Spring Plants You Can Grow With Your Children

Are you looking for a fun family activity to take on this Spring? MUSE Seed-To-Table Manager, Rick Perillo, was featured in L.A. Parent in an article detailing some of his FAVORITE Spring plants you can grow with your children. These aren’t your regular old garden vegetables, either! Rick suggests that adding some unique plants to your plot can pique your child’s curiosity and excitement about working in the garden this season.

Here’s a snippet from Rick’s feature:

1. Strawberry Popcorn (Zea mays)

“Strawberry Popcorn is a tiny, ruby-red corn that’s sure to amaze your kids. Watch as small, colorful ears appear on short, sturdy plants. Once they’re dry, harvest the kernels, give them a little more time to dry, and then… pop! You’ll have a healthy snack that’s way more fun than anything from a bag (your kids will ask you to add butter and salt, I resist but do what you must).”

2. Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana)

“This plant is the source of the natural sweetener you might have seen in stores. Its leaves offer a surprisingly intense sweetness, perfect for a quick garden snack. As the plant matures and flowers, it attracts a flurry of bees, all drawn to its nectar-rich blossoms.”

3. African Lion’s Tail (Leonotis leonurus)

“You may have fond memories as a child of picking honeysuckle. The flowers of the African lion’s tail have a similar honey-like nectar. These plants can reach over six feet tall in the summer and form tubular orange flowers loved by hummingbirds and kids with a sweet tooth. Flowers are pulled from the plant’s tiered whorls which are sharp and a good way to teach kids to be gentle with plants. Each flower has one drop of highly sweet nectar inside. When the flower whorls dry, collecting seeds from them makes a fun project.”

4. Mexican Sour Gherkin (Melothria scabra)

“This fruit resembles a tiny watermelon with a cucumber crunch. Train the vines on a trellis, where they can climb up to ten feet high. Kids have fun searching for the camouflage fruits to pop into their mouths. And if you’re feeling adventurous, try pickling them.”

Concluding Notes

A quick note that the plants Rick lists in the article thrive around Los Angeles. If you live outside of Southern California, remember to do your own research into the plants that will work best for your area. And, most of all, happy planting!

To read the full article, check out THIS link and tell them MUSE sent you! Check out our website to learn more about our Seed-To-Table Program and all the other ways MUSE goes Beyond Academics. And when you’re ready to take the next step and join the MUSE Family, visit THIS LINK to schedule your meeting with our Director of Admissions, Alexandra Pesko!