I am a graduate student at UC-Davis studying plant ecology.
I’ve been working on a wonderful native mint, closely related to the genus Salvia, often called bluecurls or
vinegarweed (Trichostema laxum). It
is a small aromatic annual plant that will, under favorable conditions, grow to
roughly 18” tall and produce thousands of small flowers. The whole plant smells
rather like sweet herbed vinegar. In my experience, it makes a suitable
drought-tolerant garden plant or a good container plant with minimal watering.
It would be a perfect addition to native wildflower gardens.

Populations at my study site have extremely variable flower
colors and other characteristics. I am working in the lab on variation in variation
in self-pollination, but I am also interested in the genetics behind the
various colors. However, as flower color is not my main focus, I don’t have
space or time to grow out the many crosses necessary to determine the
inheritance of these traits.

This is where YOU come in. I’ll send anyone who is
interested a free packet of seeds (~25-50), directions for germinating the
plant, and ask for a simple report on the flowers at the end of this growing
season. I’m hoping to have seeds sent out by the first of March, which will
give folks lots of time to get them germinated.

If you are interested, click here. (more information here: http://www.ericflopresti.com/the-trichostema-project.html )

Unfortunately, because of shipping costs and potential legal
issues, I will only send seeds within the continental United States.

Thanks,

Eric LoPresti

trichostemalaxum@gmail.com