Happy World Bee Day!
Western Honeybee (Apis mellifera) + California native Wild Lilac (Ceanothus thyrsiflorus, Blueblossom)
The UN has designated May 20th as World Bee Day to celebrate bees and highlight their essential work in the function of our ecosystem. Through pollination, bees work together with many species such as butterflies and hummingbirds to create a livable environment for all, contributing massive efforts to biodiversity and food security. Unfortunately, despite their critical role in maintaining a habitable ecosystem, the bee population is rapidly declining due to unsustainable farm practices and rising temperatures. As a team of nature enthusiasts and bee lovers, Kale Tree celebrates World Bee Day by sharing our appreciation of this incredibly hardworking and diverse insect.
Western Honeybee (Apis mellifera) + Pride of Madeira (Echium candicans)
Bees are an extraordinarily diverse species-- There are 30,000 different species of bee across the world, approximately 4,000 species in the United States, and over 1,500 identified bee species just in California! As such, California is home to some of the most diverse bee populations in the country, which is reflected by the state's equally large and diverse plant population.
One of the many bees you can find in California is the Apis mellifera, commonly known as a Honey Bee. Aptly named, Honey Bees are the only bee species that make enough honey to harvest. Honey Bees are highly social and are identifiable by their thick bodies and yellow or brown striped abdomens. Male Honey Bees do not have stingers, although they are typically larger than their female friends. Although Honey Bees can be found in California, they are native to Europe and pollinate in areas worldwide.
Female Valley Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa sonorina) + Popcorn Cassia (Senna didymobotrya)
Another bee commonly found in California is the gentle Xylocopa, also known as Carpenter Bees. Carpenter bees are shiny, large, and stout in appearance and have sparse hair covering their bodies. There are three different species of Carpenter bees in California, and they tend to nest in soft, decaying woods. Carpenter bees have small mouths and typically visit larger flowers as they are easier to derive nectar.
Male Valley Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa sonorina) + Tropical Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, “Creole Lady”)
Black-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus melanopygus) + California Vervain (Verbena lasiostachys)
The ever-fuzzy, stout, and large Bombus, or Bumble Bee has black hair covering their bodies with yellow, white, or red bands. There have been 27 different Bumble Bees recorded in California, and the Bombus californicus or California Bumble Bee is native to the state. Bumble Bees tend to nest underground, but some species are known to nest in abandoned bird nests or birdhouses. Bumble Bees pollinate from a broad range of plants and food sources, including avocados, cherries, and blackberries. Bumble Bees are unique in their ability to engage in "buzz pollination," in which they vibrate at a frequency required for pollen to release from plants such as tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers.
Black-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus melanopygus) + California native, Vervain (Verbena lasiostachys)
A tiny Sweatbee (Family Halictidae) clings to California native, Tansy Leaved Phacelia (Phacelia tanacetifolia)
Many people think of bees as pests and take measures to deter them from gardens and outdoor activities to avoid being stung. However, bees are generally non-aggressive and can be easily identified by their compact, hairy bodies to distinguish against common stinging insects, such as wasps, who have long bodies with little to no hair. While there are thousands of bee species on Earth, many are identifiable through their branch-like hair, two pairs of wings, and "well-developed antennae."
Western Honeybee (Apis mellifera) + Champagne Bubbles Yellow Icelandic Poppy (Papaver nudicaule)
We can support bees and their pollination efforts by creating gardens that are attractive to many species of bees. With the right plants and a little research, your garden can attract up to fifty different bee species. Flowering California native plants can be beautiful additions to your garden while helping to support bees.
At Kale Tree, we celebrate bees every day through our nature-inspired, eco-friendly home decor.
Bibliography
Frankie, Gordon W., et al. California Bees and Gardens. Heyday, 2014.
Jadallah, Christopher, et al. Common Bees in California Gardens. University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, 2015.
“World Bee Day.” United Nations, United Nations, 2022, https://www.un.org/en/observances/bee-day.
Wallflower: A lesser-known floral blossoms into its moment with a new eco wallpaper
Kale Tree Founder Sarah Barnard is an advocate of all things nature. “Being in nature brings me great pleasure, and is the source of inspiration for much of my work,” says Barnard. “Setting aside time to enjoy and plant in my garden helps me decompress, and fully engage mentally and physically outside of my design practice.
Mallow Wallpaper in Midnight Forest. Image courtesy of Sarah Barnard Design.
Kale Tree Founder Sarah Barnard is an advocate of all things nature. “Being in nature brings me great pleasure, and is the source of inspiration for much of my work,” says Barnard. “Setting aside time to enjoy and plant in my garden helps me decompress, and fully engage mentally and physically outside of my design practice. After gardening, I feel re-energized, focused, and ready to return to work.” One of Sarah’s favorite plants is Mallow. She has three different varieties that she tends to in her garden.
A Mallow making a presence in Sarah’s garden.
Mallow is a free-flowering plant that blooms beautifully draping, lantern-shaped blossoms of all varieties of pinks, yellows, reds, and whites. There are about 200 species in this particular genus. Also referred to as the Flowering Maple, Chinese Lantern, and Indian Mallow, this shrub earned its names from its maple-like leaves, lantern shape flowers, and mallow genus. These shade-loving plants are delicate, requiring regular care and maintenance. This effort can be fruitful; however, as a happy Mallow can flower almost non-stop. These stunning plants are pollinator-friendly, attracting hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees alike[1].
While most commonly planted for ornamentation in gardens, the Mallow has qualities that benefit health and well-being. Some Mallow species have a history of medicinal uses for emollient, analgesic, anti-diabetic, and anti-inflammatory purposes, to name a few[2]. Their flowers produce nectar, making them slightly sweet and astringent[3]. Floriography, the language of flowers, suggests that Abutilon symbolizes Meditation[4].
Out of pure adoration of this plant, Kale Tree created a line of botanical wallpapers inspired by the Mallow.
The line drawing for the wallpaper began as the annual letterpress holiday card for Sarah’s interior design studio. The Kale Tree team reworked and expanded the original illustration into a pattern for wallpaper and textiles. Photographs of Mallows in Sarah’s garden were used as references to develop the drawing. Kale Tree designers chose to render the Mallow in a larger than life scale to highlight their extraordinary beauty and bring a contemporary feel to the notion of traditional floral wallpaper. The color palette was adapted from Victorian Era paintings as a nod to art history, marrying classical with contemporary. Pink is utilized generously throughout the illustrations as it happens to be one of Sarah’s favorite colors. “Clients seldom choose to incorporate pink into their spaces, so Kale Tree is my outlet to explore and indulge in this color,” says Sarah.
Kale Tree’s eco-friendly wallpaper features a subtle surface texture and a hand-drawn pattern. It is available in three colorways: Midnight Forest, Evening Mauve, and Dusty Dawn. Designed with nature in mind, this product is a PVC-free, type II wallpaper made with 31% post consumer, recycled canvas, and printed with a VOC-free process free of solvents. The wallpaper is 33 inches wide by 18 feet long and is sold per 49.5 square foot roll. Kale Tree aims to promote health and wellbeing through introducing our healthful, ethically produced goods inspired by the intersection of art, design, and nature.
You can pre-order for Spring 2021 here.
References
[1] Mahr, Susan. “Flowering Maple, Abutilon Spp.” Master Gardener Program, 5 Aug. 2020, mastergardener.extension.wisc.edu/article/flowering-maple-abutilon-spp/.
[2] Rajeshwari S, Sevarkodiyone SP (2018) Medicinal properties of Abutilon Indicum. Open J Plant Sci 3(1): 022-025. DOI: 10.17352/ojps.000011.
[3] “Abutilon Striatum (Red Vein Indian Mallow).” Gardenia.net, www.gardenia.net/plant/abutilon-striatum.
[4] Deitz, S. Theresa. Floriography Today: The Symbolic Meanings & The Possible Powers of Trees, Plants and Flowers. 2012.