The Orange County Fair  2016 Visit #1

Did You Know? - Dahlias were originally grown as a food crop for their edible tubers. Gardeners and television presenter James Wong suggests they taste like a cross between carrot, celery and potatoes.

Did You Know? - Abbe Cavanilles (director of Real Madrid Botanical Garden) named the Dahlia after Anders Dahl, the Swedish botanist, who had died two years previously.

Did You Know? - Dahlias belong to the Asteraceae (Aster) family along with daisies and sunflowers.

Dahlias range from dwarf plants ideal for bedding, to giants such as Dahlia imperialis found growing in the wild from Guatemala to Colombia where it can grow upwards of 6m tall.

Did You Know? - The term "watering can" first appeared in the 1690s. Earlier, it had been known as a "watering pot".

In 1886 the "Haws" watering can was patented by John Haws. The patent read "This new invention forms a watering pot that is much easier to carry and tip, and at the same time being much cleaner, and more adapted for use than any other put before the public."

Did You Know? - Plantains are often firmer than dessert bananas; they also have less sugar. Dessert bananas are often eaten raw; plantains are usually cooked or otherwise processed before they are eaten. Plantains are a staple food in tropical regions, treated similarly to potatoes. They also have a similar taste.

Did You Know? - A pitaya is the fruit of several cactus species indigenous to the Americas. "Pitaya" usually refers to fruit of the genus Stenocereus, while "pitahaya" or "dragon fruit" refers to fruit of the genus Hylocereus.

To prepare a pitaya for consumption, the fruit is cut open to expose the flesh. The fruit's texture is sometimes likened to that of the kiwifruit because of its black, crunchy seeds. The flesh, which is eaten raw, is mildly sweet and low in calories. The seeds are eaten together with the flesh, have a nutty taste and are rich in lipids, but they are indigestible unless chewed. The fruit is also converted into juice or wine, or used to flavour other beverages. The flowers can be eaten or steeped as tea.