Second Annual Altadena Pollinator Palooza Extravaganza Wildflower-Seed Giveaway Scheduled for This Week

Multiple organizations join together Saturday, Jan 20. together to provide education and free seeds so that LA County residents can create their own pollinator-friendly gardens — with free California-native milkweed, the host plant for struggling Monarch butterflies, at the forefront. 

Last year more than 1,000,000 California-native wildflower seeds were given away at the special free grassroots event in Altadena.

The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Altadena Community Garden, 3330 N. Lincoln Ave, Altadena, within LA County Department of Parks & Recreation’s Loma Alta Park, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will be held rain or shine in the Garden’s back parking lot.

 In its early days, Altadena was marketed across the country as a wildflower haven, where wildflowers were picked in what was still the middle of the winter for much of the country. 

“It’d be great to see our community once again become a hub of drought-tolerant native wildflowers and plants,” said René Amy, the owner of Altadena Maid Products, and the event organizer and sponsor. “Giving away so many seeds is one way to help that process along — and it’s really time to do everything we can to help pollinators!” 

The free event is organized, produced, and presented as a public service by Altadena Maid Products, a local wildflower seed company. 

In addition to the seed giveaway, those bringing in a “tropical” milkweed plant can claim a free special “trade-in” pack of Altadena Maid’s “Monarch Munch” Milkweed Seedbark containing over 100 California-native milkweed seeds. 

Such tropical milkweed, commonly sold by “big box” stores, stays green all year, and can be identified, in part, by its small yellow or yellow/red flowers. 

Once seen as a way to help Monarchs, tropical milkweed was rated a noxious pest by the California Department of Food and Agriculture last year, its sale has been banned in several California counties, and its removal is now encouraged by pollinator organizations. 

“The environment is one of Rotary International’s primary areas of focus, and we’re proud to be actively engaged in efforts to support pollinators,” said Doug Colliflower, past president of the Altadena Rotary Club, and 2023 Altadena Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year.

 Among the many groups participating will be the Los Angeles County Beekeepers Association. 

“Bees are fascinating and wonderful creatures who do so much for our planet – yet, due to human actions, they are severely stressed,” according to Altadena resident Mary Landau, the group’s education chair. 

 The event is intended to provide entertainment and education, and residents with enough free native-milkweed seeds to plant hundreds of thousands of native plants — along with more than one million native wildflowers to support other pollinators — all in a family-friendly, upbeat event. 

Those who appear in a pollinator costume will receive a special gift bag, and will be entered in a pollinator costume contest to win a grand prize. 

A $100 VISA gift card will be given away through a free raffle open to all adults.

With Southern California expecting lots of rainfall this year, it’s widely expected that the area will experience a significant wildflower bloom again this year. “This is the perfect way for folks to experience the joy of wildflowers, and to see just how easy they are to plant and maintain. They need very little water beyond rainfall, and can provide year-round support for pollinators of all sorts,” said Amy. 

“Bottom line, the idea is to make it incredibly easy for anyone and everyone to help pollinators. Just taking a few seconds to spread these free seeds can help all sorts of amazing creatures make our planet a better place to live. Folks want to make a difference, and this is about as easy a way as possible!”

 In addition to the Garden, the Beekeepers, the Altadena Rotary Club, and the Pasadena Audubon Society, confirmed participating organizations include Amigos de los Rios, Rotary International’s Operation Pollination, and the Pasadena Sierra Club.