365 Days of Floral Education - Days 221 - 225

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 221 - Chamelaucium, also known as waxflower, is a genus of shrubs endemic to south western Western Australia. They belong to the myrtle family Myrtaceae and have flowers similar to those of the tea-trees. The genus was first defined by French botanist René Louiche Desfontaines in 1819. The derivation of the name is unclear. They are commonly known as waxplants, or wax flowers from the waxy feel of the petals.

Day 222 – The wildly popular “Green Trick” dianthus, a relative of carnations and Sweet William, is imported to the US from Holland, Israel, Ecuador and Colombia.

 

 

Day 223 - Plant pharmacological studies have suggested that Calendula extracts have anti-viral, anti-genotoxic, and anti-inflammatory properties in vitro. In herbalism, Calendula in suspension or in tincture is used topically for acne, reducing inflammation, controlling bleeding, and soothing irritated tissue. Pretty and practical!

Day 224 - Hydrangeas are fascinating in that, unlike most other plants, the color of their flowers can change dramatically. The people who have the most control over the color of their hydrangeas are those who grow them in containers. It is much easier to control or alter the pH of the soil in a container than it is in the ground. On the other hand, hydrangeas often change color on their own when they are planted or transplanted. They are adjusting to the new environment. It is not unusual to see several different colors on one shrub the next year after planting. It is much easier to change a hydrangea from pink to blue than it is from blue to pink. Changing a hydrangea from pink to blue entails adding aluminum to the soil. Changing from blue to pink means subtracting aluminum from the soil or taking it out of reach of the hydrangea.

Day 225 - Your liatris and other cut flowers will stay fresh longer if you add a copper penny and a cube of sugar to the vase water. The copper in pennies is thought to act like an acidifier, which prevents the growth of bacteria.

365 Days of Floral Education - Days 216 - 220

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 216 - The name cornflower comes from the fact the flowers grow abundantly in corn fields in Europe and the U.S. They are edible and have a sweet, cucumber-like taste and can be used to make tea. They have been used in traditional herbal medicine as an anti-inflammatory.

Day 217 - Dianthus barbatus (sweet william) is a species of Dianthus native to southern Europe and parts of Asia which has become a popular ornamental garden plant. It is an herbaceous biennial or short-lived perennial plant growing to 30–75 cm tall, with flowers in a dense cluster of up to 30 at the top of the stems. Each flower is 2–3 cm diameter with five petals displaying serrated edges. Wild plants produce red flowers with a white base, but colours in cultivars range from white, pink, red, and purple or with variegated patterns.

Day 218 - Achillea millefolium, known commonly as yarrow, is a flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere in Asia, Europe, and North America. In New Mexico and southern Colorado, it is called plumajillo (Spanish for 'little feather') from its leaf shape and texture. In antiquity, yarrow was known as herbal militaris, for its use in staunching the flow of blood from wounds. Other common names for this species include gordaldo, nosebleed plant, old man's pepper, devil's nettle, sanguinary, milfoil, soldier's woundwort, thousand-leaf, and thousand-seal.

Day 219 - The exact origin of Sweet William's English common name is unknown, but first appears in 1596 in botanist John Gerard's garden catalog. The flowers are edible and may have medicinal properties. Sweet william attracts bees, birds, and butterflies.

Day 220 - Silene is a genus of flowering plants in the family Caryophyllaceae. Common names include "campion" (shared with the related genus Lychnis) and "catchfly". Silene undulata is used by the Xhosa tribe in Africa as an oneirogenic agent. Reputedly, a small amount of the root bark of this species is pulverised with water to produce a white froth. This froth is then sucked off and swallowed. The user's dreams for the following several nights are said to be more vivid and memorable than usual, although no effects are felt while awake.

365 Days of Floral Education - Days 71-75

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 71 – Green ball or Green Trick Dianthus is a wonderful and unique new variety of dianthus developed by the breeder Hilverda. It is looking to be a favorite for modern wedding bouquets, especially with Pantone’s color for 2013 being Emerald. The extraordinary pompom shaped, green flowers are ~2” wide and last an incredible 4 to 6 weeks in a vase! This modern relative of the ever popular Sweet William performs superbly in gardens and flowers within just 8 weeks of planting.

Day 72 – Solidego, commonly known as goldenrods, are considered weeds by many in North America but they are prized as garden plants in Europe, where British gardeners adopted solidego long before Americans did as garden subjects. Solidego only began to gain some acceptance in American gardening (other than wildflower gardening) during the 1980s. Solidego is commonly used for ornamental purposes in the floral industry and is said to be a sign of good luck or good fortune.

Day 73 - Also known as the Flamingo Flower, Boy Flower, Painted Tongue and Painter's Palette – because of their distinctive shape and color – the name anthurium comes from Greek, meaning "tail flower." Exotic and compelling, with bold, typically red flowers and shiny, dark green foliage, anthurium, like the hospitality they represent, are long-lasting and irresistibly beautiful.

Day 74 - Since 2001, when imports of cut Hypericum were finally allowed into the U.S market, there’s been an explosion of new varieties and colors available. What was known, until not long ago, as primarily a burgundy colored berried branch is now available in bright red, orange, peach, coral, pink, cream, yellow, green and even white! These developments, combined with the perfect high altitude growing conditions for Hypericum in Ecuador, have given us a wonderful array of trendy berries to add to floral designs year round.

Day 75 - A symbol of happy life and contented existence, the stock flower, with its sweet, heady-scented blooms, is native to Southwestern Greece and the Mediterranean. Typically found in white, pink, red or lilac, stock is also called gillyflower or Virginia stock.