Cotinus: The Sensational Smoke Tree

Cotinus: The Sensational Smoke Tree

#CAGrown Cotinus Lady Aster royal purple cotinus smokebush Willow Creek

When I first started working here on the farm, it seemed like I was learning the name of a new type of flora every day.  Quite frankly, the first time I heard the word, "Cotinus," I thought we were talking about a medical condition...

But when I saw the dramatic burgundy plant, I realized that YES, I did know it. 
 

However, I knew this deciduous shrub by its common name, "Smoke Bush" (or Smoke Tree).  This name comes from the plant's late-season appearance, when its wispy, airy flowers fade into a pearl-white color which literally resembles puffs of smoke.  We harvest the branches before the plant flowers, so don’t expect any wispy smoke from us. 
 

Gardeners have been using Cotinus for years, and it has been bred extensively to grow in various shapes, sizes, and colors.  My favorite is the "Royal Purple" cultivar which we grow here--the burgundy-purple sheen on the upper side of each leaf is paired with a silver-green underside.  Toward the end of the season (and as you can see in the photos), each leaf is framed by a bright red, almost iridescent, edging.  Unique AND breathtaking!

In the wild, cotinus is found on the warm hillsides from Southern Europe to Northern China.  In the Americas, you can find it at our Willow Creek Farm in Northern California.
 

Our Willow Creek Farm

Our Willow Creek farm is in the hills of Humboldt County, nestled in a sunny valley (elevation 640 feet) right on the banks of the Trinity River.  Though it's only a 45 minute drive from our coastal Arcata farm, the climate here is much different.  The inland location and higher elevation provides more sunshine and a lot more heat (10-30 degrees more during the summer!).  These atmospheric conditions are perfect for growing cotinus, since it loves full sun and warmth.

6-foot tall Royal Purple Cotinus, back lit by the morning sun

And how it loves to grow! We start harvesting the stems around the first of June and continue to pick through summertime into fall, usually stopping by the end of October.  

At the end of each season, our Willow Creek team trims each plant down to the ground, and from early spring to the end of fall, it will shoot back up to 10+ feet.  According to our growers, Sun Valley's "Royal Purple" cotinus is a dream to cultivate.  It's drought-tolerant, extremely resilient to pests and fungi, requires minimal fertilization, and performs magnificently!


Mixing it Up

The dark coloring of cotinus makes it a very versatile piece for floral design--it can act as a dark background element, stand out as a tall, eye-catching focal, and it looks great mixed with strong colors. 

Its palette of purple, burgundy, and scarlet with bright red edging and silvery green undersides and can really bring out warm pinks, oranges, yellows, and reds. 



  

Royal Lilies, Rose hips, and Cotinus

Cotinus, Snowberries, Sonata Lilies, and Beargrass

Whether it's early in the season or late, the leaves of Royal Purple Cotinus are vibrant and richly hued, and there's always a glint in the dark foliage. The bright veins and edging really makes the dark and dramatic leaves sing. 

We offer 3-foot tall consumer bunches, as well as custom-cut "super bunches" boasting an incredible 6 feet in height.  If you want to make an impact, cotinus is the specialty branch for you!

Ilex and Rosehips, A Farm Photo Essay

Ilex and Rosehips, A Farm Photo Essay

Ilex Rosehips trinity river Willow Creek

Farmers are no strangers to sunrise. In fact, I would be willing to bet that most farmers find the predawn light the nicest time of day. The winds are calm, a lingering wispy fog dances across the landscape and there is a crispness in the air that will vanish like the stars when the sun rises.

Geese welcoming the day.

Last week, I arrived at our farm in Willow Creek, California at about 6 AM. I was ahead of Vincente and his picking team so the gate was still closed. I jiggled the lock until it came free and then I was able to pull into the dark dirt road that leads to the ilex and rosehips. The fields are at the end of a twisty road, which leads down from a ridge to the Trinity River bed.

Ilex bushes, heavy with berries

The first thing you are aware of as you step out of the car, is that you are not alone. My headlights likely scared off a black bear, the tell tale signs are everywhere... and the evidence is fresh.

Taking photographs in the early light of dawn is a rewarding challenge. With the sun moving surprisingly fast below the horizon, you know you only have a set amount of time, before the light changes from the "magic hour" to just ordinary flat daylight.

Rosehips catching the light.

The red hues of the ilex and rosehips seem to attract the limited light, as the saturated berries possess a quiet luminescence.

You can't help but feel close to the land; the only sound is your own foot steps, the rhythmic drone of the river and occasional honks from geese sleeping in the reeds along the river's edge.

Ilex berries close-up

So much of the flower world is tied to spotless photo shoots, crystal vases and arrangements which almost look artificial. As I peer through the view finder of my camera, I see the farm as part of an eco-system, and part of a natural community, with the farmers as care takers. The sparrows are awake now popping in and out of the bushes, red berries clutched in their beaks.

Over the course of a year we grow many crops here, beside ilex and rosehips. Cotinus (which we are still harvesting!), Viburnum, Snowberries and other crops that like hot days and cool nights.

The Trinity River

The tone of this small farm is set by the river. The Trinity flows steadily past the fields, making its way to the confluence with the Klamath River, then on to the Pacific. Home to eagles, otters and salmon, the river still flows strong even after a dry summer.

I hear another sound echoing down the valley, the sound is man made. I look up to see a John Deere trudging slowly down the ridge, towing a trailer which will soon be filled with bright red berries, the sun still hasn't shown except on the tip of the opposite side of the valley.

Farmers commute

The days work begins, not at break neck speed, but at a steady, reliable pace. The work will follow the course of the sun across the sky, until it dips below the horizon on the far side of the valley. These days will be repeated, through the fall, moving to where the rosehips and ilex are the ripest and ready to pick.

I make my way back up the road, slowly gaining elevation as I climb out of the valley. Something pulls at my attention. Instinctively, I set up the camera on the tri-pod, the geese I heard earlier are grouping up to continue their journey south. Just as I think I have missed the moment, they decide to take one more tour of the farm, forming a perfect "V" over the ilex.

Click.

Geese over ilex.

    

Mighty Mites Protect Sun Valley's Rosehip Crop

Mighty Mites Protect Sun Valley's Rosehip Crop

#AmericanGrown Flowers mites Rosehips roses Willow Creek

In part two of our "Robin Goes to Willow Creek" series, we hear about the mighty mites that protect our rosehip crop. 

Our Willow Creek farm is home to one of my favorite crops: rosehips. When I visited two weeks ago, I was overwhelmed by the beauty of the flowering roses and the smell of roses in the wind. But I’m not the only one who favors these plants. Spider mites, tiny crawlies measuring less than a millimeter in size love making their homes on the leaves of these plants. A female spider mite can lay upwards of 20 eggs in a day which will hatch in around three days and begin laying eggs of their own in about five. These mites feed voraciously on the leaves of whose undersides they occupy and can cause big trouble for those who choose to grow plants they favor.

You can almost smell these beauties.

One surprising way to combat these spider mites is with more mites! And that is just what we are doing at our Willow Creek Farm. Last week I got the layman’s rundown on the predatory mites we are using to keep those pesky spider mites at bay. This year we are employing the help of two types of mites; neoseiulus californicus and phytoseiulus persimilis. Like the mites on which they prey, these mites are small in size but big in reproduction!

Our Willow Creek farm is a great place to be a on a sunny day.

The neoseiulus californiucs, as you may have guessed from its name, is native to this area and will lay between two and four eggs a day during its twenty-day lifespan, or 40 to 60 eggs in total. Fortunately for this mite and for us, their development is accelerated when the two spotted spider mites are regularly on the menu. These mites will reach adult stage about three times as fast as the spider mite which means they can consume them faster than the spider mite can reproduce, making them a perfect predator to keep our roses happy long enough to form the gorgeous rosehips we’ve been producing year after year. Another plus of this type of predatory mite being native is that it can survive our winters and will make a comfortable home for itself in the cracks of branches and proliferate the following year.

Unlike the neoseiulus, the phytoseiulus persimilis is not native to this area so it won’t hang around with us through the winter. These guys earn their keep by eating seven spider mites or up two twenty eggs per day and living on average 30 to 36 days. This gives them more than ten days more than our native neoseiulus to feed on those pesky spider mites. Their prolonged healthy appetites help keep our rosehips happy which keeps us happy, too!

Leaf inspection

Before leaving Willow Creek, I recruited team leader Vicente, to help me inspect the undersides of the rosehips for the eggs of the predatory mites that had been released just a few days prior. No luck this time, but I expect to see them during my next visit (how can I resist those gorgeous pink blooms?!)

Pollination is important for rosehips.

By the time the rosehips are ready to ship in the fall, the predatory mites will have devoured the spider mites, the neoseiulus will have evacuated the rosehips for the neighboring trees where they’ll nest for winter and the phytoseiulus will have naturally died out, leaving the rosehip leaves intact and beautiful for you and your customers.

Check out our rosehip Resource Page to learn more.

Grower’s Choice: Cotinus

Grower’s Choice: Cotinus

Cotinus Willow Creek

This week we feature a guest post by Sales Assist extraordinaire, Robin Baker.

Route 299 on the way to Willow Creek.

Last week, I got to trade in my office wear for boots and head out to the mountains to visit our Willow Creek farm. Lucky for me, I was given a tour by our head grower, Tim Crockenberg, who oversees all of the operations for our Arcata and Willow Creek farms. During our drive to Willow Creek, I had a hard time keeping notes because I was so awed by the gorgeous landscapes that unfolded before us at each new turn. Our conversations went something like this:

“So, Tim, how long does it take for the Ilex to be ready to pick?”

“Well, each plant…”

“Whoa, that’s pretty! Wow, look at the river! Oh, is that an eagle?! Oh, sorry, you were saying?”

I did manage to get some expert insight on our Willow Creek crops but I wanted to know what Tim’s favorite of was. Without a moment of pause Tim declared, “cotinus!”

Cotinus fields.

Okay, as a sales assistant, I sold cotinus last year and while I find it a nice touch to fall bouquets, I wondered what would make this crop so special in the field. As Tim and I walked toward the field, we reached a hill top where I had that question immediately answered. The deep burgundy cotinus stood out amidst a world of green.

We slowly walked down the hill toward the rosehips, pausing often so I could ask questions and snap pictures until we reached the edge of the cotinus field which sits directly beside the rosehips. Just then, the wind picked up and the cotinus revealed the silvery undersides of their leaves.

Yes, I could certainly see the appeal of this plant.

And a plus for Tim? Cotinus is a tough plant that isn’t susceptible to pests and requires no fertilizer. Resilient, beautiful, unique, and musical. The sound of the leaves of the cotinus plants brushing against one another still echoes in my mind.

When I returned to the office the next week, I had a new appreciation for this burgundy colored beauty. I wish I could send you enough cotinus to make you feel as though you’re standing with me in the field. And toward the end of the summer, when the cotinus reaches six feet, maybe I can. Until then, stock up on our 24”-36” cotinus as an excellent compliment to summer and fall bouquets.

Robin is outstanding in her field.

Vibrant Viburnum

Vibrant Viburnum

#americangrown Viburnum Willow Creek

"All your life, you were only waiting for this moment to arise"

                                                                          Blackbird, by the Beatles.

Viburnum season is one of the most exciting events of spring. Sun Valley is known for many year round offerings, such as tulips, lilies and irises, but for viburnum this is not the case. Viburnum season comes and goes quickly. The pick started at our farm in Willow Creek a couple weeks ago, and will last only into early May.

Viburnum and Germini

These blooms are commonly referred to as snowballs, which is a great descriptor of what this specialty branch is all about. Early in the season they are a bright green almost like a tennis ball, then as the season matures, they turn in to a classy ivory white, like a snowball.

Early season viburnum is green, later season is white.

We grow the Viburum opulus compactum variety, which is excellent for cut flowers. According to Superfloral Retailing the species name  "opulus" is from the Latin "opulentus," which means "splendid" or "sumptuous," for the blooms appearance. Viburnums are members of the honeysuckle family, and are close relatives of the snowberry, which we also grow in Willow Creek.

In current world events, Viburnum has gotten a some notice lately. According to Wikipedia,
Viburnum opulus (Kalyna) is one of the National symbols of Ukraine. Mentions of the bush can be found throughout the Ukrainian folklore such as songs, picturesque art, Ukrainian embroidery, and others. This bush's symbolic roots can be traced to the Slavic paganism of millennia ago. 

Even with a short availability window, Viburnum is extremely popular. It was an Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers "Cut Flower of the Year" in 2010 and we usually sell it as fast as we can harvest it. With tall sturdy stems we have been pairing viburnum with our french tulips in a consumer bunch. The size of the viburnum blooms compliments the big french tulip heads perfectly.

Viburnum and French Tulips

Viburnum season is the epitome of "short and sweet," as flower lovers dig deeper into unusual seasonal offerings Snowballs stands out as specialty flower which is a noteworthy, distinctive addition to any home. Visit our Viburnum Resource Page for Care and Handling, and visit our Flower Talk Blog post from 2012, where we discuss more about actually growing this unique flower. The arrangement in this post are by Pieter Landman, check out our "Flower Presentations with Pieter Landman" YouTube series to see him work with our flowers.

 

Holiday Cheer and Ilex Inspiration

Holiday Cheer and Ilex Inspiration

Ilex OT Hybrid lilies Rene van Rems Willow Creek

 Why does Santa have 3 gardens?
-So he can ho-ho-ho.

What do you call people who are afraid of Santa Claus?
-Claustrophobic.

What do you get if you deep fry Santa Claus?
-Crisp Cringle.

There is no use hiding, the holidays are in full swing. Don't get overwhelmed, stressed out or depressed.  Put on a sweater with a reindeer on it, get some red ilex and let go into the holiday spirit.

Here are some inspiring ilex pictures to take the edge off.  

This is where we grow of Ilex, a.k.a. Winterberry.

This why it's called Winterberry, this great shot was taken by Lane just last weekend.

Beautiful table arrangement.

Photo credit; Rene van Rems, AIFD www.renevanrems.com

Ilex, accented by our "Shocking" OT Hybrid lilies.

Ilex with white tulips and cedar.

Christmas Cedar and ilex

White oriental lilies, cedar and ilex

Knock Knock.
-Who's there?
Mary.
-Mary Who?
Merry Christmas!

Rosehip Run Down

Rosehip Run Down

#AmericanGrown Flowers #CAGrown CA OT Hybrid lilies Pieter Landman Rosehips Willow Creek

Rosehip November, autumn I'll remember

Gold landing at our door, catch one leaf and

fortune will surround you evermore

                                  -Vashti Bunyan

Rosehips are a specialty branch that Sun Valley brings to market every fall.  How do we manage to get this impressive harvest?

Shocking OT Hybrid lilies, fall tulips, cotinus and rosehips, with our Willow Creek farm in the background.

Believe it or not but it starts in the middle of winter. One of the coldest jobs on the farm is to cut back the rosehips every January. A team heads out to our Willow creek farm and prunes the rose bushes all the way to the ground. They grow back really strong through spring and start to bloom in summer. Imagine a field of roses all giving off an amazing scent, this is the upside for the same crew with freezing hands and toes in January. The blooms need to be pollinated to create the hip, so we have local bee keepers bring in hives.  As I was out there last August, it was kind of scary since there aren’t just a few bees…there are thousands, and they are drunk on nectar and making enough honey to make any Pooh Bear drool.

Bee's are brought in to pollinate the rosehips.

Once the flowers are pollinated, the bloom falls off and the seed pod (a.k.a. the hip) will form. Scientifically this is the swollen ovary of the rose plant, ready for reproduction.  We maintain a steady supply of water to the field, and as the dry, chilly days of autumn come to Willow Creek the leaves naturally brown and fall off. This exposes our big, red rosehips. The roses are bred to provide the best hips, so this is why your roses at home don’t create hips like we offer.

Our roses develop into rosehips thanks to a few happy bees.

Since this crop is grown outside rather than in a greenhouse, we can’t control the harvest as much as other crops, like tulips.  When the rosehips come in, it’s all hands on deck to get them harvested and ready to sell. Right now our crew is picking big numbers of rosehip stems, and they are selling at about the same rate. (Hint! Hint!)

CA Grown rosehips, ready to ship.

One reason this product is big for Sun Valley is that due to agricultural restrictions, rosehips can’t be imported into the United States.  You will often hear the benefits of buying American Grown flowers, however, in this case you don’t have a choice!  Sun Valley is the major producer, so check in on current availability.

By about mid-December, we must be done picking as the weather turns for the worst. A few weeks later in January, the process starts again.

Rosehips in August, still developing.

At home or in the design studio, make sure to keep the rosehips in water. They are still drinking water and will start to look a little like raisins if they don’t stay hydrated.

A beautiful autumn table arrangement, featuring rosehips, Sumatra lilies, red tulips, brassica, and a variety of Christmas Greens...all available from Sun Valley Floral Farm.

Design wise, rose hips are extremely versatile and fit the holiday color palette perfectly. Thanks to Pieter Landman who designed the two above arrangements.

To get deeper into the history of rosehips check out this post: What is Hip?