus in George Benthams Flora Australiensis in 1867, which today remains the only complete Australian floral register. The account is the most important early systematic treatment of the genus. Bentham divided it into five series whose distinctions were based on characteristics of the stamens, particularly the “anthers” work elaborated by Joseph Henry Maiden (1903-33) and still further by William Faris Blakely (1934). The anther system became too complex to be workable and more recently systematic work has concentrated on the characteristics of buds, fruits, leaves and bark.
In the 1850s, Australians introduced Eucalyptus trees to California during the California Gold Rush. Much of California has a similar climate to parts of Australia. By the early 1900s, thousands of acres of eucalypts were planted with the encouragement of the state government. It was hoped that they would provide a renewable source of timber for construction, furniture making and railroad ties. It was soon found that for the latter purpose eucalyptus was particularly unsuitable, as the ties made from eucalyptus had a tendency to twist while drying, and the dried ties were so tough that it was nearly impossible to hammer rail spikes into them. Transflora California has the good fortune of being able to purchase many different varieties of Eucalyptus for distribution throughout the United States. Baby Blue, Seeded, Feather, Willow, Spiral, Parvifolia, Gunnii are among the varieties Transflora and Delaware Valley carry and we can also offer an assorted box of four or five different varieties.
Everything That You Wanted To Know About…
By Ace Reporter Felipe Bernal
MINI CALLA LILIES
It is a native of South America and belongs to the Araceae family. The word Calla comes from Greek and it means ‘beautiful’. Although Calla is known as the ‘Calla Lily’, this plant does not belong to the family of the lilies.
While not truly a member of the lily family, their beauty cannot be denied. Mini Callas are usually about 10-12 inches tall and are available in a wide range of vivid colors. This elegant and beautiful cut flower is perfect for any floral arrangement that demands uncompromising beauty, strength and durability. For these reasons, they are usually part of any centerpiece, elegant bouquet, decorations and boutonnières that can be taken home by guests and enjoyed for days after the event.
Care and Handling: Handle them as little as possible and do it always by the stem and NEVER handle the flower heads. Change the water every few days and Re-cut the stems with a sharp knife.
