Ask and Answer Flower Questions Archive - May 2007

By Efinley: What is happening when an amaryllis bulb is showing small babies on it?

Answer By Garry: After the rest or dormancy period remove any remaining dead foliage. At this time either repot the plant or continue growth in the same soil. Your bulb may have tiny bulbs growing off the main bulb at this time. You can remove these tiny bulbs and pot them in a new pot to grow a new generation of amaryllis plants or you can also leave them to grow off of the mother bulb until they mature. Water the bulb (or new immature bulbs) once and place in a warm sunny location. Wait two or three weeks until growth sets in and continue the cycle again for another year. Do not give up on your plant if it does not bloom this year. Starting from a dry bulb is a rigorous process for a plant and it may need until next year to gain back its resources. However, as time goes on your amaryllis will not only continue to blossom year after year, but it will produce new amaryllis bulbs for you to do with as you please.

By Judith Burr: Can Jasmine be grown as a house plant?

Answer By Webmaster: Yes, Jasmine plants can be grown as houseplants.

By Amy: When to transplant the perenenial flowers?

Answer By Webmaster: The ideal weather to transplant is when it is cool and overcast. Avoid planting during hot or windy periods or provide some shading after planting. Soak bare root plants in water for about a half hour before planting. Water container grown plants before removing them from their container. Turn the pot upside down and slide the root ball out. Roots may have difficulty growing into the surrounding soil unless the roots and soil mixture are cut, loosened, and spread out. Fill the hole and firm the soil lightly around the plant. Be sure the crown is at the soil line. Drench the soil around the planting hole with a liquid fertilizer (16-12-10 or 20-20-20 mixed 1 tablespoon per gallon of water) to stimulate root growth. Check reference books to determine optimum spacing between plants. After planting, apply a 2- to 3-inch layer of mulch without covering the crown. Plants will need to be watered frequently after transplanting until new roots are produced into the surrounding soil.

By Danielle: What are the Michigan's most popular ornamental trees.?

Answer By Garry: Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) is one of Michigan's most popular ornamental trees. Tulip poplar is also widely grown as an ornamental. Eastern white pine, Maple trees are some of the popular ornamental trees growing in Michigan State.

By Steve: When are the earliest Orchids dated and their history?

Answer By Shyly: The Earliest Orchids:-

The earliest known orchids (the Mediterranean region), were named Orchis-an earthy reference to the Greek word for testicle, because of their twin oval tubers. These and other orchids from time to time have been considered useful in medicine, but the only orchid of true economic value is Vanilla planifolia, the source of vanilla flavoring. This orchid was used by the Aztecs and thus became known to Europe shortly after the Spanish conquest of Mexico.

Orchids have had an exotic and mystical allure for thousands of years. In the Chinese culture, the orchid was known as the ?plant of the King's Fragrance?. Its aroma was legendary and much sought-after.

In the Greek culture, orchids were known to bring about virility and fertility. They were sought after in the homes of newlyweds.

In Middle Ages:-

The Middle Ages was very focussed on herbs and flowers, and orchids were no exception. No doctor of the time would be caught without orchids. Amongst other uses, the orchid was known to be an extremely powerful aphrodisiac.

Epiphytic orchids from the West Indies and China were brought to Great Britain beginning in the 1700s; by the end of that century 15 species were growing at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew (Great Britain). Success was indifferent, however, because the orchids were grown in hot, damp greenhouses with little or no air circulation.

Orchids became a force in the flower world in 1818, with William Cattley. He had received some orchids as packing material around the actual flowers he ordered. He decided on a whim to see what these other plants would do if cared for. The first Cattleya bloomed, and suddenly the entire world became orchid-crazed.

Suddenly entire native populations of orchids were destroyed as collectors ravaged them. Many orchids became endangered or extinct. Modern day collectors work hard to care for these populations, and collecting of wild orchids is pretty much banned.

In Modern Ages:-

Many crosses between genera were made; the current list of hybrids far surpasses 100,000 and continues to grow with each year.

By Kristi: Is there a true blue colored Gerbera daisy? If so, what is it called?

Answer By Daniela: Gerberas come in a very wide range of colors - almost every colour except blue. But typically purple, red, pink, orange, yellow, cream, peach and white. Breeders have produced hundreds of different colored varieties with subtle differences in shading from creamy pastels to hot neons, some with dark centers, some with shades of buff and maroon, some with serrated or frilly petals, or double flowers and extra wide petals.

RS: How to get the seeds from a gerbera?

Answer By Garry: If the gerbera flower head has dried and turned brown on the stem, or if the seed pods have turned brown and are starting to split open, or you can hear the seeds rattle when you shake the pod, or if you can see that animals or birds are eating the fruit, then the seeds are ready to gather. Gather the seeds prematurely, and you make the task of cleaning the seed both difficult and time consuming. Wait too long, and the seeds will have dropped to the ground, flown away in the wind, been broadcast by exploding seed pods, or eaten. Determining the correct time to gather mature seeds is done by careful observation.

By John: Difference between Dianthus caryophyllus and dianthus chinensis?

Answer By Webmaster:

Dianthus Caryophyllus

• It is a Perennial.
• Bloom season is Early Spring through Late Spring.
• Colors range from Pink, Red, White, Yellow.
• Needs Full Sun
• Long Blooming, Low Maintenance, Showy Flowers. Susceptible to Root Rot.
• Size ranges from 9 in. to 1 ft. 6 in.

Dianthus chinensis

• It is a Biennial
• Bloom season is Mid Spring through Late Summer
• Colors range fromPink, Red, White
• Size ranges from 6 in. to 1 ft.
• Needs Full Sun, Partial Sun.
• Thrives in Alkaline Soil. Container Plants, Cut Flowers, Showy Flowers. Susceptible to Aphids, Black Spot, Caterpillars, Fusarium Wilt, Powdery Mildew, Rust, Spider Mites, Thrips.

By Joy: How can Hyacinths be grown best?

By Garry:Hyacinths grow best in full sun / partial shade, in rich, well drained soil and make a wonderful cutflower.

By Sophie: Give the names of flowers for each month?

Answer By Webmaster: Today's flowers of the months are rooted in ancient Chinese and Japanese flower calendars. Throughout the 14th and 15th centuries, calendars in Europe featured farming activities that took place during a particular month. Later, during the more expressive and artistic 19th century, Europeans adopted the ancient Oriental tradition of honoring each month with its own seasonal flower.

Like birthstones, monthly flowers have come to signify the month in which a person was born. And while monthly flowers may differ slightly from region to region, each still represents the "birth" of a new month and new possibilities.

• January: Carnation
• February: Iris
• March: Daffodil
• April: Daisy
• May: Lily-of-the-Valley
• June: Rose
• July: Sunflower
• August: Gladiolus
• September: Aster
• October: Snapdragon
• November: Chrysanthemum
• December: Orchid

Cindy:What are cancer flowers?

Answer By Webmaster:The autumn corm is Conopholis americana or Squaw root. This parasitic plant looks like a mutant pine cone or something from a horror movie. Its closest relatives are Orobanche spp. (Broomrapes), which are also parasitic and uncommon. Another common name of Conopholis americana is Squawroot.

* Conopholis alpina, alpine cancer-root Conopholis alpina var. mexicana, Mexican cancer-root * Conopholis americana, American cancer-root or Squawroot. In the American Blue Ridge Mountains, C. americana is called "bear corn" because it resembles an ear of corn. It is also called "Cancer-root" because it was reputed to have therapeutic properties upon the disease.

By Paula:Wwhat are white and orange lilies?

Answer By Webmaster:Orange blossoms are Asiatic Lilies(Elite variety), and In Tiger Lilies - Orange Tiger Lily (Tigrinum Splendens) which are orange colored flowers.

In Oriental Lilies, casablanca varieties are pure white 10 inch flowers.

By Dawn: How can we preserve Arum Lilies?

Answer By Daniela: Arum lilies are othewise called as Calla lilies. These calla lilies are not recommended for preservation. List of recommended and not recommended flowers are:

Recommended * alstromeria * alyssum * baby's breath * bells of Ireland * birds of paradise * bridal wreath * carnations * caspia * columbine * coral bells * delphinium * ferns * forget me not * freesia

* gerbers * heather * hydrangea * ivy * johnny jump ups * larkspur * lilly of the valley * lizzies * lobelia * lupine * mini sunflowers * orchids * pansies * queen ann's lace

* rose buds * roses * small garden flowers * soft ferns * statice * stephanotis-if fresh (pearls can be added) * sweet william * verbena * viola * wax flowers

Not recommended for preservation: - * calla lilies * casa blanca lilies * dendrobians * gardenias * large fleshy flowers * lilacs * large lilies * lilies * petunias * pitt (varigated greenery) * succulents * tulips

By Elaine: Teach me how to make christmas cactus cuttings and how and what to repot?

Answer By Garry:Pruning your Christmas cactus after blooming will encourage the plant to branch out. Remove a few sections of each stem by pinching them off with your fingers or cutting with a sharp knife. These sections can be rooted in moist vermiculite to propagate new plants.

By Elaine: I planted tulips two years ago in the fall, last year the display was great! This year my front garden gave up only flower, the rest of the bulbs never bloomed, why?

Answer By Webmaster: Tulips bloom once during a growing season and then gradually go dormant. They will rebloom for you next spring, if you allow the foliage to die down naturally.

By McMurdo: Why is my main shoot of cherry blossom not blooming , but the side shoot is blooming?

Answer By Daniela: Your cherry blossom might be suffering from any fungal or bacterial diseases. The diseases may be like cankers, fire blights, rots etc. Due to fire blight disease, results in the death of blossoms, fruit, shoots, limbs, and tree trunks.

By Muhamad Pedro:What is the English name of Nargis flower.?

Answer By Garry:Commonly known in India as Nargis, daffodils are lilylike perennials with numerous narrow, straplike leaves, and a single flowering stalk, all arising from a subterranean bulb.

Jayme: In which places do lilies grow, and should they need direct sunlight?

By Webmaster:Most lilies grow best in region 8 northward through the warmer areas of region 4. Lilies do poorly in the desert southwest. In the western sections of growing regions 9 and 10, lilies should be planted where they will receive afternoon shade.

By Lu-Lu:How can we grow Frangipani.?

Answer By Shyly:

Frangipani can be grown ...

• When the seedlings are large enough to handle, transplant them individually into 7.5cm deep.
• Put them in the 3 in pots of a similar potting compost.
• Grow the plants on at 15-18C (60-65F) in good ventilation and light.
• Plant frangipani in fast draining soil.
• If existing soil is clay, amend with organic compost and crushed lava rock.
• Prune frangipani any time of year to retain shape and keep plants compact.
• Plants with thick waxy leaves, such as frangipani, can withstand more heat and wind than plants with delicate foliage.
• Use a slow release type fertilizer to provide a continuous source of nutrients to the plant, and to have blooms in plentiful.
• Water them carefully until the roots are growing rapidly through the compost.
• Place the cutting section in a protected, dry location for five days, permitting the wounds to callous.
• If existing soil is clay, amend with organic compost and crushed lava rock.
• Prune frangipani any time of year to retain shape and keep plants intact.

By Elsie: What does red, pink and white flowers mean for Mother's Day?

By Garry: Carnations are the flowers of Mothers day. The different colored flowers give different meaning when presented to the mother.

Wearing a white carnation is to honor a deceased mother,

Wearing a pink carnation is to honor a living mother,

Wearing Red roses also serve the great cause of thanking the mother for all her love and care.

By Marsha: How can we Grow and Care Hyacinths Indoors?

Answer By webmaster:The best growing medium is good quality bulb fibre which is preferable to soil-less compost as the latter compacts quite easily. The fibre should be moistened evenly.

Fill the bowl up to two thirds, place the bulbs therein and add a sufficient amount of fibre to leave half the bulb exposed.

Transfer the bowls to a cool and dark place (ideal temperature 45-50 ?F) or better still place in a shady part of the garden.

Water at regular intervals as the fibre must never be allowed to dry out.

This will result in shriveling up of the root system and development of the plants will cease.

When the shoots have grown to a height of about 2.5 inches they may be transferred to the light in a temperature of about 65 ?F, where they will develop to perfection.

By Tanya: Can Cherry blossom trees bear seeds and how are they grown?

By Garry: Cherry Blossoms cannot bear seeds, people multiplied this tree from cuttings. In other words, all the present-day Someiyoshino have been cloned, grown from cuttings.

Cherries are propagated by budding them on seedling stocks in the nursery and are sold for planting stock as one- or two-year-old trees.

Growing Instructions:

Transplant when large enough to handle into 7.5cm (3in) pots and grow on in cooler conditions. Gradually acclimatise to outdoor conditions for 10-15 days before planting out after all risk of frost, 30cm (12in) apart in a sunny spot in ordinary garden soil.

By Melani: Are Pansies poisonous to cats?

Answer By Webmaster: Pansies in general, are not poisonous to cats, but the pansies as cutflowers brought from a florist may be dangerous as they are sprayed with pesticides to remain fresh and healthy.

By Melani: Are moutain laurals a popular state flower?

Answer By Shyly: Yes, Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia) is the official Pennsylvania State Flower. Mountain Laurel, is also the state flower of Connecticut. The Mountain Laurel plant was originally brought to Europe as an ornamental plant during the 18th century. Mountain Laurel is widely grown for its attractive flowers.

By Swank: "Any ideas what type of plants or attractive ground cover to plant under a large magnolia tree that has a big tree ring around it? The roots are shallow around the ring and it is impossible to remove because of the height/roots around the ring. mostly shade also."?

Answer by Shyla: Magnolia tree has a medium growth rate with a pyramidal habit. Generally it has branches right down to the ground. Those branches are best left that way since growing anything under them is usually futile because of the tree's dense, shallow root system.

By Sunitha:I want to know that which flowers gives oil.?

Answer by Garry:There are many number of flowers, from which oil can be extracted. Some of them are: Roses, Jasmines, Violets, Lilies, Orange flower, Ylang ylang, Plumerias etc.

By Renee:Can you give tips on caring Iris and Hibiscus?

Answer by Webmaster:Care for Iris: As flowers fade, cut back the flower stalks to the base of the plant. To encourage a second bloom on reblooming varieties, promptly remove faded flowers and maintain consistent watering throughout the summer.

Care for Hibiscus: If hibiscus are not pruned back after blooming, they will take over the place.

By Sondra Howel: Where can I order a book with pictures of various floral designs?

By Webmaster: Mastering the Art of Floral Design by Paula Pryke's is the best book it gives good information and pictures of various floral designs. You can buy them at Amazon. Mastering the Art of Floral Design by Paula Pryke's is the best book it gives good information and pictures of various floral designs.You can also look at these books also The Complete Book of Floral Design and Wedding Bouquets: Over 300 Designs for Every Bride.