Started last May, trying to find several good references on the protein content of various flower pollens as treats for our little guys. I was able to find some Australian studies, which are really good, and one from Poland; but needed information on flowers available to us in the US. Yesterday I finally found one, and it's fantastic. <a href="ddr.nal.usda.gov/bitstream/10113/30628/1/IND22081130.pdf">USDA</a>, 377 different pollen sources listed, and the mean protein content for each. It's a real treasure. I've copied it onto my hard drive, and now for the tedious work.

So far I've got about 40 plants listed. I've looked at many more, but they're not indigenous to the US, or only grow in very limited areas; or produce the pollen in catkins and not flowers. I'd like to use things that are available pretty much anywhere; and that have a fairly high count -- at least 25%, though some go as high as 60% protein. And, of course, the first consideration is that they be non-toxic.

I'm listing common name, scientific name, and protein percentage. When I finally get the spreadsheet done I'll put all the data into a regular document (with pictures if I can get them, or at least a good description), to add to the Gliderpedia. This is going to take some time, I can only work on it on the weekends. I hope to have the article ready by spring.

 

snusie
Gender: Female
Occupation:Horticulture
Member since: Oct 29, 2008
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I work in horticulture for a good-sized city, so any gardening -- I love to read and work HARD crosswords -- also draw and paint. My News
Kioko and Washi came to live with me on 11/23/08: five-year old brothers. As of February '09, we're having great luck with bringing them all together into one happy little colony. Favorite Quote
1) ...I want to stay as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all kinds of things you can't see from the center. ... Big, undreamed-of things --- the people on the edge see them first. Kurt Vonnegut, "Player Piano" 2) Beauty fades, dumb is forever -- Judge Judy, almost daily My Bio
Very old, b. 1957 in New Martinsville, WVa. Live in Central Texas now. I'm Mother to Ophelia, a 4-foot ball python; Domino, a regular cat; and Shikoni, Washi and Kioko, three lively gliders; and Step-Mother to Mike, a 13-year old former stray yellow shepherd. We and other humans all live together in quite surprising harmony.

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