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.
Day 351 – Charles Darwin, in his interesting work on
"Cross and Self-fertilization in the Vegetable Kingdom," gives some
interesting particulars of the ingenious way in which bumble-bees obtain the
honey from the snap-dragon when they cannot push past the projecting lip:
"In Antirrhinum majus one or two holes had been made on the lower side,
close to the little protuberance which represents the nectary, and therefore
directly in front of and close to the spot where the nectar is secreted."
In experiments, Mr. Darwin found that while fifty seed-pods protected by a net
gave nearly ten grains of seed, a similar number of pods from plants that the
bumble-bees had free access to yielded over twenty-three grains of seed. It is
not, however, by piercing holes in the flower that the bees effect
fertilization, but by thrusting their way through the jaws of the dragon into
the throat, where they encounter the stamens, and becoming dusted with pollen,
leave some of it on the stigma of that or the next flower they enter in like
manner.
Day 352 – The
blub of some muscari, or grape hyacinth, varieties is poisonous. It contains a substance called
comisic acid, which is said to act like saponin. Although poisonous, saponins
are poorly absorbed by the human body and so most pass through without harm.
Saponins are quite bitter and can be found in many common foods such as some
beans. They can be removed by carefully leaching the seed or flour in running
water. Thorough cooking, and perhaps changing the cooking water once, will also
normally remove most of them. However, it is not advisable to eat large
quantities of food that contain saponins. Saponins are much more toxic to some
creatures, such as fish, and hunting tribes have traditionally put large
quantities of them in bodies of water in order to stupefy or kill the fish.
Day 353 – A few species of Muscari flowers, including M. comosum, can be used to
make wine that is high in antioxidants and vitamin C. In addition, some
homeopathic remedy practitioners crush the bulbs to create a form of poultice
for irritated or red skin. Other practitioners also boil the bulbs to make a
diuretic tea.
Day 354 – At least one species of Muscari, M. comosum, has an edible
bulb. This species, also called tassel grape hyacinth, cipollini, or edible
muscari, is native to the Mediterranean area. Its bulb has flavors similar to
garlic, leek, or onion, making it a popular addition to Mediterranean cooking.
In addition, the flowers are often used by perfume manufacturers because they
smell sweet.
Day 355 – Many
parts of the Typha or Cattail
plant are edible to humans. The starchy rhizomes are nutritious with a protein
content comparable to that of maize or rice. They can be processed into a
flour. They are most often harvested from late autumn to early spring. They are
fibrous, and the starch must be scraped or sucked from the tough fibers. Plants
growing in polluted water can accumulate lead and pesticide residues in their
rhizomes, and these should not be eaten.
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.
Day 346 – In
the summer months, the whole dictamnus plant is covered with a kind of
flammable substance, which is gluey to the touch, and has a very fragrant,
lemony aroma; but if it takes fire, it goes off with a flash all over the
plant. The name "burning bush" derives from the volatile oils
produced by the plant, which can catch fire readily in hot weather, leading to
comparisons with the burning bush of the Bible, including the suggestion that
this is the plant involved there. The daughter of Swedish botanist Carl
Linnaeus is said to have ignited the air once, at the end of a particularly
hot, windless summer day, above Dictamnus
plants, using a simple matchstick.
Day 347 - The
dictamnus, or gas plant, is inedible: the leaves have a bitter and unpalatable
taste. Despite the lemon-like smell, the plant is acrid when eaten. All parts
of the plant may cause mild stomach upset if eaten, and contact with the
foliage may cause photodermatitis.
Day 348 – Why white roses are
so special is no mystery - it's a myth. Perhaps it started with the Romans who
believed white roses grew where the tears of Venus fell as she mourned the loss
of her beloved Adonis. Myth also has it that Venus' son Cupid accidentally shot
arrows into the rose garden when a bee stung him, and it was the
"sting" of the arrows that caused the roses to grow thorns. And when
Venus walked through the garden and pricked her foot on a thorn, it was the
droplets of her blood which turned the roses red.
Day 349 – The rose is a
legend in itself. The story goes that during the Roman Empire, there was an
incredibly beautiful maiden named Rhodanthe. Her beauty drew many zealous
suitors who pursued her relentlessly. Exhausted by their pursuit, Rhodanthe was
forced to take refuge from her suitors in the temple of her friend Diana.
Unfortunately, Diana became jealous. And when the suitors broke down her temple
gates to get near their beloved Rhodanthe she also became angry, turning
Rhodanthe into a rose and her suitors into thorns.
Day 350 – According to business experts, the key to
gaining the competitive edge in the modern economy is easy to understand -- a
happy, productive workforce. And, while sometimes the easiest notions can be
the most difficult to achieve, a recent scientific study conducted at Texas
A&M University finds that nature can hold the secret to business success.
The research demonstrates that workers' idea generation, creative performance
and problem solving skills improve substantially in workplace environments that
include flowers and plants.
Day 351 – Charles Darwin, in his interesting work on
"Cross and Self-fertilization in the Vegetable Kingdom," gives some
interesting particulars of the ingenious way in which bumble-bees obtain the
honey from the snap-dragon when they cannot push past the projecting lip:
"In Antirrhinum majus one or two holes had been made on the lower side,
close to the little protuberance which represents the nectary, and therefore
directly in front of and close to the spot where the nectar is secreted."
In experiments, Mr. Darwin found that while fifty seed-pods protected by a net
gave nearly ten grains of seed, a similar number of pods from plants that the
bumble-bees had free access to yielded over twenty-three grains of seed. It is
not, however, by piercing holes in the flower that the bees effect
fertilization, but by thrusting their way through the jaws of the dragon into
the throat, where they encounter the stamens, and becoming dusted with pollen,
leave some of it on the stigma of that or the next flower they enter in like
manner. 
Day 353 – A few species of Muscari flowers, including M. comosum, can be used to
make wine that is high in antioxidants and vitamin C. In addition, some
homeopathic remedy practitioners crush the bulbs to create a form of poultice
for irritated or red skin. Other practitioners also boil the bulbs to make a
diuretic tea.
Day 355 – Many
parts of the Typha or Cattail
plant are edible to humans. The starchy rhizomes are nutritious with a protein
content comparable to that of maize or rice. They can be processed into a
flour. They are most often harvested from late autumn to early spring. They are
fibrous, and the starch must be scraped or sucked from the tough fibers. Plants
growing in polluted water can accumulate lead and pesticide residues in their
rhizomes, and these should not be eaten.
