By Yvonne Rasmussen, UC Master Gardener of Napa County
What flowers in the dead of winter in Napa County? With few pollinators active then, it's not a great time to have flowers that need pollination. Also, the weather is dicey. It could be cold or icy or raining and blowing. But surprisingly, many plants do bloom between late fall and very early spring. So with a little planning. you can have flowers in your winter garden and fresh-cut flowers to bring indoors.
Camellias, cyclamen, primroses and pansies are all blooming in nurseries now. But don't be fooled. Some of these plants have been forced into bloom using light or greenhouse conditions. They may not repeat that winter performance once naturalized in your garden.
The camellia shrub's glossy evergreen leaves provide a wonderful contrast to its flowers, which bloom in various shades of pink, red and white. The flowers come in many color patterns and bloom times and the shrubs take a variety of shapes. According to the American Camellia Society, there are more than 4000 cultivars. You can search the society's website for a camellia that suits you, basing your search on up to 14 plant characteristics.
To find other hardy winter-blooming shrubs with low water needs, I turned to the UC Davis Arboretum All Star listing and the Sacramento Master Gardener's website. The Arboretum All Star plants have been grown and evaluated at the UC Davis Arboretum and are designated as All Stars based on their ease of care and low water needs. Many are California natives but others are from locations around the world that have similar climates and seasonal drought.
Plants from areas that have a Mediterranean-type climate like ours, such as Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, often do well here. When choosing plants from these lists, pay attention to the specific cultivar or variety. The variety may have been developed for specific conditions, such as low water availability, low light or heavy soil. Or it may have other characteristics that distinguish it from the norm, such as smaller size or early bloom time.
Among the California native shrubs that bloom in winter, consider manzanita. It produces its small pink urn-shaped flowers in late winter through early spring. Bees love them. Mahonia is another possibility. It offers large sprays of small aromatic yellow flowers from fall through early winter. Witch hazel blooms from October through March and can tolerate temperatures in the single digits.
For low-growing plants in shade, consider hellebore, also known as Lenten rose, or Algerian iris (Iris ungulicuarus). Both bloom from late fall through early spring. Algerian iris make wonderful cut flowers for bringing indoors.
For bedding plants, you could choose primroses, which bloom in many colors. Make sure they are English primroses if you want winter bloom.
Cyclamen is another great bedding plant that flowers in many shades of pink, red and white. The plant themselves come in various sizes with leaves that may be variegated, rufflee or plain. If you're looking for annuals, viola and pansies bloom all winter in a variety of colors.
Last but not least, there are many bulbs, corms and rhizomes that will bloom from winter through spring and into summer. Many of these can naturalize given some summer shade under deciduous trees or shrubs. They provide a surprise in the garden each winter and spring when they reappear after being dormant all summer. Bright blue-purple crocus, white narcissus and yellow daffodils can create swaths of color over long periods if you plan well.
Winter does not have to be a dull, dreary, colorless time in the garden. Many easy-care plants can bring you flowers even in the dead of winter.
Library Talk: UC Master Gardeners of Napa County will host a free talk via Zoom on Thursday, January 6, from 7 pm to 8 pm, on “Introduction to Espalier.” The espalier technique is a great way to grow fruit in limited space and makes care and harvesting easier. Learn how to plan, plant and maintain an espaliered fruit tree in your landscape. Register at http://ucanr.edu/2022JanEspalier.
Got Garden Questions? Contact our Help Desk. The team is working remotely so please submit your questions through our diagnosis form, sending any photos to mastergardeners@countyofnapa.org or leave a detailed message at 707- 253-4143. A Master Gardener will get back to you by phone or email.
For more information visit http://napamg.ucanr.edu or find us on Facebook or Instagram, UC Master Gardeners of Napa County.
![Camellia. (monrovia.com) Camellia. (monrovia.com)](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/88029.jpg)
![Camellia plant in garden. (dailysupplies.us) Camellia plant in garden. (dailysupplies.us)](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/88034.jpg)
![Colors of camellias. (dhgate.com) Colors of camellias. (dhgate.com)](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/88033.jpg)
![Cyclamen. (gardenerdy.com) Cyclamen. (gardenerdy.com)](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/88030.jpg)
![Colors of English primrose. (seedvilleusa.com) Colors of English primrose. (seedvilleusa.com)](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/88031.jpg)
![Colors of pansies. (extension.msstate.edu) Colors of pansies. (extension.msstate.edu)](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/88032.jpg)
![Manzanita. (lindavistanatives.com) Manzanita. (lindavistanatives.com)](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/88035.jpg)
![Mahonia. (pinterest.com) Mahonia. (pinterest.com)](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/88036.jpg)
![Witch hazel shrub. (yourgardensanctuary.com) Witch hazel shrub. (yourgardensanctuary.com)](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/88037.jpg)
![Flowering witch hazel. (nature-and-garden.com) Flowering witch hazel. (nature-and-garden.com)](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/88040.jpg)
![Hellebore in the garden. (northwestgardennursery.com) Hellebore in the garden. (northwestgardennursery.com)](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/88038.jpg)
![Colors of hellebore. (farmyardnurseries.co.uk) Colors of hellebore. (farmyardnurseries.co.uk)](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/88039.png)
![Algerian iris. (seattletimes.com) Algerian iris. (seattletimes.com)](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/88041.jpg)
![Crocus. (worldoffloweringplants.com) Crocus. (worldoffloweringplants.com)](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/88042.jpg)
![Narcissus and daffodil. (reneesgarden.com) Narcissus and daffodil. (reneesgarden.com)](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/88043.jpg)
By Donna Woodward, UC Master Gardener of Napa County
One rainy winter day I looked out my window and saw a luscious white pansy in full bloom. I rushed right out and bought more pansies.
Anything that will bloom in the winter months is especially welcome. We expect to see legions of flowers in summer, but during the cooler months their numbers and varieties dwindle. I appreciate those that bloom in the off-season even more for their scarcity.
The flowers we see in late fall to early spring are those that thrive in cool weather. Our summers are long, hot and dry, so these flowers don't often last through the year. Some can stay alive if planted in optimal conditions and kept sheltered and watered.
The pansy's petals are delicate, but the plant is hardy in the horticultural sense, meaning it will tolerate frost. I object to the term “pansy” to describe a person who is delicate and fearful. Pansies are tough.
Even if the blossoms wither in the cold, the plants will often survive and bloom again. They are usually planted as annuals, though, because they can become leggy in warm weather.
Pansies can be planted in the early spring or the fall. The ideal planting site will get morning sun but avoid the heat of the afternoon.
One early-blooming flower that I have learned to love is the primrose. I think it, too, has an unfortunate name. Perhaps it's the word “prim” that sounds fussy and prudish. An individual primrose may not be stunning, but a group of them makes a bright, colorful border.
I planted a row of primroses ten years ago and they have continued to thrive year after year. Although they don't like the hot sun, they survive in full sun in my garden due to a trick I discovered by accident.
Alyssum was growing in the flower bed and happened to get established around the primroses. I realized that those primroses that were surrounded by alyssum managed to stay alive, partially hidden, through the summer. Now it's a regular cycle. Once the weather cools, the primroses explode with new life. The alyssum can then be thinned and will be back to protect the primroses by the time it gets hot again.
The first flower most of us see in the spring is the daffodil. Daffodils are a member of the genus narcissus and are sometimes referred to as narcissus or jonquil. They have been bred to include many different configurations of petals and color combinations, but the most common color is the familiar bright yellow.
These heralds of spring usually start to appear in early January but some hybrids bloom later. This year I saw the yellow flowers in January, and I had some white ones open in late March.
Another wintertime flower is paperwhite narcissus, which is often sold for forcing to bloom indoors in the winter. It doesn't require indoor temperatures and can be planted outdoors in our zone. It blooms in mid-winter.
I planted some paperwhites near my front door. They were pretty but they smelled so bad I thought we had a skunk. When I realized it was the flowers, I moved them to a bed farther from the door.
Considering their indoor popularity, I was curious about how people tolerate the smell. I read that the aroma is one of those things that is offensive to some people but pleasant to others. Also, there are several varieties, and their scents vary.
Many wildflowers bloom in the early months of the year. March and April offer vistas of mustard, California poppies, calendula and others. They make a spectacular display because their colors contrast so perfectly against a field of green.
A wildflower is not necessarily a native plant. The California poppy is a true native that deserves its status as our state flower.
Another low-growing orange flower, a species of calendula, carpets the roadsides and hillsides in Napa. It's the same color as poppies and often grows with them. Calendula is native to parts of Europe, Asia and Micronesia. You may be familiar with the larger calendulas grown in home gardens.
I planted a wildflower mix a couple of years ago, and the one species that took hold was calendula. They have spread profusely. I had a similar experience with California poppies.
I hope you are enjoying the beautiful displays of spring wildflowers. If you haven't done so, go for a drive in the country. Our hills offer many scenes of incredible beauty this time of year.
It is not too late to plant some of these cool-weather flowers from starts. Bulbs are best planted in the fall. Next year, just when the world looks drab and dreary, you may find your spirits lifted at the sight of the first flowers of the year.
Food Growing Forum: Second Sunday of the month through November. Sunday, April 11, 3 pm to 4 pm: “Tomatoes, Peppers and Eggplants.” Register to get Zoom link: https://bit.ly/3lC3qs8
Workshop: On Saturday, April 17, UC Master Gardeners of Napa County will hold a virtual workshop on “Soil is the Solution: Digging Deeper” from 9:30 am to 11:30 am. Learn about soil, its relationship to climate change and how to enrich your soil to produce healthier plants. Register to get the Zoom link: http://ucanr.edu/2021SoilRegeneration
![White pansy. (extension.msstate.edu) White pansy. (extension.msstate.edu)](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/79210.jpg)
![Some pansies have faces. (parkswholesaleplants.com) Some pansies have faces. (parkswholesaleplants.com)](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/79211.jpg)
![The colors of pansies. (pennington.com) The colors of pansies. (pennington.com)](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/79212.jpg)
![Primroses pack punch. (holicoffee.com) Primroses pack punch. (holicoffee.com)](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/79213.jpg)
![Alyssum. (sunnyvf.com) Alyssum. (sunnyvf.com)](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/79214.jpg)
![Daffodil variety. (laguardiacornergarden.com) Daffodil variety. (laguardiacornergarden.com)](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/79215.jpg)
![Paperwhites by the front door--maybe yes, maybe no! (southernliving.com) Paperwhites by the front door--maybe yes, maybe no! (southernliving.com)](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/79216.jpg)
![California poppy. (greenmylife.in) California poppy. (greenmylife.in)](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/79217.jpg)
- Author: Christine Casey
An important part of the Parrella lab IPM program is evaluating new products and strategies at commercial greenhouses. This trial was an evaluation of root rot control in bedding plants that I conducted at a greenhouse on California's Central Coast. We compared biological products with a traditional fungicide. The biocontrols were RootShield (Trichoderma harzianum; BioWorks) and Activated Effective Microorganisms (AEM) (a mix of several beneficial microbes; TeraGanix); the conventional product was Pageant (pyraclostrobin and boscalid; BASF). RootShield and Pageant are labeled as fungicides, while AEM is a plant health promoter. It stimulates root growth and suppresses some pathogens; our work has shown that these two actions provide partial management of root rots.
We also tracked populations of fungus gnats, shoreflies, and moth flies as these insects can spread plant diseases in the greenhouse.
Methods
Seeds of salvia (Salvia farinacea ‘Blue Rhea'), pansy (Viola x wittrockiana ‘Morpheus') and vinca (Catharanthus roseus ‘Coconut Cooler') were sown the week of August 15; data was taken on September 1 and September 21.
Plants were evaluated two and five weeks after sowing to evaluate the percent loss per flat (visual estimate; includes both dead plants and ungerminated seed) and overall flat quality (1 to 5, with 1= all dead to 5 = all healthy). Yellow sticky cards were placed on August 31 (one card per treatment) and were counted on September 1 and September 21.
There were five replications of four treatments: AEM (1:500 dilution with weekly applications), RootShield (4 oz per 100 gallons with weekly applications), Pageant (12 oz per 100 gallons applied as per label directions), and an untreated control.
Results
At week 2, crop loss was significantly different from the contol in the Pageant treatment (Fig. 1). We suspect this was due to phytotoxicity.
Fungus gnats, shore flies, and moth flies are an on-going concern at this greenhouse's cool, damp coastal location. During this trial fungus gnat and moth fly populations were very low (1-2 per card per week); moderate shore fly levels of 10-15 per card per week were observed.
Conclusions
All three treatments provided excellent crop quality with relative low plant loss. The grower's attention to sanitation and insect disease vector management explains the low disease pressure as evidenced by the lack of crop loss or poor quality in the control.
- Author: Libbey McKendry
Lately I have been enjoying learning about edible flowers. It started about six weeks ago when two different customers (I am the seed buyer at “Orchard Nursery and Florist” in Lafayette) asked me about seeds for edible flowers. I knew a few of them such as nasturtiums, pansies and chives, but I needed to know more. Fortunately one of the other nurserymen was scheduled to give a class to our customers on the subject which added more to my list. Then there was a great article in the Contra Costa Times on Saturday March 9th, http://www.mercurynews.com/home-garden/ci_22739632/more-homes-flowers-are-moving-from-table-centerpiece and then on April 4th an article was published in the weekly Orchard Nursery Newsletter. Suddenly my “plate” was overflowing with edible flowers!
I looked around my garden and found a number of the listed flowers, so I started using them in salads and as decorations to our dinner plates. First I picked some calendulas and added them to salads. They don’t have much of a taste but they add great color. Then I put a pansy on each plate when I was entertaining friends. The little pansy-faces brightened up the rice dish and added to our conversation. The ones I served had a slight sweet taste, but some are very mild and benefit from salad dressing. Next I used nasturtiums that had over-wintered. They were great in the salad and added a different texture and a peppery taste. I realized I have already been using the flowers of rosemary with a pine-like flavor and thyme which has a lemony flavor, as I combine the two herbs for a meat rub, and sometimes the flowers get mixed in with the leaves.
I’ve heard about using zucchini blossoms and I mistakenly thought if I cut off the blossoms I would be sacrificing the number of zucchini. Not so because the plant produces more male flowers than it needs and it is not hard to identify them with their long stalk winding throughout the plant. The female blossoms, on the other hand, usually grow close to the center and have a stubby stalk that, when fertilized, swells into a mini squash. Some recipes call for using the small squash while the flower is still attached.
As I plant my edible garden this year with tomatoes, cucumbers, beans and squash I will be adding some edible flowers not just for the garden but for our dinner plates. Some easy ones are: Chives with an onion flavor, basil with a lemony minty flavor and borage with a sweet cucumber flavor. I’ll only pick flowers from plants that I know have been grown with no sprays, harmful chemicals, or where dogs or cats run free. Picking flowers for dinner in public areas is not advisable as you have no idea how they were grown and what is on them.
Growing flowers is one thing and knowing how to use them in recipes is another. There are a number of books out, but I find it easier to use the web. A good site with great pictures is http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/seasonalcooking/farmtotable/edible-flowers-anise-hyssop
Do you have a favorite edible flower and recipe?
![Pansy (photos by Libbey McKendry) Pansy (photos by Libbey McKendry)](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/15966.jpg)
![Calendula Calendula](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/15967.jpg)