- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
The joy of the season strikes a chord.
When bees slip out of their California hives during winter sun breaks, they often head over to mallow blossoms to grab some nectar and pollen. A favorite is the tree mallow, Lavatera maritima “bicolor," native to Mediterranean regions of the world and California. The genus derives its name from Swiss botanist J.R. Lavater, who first discovered the species in Spain. The drought-tolerant plants, which can reach 12 feet in height, are perfect for gardeners challenging the California drought!
It doesn't take long for honey bees to discover the towering blossoms. The bees buzz in and out, battling for position, jockeying for the precious pollen. Then, laden with "gold dust," they linger in flight to clean their tongues for another go-around.
Bees, we can't get enough of them! Is it spring yet?
Meanwhile, let's fast-forward to May 2017. Mark your calendars for Saturday, May 6 and Sunday, May 7. On May 6 is the inaugural California Honey Festival in Woodland, and on May 7, the fourth annual UC Davis Bee Symposium.
The California Honey Festival, co-sponsored by the Honey and Pollination Center at the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science, UC Davis, and the Woodland Hoteliers, is an all-day family festival that will take place on Main Street, Woodland.
“The California Honey Festival will be a great opportunity for guests to experience the full spectrum of honey flavor,” said Honey and Pollination Center director Harris, who is coordinating the festival's educational content. “Not all honey tastes the same! Like wine, varietals of honey flavors and aromas can be very distinct. We developed our Honey Flavor Wheel in 2015 to help teach people about the nuances of honey flavor.”
In addition to tasting honey, festival goers can learn about honey bees, their pollination services, and the health benefits of honey. They can sample specialty meads or “honey wine”; taste honey-inspired food and beverages, and purchase honey and bee-themed gifts. Other family friendly activities will include a bee-themed play structure for kids, cooking demonstrations featuring honey, and informational sessions on beekeeping basics and bee-friendly gardening. More information on the California Honey Festival, including sponsorships and vendor details, is available on the festival website, www.CaliforniaHoneyFestival.com
And the next day, Sunday, May 7, is the fourth annual Bee Symposium, co-sponsored by the Honey and Pollination Center and the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology. The day-long event will focus on bee health and best management practices. It will feature keynote speakers, panel discussions, a luncheon, and a graduate student poster contest, among other activities. It's a mingling of bee scientists and researchers, beekeepers and others interested in bee health. Details are pending.
Stay tuned!
![Honey bee cleans her tongue in flight as she heads for another mallow blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey) Honey bee cleans her tongue in flight as she heads for another mallow blossom. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/40666.jpg)
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- Author: Betty Victor
I went out to my backyard this morning to see if the rain and heavy winds we had did any damage to my plants. Everything look ok, soggy but maybe the sun will shine and dry things out some.
A pleasant surprise greeted me, my tree mallow (Lavatera spp.) is starting to bloom. I planted it last year from a cutting that I got at our plant exchange about two years ago. I took about 3 cuttings home and put them in some potting soil and waited to see if they would take. The larger one did, the smaller ones did not. Once it starting growing as was about 12 inches tall I transplanted it to the garden. I put the tree mallow in a spot where it would have room to grow, as I had seen one that looked like it would take over, and I didn’t want that to happen. But it looks like it has a mind of its own, and is taking over that spot and one nearby it.
This is the first time it has bloomed, but it has stayed green all year, which is nice when most things look doormat. Even with this Lavatera blossom in the picture showing white with light pink it is actually a very light pink, with a darker pink around the center and the stamen is light yellow.
Some tree mallows are suppose to be rose shaped mine grows face down and to me it looks more like the old fashion hollyhocks that our parents might have grown. All I know is that this plant seems to grow inches over night and soon will take over in height and width, so after it blooms I plan on pruning it down to an average height.
![Lavatera in my backyard. (photo by Betty Victor) Lavatera in my backyard. (photo by Betty Victor)](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/10944.jpg)