Our floral fillers are grown in Fallbrook, in North San Diego County California. We harvest at the peak of their flowering season for perfection in bouquets and arrangements. Harvesting on the day of delivery, we sell direct to local florists and also to wholesale flower markets in the San Diego area.
Eucalyptus Pulverulenta – “Baby Blue”
Highly fragrant, sturdy stem; great for hanging in showers and fabulous vase life in arrangements. Can be dried and preserved with glycerin and water. Available year-round. Download Eucalyptus Care Guide.
Eucalyptus Parvifolia – “Parv”
Small, soft and fragrant foliage that can be oval or elongated. Gives an alluring texture and fragrance to arrangements and can be used for wedding work, garlands, wreaths and bouquets. Reminds one of fragrant olive leaf branches, yet soft and touchable with red-ish stem. Available year-round.
Waxflower (Chamelaucium)
Waxflower is a flowering shrub in the myrtle family, native to Australia. Growing up to six feet in height, the flower releases a sweet scent and the flower’s petals have a waxy feel. There are many varieties of waxflower; some growers have ownership of hybrids. Some growers simply use the color to describe the plant, such as pink, white or purple, however there are over 100 different varieties of waxflower. Waxflowers bloom in winter and spring months with a massive display of aromatic blooms that bees, butterflies and other insects simply love.
Waxflower is popular as flower filler in bouquets, wedding and corsage work, and means “happiness in marriage.”
Crystal Pearl
Crystal Pearl is the only Pearl Flower that blooms pure white and stays white throughout the entire flower season. Soft pine-like aromatic green needles on shorter stems. All Pearl flowers were bred to bloom about 2 to 3 weeks apart to be available to the florist from December through May. All Pearl flowers have a 14 -21 day vase life and are considered hybrids.
Bridal Pearl
Bridal Pearl starts out pure white and takes on a light blush tone with age. Longer woodier stems with less green needles. All Pearl flowers were bred to bloom about 2 to 3 weeks apart to be available to the florist from December through May. All Pearl flowers have a 14 -21 day vase life and are considered hybrids.
Purple Pride
Purple Pride is one of the most abundant waxflower on the market; the bloom starts out deep lavender and turns a deep purple with age on the plant.
Lady Stephanie
Lady Stephanie starts out pink early in the season and matures to a soft lavender. Available early in season (late January) through early May; later harvest will have soft green foliage; limited quantities.
My Sweet Sixteen
Playful, soft and sweet with upright branching and fine but dense, needle-like, lightly aromatic green foliage. Small spring flowers open white and ages to rosy-red. The loose, airy sprays of waxy flowers are prized by florists for long-lasting color in cut flower arrangements; available later in the season than other varietals of waxflower; limited quantities.
Leucadendron + Leucospermum
In late 2021, we planted several species of plants in the Proteaceae family including pincushions (Leucospermum) and conebushes (Leucadendron). Available for floral use in 2024.
About Proteas
The Protea family of shrubs and trees is known for its variety and diversity of flowers and leaves. There are 1,660 known species of Protea and it is believed they are the oldest identified flowering plant – going back 300 million years. They bloomed without pollinators – like bees! Proteas are found primarily in the Southern Hemisphere (Australia, South Africa, Southern California and Hawaii). They grow in poor, phosphorus-deficient soils, often on hills and are able to flourish with scarce water and nutrients.
Native Plants
La Osita has been described like a tree park, filled with old Live Oaks and several types of towering Eucalyptus trees. We believe there cannot be enough trees on a property as trees provide oxygen and habitat to birds and other wildlife. So we planted over 100 more trees in 2021. We also planted approximately 500 California native plants.
Our plants were selected consciously based on their aesthetic contribution to La Osita, local conditions (leaning toward native plants) and to support soil and polinator health. Native plants:
- are sustainable; most require little supplemental water, no fertilizer and significantly less maintenance;
- attract native pollinators; many local species of bees and butterflies require native plants for a food source;do not disturb the site or promote invasive non-native species;
- eliminate the need for toxic chemicals in the garden; and
- increase the number and diversity of bird and wildlife species in the garden
Cacti & Succulents
California is a desert and many cacti and succulents prosper here. They are also quite easy to propagate and allow us to easily expand and add beauty to our garden without having to buy more plants. Cacti and succulents:
- use much less water than most other plants
- add aesthetic interest include color, sculptural form, textures and exotic flowering
- eliminate the need for toxic chemicals in the garden
- increase the number and diversity of bird and wildlife species in the garden
- offer direct and passive therapeutic value (including agave, aloe, snake’s tongue, prickly pear)
Trees
Fruit trees offer so many benefits. We are able to grow some of our own food and share with friends, family and community services and provide pollinators with diverse forage. The birds get fed too!
The trees at La Osita are grown organically using regenerative agriculture principles. We focus on the health of the soil to improve the health of the plants and the life of the bees, birds and wildlife who visit the orchard.
New Trees
In 2021, we planted 60 fruit trees of the following varieties:
- avocado (Reed and Sir Prize)
- nectarine (Double Delight)
- plum
- pear (Hood)
- asian pear (Shinseiki)
- mulberry (Pakistani)
- pluerry (Sweet Treet, a plum and cherry hybrid)
- peach (Babcock White)
- apple (Anna and Fuji)
- pomegranate (Wonderful)
- guava (Pineapple)
- loquat (Champagne)
- cherry
- fig
- orange (Washington Navel)
- blood orange (Moro)
- grapefruit (Oro Blanco)
- kumquat (Nagami)
- mandarin (Gold Nugget and Tango)
- ice cream bean (also known as joaquiniquil, cuaniquil, guama or guaba, this tree helps fix nitrogen in the soil to make it available to nearby plants)
Existing Trees
Our property came to us with an abundance of trees including mature eucalyptus trees, native live oak, sycamore, pine, ficus, jacaranda, and a few sky-touching palms. We added almost 50 more trees in 2021 including:
- fruitless olives (Olea europea Wilsonii)
- jacarandas (Jacaranda mimosifolia)
- strawberry tree (Arbutus ‘Marina’)
- fruitless mulberry (Morus alba ‘Fruitless’)
- western redbud (Cercis occidentalis)
- palo verde (Desert Museum)
- crape myrtle (Lagerstoemia indica)
- sydney golden wattle (Acacia longifolia)
Original Landscaping
We were fortunate to have the original landscaping blueprints when we purchased La Osita. Some of the original landscaping remains to this day (and they are gorgeous specimens!) including:
- Eucalyptus Citriodora (Lemon-scented Gum)
- Platanus Racemosa (Western or California Sycamore)
- Pinus Pinea (Italian Stone Pine)