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 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.
