Regional Crayons and Calliandra

Growing Native with Petey Mesquitey

Mar 21 2026 | 00:04:28

00:00 / 00:04:28

Show Notes

Ms. Mesquitey and I like the idea of regional crayons. The colors of your home place, of your own biotic community. When we saw the fairy dusters (Calliandra eriophylla) blooming on that rocky slope we realized that maybe it would need a few different crayons. Yay! I don’t know it this interests you, but fairy duster is pretty easy to grow from seed. You just need to get the little bean pods before they snap open and send seed shooting across the desert where native critters eat them. Oh dear! But hey, if you don’t feel like gathering and germinating…

Other Episodes

Episode 0

February 13, 2023 • 00:04:34

A Chicken Love Song

I revealed most of my personal chicken history in this episode. It’s an ongoing saga, though I am much more in control of my...

Episode 0

April 28, 2020 • 00:04:27

Marah gilensis

There are several species of Marah found in the western US, but only M. gilensis in Arizona. I call it wild cucumber, but another...

Episode

January 26, 2015 •

Rejoice, spring is on the way

Between the Mesquitey chickens finally laying some eggs and the point leaf manzanita blooming in the hills, there is much excitement around the ol’...