365 Days of Floral Education - Days 206 - 210

As part of our 125^th 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.

Day 206 - Cane has an interesting history. It is one of two species of bamboo, a type of grass, native to North America. Preferring full sun and disturbance, river cane was formerly most common on floodplains where it occurred beneath open forest canopies. Cane also occurred under canopy openings in upland forests and in scattered-tree savannas. Such sites and soils have been coveted by humans for various purposes for centuries. In the floral industry river cane is dried and used as an accent in many floral arrangements.

Day 207 - Expedite lily blossom opening by using warm floral food solution and by covering the buds with a clear plastic bag to maintain high humidity. Bright light (not direct sunlight) also seems to hasten the opening process as well as assuring good color in the blossoms.

 

 

 

 

 

Day 208 - Many floral designers today are using yarn and felt to add intriguing texture to their arrangements. Another way to add this element is with "floral" cotton. The bolls, still on the stem, have been removed from the stalk, hand cleaned and fluffed. The sturdy, star-shaped burrs (which hold the cotton on the stem) are also used sans the cotton at times for a different rustic look. Wonderful for autumn, rustic and country designs.

Day 209 - Chinese lantern, Physalis alkekengi, is a relative of Cape Gooseberry, easily identifiable by the larger, bright orange to red papery covering over its fruit, which resemble paper lanterns. It is native from southern Europe east across southern Asia to Japan. It is an herbaceous perennial plant growing to 40–60 cm tall, with spirally arranged leaves. The flowers are white, with a five-lobed corolla, with an inflated basal calyx which matures into the papery orange fruit covering.

Day 210 - Lei is a garland or wreath. More loosely defined, a lei is any series of objects strung together with the intent to be worn. The most popular concept of a lei in Hawaiian culture is a wreath of flowers draped around the neck presented upon arriving or leaving as a symbol of affection. This concept was popularized through tourism between the Hawaiian Islands and the continental United States in the 19th and 20th centuries. In modern times, a lei is usually given with a kiss - a custom which began in World War II. Traditionalists, however, give a lei by bowing slightly and raising it above the heart, allowing the recipient to take it, as raising the hands above another's head, or touching the face or head, is considered disrespectful.

365 Days of Floral Education - Days 201 - 205

As part of our 125^th 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.

Day 201 - Seen from interstate 5 in Carlsbad, CA, the 40 acres of wildly colorful fields where these Ranunculus are grown are such an incredible sight that over the years the farm has been opened up to the public and has become one of the few flower "destinations" in North America. First established by the Frazee family back in the 1930's, the Flower Fields of Carlsbad are now managed by Mellano & Co. The Ranunculus bloom from mid-March to mid-May and during peak production more than 11,000 bunches will be harvested for the professional cut flower industry EACH DAY! Once the flowering season is over the bulbs will be dug up for sale to the home gardening industry and the fields will be re-planted from seed for next year’s crop!

 

Day 202 - Greenhouses in Latin America are mostly not heated, so when there is a big difference between daytime and night time temperatures, roses respond in a way that the pigments concentrate. In yellow and pink varieties, concentrated pigments appear as red flames or intense color chips, but in red varieties, pigments appear black.

Day 203 - More than 100,000 people—many displaced by Colombia’s guerrilla wars and rural poverty—labor in greenhouses spread across the savanna. Seen from an airplane, the greenhouses form geometric gray-and-white patterns reminiscent of an Escher drawing. Up close, they turn out to be bare-bones structures of plastic sheeting stapled to wooden frames. But the low-rent look is deceptive; the operations are highly sophisticated, producing some of the most beautiful blooms you’ve ever seen.

Day 204 - Scabiosa “pods” are currently on trend, favored by brides and other fashion savvy flora appreciators for their intriguing texture and delicate muted colors. Though not pods in the botanical sense, these pale globes, comprising papery, funnel shaped bracts, do have a dried flower look. The species is Scabiosa stellata, and the spherical inflorescences are marketed as “stellata pods” from late July to late October.

Day 205 - The Uluhe (oo-loo-hay) fern (false staghorn) can be found all over the east (wetter) side of the Big Island of Hawaii. The ferns grow well from sea level on up to 5,500 ft, but the most spectacular Uluhe ferns are found in Volcano and the Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. The Uluhe begins growth as a shoot that comes straight out of the ground - with the fern tightly coiled at the shoots end. The shoot is about the thickness of a drinking straw. As the shoot grows the end uncoils and the fern leaves begin to appear. As the leaves mature they split into two sets of leaves, and from those another shoot can appear that will make another two sets of leaves. This can continue as the plant grows becoming almost vine like. These uluhe fern coils, fondly referred to as monkey tails around the shop, are very popular with trendy brides and look great in tropical bouquets.

365 Days of Floral Education - Days 196 - 200

As part of our 125^th 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.

Day 196 - As the longest lasting commercial Orchid variety on the market, Cymbidiums are wonderful whether used by the stem or the individual bloom (although they will last longer on the stem). Cymbidiums are best stored between 8 and 10 degrees Celsius. Stems should be re-cut upon arrival and placed in cool fresh water with the proper dose of floral preservative (If storing in water tubes, the water should be changed every 3 days). When properly handled and stored, Cymbidiums can often last 15 to 20 days!

Day 197 - Roses are grown in areas with lots of intense light energy. Production areas close to the equator (Colombia and Ecuador) get 12 hours light every day of the year and the light energy (luminosity) is strongest at the equator vs. northern latitudes.

Day 198 - Most flowers grown in Colombia are bred in European labs, especially Dutch labs, which ship seedlings and cuttings to growers. A single gerbera plant, for instance, can last several years and produce hundreds of blooms, each one taking 8 to 12 weeks to mature.

Day 199 - Convallaria majalis commonly known as the Lily of the Valley, is a sweetly scented (and highly poisonous) woodland flowering plant that is native throughout the cool temperate Northern Hemisphere in Asia, Europe and in the southern Appalachian Mountains in the United States. A limited native population occurs in Eastern USA (our area, you may have seen them blooming over the last couple weeks). There is; however, some debate as to the native status of the American variety.

Day 200 - While Callas are produced year round in South America, the peak months of production are from May to October where one farm can produce up to 100,000 stems per week. This, of course, coincides perfectly with the spring and summer wedding and event seasons where Callas are widely used in bridal bouquets and arrangements. During the low production months from December to April the number of stems produced can be as low as 40% of regular production numbers.

365 Days of Floral Education - Days 191 - 195

As part of our 125^th 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.

Day 191 - The name Shampoo Ginger comes from the peculiar trait that if rubbed, it will release a “shampoo like” smell. It produces flowers that come out on the cone that must be taken off as they will rot and turn the cone mushy and smelly. At the beginning of the season, the cones are yellowish and small and produce the least amount of flowers. Later on the cones grow taller and yellow, and at the end of the season they are peach, and it produces more flowers.

Day 192 - Pincushion protea are one of the longest lasting flower varieties available. With proper care, they last a minimum of 15 days!

 

 

 

Day 193 - Cut Hypericum berries start out as a yellow flowering shrub and the berries only develop after the flower fades away…..a little like your grandmother’s rose hips… It takes almost 8 months from planting to berry stage to produce a single stem of florist quality berried Hypericum!

Day 194 - The common name for Hypericum is St John’s Wort and it is widely available in health food stores as a homeopathic remedy for ailments such as depression and as a natural antibiotic.

 

Day 195 - Heliconia flowers are almost exclusively pollinated by Hummingbirds, and sometimes bats too, in Costa Rica.

365 Days of Floral Education - Days 186 - 190

As part of our 125^th 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.

Day 186 - Ranunculus is a large genus of about 600 species of plants in the Ranunculaceae. Members of the genus include the buttercups, spearworts, water crowfoots and the lesser celandine. All Ranunculus species are poisonous when eaten fresh by cattle, horses, and other livestock, but their acrid taste and the blistering of the mouth caused by their poison means they are usually left uneaten. Poisoning can occur where buttercups are abundant in overgrazed fields where little other edible plant growth is left, and the animals eat them out of desperation. When Ranunculus plants are handled, naturally occurring ranunculin is broken down to form protoanemonin, which is known to cause contact dermatitis in humans and care should therefore be exercised in extensive handling of the plants.

Day 187 - Today, carnations can be found in a wide range of colors, and while in general they express love, fascination and distinction, virtually every color carries a unique and rich association. White carnations suggest pure love and good luck, light red symbolizes admiration, while dark red represents deep love and affection. Purple carnations imply capriciousness, and pink carnations carry the greatest significance, beginning with the belief that they first appeared on earth from the Virgin Mary’s tears – making them the symbol of a mother's undying love.

Day 188 - The Prayer plant is really a quite amazing plant. Its foliage is mainly a dark green with red variations of veins running through them. The amazing part of the Prayer plant is that at night, the leaves fold up. Just like it's praying! This plant is available in many varieties including Herringbone and Rabbits Tracks. The main foliage colors vary depending on the variety. This plant is a nice small, compact houseplant, perfect for windowsills! It adapts very well to indoor temperatures, making it a great addition to your room.

Day 189 - Prayer plants prefer moderate to low indirect light levels. If the leaves on your plant begin to curl and turn brown, your plant is receiving too much light. Providing this plant with too much direct sunlight can burn the foliage. Prayer plants require moist but not soggy soil. This houseplant also is one of the few houseplants that does not like its soil to dry out between watering, so try to keep the soil consistently moist at all times. The biggest need for this houseplant is humidity. It requires high humidity levels to flourish, so a daily misting will go far. If the tips of the foliage begin to brown your plant may not be getting the humidity it needs. By providing high humidity levels, you help in ensuring beautiful flowers bloom. This plant is also very temperamental when it comes to temperature changes. It prefers a range of 65 to 80 degrees, however it does not like fluctuations in temperature. Do keep it away from drafts.

Day 190 - Croton plants are known for their bright tropical foliage, which is multi-colored and exotic in appearance. The foliage contains stiff leaves pointing upward and has a wax-like feel to them. The Croton plant requires moderate to bright light, so keep the plant within 3 - 5 feet of a window receiving sunlight. Croton plant varieties require heavy watering as well as high humidity. Misting the plant once or twice a week appears to be sufficient for accommodating the Croton's humidity needs if you live in an area with low humidity levels. Keep the plants soil moist at all times. If leaves begin to fall off or slope downward, you are probably not providing the plant with enough water. If the leaves edges become wilted, this may be an indication that you are over watering the plant. Try cutting down on how often you water and see if that improves the leaves appearance. The Croton also prefers warm temperatures up to 80 degrees F.

365 Days of Floral Education - Days 181 - 185

As part of our 125^th 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.

Day 181 – Bells of Ireland, Moluccella laevis, also known as Molucca balmis and Shellflower, is a summer flowering annual, native to Turkey, Syria and the Caucasus. It is cultivated for its spikes of flowers. In the language of flowers, it represents luck. The tiny white flowers are surrounded by apple green calyces which are persistent. The rounded leaves are pale green. Fast growing, Moluccella laevis will reach 1 metre and spread to 30 centimeters with an erect, branching habit. A member of the mint family, the blooming stems can be cut and used in fresh or dried flower arrangements. The domestic plant is self-seeding, prefers full sun and regular water and are unlikely to do well in hot, humid climates.

Day 182 - It's said that the natives of the Inca Empire worshipped a giant sunflower, and that Incan priestesses wore large sunflower disks made of gold on their garments. Images of sunflowers were found in the temples of the Andes Mountains, and Native American Indians placed bowls of sunflower seeds on the graves of their dead. The Impressionist period of art is famous for its fascination with the sunflower, and this striking flower remains today a commonly photographed and painted icon of uncommon beauty.

Day 183 - The 8th wedding anniversary flower and the state flower of New Hampshire (symbolizing the hardy character of the Granite State’s citizens), lilacs are frequently considered a harbinger of spring, with the time of their bloom signaling whether spring will be early or late. In the language of flowers, purple lilacs symbolize the first emotions of love, while white lilacs represent youthful innocence.

Day 184 – Handle anemones gently. They require the same general care as other cut flowers, but because their stems are very soft and easily damaged, handle them gently and support their stems when re-cutting. The delicate nature of the blossoms means you’ll enjoy them for 3-5 days.

Day 185 - The 3rd wedding anniversary flower and the state flower of Kansas, sunflowers turn to follow the sun. Their open faces symbolize the sun itself, conveying warmth and happiness, adoration and longevity.

365 Days of Floral Education - Days 176 - 180

As part of our 125^th 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.

Day 176 - Hen and chicks (also known as Hen-and-chickens, or Hen-and-biddies in the American South) is a common name for a group of small succulent plants belonging to the flowering plant family Crassulaceae, native to Europe and northern Africa. They grow close to the ground with leaves formed around each other in a rosette, and propagating by offsets. The "hen" is the main plant, and the "chicks" are the offspring, which start as tiny buds on the main plant and soon sprout their own roots, taking up residence close to the mother plant.

Day 177 - Tropical foliages are widely available from Central and South America. They tend to be very long lasting. As with all tropicals these foliages should not be exposed to temperatures below 15 degrees celsius. Regular misting of tropical foliages helps to keep them fresh and last longer.

Day 178 - Alstroemerias are best known as cut flowers, where their rich colors and lovely veining grace many a vase, where they'll last for as long as two weeks. But they can also be grown in the garden, where they do best in light, well-drained soil. They bloom freely through the summer and come in almost all shades of the rainbow except true blue.

Day 179 – Hanging amaranthus, amaranthus caudatus, is a species of annual flowering plant. It goes by common names such as love-lies-bleeding, love-lies-a'bleeding, pendant amaranth, tassel flower, velvet flower, foxtail amaranth, and quilete. It can grow anywhere from 3 to 8 feet in height, and grows best in full sun. It can handle a variety of conditions, both humid and arid. It is easily grown from seed. In most of its range, it is planted as a summer annual. In temperate regions, plants can be started indoors in early spring and transplanted outdoors after the last frost.

Day 180 - A pseudanthium (Greek for "false flower") or flower head is a special type of inflorescence, in which anything from a small cluster to hundreds or sometimes thousands of flowers are grouped together to form a single flower-like structure. Pseudanthia take various forms. The individual flowers of a pseudanthium commonly are called florets. The real flowers (the florets) are generally small and often greatly reduced, but the pseudanthium itself can sometimes be quite large (as in the heads of some varieties of sunflower and gerbera daisy.