What’s the Deal with Ladybugs?

If you’ve been purchasing ladybugs from us over the years, or if you are considering a purchase, you may have wondered why their availability has been so erratic. The reasons for this are very simple, and yet complex at the same time. But what it boils down to is that ladybugs, like many other things that people “love”, are the victims of their own popularity.

Bucky Bug

Ladybugs have appeared in folklore for who-knows-how-long, but it was the comic-crazed times of the early 1930s that introduced this little beetle to the world at large. During the doom-filled days of the Great Depression, people all over would find solace in the simple chuckles they’d get from the Sunday comics and the short cartoons played before movies. In 1932, Eric Duvall drew some characters based on ladybugs for a popular Disney movie cartoon series known as Silly Symphonies. These boy and girl ladybugs (Bucky Bug and June Bug) were immensely popular and became the first Disney character to appear in Sunday papers. This was arguably the beginning of the popularization and commercialization of ladybugs (To get an idea of just how astonishingly big and wide this commercialization has grown, Google or go to Amazon and put in “ladybugs”).

The truth of the matter is that ladybugs are far from the endearing little insects we’ve all been
conditioned to see. They’re much more Terminator than friend-of-the garden and have some nasty behaviors that should dispel the cute myth entirely. Firstly, they will devour any insects that they can get their hands on. It is a common misconception that ladybugs only go after aphids; they like aphids a lot, but they will take a meal where they can get one. This predatory behavior extends to beneficial insects that truly are friends-to-the-garden. If you are using beneficial insects, you should carefully consider the consequences before introducing lady bugs. Secondly, ladybugs have toxic tendencies. When threatened, they will excrete or spray an alkaline toxin as a defense mechanism. Many predators will spit them out at this point, but the nasty fluid is still in the garden environment. It stinks and can cause allergic reactions and asthma-related problems with humans. The author of this article eloquently says, “Ladybugs are not only homicidal maniacs, they’re walking dirty bombs”.

Another aspect of the ladybug that does not fit the popular cutesy image is their own larvae. Ladybug larvae are way more sinister-looking than their adult versions (they kind of look like mini prehistoric alligators) and their appetites are as voracious as any adult. According to this article, each one can eat up to 400 aphids in their 3-week life span. Here’s a video of a larva chowing down on an aphid.

The seemingly endless popularity of ladybugs has meant that certain species are becoming dominant, and the numbers of native species are dropping. The Hippodamia convergens species that we sell is native to North America, but it has become endemic in areas that it never was before. The reason for this is simple – Hippodamia convergens look like the ladybug people want to see. Much like the consumer preferences that have led to us having grocery stores full of perfect-looking (yet flavorless) produce, our gardens are filling up with a single species of ladybugs. Hippodamia convergens have no deference to native species of ladybugs; they will gobble them up as quickly as any other insect and then enthusiastically take over their established territories. In order to maintain a healthy environment, native species should be recognized and encouraged in our green spaces.

All These Are Ladybugs

So, what does this all have to do with the commercial availability of ladybugs? Several things – and all are related to demand that’s beyond the capacity of nature to provide. It may come as a surprise to many people, but the overwhelming majority of ladybugs that are sold commercially are gathered in the wild. This includes the Hippodamia convergens that we sell. So, no, there are not carefully monitored, sustainably conscious labs putting out the little beetles you buy for your ladybug release party. The fact that these in-demand insects are taken from the wild leads to several complications:

• There are no regulations, or oversight of any kind, on how ladybugs are collected. This has led to some egregious and over-the-top efforts to find them, including some people who simply dig up all the dirt and vegetation around where they think they’ll find beetles hibernating. This leads to habitat destruction and eliminates any possible shelter for future generations.

• Parasites and diseases that are present in the wild-caught population can be introduced to the micro-world of your garden and the macro-world of your geographical area. Although there is not enough evidence to know just how much a threat this is to the exposed ladybug populations, there is definitely the potential for serious problems.

• Weather-induced events and climate change directly affect the numbers of ladybugs that are
available. We have seen this most dramatically with the devastating forest fires on the West Coast. The beautiful and lush forests of the West have been the main source for our ladybugs, but many of those same breeding grounds have been lost to fires.  Most people are saddened by the mammals and birds that fall victim to fire, but few realize that there have been billions of insect lives taken as well. And when their sanctuary is gone, they cannot easily bounce back.

All in all, there are simply fewer ladybugs out there than there used to be.

You may be wondering why I am downplaying the benefits of ladybugs when we sell them, and that’s fair. The truth is, for all of the above reasons, we have been struggling with maintaining a steady supply from collectors that we are confident are harvesting ethically. We have made an internal commitment to this stand and will not have ladybugs available unless we are comfortable with their provenance and the sustainability of the collection sites. Instead, we would like to encourage our customers to consider using other beneficials for their pest control. Green Lacewings, for instance, prey on the same pest insects as ladybugs but they will stick around as long as there is food for them (unlike ladybugs who are notoriously flighty). Additionally, if our customers decide that they are committed to ladybugs, we want them to have the full picture of what these beetles bring to the table – responsible bug-parenting, if you will.

Take Care 

Submitted by Pam

What’s This Bug? The Golden Tortoise Beetle.

This little bug could easily be mistaken for a sequin that had fallen off some snazzy dress. It has the size, shape, and shininess of a gold sequin, but it’s a Golden Tortoise Beetle (Charidotella sexpunctata). This particular species of beetle is native to the Americas and is most common in states on the East Coast. Lately, however, it has been making headway in the Midwest and down into Texas. Golden Tortoise Beetles are still not super-common and do not congregate in large numbers like many similar beetles, so finding one still has the surprise element for most people.

Golden Tortoise Beetles (aka Goldbugs) are not always bright metallic gold in color. They can also be a reddish-brown or a mottled mix of red and gold. Goldbugs have a special ability to change their colors and these color changes are directly related to the mood of the insect. While the metallic color indicates an at-peace bug, when they feel threatened or annoyed their color becomes red. They manage this change by drying up the fluid in their clear exoskeleton (here is an article that explains this with a Panamanian version of the Goldbug). Scientists believe the color change may make the insect appear poisonous to predators, but that reasoning does not explain another situation where they change colors – during mating. When mating, both parties will go from gold to red. Mating appears to be an intense event for Goldbugs; according to this article there have been studies that show that copulation can last nearly ten hours! Apart from some Australian crab spiders that change colors when hunting, Goldbugs seem to be unique in the insect world with this ability to change color at will. 

The larvae of the Golden Tortoise Beetle have some interesting characteristics of their own. For starters, they look like little dinosaurs; they are flat and reddish or brownish in color with spiky protuberances all over them. Because they are slow and cannot fly, they have developed an effective (and disgusting by human standards) defense mechanism. They make what is called an anal shield by melding together old skin and fecal matter and attaching it to their anal fork (they have an extra-long anal tube for this). They then keep this shield on top of their bodies to protect themselves and every now and then they wave it around. Apparently, predators find this all this as gross as we do and stay away. Watch a larva make and flip its anal shield here.

There have been limited biological studies done on the Goldbug and the consensus seems to be that this is because they are not a threat to agriculture. Their relativity low numbers and preference for specific plants are the reasons for this. Goldbugs feed primarily on the leaves and flowers of morning glories and sweet potatoes. If they run out of their preferred foods, they may move on to other members of the Convulvulaceae family, but they don’t stray far from that. The damage caused by these beetles is mostly cosmetic and will not lead to long-term problems or crop loss. That being said, you may still want them out of your area. If that’s the case, it is best to remove them manually when they appear. Insecticides are not recommended as the potential for harm to the garden far outweighs the damage Goldbugs can do. If you are maintaining a garden that is well-fed and well-watered, with minimal weeds, you will probably never even see these bugs.

Adult Golden Tortoise Beetles start appearing in May or June. If you are out there in your garden, keep an eye out for something shiny and take a moment to appreciate this exceptional creature. 

Take care.

Submitted by Pam

Flowers In May And Beyond

It’s May – and that means it’s the time of year when gardeners will delight as their long-planted bulbs bloom, and everyone is awed by nature’s spectacular wildflower displays. May flowers are truly a joy when they appear, but there are ways you can stretch the abundance of blooms through the summer months.

If you are seeing your bulbs bloom now, then you have spring (or hardy) bulbs. Tulips, hyacinth, and daffodils are all spring bulbs. These bulbs are planted in the fall, overwinter in your garden, and need that cold period to complete their growth cycle. But there’s another type of bulb – the summer (or tender) bulb. These bulbs don’t like cold temperatures at all and need to be planted well after a last frost date. Summer bulbs include gladioli, dahlias, and lilies. It is an easy transition from one type of bloom to the other, if you follow these few basic steps at this time of year:

• Deadhead your spring-blooming bulbs but leave the foliage intact.

• While deadheading, examine your plants carefully for insect activity. Pest insects enjoy May flowers as much as we do, and you don’t want to introduce them to your next batch of flowers.

• Separate and remove any bulbs that did not thrive.

• Dig up and store any bulbs that need to be kept cool through the summer.

• Keep an eye out for any soil-dwelling pests as you dig into the dirt.

• Plant your summer bulbs amongst your spring ones.

• Summer bulbs do well in containers and look lovely on a front step or porch when in bloom.

This article is a wealth of information on bulbs and is laid out in a very easy-to-read format.

Nature rewards us in spring with wildflowers. Almost anywhere you go at this time of year, you’ll find some. Here in southern Arizona, we have been tickling summer temperatures for a while now, so our wildflower season is well behind us. But we do have reliable May blooms in the form of saguaro flowers (which is also our state flower). These gorgeous white blooms appear in jaunty clusters on the tops of the saguaros and/or the ends of their arms. Along with the flowery show comes the companion animal of the saguaro, the White-Winged Dove. This pretty little bird migrates to Mexico through the winter and early spring months and then returns to the Sonoran Desert just in time to enjoy the saguaro flowers (and subsequent fruit). This cactus and bird are a perfect example of mutualism in nature, where on species depends on another. I wrote a blog on the dove-saguaro relationship, if you want to know a little more.

Desert ecosystems notwithstanding, some of nature’s greatest flower shows are found deep in the forest. It is there, thriving in undisturbed organic material and undiluted by mankind, that you can find truly authentic wildflowers. Some of these beauties only appear for a short time and are known as “spring ephemerals”. If you are lucky enough to have a forest that you can get to in May, I recommend you do so this month. You won’t be disappointed. Here is more on spring ephemerals and forest wildflowers in the Saranac Lake region of New York, but these types of flowers can be found many other places as well.

Whether you live in the woods, at the beach, or on the prairie, you can find flowers growing around you in May. Even in the biggest of cities, keep an eye out and you’ll see them alongside raucous highways or along a neighbor’s fence line. Granted, some people may call these weeds, but they are also wildflowers. If you don’t want to go looking for wildflowers, or you want specific varieties, you can easily plant your own. There are a great many seeds available commercially that will sprout and bloom quickly so that you can enjoy wildflowers all summer long. According to this article, when planting wildflowers the most important thing is to plant them on prepared, bare ground. If you are unsure as to what will work best for you, here are some glorious suggestions. Of course, it goes without saying that the best choice would be whichever wildflowers are native to your area. 

There is one more flower that comes in May that I’d like to address: Mother’s Day flowers. Millions of women across America will be receiving some form of flower gift this coming weekend. Unfortunately, most will be dead by the next week. This article has some thorough guidelines, including type-specific care, while this floral company gives four simple steps.

Everything is blooming most recklessly; if it were voices instead of colors, there would be an unbelievable shrieking into the heart of the night – 

Rainier Maria Rilke

Happy May!

Submitted by Pam             

5 Tree Cities of the World

It’s Arbor Day – a chance to appreciate, tend to, and perhaps save, the trees around us. Protecting our tree canopy is an essential component in the fight against climate change, so every day should be Arbor Day. And these efforts need to be global. It is with this mind-set that the Arbor Day Foundation began Tree Cities of the World in 2019. This a program that recognizes cities around the world that have taken exceptional care of their urban forests and have committed to their sustainability. In order to receive recognition, a city (or town) must meet five standards: They must establish responsibility on a municipal level; they must have a law or policy that mandates tree management; they must keep an accurate assessment of the trees they have; they must have dedicated funds for all this; and they must celebrate their achievements annually to keep awareness and enthusiasm strong. To this date, 120 cities have been recognized, with over 2,000,000 trees planted. This has been made possible by more than 618,000 volunteer hours in all these cities. In this blog, I’d like to take you around the world and introduce you to some of these places.

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Buenos Aires (BA), the capital of Argentina and its largest city, can be found in the southeastern part of South America spread out along the banks of the Rio de la Plata. BA is well known among dendrophiles as a city with an abundance of gorgeous greenery. Here is a tree guide that walks you through some its most stellar species. One tree that’s mentioned in the guide and is strongly associated with BA is the jacaranda. They are all over the city and bloom magnificently in November (their springtime). Here is a collection of some incredible images of them. BA is also an artsy city, and the love of art and the love of trees combine in this statue – the mythical strongest man is holding up the oldest tree in BA. 

Hyderabad, India

This busy metropolis in south central India is the only city on the subcontinent to be recognized. As climate changes have brought more extreme monsoons (and weather in general), Hyderabad has had to deal with huge numbers of trees falling. The work of activists to save their trees has led to this recognition, of which they are understandably proud. Part of their tree-saving efforts have been to discourage the planting of non-native, flashy species and encourage the hardier native varieties. Trees have a long history of being valued in India; they have deep religious, historic, and cultural value. Case in point: Hyderabad is home to a 400-year-old Baobab tree, given to the ruler Quli Qutub Shah by a merchant from Madagascar. It is known as Hathyan ka Darakht.

Kampala, Uganda

You’ll find Kampala in east-central Africa, on the shore of Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest fresh-water lake. The only African city recognized, Kampala may seem like an unlikely candidate given the fertile forests in this country. But they have, unfortunately, been recovering from and dealing with ongoing civil conflicts for some time. These conflicts have led to famers and other stewards of the land to be displaced and rampant habitat destruction. In response, Uganda has created programs to re-train people and re-forest the environment, such as Trees for the Future and welcomed help from afar, such as this program backed by the Welsh government. For its own small bit of Uganda, Kampala has made a commitment to preserve and protect its urban canopy and its lush parks showcase their efforts.

 Krasnoyarsk, Russia

Krasnoyarsk is the third largest city in Siberia and sits in the epicenter of Eurasia. At first glance, this seems like another unlikely tree-saving place since Russia is home to the most trees on the planet. But Russia has a long history of planting trees for conservation and remediation purposes. The Soviet added green spaces to their planned cities and trees were even planted as part of the Chernobyl cleanup. So, it’s actually surprising that this is the only recognized city in Russia. The citizens of Krasnoyarsk know that their spectacular natural treasures are what makes them special, and they are fighting to preserve them. By all accounts their summers are lovely, but Siberia is famous for its winters. To see the beauty of  Krasnoyarsk at -30°C (-22°F), check out this video.

Morelia, Mexico

This beautiful and historic city in western Mexico is the capital of the state of Michoacán. It is home to a lush natural environment, including the UNESCO Monarch Butterfly Bioshpere Reserve. This is where monarchs end their southern migration, and between October and March millions of these beauties land here. Unfortunately, this area is also home to violent drug cartels, illegal logging, and general lawlessness in the forests. Nevertheless, there are many brave conservationists who staunchly defend their natural resources, sometimes to the death. The situation is dire there and could conceivably end the monarchs for good. All of this makes it so much more commendable that Morelia has vowed to protect their precious trees. 

Wellington, New Zealand

On the southside of the North Island of New Zealand you’ll find their capital, Wellington. Surrounded by natural beauty, this charming city is continually being placed at the top of "most livable" cities lists. It is, like New Zealand in general, dedicated to the care and preservation of its natural resources, which includes its urban trees. Back in 1997, the citizens of Wellington set a goal to plant 2 million trees, and they’re getting close. It’s no wonder that the Arbor Day Foundation recognized them the first year they started the Trees of the World program.

So, go out there and appreciate a tree today everyone!     
       

Submitted by Pam

 

Earth Day 2021

It’s been one trip around the sun and we find ourselves approaching another Earth Day under the influence of Covid-19. But at this point, things look a lot better than they did last year at this time. No matter how one feels about the vaccine and the virus-mitigation efforts that have been taken, there has inarguably been some amazing science done this year to get us to where we are now. Being cautiously optimistic seems way more reasonable now then it did in 2020.

Unfortunately, one thing that has not changed is the dire straits that many non-profits still find themselves in. The economic recovery that is on the horizon for some organizations is some distance away for those that depend on donations. Most people have to feel financially secure before they are comfortable sharing what they have. Knowing this, on Earth Day 2021 we are donating a portion of our proceeds to two exceptional non-profits. We hope that you will choose that day to shop on our site and that you may be inspired to support them yourself. Or, simply pass along the word, so that we can get as many people as possible to see what these people are doing for our community and beyond.  

Last year we sponsored the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD), a Tucson-based environmental activism group and we are such fans of what they do that we are sponsoring them again this year. These people don’t just live environmentally conscious lifestyles, they are fighting for our natural world in the trenches of courtrooms, boardrooms, and legislatures. Whether it is protecting a small endangered mammal of the Southwest, safeguarding tribal and public lands, addressing climate change, or conserving ocean waters, these dedicated people are indefatigable in their efforts. And while it may seem like they have too many irons in the fire, they know how to keep the forge running and every iron is being handled optimally. CBD is also very transparent as to where they are in every project, and what their next steps will be. I encourage everyone to go to their website and see for themselves all the incredible work they’re doing. If you are unable to support them financially, there are petitions to sign and information on other ways you can help. After all, they are working for all of us by working to protect all life on Earth.  

Our other chosen non-profit is Desert Survivors,  which is celebrating its 40th anniversary of respected service to our community this year. Desert Survivors combines a love for desert plants (and their conservation and protection) with an employment program for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Both are combined into a retail enterprise that provides reasonably-priced local plants and trees that are not just beautiful but are kind to our harsh-yet-delicate ecosystem. They even have a little shop on the Chuck Huckleberry Loop along the Santa Cruz River that offers drinks, snacks, and other items that passing bicyclists and walkers may enjoy (the Loop, by the way, was recently named the best recreational trail in the US by USA Today). I have a beloved family member with developmental disabilities, so I am always deeply touched and grateful for those people who dedicate themselves to helping all members of society live their lives with dignity and purpose. So, whether you feel inspired by what they do for others, or you are a local plant enthusiast or heirloom tree lover, I hope you will check them out (please go to their website for any Covid restrictions that may be in effect). They are located where Tucson’s earliest inhabitants lived, at the base of Sentinel Peak (“A” Mountain). Ditch the big box stores and buy local plants from local people. A portion of our proceeds on Thursday, April 22nd will go to Desert Survivors, so shop with us on that day and help them out. Or, you can go to them at any time to support them.

This Earth Day, I hope we all take a moment to step outside and look around in appreciation of the planet we live on.                                                                                                                                                                           

 Happy Earth Day!

Submitted by Pam.

What’s This Bug? The Wooly Aphid.

If you see drifting bits of white fuzz in your garden, you might not pay much attention to them, or you might discount them as pollen, lint, or even little fairies. But you may want to pay a little closer attention because they could be Wooly Aphids (Mult spp) hidden as innocuous debris.

The distinctive white fuzziness of these insects isn’t hair or fur – it’s the result of waxy strands that they secrete that create the wooly effect. It is believed that this wool is meant to protect them and deter predators. Underneath all that adornment they are small (about ¼” diameter), pale green to purplish-brown aphids. When they cluster together, they look more like a fungal growth than individual insects. If you see a white mass and are unsure of what it is, give the area a little shake – if it’s aphids, they’ll move. In fact, there is one species that does a dance when they feel threatened; they raise their rear ends and wiggle them. See them do their thing in this video, it’s pretty entertaining.

Wooly Aphids, like all aphids, are one of the first insects to get moving in earnest in the spring. And,
like virtually every other creature in spring, they have a specific reproductive agenda at hand. Wooly aphids use two host trees/plants in their life cycle. They choose one to overwinter and lay eggs in, but when spring comes they move to another to establish a breeding colony. The nymphs that appear in spring are crawlers, but by late spring they will be a full-blown white fuzzy mass on spurs and branches. Throughout the summer, subsequent generations take flight to find their own spots and, as winter approaches, all the Wooly Aphids go in search of their winter homes. This is often when people first notice them.

Many people consider Wooly Aphids to be less of a threat to crops than other types of aphids. There are two reasons for this: Their numbers are generally not large enough to cause extensive crop damage and many of their species are adapted to live off of trees. Wooly Aphids are not considered tree-killers, and rarely even harm a tree’s overall health. They do, however, cause unsightly leaf curling and galls.  If you’re worried about your trees, this article has some great pictures that show what to look for.

The biggest concern in regards to Wooly Aphids is Sooty Mold. This particular plant mold is caused by an accumulation of honeydew, the sticky-sweet excrement of aphids. When aphids gather in large numbers, the honeydew can really build up creating the perfect growing environment for mold. Sooty Mold seldom kills a plant outright, but it can weaken it to the point where the insects causing the honeydew can do real damage. And then there is the ant angle – where there is honeydew there will be ants. They love the stuff and will protect and farm the aphids to get their honeydew (here is a cool super-closeup

video that shows them milking the aphids). Ants are notorious vectors for some serious plant diseases, so their presence on any plant or tree is definitely undesirable. Too much honeydew is not only a problem for plants, it can drip onto surfaces and is a real pain to get off cars.

If you are not charmed by the fluff-balls that are Wooly Aphids, ARBICO Organic has a multitude of weapons you can deploy against them. We have everything from insects that prey on aphids, to sticky traps, to a large variety of organic and natural insecticides. Our Aphid Control page is the best first stop on your search for a solution to your aphid problem.

Take Care.

Submitted by Pam

 

A Tale of Two Easter Flowers

When we think of Easter, there are many images that come to mind: religious symbols, bunnies, baskets, and eggs. But there are also flowers – lots and lots of flowers (it’s spring after all). Two of the most iconic and beautiful are the Easter Lily and the tulip. At first glance, it may not seem that these two flowers are alike at all, but they have some surprising commonalities. These include their long international backstories that lead to the Pacific Northwest.

Lilies have been a symbol of purity, hope, and rebirth as far back as ancient Greece. With the rise of Christianity, this flower became associated with the Virgin Mary. One can find depictions of the lily in European religious art dating back at least to the 14th century (more on that here). Over time, the connotation of rebirth made these flowers an obvious choice for Easter celebrations, when Christians celebrate the resurrection of Christ. 

The lilies that have been so greatly admired for centuries in Europe are not the lilies that most Americans are familiar with. Europe has lilies that are native there, but the Easter Lily that we know is actually native to Japan. In the mid-19th century, Japanese bulbs were introduced to Bermuda and they did extremely well. In no time, Bermuda was providing 90% of these flowers to the US. Unfortunately, a virus struck in 1899 that decimated the crop (more here). After that, Japan was the only source for the lilies - until World War II changed everything.  Luckily, a WWI soldier, on his way home to Oregon from Japan in 1918, had smuggled some Easter Lily bulbs into the country to share with family and friends. That little bit of federal lawbreaking literally provided the seed for the Easter Lily economy in the Pacific Northwest today. So, after bouncing from Japan to Bermuda and back to Japan; 99% of the Easter Lily bulbs sold in North America are now produced by four family farms in Smith River, CA. Quite a journey for a flower. 

Tulips may not carry the religious symbolism that lilies do, but they have long been a cheerful harbinger of spring. One of the first flowers to bloom in springtime, these colorful beauties are always a welcome sight. Easter just wouldn’t be the same without the sight of tulips. People commonly gift tulips at this time of year, and apparently, their different colors carry meanings to recipients much like roses do. I know I’d be happy with any color.

Tulips are native to Central Asia, but we can thank the flower-lovers of the Ottoman Empire (based in modern-day Turkey)for introducing them to Europeans. The Ottomans prized these flowers and cultivated them in many colors and patterns. In the 17th century, Dutch tradesmen brought these beauties home. A quick side note: An important reason that lilies and tulips both traveled such great distances is their bulbs; unlike other types of flowers, bulbs take years to mature and can be transported in relative safety during this period.

Once tulips arrived in the Netherlands, they quickly became an obsession for many. Tulip Mania (1634-1637) was the height of this obsession, when tulips became the world’s most expensive flower and bulbs were sold that cost more than mansions. While this phenomenon was short-lived, the cultural and economic circumstances are still being studied. Luckily for all of us who appreciate their beauty, the bust of Tulip Mania did not mean the end of tulips in the Netherlands. To this day, the Dutch remain the world’s largest commercial producer; they export about 3 billion yearly. They even have a National Tulip Day in January (more on that, and other cool festivals, here).

Tulips may be a national treasure in the Netherlands, but they have found a second home in Washington State. North of Seattle in the Skagit Valley, tulips have grown into a major industry that started with one man’s whim. George Gibbs, an English immigrant, was farming in the area in the 1890s when he randomly planted a few bulbs on his property. He dug them up a couple of years later and excitedly discovered that they had multiplied. With this new-found knowledge that the climate in Washington was perfect for tulip cultivation, he wrote to some Dutch growers for advice. Initially, they didn’t want to share their secrets, so he forged on without them. Later, though, he shipped some bulbs to them and they were so intrigued and impressed that they made the long trip to see his operation. From this one man’s dream, a world of tulips grew. Today, the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival attracts thousands every year from all over the world. If you’re in the area, the festivities start today and go through the end of April. 

While researching this blog, I was surprised to discover that both the Easter Lily and the tulip are edible. At least technically edible, most people do not claim they’re especially tasty. If you are interested in ingesting some beauty check out this article on eating tulips, which has an intense passage from a Dutch person who ate tulips when other food sources dried up during WWII. As far as Easter Lily food goes, this blogger is a real fan. 

                             

Take Care. Submitted by Pam