365 Days of Floral Education - Days 301 - 305

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 301 - Do you wake up with dry tired eyes? Try a chrysanthemum tea. Chrysanthemum's help cure imbalances of the liver and kidney's causing the dry eyes. Chrysanthemum tea is a flower-based tisane made from chrysanthemum flowers prepared by steeping the flowers, usually dried in hot water, often with rock sugar added and occasionally also wolfberries. The resulting drink is transparent and ranges from pale to bright yellow in color, with a floral aroma.

Day 302 - Gardenia flowers may be eaten raw, pickled or preserved in honey. And indeed Gardenia blossoms are also used to make Jasmine tea. It seems a little like bait and switch but since the pallet doesn’t know the difference your Jasmine tea may be flavored with Jasmine or Gardenia. Gardenias have a light, sweet flavor.

Day 303 - Also known as the Black-Eyed Susan, the Rudbeckia has fiery yellow petals and a deep brown center—almost like a miniature sunflower. The black-eyed Susan was designated the state flower of Maryland in 1918. The Preakness Stakes in Baltimore, MD has been termed "The Run for the Black-Eyed Susans" because a blanket of chrysanthemums, decorated to look like black-eyed Susans, is traditionally placed around the winner's neck (actual black-eyed Susans are not in season during the Preakness). The black-eyed Susan which means “Justice” makes a very nice cut-flower with a vase life up to 10 days.

 

Day 304 - The roots but not seedheads of Black-Eyed Susans, Rudbeckia hirta can be used much like the related Echinacea. It is an astringent used as in a warm infusion as a wash for sores and swellings. The Native American tribe Ojibwa used it as a poultice for snake bites and to make an infusion for treating colds and worms in children. The plant is diuretic and was used by the Native American tribes Menominee and Potawatomi. Juice from the roots had been used as drops for earaches.

 

Day 305 – Matthiola, or stock flowers, have been used to make a dark blue or purple dyes. They have also been used medically as an infusion and when mixed with wine it has been used as an antidote for poisonous bites.

365 Days of Floral Education - Days 126 - 130

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 126 - Sago Palms (Cycas revoluta), one of the most primitive living seed plants, are very unusual and popular ornamentals. A rugged trunk, topped with whorled feathery leaves has led to the common name "Sago Palm", however it is actually related to conifer and Ginko trees - all cone bearing plants which trace their origins back to the ancient flora of the early Mesozoic era. Often called "living fossils", Cycads have changed very little in the last 200 million years.



Day 127 - Dandelions, often thought of as pesky garden weeds, may be made into a delicious wine! We can hardly wait until spring, when this pretty little yellow flower will be everywhere and ripe for the picking!We found instructions for this intoxicating treat here: http://seekingabundance.net/2011/05/elixar-of-the-gods-dandelion-wine/.

Day 128 - Flora was the Roman Goddess of flowers and her name continues to be used as a collective term for plant life and flowers. The festival of Flora, called the Floralia, was held in the month of April or early May and was marked with flowers. There were two temples dedicated to Flora in Rome, one was near the great Circus Maximus where chariot races were held and the other temple was on the slopes of the Quirinal Hill.

Day 129 - Gardenia is a genus of 142 species of flowering plants in the coffee family. They symbolize a secret and untold love. Gardenia plants are prized for the strong sweet scent of their flowers.

Day 130 - Ginestra is a wonderfully fragrant flowering variety of Cytisus or "broom", of which white is the natural color. It is a nice accent flower that may be used in smaller arrangements or cascade elegant and dramatic bouquets. Ginestra makes a great tinted product and is available from Italy in a wide range of colors.