Sunday, November 25, 2012

365 Days of Floral Education - Days 21-25

As part of our 125th Anniversary celebration at Stein Your Florist Co. we are sharing a year of floral education, November 1, 2012 thru October 31, 2013. Each day we will post something new on our Facebook page to share our knowledge of our favorite things, flowers and plants and we'll be updating our blog every 5 days or so. No need for pencils and notebooks, just sharing some simple lessons in floristry.
 
African Violet
Day 21 - A healthy African violet will bloom for nine months and then rest for three. Despite their delicate appearance, they are not difficult to care for. Keep their soil moist to dry and allow it to dry out between waterings to encourage blooming. Because water can damage their leaves, always water them from the bottom by placing the container in a tray of water. Allow the plant to absorb the water for about 30 minutes. Place your African violet in moderate to bright, indirect light, and avoid exposing them to sudden temperature changes. Pinch off wilted blossoms and leaves to encourage blooming, and fertilize monthly or when the plant is actively growing new leaves and buds.
 
Areca Palm
 
 
 
 
 
 
Day 22 - Areca palms are generally hardy plants and prefer medium to bright light. Keep their soil moist but not soggy. If you allow the soil to become too dry, areca palms wilt dramatically, but it's easy to revive them with just a little water (though some of their fronds may turn yellow). Trim back palm fronds that become damaged or turn brown.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Spathiphyllum
Day 23 - With dark green leaves that can be more than a foot long, the spathiphyllum plant, commonly known as a peace lily, produces hood-shaped white blooms, and in some cases, can grow up to 4 feet tall (although many varieties are developed to be compact). These plants can wilt easily, so it's important to keep the soil moist, providing good drainage and emptying excess water from trays or saucers to prevent their roots from rotting. If your plant does begin to wilt it will typically perk right back up after being watered. Display them in a spot with bright, indirect light. Low light slows their blooming cycle, and too much direct sunlight may cause burn spots on their leaves. Wipe their leaves with a damp cloth to remove dust.

 
Pollen
Day 24 – What’s up with plant allergies? Allergyware.comreports one of the main reasons certain plants and flowers effect people with allergies stems from the plant's gender. Monoecious plants are ones that have separate male and female flowers living on the same plant, such as a corn plant. Because the male and female flowers are separated, the males, which contain the pollen, must send the pollen through the air to fertilize the female flowers, in order to make more blooms. Although the pollen is meant to be delivered to the female, some bits get sent out into the air, causing people to have allergies. Plants that are dioecious, that have either all male or female flowers also rely on wind travel to pollinate and create more blooms. Allergy sufferers may want to instead look for what is referred to as "perfect flowers," or ones that contain both female and male parts, like the rose. This is the best option as these flowers don't need to use air travel to pollinate.


Pet Friendly Bachelor's Buttons
Day 25 - Here is a brief list of common pet friendly flowers and plants:
· Common Name| Scientific name
· African daisy | Arctotis stoechadifolia
· African violet | Saintpaulia spp.
· Alyssum | Allysum spp.
· Bachelors buttons | Centaureaa cyanus
· Begonia | Begonia spp.
· Celosia | Celosia spp.
· Common Snapdragon | Antirrhinum majus
· Easter Daisy | Townsendia sevicea
· Orchids | Barbrodia, Sophronitis, etc.
· Peruvian lily, Brazilian lily | Alstroemeria spp.
· Rose | Rosa spp.
~Dr. Sharon Gwaltney-Brant, DVM, PhD, DABVT, DABT
Vice President and Medical Director
ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center

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