December 2022 - Field Prep for Olive Trial Expansion
An additional five acres for 800 trees is now prepared for desert olive trials expansion, based on initial success of the original trial area. Several new desert varieties from North Africa and the Middle East will be investigated.
Desert Verbena is a desert flowering ground cover which is normally an annual plant. It has become perennial in our fields as shown in the other photos. It is allowed to grow, having the potential to become a desert living mulch.
Trees will also be planted between the rows of existing olives from the original trial.
November 2022 - Desert Olive Trials First Season Production
Picual variety from Southern Spain starting production in the third year. Very high oil content.
Hoji Blanca variety from Southern Spain, a larger olive used for California jumbo ripe olive processing. Also for oil production.
Picual in various stages of ripening. Both varieties are vigorous and very tolerant of heat and wind.
October 2022 - LBCAS/CCF Sabrana Collection Field Trip
Cutting fresh Sabrana pads for propagation. Joint field trip with LBCAS and Carbon Cactus Foundation. See the Opuntia Fruiting Cactus page for details.
Pads packed and ready for shipment.
The vigorous and productive Sabrana variety in the field.
Sep. 2022 - SHD (Super High Density) Arbequina Olive Trial
Super high density olive systems utilize close spacing to produce a productive hedgerow of trees which is kept trimmed six to eight feet high for ease of harvest. See the Desert Olives page for details.
Arbequina is the main oil variety in Spain and California, with early and consistent bearing, and high oil content.
August 2022 - Neem Propagation for 2023 Nursery Production
Neem flowering in May. The flowers have a distinct sweet, melliferous (honey-like) fragrance. The tree will not set seed in rainy areas. See the Neem Tree page for more details,
Ripe and green Neem (Azadirachta indica) seed. LBCAS represents the only viable Neem seed production and propagation facility on the West Coast.
Neem trees germinating two weeks after planting. Fresh Neem seed only remains viable for 10 to 14 days, and thus obtaining fresh seed from other sources is virtually impossible.
August 2022 - Low Chill Pear, Apple and Jujube Desert Trials
Despite being a highly temperate tree preferring the coldest zones, low chill varieties of Pear thrive in the very hot low desert environment. Three years old. See the Family Food Security page for details.
Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba) demonstrates very high desert adaptation with early bearing in the first year, and very consistent bearing afterwards. Fruit is consumed fresh or dried with high commercial potential.
Similar to pears, low chill apples also preform very well under the hottest desert conditions with a fast growth rate and high productivity beyond expectations. Ripening begins very early in June.
August 2022 - Edible Elephant Bush Full Sun Trial
Section of Elephant Bush (Portulacaria afra) row in full sun trials. This South African succulent has tender edible stems and leaves which can be used raw or cooked. It grows quickly, forming a large sprawling bush. See the Family Food Security page for details.
Tender leaves and stems of the Elephant Bush. Most succulents (and many cactus types) cannot survive in the intense sun and heat of the low elevation desert where 120-125 degrees in full sun will literally cook the plant. This desert food plant seems to be a fortunate exception.
Elephant bush used in full sun desert edible landscaping.
August 2022 - Argania and Marula Desert Trials
Argania spinosa is a desert tree from North Africa producing an edible nut with high quality oil used in cosmetics and other applications. See the Sustainable Strategies page for details.
Marula (Sclerocarya birrea) is a South African fruit tree with excellent desert adaptation. The fruit has commercial potential, and the seed oil is high value.
August 2022 - Hoodia gordondii First Round of Propagation
Mature flowering Hoodia gordondii plant. Hoodia is a medicinal succulent with researched weight loss uses due to appetite suppression activity. It originates from the Kalahari Desert of South Africa, where it is now endangered from over harvesting. See the Medicinal Crops page for details.
Section of Hoodia cuttings recently planted in rooting media.
Seed Pod
Cross Section
Ripe Pods
Cross Section
Cross Section
Cross Section
Fresh Seeds
Three Months From Seed
Cross Section
Two Week Seedlings
Three Months From Seed
Three Months From Seed
Three Months From Seed
Three Months From Seed
Three Months From Seed
July 2022 -- 5000 Sabrana Tissue Cultures + Pad Propagation
Bud sprouting on Tissue Culture Media
Bud sprouting on Tissue Culture Media
Bud sprouting on Tissue Culture Media
Two Months Growth from a Single Pad
Bud sprouting on Tissue Culture Media
Bud sprouting on Tissue Culture Media
See the Opuntia Fruiting Cactus page for details.
Ripe Sabrana Fruit on Young Plant
Bud sprouting on Tissue Culture Media
Ripe Sabrana Fruit on Young Plant