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

P.S. seeds are from crosses done in the lab and are 2-3 generations removed from wild stock.