Latest news with #SanDiegoBirdAlliance
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
San Diego could soon have a new official flower
(FOX 5/KUSI) — San Diego could have a new official native flower if the city council approves the designation on Tuesday after a months-long campaign by a group that included public votes. The campaign for a new official flower started in late winter under the name, Your City, Your Flower, by the San Diego Bird Alliance. •Video Above: Campaign for a new San Diego official flower (from March 2025) A bracket-style competition was included, with blue-eyed grass named the winner in mid-April. The current official flower is the carnation, which was adopted by the city council in 1964. Organizers of the campaign said the choice of flower helps promote the importance of native plants and wildlife, along with recognizing the Kumeyaay Native Americans who have long lived in the region. Blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium bellum) is also known as 'pasto de ojitos azules' in Spanish and kuushaaw in the Kumeyaay language, and is one of only two Irises native to San Diego. It grows to about one foot in height, has purplish-blue flowers and grassy leaves, and is found throughout California, including elevations as high as 8,000 ft. The city council will vote on the designation at its 10 a.m. meeting on Tuesday, Earth Day. If approved, the blue-eyed grass will join other flora symbols of the city, the Torrey pine and the jacaranda. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
San Diego's official flower could be changed — and the public will have a say
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — The city of San Diego is beginning the process of changing its official flower from the carnation to one native to the region. While it is a little-known fact about the city, the carnation has been one of the San Diego symbols for more than half a century. It was adopted by the city council via secret ballot back in 1964, winning out over the rose and poinsettia. But now, the San Diego Bird Alliance, formerly known as the San Diego Audubon Society, is leading a movement seeking to swap the carnation out with an indigenous flower — and the city council is on board. San Diego is finalizing a new trash collection fee. Here's how much it could be The goal of the change, as the San Diego Union-Tribune reported, is to encourage the public to cultivate endemic flora as it helps support broader ecosystem by feeding and sheltering local wildlife like bees, butterflies and birds. Over the next few weeks, the field of candidates will be narrowed by a panel of experts to a handful of species based on an array of factors, including ecological importance, significance in cultural history and traditions of the Kumeyaay, and friendliness for landscaping. Among the flowers in the running are the Cleveland sage, California buckwheat, matilija poppies, brittlebush and bladderpod flower. The San Diego Bird Alliance will then put the final eight candidates to a vote of the public in a bracket-style challenge throughout the month of March. The winner of the contest will be brought to the city council in April for final approval. Additional public comment and recommendations will be allowed during this time. Whatever flower usurps the carnation will join other official flora symbols of the city, the Torrey pine and jacaranda. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
