365 Days of Floral Education - Days 266 - 270

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 266 - A number of species of zinnia are popular flowering plants. Their varied habits allow for uses in several parts of a garden, and their tendency to attract butterflies and hummingbirds is seen as desirable. A number of species of zinnia are popular flowering plants. Their varied habits allow for uses in several parts of a garden, and their tendency to attract butterflies and hummingbirds is seen as desirable. Their ability to attract hummingbirds is also seen as useful as a defense against whiteflies, and therefore zinnias are a desirable companion plant, benefiting plants that are intercropped with it. Zinnias are grown in the summer.

Day 267 - There are many kinds of Zinnias and the general meaning of this flower is thoughtfulness and friendship. Magenta zinnias symbolize lasing affection, scarlet represent constancy, white mean goodness, yellow symbolize daily remembrance and a mix of colors mean that one is thinking of an absent friend.

 

 

 

 

Day 268 – Solidego is an attractive source of nectar for bees, flies, wasps, and butterflies. Honey from solidego often is dark and strong due to admixtures of other nectars. However when there is a strong honey flow, a light (often water white), spicy-tasting monofloral honey is produced. While the bees are ripening the honey produced from solidego it has a rank odor and taste, but finished honey is much milder.

Day 269 – Solidego, Solidago virgaurea, is used in a traditional kidney tonic by practitioners of herbal medicine to counter inflammation and irritation caused of bacterial infections or kidney stones. Solidego has also been used as part of a tincture to aid in cleansing of the kidney or bladder during a healing fast, in conjunction with potassium broth and specific juices. Native Americans chewed the leaves to relieve sore throats and chewed the roots to relieve toothaches.

Day 270 - Variegation is the appearance of differently colored zones in the leaves, and sometimes the stems, of plants. This may be due to a number of causes. Some variegation is attractive and ornamental and gardeners tend to preserve these. The term is also sometimes used to refer to color zonation in flowers, minerals, and the skin, fur, feathers or scales of animals.

365 Days of Floral Education - Days 121 - 125

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 121 - If you receive roses with thorns, leave them. Removing the thorns wounds the stem. The more wounds there are, the more likely the flower's life will be shortened. "Barking" the stem ruins the vessels that transport water up the stem to refresh the flower. It also creates an open wound through which bacteria can enter. If you must remove a thorn, it's best to remove just a small piece of the pointy tip. So be careful of those thorns and enjoy the beauty of the rose.

Day 122 – Kalanchoe is a genus of about 125 species of tropical, succulent flowering plants, popular because of their ease of propagation, low water requirements and wide range of available colors. In traditional medicine, Kalanchoe species have been used to treat ailments such as infections, rheumatism and inflammation. Kalanchoe extracts also have immunosuppressive effects. One variety has even been recorded in Trinidad and Tobago as being used as a traditional treatment for hypertension.

Day 123 - Of all the flowers typically seen in an American garden, the marigold never disappoints. From its resilience, outlasting most other annuals well into the fall months and thriving in even the hottest driest weather, to its intense fiery color, the lowly marigold fills in the bare garden spots more efficiently than many other flowers. While the marigold flower, closely associated with the sun's energy, carries positive connotations, it has also been perceived through the ages to possess some darker qualities. It can symbolize jealousy and cruelty and represent sorrow and feelings of unrest during a sad time.

Day 124 – Leaves are the plants’ food factory; producing carbohydrates by the process of photosynthesis. The green pigment absorbs energy in the form of sunlight and uses it to chemically combine carbon dioxide from the air with water absorbed by the roots to make soluble sugar, which can then be converted into insoluble starch and other products and subsequently stored as a potential energy source.

Day 125 - In some countries of Europe, incurve chrysanthemums are symbolic of death and are used only for funerals or on graves, while other types carry no such symbolism; similarly, in China, Japan and Korea, white chrysanthemums are symbolic of lamentation and/or grief. In some other countries, they represent honesty. In the United States, the flower is usually regarded as positive and cheerful, with New Orleans as a notable exception.