It is the last week of the native plant sale held at El Dorado Nature Center in Long Beach, held on Thursday, Nov. 25 and Sunday, Nov. 28 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
“These are wildflower seeds that grow in this area which should survive here,” said Donnie Hague of the Long Beach Parks, Recreation & Marine Department. “And they would’ve been what you would’ve seen before development took place.”
According to Hague, most of the plants sold are annual, meaning they have a life span that typically lasts one season.
According to the Parks, Recreation & Marine Department’s website, many of the plant species available are drought-tolerant, such as California Sagebrush and California fuschia.
Alongside native plants, drought-tolerant succulents from different parts of the world are also available for purchase.
“We try to stay within the area but then, you know, some of them are just so fun to grow,” Hague said.
Among the native plants available is the coastal poppy, which differs from its more well-known sibling the California poppy with two different shades of orange from the center to the edges of the petals.
Whether all the seeds will eventually sprout depends on how much rain falls once they’ve been planted.
According to Hague, the native plant sale features “a lot of little ephemeral plants that will only appear in the spring after rain.”
These include goldfields, baby blue eyes, lupines and more.
Hague recommends planting seeds in a clear area of bare soil, with a thin layer of soil on top of them, and regularly watering them.
“If you try to plant it on top of a lawn it’s not going to work,” Hague said. “It has to have soil, and weed-free is ideal.”
Proceeds from the native plant sale will go towards the Friends of El Dorado Nature Center’s habitat enhancement programs.
Customers can see a complete list of available plants on the City’s website.
