Hello Art Patrons,
Coming right up this week is a different sort of botanical art show. Celebrating winter, the UC Berkeley Botanical Garden is hosting an exhibit of the Northern California Society of Botanical Artists featuring ‘Seeds and Pods’. I will be showing my Jeffrey Pinecone and the toxic (I learned the hard way) Black Walnut. The show runs for two weeks and opens this Friday Feb 10. I’ll be at the reception and I plan to gallery sit on both Feb 17 and Feb 21 from 1-4 pm. I’d love to see you there.
Plants Illustrated: Seeds and Pods
Feb. 10 – Feb 21, 2017
10 – 4 pm. daily
University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley
200 Centennial Dr.
Berkeley CA 94720
(510) 643-2755
www.garden@berkeley.edu
The following blurb was part of the Berkeley Botanical Garden’s December Member Newsletter. I was thrilled they asked to publish my ‘Knucklehead’ pumpkin vine illustration, Cucurbita pepo, to accompany their story.
That’s it for this quarter. Unless it’s underwater, I’m sure your garden is as happy as mine.
Bonnie Bonner
a.k.a. Joanne Palamountain
www.BonniesBotanicalArt.com
www.BonnieBonner.blogspot.com
Good to Know!
Question: What are some fun facts about pumpkins?
C. pepo, ‘Knuckle Head’ illustration by Bonnie Bonner
Answer: Pumpkins are a type of winter squash in the family Cucurbitaceae. The flesh is usually a little too coarse and strong-flavored for eating. Three species provide us with “pumpkins”: C. pepo, C. maxima and C. argyrosperma (formerly C. mixta).
Members of the genus Cucurbita are variously called squashes, pumpkins, vegetable marrows, and gourds. Typically, the plants are trailing vines with extensive roots and harsh, often prickly leaves and stems. Squash plants produce male flowers three to four days before producing female flowers. Usually three male flowers are formed for each female, open only for one day. Nutritionally the fruits are excellent sources of vitamins A and C, iron and potassium. In some species, the seeds are roasted and can have protein and oil contents of 30 to 40%.
Cucurbita pepo is the northernmost species of squash and appeared in Oaxaca about 10,000 years ago. Although the flesh of mature fruit may be stored, it quickly loses its flavor, and should be eaten quickly or dried. C. argyrosperma, also known as cushaw, also has northern hemisphere origins. Cucurbita maxima is of South American origin. Today this winter-type squash is grown throughout the world, particularly in Europe, India, the Philippines, and the United States. This species provides us with the most gigantic pumpkins; fruits weighing 90 pounds are common. Chilean varieties that have become common foods in the U.S. include acorn, banana, and hubbard. Some authorities claim the genus has more forms that any other cultivated food plant.