Pods and Thistles

Some California specialty flower growers are detecting a growing demand for flowers with off-beat forms, such as pods and thistles. These materials, which look as if they had been collected on a nature walk through the woods, heighten interest and add details of the natural world that make garden and wildflower bouquets so successful. Fall and the winter holidays offer a cornucopia of opportunities for making beautiful and unique floral arrangements.

The pod-like form of the de-petaled Echinacea purpurea (cone flower) is one of the most versatile. Simply remove the petals from the cone flower and the end result is a bronze-colored pod about the size of a marshmallow at the tip of a long stem. The pods last about ten days and are sold commercially in grower bunches from summer through fall. One or two stems add a harbinger of autumn to late summer designs.

You can also achieve the pod-like form by removing the petals of gerbera and scabiosa. The centers of the gerbera--lime, black, pink, orange—are eye-catching when used at the base of a design in pavé work.

For a strong architectural statement, there are Eucalyptus pods on defoliated branches. The 'Blue Gum' eucalyptus produces a grey-green seed pod about one inch by one inch. They can be purchased in a bunch with or without foliage.

For riotous color in pods, check out Leucodendron sp., which produces seed pods or cones at various times throughout the year. There is the red-green cone of L. salicifolium in late spring; and the yellow cone of L. laureolum in winter. The Banksia family also produces pods.

In early fall, Banksia integrifolia has brown pods that are about four inches long and 1-2 inches in diameter. These are sold in bunches with foliage and pod.

"Pods should be placed low in designs and grouped for impact," says Kathleen Galoway, AIFD, East Lawn Florist, Sacramento, California. "They add reminders of the changing season in designs with chrysanthemums and fall leaves. Sprayed with the metallic of your choice, they are glittering details with Christmas evergreens and fresh winter flowers, such as amaryllis and narcissus."

Thistles are also riding a wave of interest. Eryngium amethystinum produces a thistle-like flower that is about the size of a large raspberry but has steel blue shading. Called 'Raspberry thistle', it is an intriguing addition to wild flower or summery designs, with columbine, sunflower and delphinium. They are shipped on stems with laterals, stripped of leaves. Available in spring through summer, they last several days and dry well.

The artichoke (Cynara scolymus) is the king of thistles. The large flowering artichoke has a brilliant purple-blue flower about ten inches in diameter. A stunning splash in large designs, the artichoke is long lasting and will dry in the arrangement. The Cardoon plant, which is closely related to and resembles the vegetable artichoke, also produces a brilliant purple-blue flower, but it's about the size of a baseball. The Cardoon adds unusual form and striking color to natural garden and high style, tropical designs.

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