Unusual Plants in Full Bloom at Green Scene
If you are a serious plant buff or merely interested in picking up a plant or two for garden, yard or house, then the Fullerton Arboretum Green Scene is the place to be this weekend.
The annual Green Scene plant sale, which features thousands of plants and is considered one of the largest sales in Southern California, is sponsored by the Friends of the Fullerton Arboretum.
The plants have been propagated and nurtured on the premises for the sale by a group of 60 volunteers called the Arboretum Potters, part of the 600-member Friends of the Fullerton Arboretum, said Priscilla Stead, sale coordinator.
Besides the plants grown by the Potters, 44 vendors representing various plant societies, clubs and commercial sources will also sell plants. Among them: the California Rare Fruit Growers, the Bromeliad Society, the Begonia society, the Orange County Herb Society, the Bonsai Society (which will give demonstrations), organic gardening clubs, the Orange County Horticultural Society, and the Cactus and Succulent Society.
The plant selection will include orchids, ornamental trees, shrubs, drought-tolerant plants, perennials, annuals, ground covers, indoor plants, fruit trees, succulents, vegetables, herbs, old-fashioned roses, modern roses, miniature roses, ferns, shade plants, bromeliads, cacti and many more.
Stead says that although there will be thousands of common plants available, the emphasis of the sale is on unusual plants--plants not usually available at local nurseries. And since current drought conditions concern Southlanders, many of the featured plants are drought-tolerant species.
While not drought-tolerant, vegetable plants have always been popular items at the Green Scene.
Joyce Smith, who has years of experience in propagating vegetable, herb and ornamental plants, will offer more than 25 heirloom and ultra-modern tomato varieties, a pepper collection featuring 12 varieties ranging from mild to torrid, and a selection of basils which includes Italian basil and other varieties. Her herbs: French tarragon, several creeping thymes and unusual mints. Heirloom bean varieties for baking and soups, including the famous Santa Maria Pinquito pinto beans, also will be available at her booth.
Annuals will not be ignored at the sale. In addition to a multitude of popular flowers, such annuals as the classic Zinnia angustifolia, the grandparent of all zinnias, will be for sale. Geranium specialist Dorothy Tarver will offer a choice of scented geraniums and Pat Stephenson will offer a selection of ferns, her specialty.
Trees are always popular items at the Green Scene, and this year the selection is not limited to ornamental trees; lots of fruit trees, both rare and common, will be on sale.
Visitors to California deserts are always impressed with the palo verde tree with its green bark and bright yellow flowers that look like butterflies. Palo verde trees, which are drought-tolerant and hard to locate in nurseries, are always popular at the sale. Another popular drought-tolerant tree is the golden medallion cassia, an evergreen that each summer produces clusters of yellow flowers.
Take a pencil and note pad to the Green Scene sale because each group of plants has a central label that gives a full description of the plants and outlines their needs.
In addition to plant sales, the Green Scene will offer how-to demonstrations, lectures, garden growing tips and tours of the arboretum.
The Fullerton Arboretum Green Scene, today-Sunday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The arboretum is on the northeast corner of the Cal State Fullerton campus, (714) 773-3579. Take the 57 Freeway to Yorba Linda Blvd. Turn west on Yorba Linda and go to Associated Road, turn south onto the campus. Admission: individual $2, family $5.
Sidnam is a Southland garden writer.
