Ask and Answer Flower Questions Archive - Nov 2006

By Ana: Species name of these Clerodendrons ?

Webmaster: The image you are referring to is that of Clerodendron quadriloculare, commonly known as the Shooting Star, Glorybower or Starburst. It is one of the many species of Clerodendrons, a native of the tropics and is grown today in other parts of the world as well. The plant is a multi-stemmed bush, growing to around 10 feet in height. Shooting star is a wonderful ornamental plant and a great addition for the gardens because of the clusters of attractive flowers covering the stems.

The flowers of shooting star grow in clusters of pink and white, which flowers from late winter through spring. The plant can be propagated by cuttings or seeds.

By Jack: Where can I buy Siberian Statice?

Answer by Betty: Siberian Statice (Limonium vulgare) is a wonderful filler for dried flower arrangements. To our knowledge, Siberian statice are available online with the Poppies shop.

You could mail the Poppies shop for any further enquiries to: info@poppiesshop.com

By Sonia: How to condition a strelitzia flower?

Answer by Webmaster: Strelitzia, commonly known as the Birds of Paradise are wonderful flowers for cut flower arrangements for two strong reasons - the beautiful and colorful blooms and long lasting nature. Proper care can keep the birds of paradise flowers last for more than a week.

Follow the following tips to prolong the life of your birds of paradise:

• If the birds of paradise flowers are being cut from your garden, cut them early in the morning when the plants are fully hydrated and before the sun hits the flower bed. Flowers cut in the noon do not last long.
• If the flowers are received as a gift in a closed container, unpack them immediately.
• Cut the stalk of the flower by about 1/2 inch obliquely at an angle of 45 degrees. This helps to increase the water sucking ability of the flower stems since the whole of lower end of the stem is not attached to the base of the container to be able to obstruct the passage of water into the stem.
• Keep the stems for some time in warm water.
• Remove any foliage at the bottom and keep it in a clean vase with clear water.
• Add a commercial floral preservative to enhance the longevity or add 1 teaspoon sugar and one crushed aspirin to 1 quart of water.
• Re-cut the stems after 3 adys and do change water in the vase every day.

By Shar: Can you help me identify this flower?

Answer by Webmaster: The flower was identified as Acacia pycnantha, the Australian Floral Emblem. Acacias are reffered as Wattles in Australia, and as Acacia in Africa and America. Acacia is the largest genus of vascular plants in the plant kingdom. The name Acacia is derived from the Greek word akis meaning a point or barb.

Acacia Flowers are typically small, yellow and fragrant with many stamens, giving the flower a fuzzy appearance. The Acacia flower heads are actually lots of little flowers bundled together. Acacia Flowers can vary in color from cream, pale yellow through to gold. Read more about Acacia on The Flower Expert.

By Jas: I have oriental lilies in pots. How to care lilies over the winter?

Answer by Daniella: Winter care for oriental lilies in the pot is very simple. Just take the flower pot indoors and place it in a relatively cool place, probably a garrage. See that there is sufficient aeration for the plant.

By Rezkalla: Any flowers that grow all year round in southern california?

Answer by Garry: To our knowledge, there are no flowering plants which bloom all the year round in Souther California. But Lavenders, Namesia and Geum Cheloense are comparatively better compared to other flowering plants which bloom for most of the year in S California. Among lavenders, Lavender multifida (Fernleaf lavender) is a wonderful addition to the S Californian gardens, for their deep purple flowers, with their exclusive oregano scent as well as fern like beautiful silvery foliage it bears through-out the year.

You can also try Geraniums, Delphiniums and Asters, which although bloom for shorter periods, thrive well in S California with their colorful blooms.

By Farooqu: What is the name of the white bead like flower south asians use in their weddings?

Answer by Webmaster: The flower you are describing appears to be Jasmine. Jasmine flowers are white and are known for their exclusive fragarnce. They are summer flowers and are widely used in summer weddings in Asia. Plase have alook at our page on jasmines for more information about jasmines.

We hope the flower you are describing is Jasmine. If you think it is not, please send an image of the flower, if you have one. An image would help us identify the flower exactly.

By Anne: How to cut ivy plant to make a new plant? Do I put in water or dirt?

Answer by Daniella: Ivy is one of the easiest plants to grow and take cuttings of to propagate new plants. Just follow these simple tips:

• Take a stem of a healthy ivy plant with leaves.
• You will find small root like structures to the opposite side of the leaf at the node. They are called aerial roots. These aerial roots develop into roots when it has enough moisture.
• Strip off the leaves at the lower end of the stem since leaves are not requiored to be put in water.
• Place the cut stem of ivy in a glass of water and place it in a place where enough light is served for long hours. But take care that it is not placed in direct hot sunlight which can burn the leaves off.
• The ivy absorbs water very fast which consequently gets evaporated. Hence, see that the water is not exhausted.
• Also, keep changing water daily.
• In a week or so, more roots develop and new leaves also come up.
• Once you see new leaves coming up and the plant is growing healthy, you can plant it in a pot or jar of your choice.
• See that it is watered well till new leaves and growth of the plant occurs in the pot.

By Kubicki: When and how should I cut my Montauk Daisies back for the winter?

Answer by Maryam: Spring is the right time to cut your Montauk Daisy. You should cut your Montauk Daisy almost to the ground (to a height of about 3-5 inches). This strategy helps your daisy to sustain the winter.

Again when your Montauk grows to a height of about 15 inches, cut it back again to about half the size to rejuvenate itself to give off lovely flowers the following season of blooming.

Winter months can also result in constant wetness or ice on the leaves of the Montauk Daisy. Frost heaving caused by alternate freezing and thawing of the soil may also be a critical problem Montauks shall have to face. You can try out these tips to combat the winter:

• Mound the soil up around each montauk daisy plant.
• Create a drainage ditch for the montauks.
• Provide shade for the plants.
• Provide a light airy mulch to insulate the roots of montauk daisies.

By Lybert: Orange Pumpkin or lantern shaped flowers... What are they called?

Answer by Eric: The flower you are describing appears to be Physalis alkekengi, commonly known as the Chinese lantern. Physalis alkekengi is an ornamental herbacious perennial which produces minute, creamy white flowers and brilliant orange inflated calyces in autumn which resembles chinese lanterns.

Chinese lanterns are excellent for dried floral arrangements. The orange coloration of the calyces will fade with time if left on the plant. Cut the stems for drying as the leaves begin to die. The plant is propagated both by seeds and cuttings, taken in spring.

By Allison: I was told to plant paperwhites in pea gravel. I planted them in pot mix. Is it ok?

Answer by Zach: Paperwhites are one of the easiest grown flowering bulbs. Paperwhites essentially need only two factors: water and a firm foundation which can support the plant. Infact, as far as paperwhites are concerned, it is not much a significant issue of which medium we use, it should allow free drainage of water.

Using a potting mix is no harm to the paperwhites. But most paperwhite growers who grow them indoors grow them in transparent pots and use gravel and pebbles on top of a thin layer of soil or potting mix at the bottom. the soil mix at the bottom makes water and required moisture available for the paperwhite bulbs and the upper layer of gravel/pebbles is used to enhance the look of the pot as seen from the transparent glass material used for the pot.

By Nautiyal: Looking for some ornamental plants or flowers that can survive N Michigan cold winter.

Answer by Reza: There are only a few flowering plants and ornamentals which can survive the winter in N Michigan. Berries are the best of them. Berries, especially blue berries are a wonderful addition for a garden landscape during this period. Leaving the flowers aside, the foliage itself adds beauty to the garden landscape. Japanese wind orchid (Neofinetia falcata) is another ornamental, suitable for witer gardening in Michigan. This plant bears wonderful purple flowers which add color to the gardens.

By Ednar: What is the scientific name of Shanghai beauty?

Answer by Daniella: The scientific name of shanghai beauty is Jatropha integerrima of the family Euphorbiaceae. Other common names of shanghai beauty include Peregrina and Spicy jatropha. It is an evergreen shrub or small tree, originated in Cuba, with glossy leaves and clusters of star shaped bright scarlet or vermilion flowers.

The shanghai beauty blooms most of the year, bearing both male and female flowers, but usually not at the same time. This adaptation tends to keep the plant away from self-pollinating. Seeds are seldom produced unless there are several peregrinas in an area. This shrub is excellent for attracting butterflies, particularly zebras, monarchs, and swallowtails. The plant is propagated by seeds, or cuttigs taken in Spring.

By Baer: How long does fresh cut (bought from shop) Dendrobiums long?

Answer by Fred: Dendrobium orchids are one of the most beautiful flowers in the floral world. Besides their exclusive beauty, these flowers are very much known for their long lasting nature. The cutflower stems of Dendrobium Orchids last from 4 to 8 days depending on the care provided. The following care tips enhance the longevity of Dendrobium orchids:

• Unpack the Dendrobiums as earlier as possible. Cut off the stem by 1/2 inch obliquely at an angle of 45 degrees. This helps to increase the water sucking ability of the flower stems.
• Place the Dendrobiums in a clean vase with clean water, if possible with a commercial floral preservative. If your Dendrobiums are already wilted by the time of unpacking, immerse the whole stem in cool water for about 15 minutes.
• Re-cut stems (1 cm.) once in three days.
• Dendrobiums thrive well in well when there is adequate ventilation.
• Dendrobiums last long when held in water at 50 to 55 degrees F.
• Keep flowers away from heat sources.
• Avoid temperatures below 45 degrees F. Holding dendrobiums for more days at temperatures below 45 degrees can cause blooms to fade away or drop off from the stem.

By Vicky: My Moonflower cactus is not doing well. Care tips for this cactus?

Answer by Daniella: Moonflower Cactus is a night blooming cactus with white flowers which opens shortly after dark and will last only until about 7 a.m. the next morning. The Moonflower Cactus grows well under following conditions:

The Moonflower Cactus demands a moist soil medium. It should never be allowed to dry out completely. Also see that the excess water drains out of the pot through the holes at the bottom and that the pot is water-logged. Moonflower Cactus prefer filtered sunlight or a few hours of sunlight in the morning or afternoon. They should be grown on a patio or near a window where they recieive morning of afternoon sunlight. These cacti prefer temperatures that range between 45 and 70 degrees. They also need high humidity. Also see that there is a free air movement, but they cannot tolerate strong cold and hot winds.

If these precautionary measures are taken, there should not be any problem with your cactus.

By Storm: I'm interested in learning flower arrangement. Live in Arlington. A good School?

Answer by Sean: We are not aware of any floral arrangement programmes in Arlington. But Palmer School of Floral Design, California Flower Academy and Floral Design Institute are found to be good in imparting quality education in floral designing.

Palmer School of Floral Design (Colorado)
Palmer Design Center, 3710 Mitchell Drive, Fort Collins, CO 80525
For more details, you can mail them at info@palmerschooloffloraldesign.com
Phone: (970) 207-9476 or (970) 690-9708.

California Flower Academy
1240 Via Huerta, Los Altos CA 94024
For more details, you can mail them at info@california-academy.com
Phone: (650) 964 4799

Floral Design Institute
For more details, you can mail them at Question@FloralDesignInstitute.com
Phone: (800) 819 8089

If you are unable to make it for regular classes, you can opt for distance learning programme by the Floral Design Institute.

By Maddy: As my amaryllis is growing, it is leaning towards one side. How to prevent this?

Answer by Maren: It is a natural tendency with Amaryllis to bend towards light. It tries to face the light and grow in that direction as a result of which it leans downwards as the stalk starts to elongate. To prevent this, keep turning the pot or container a bit every day to one side. But if the Amaryllis is badly leaned down, you need to provide support by staking it to grow straight.

While the flower stalk is elongating and the leaves are growing, keep the growing medium moist. To enhance the quality of the bloom, apply a house plant fertilizer. Flowers will probably last longer if the anthers are removed before they begin shedding pollen. Placing the pot in a slightly cooler location will also prolong the life of the flowers.

By Davis: Can Ixoras be grown in Dallas, N Texas?

Answer by Daniella: Ixora is the most common flowering shrub of Florida. And it can be grown in Dallas area.

Ixora is a wonderful plant grown as an ornamental. Ixora propagates from seeds as well as cuttings of the plant. But cuttings are the best means to propagate Ixoras. Take cuttings of the plant in early spring and let them root in a damp mixture containing equal parts of sand and peat moss. The mix should be kept at a constant bottom heat of 70? farenheit.

Ixora plants need shade and high humidity in summer but should be kept comparatively drier in winter season. Most ixoras do best in full sun, acid soil and well drained moist organic mix. Always use acid forming fertilizers. The plant can beautify your garden since they can be moulded into any shape by pinching it appropriately and by promoting bushiness in the plant.

By April: Flower like bird of paradise, plummy red. Thick red stalk. Curves down at top?

Answer by Min: The flower you are speaking about should be Heliconia. Heliconia are grown for their beautiful, brilliant colorful flowering bracts. Breathtaking and unusual flowerheads (bracts) rise from clumps of banana like leaves, sometimes very large or slender.

Heliconia flowers are actually highly modified leaves and bracts. The flowering stems are mostly pendulous. A bract is a leaf structure at the base of a flower. Heliconia flowers are produced on long, erect or drooping panicles, and consist of brightly colored waxy bracts, with small true flowers inside the bracts. Read more about Heliconia

By Dixie: How to divide a princess lily?

Answer by Perry: Princess lily can be propagated by division. It is the most cost effective means of propagating a princess lily. Late winter or early spring is the best time to divide the princess lily when the weather is favorable enough to stimulate new root growth. Divisions done at this time ensures that plants establish quickly ready for summer. In warmer areas, division can be done at any time of the year.

Please do consider the plant's shape and condition before you dividing it. If the plant looks crowded and is performing poorly, you can divide it and enhance the vigor of the princess lily. But if the plant is flourishing well and is continuing to flower year after year, it is not advisable to disturb the performance of the plant by dividing it.

The success of any transplanted division depends on its root system. Some divisions fail because they don't have sufficient roots to support their foliage. Take care when you dig it out of the ground. It's better to have more soil and roots than less. Pull the plant out of the ground by pushing the head of the spade straight into the ground and pulling the handle back toward you. Shallow-rooted plants come out of the ground easily, but deeper-rooted plants remain intact. A depth of 7 to 10 inches is usually the best to ensure that do not dig out any valuable roots. So naturally, a spade, with a head of about 10 inches in length should be employed to do this.

Please do see that the plant and the soil around the roots of the plant to be divided should be thoroughly moist before dividing. Also see that the new plants are watered well after planting.

By Jeanne: Name of the flower like a Japanese lantern and is hanging from the tree?

Answer by Webmaster: Based on your description of the flower, it should be Hibiscus schizopetalus, commonly known as the Fringed Hibiscus or Coral Hibiscus. The plant is a bush which is tall with numerous slender branches, bark dark gray, brownish twigs, sparse foliage.

The flowers are drooping from the branches with characteristically split petals (in the species name, schizo means split) and the length of the elongated tube exceeding the diameter of the petals. They are 2? inches wide, petals strongly re-curved, dull crimson, fringed with yellow, orange and whitish, column slender, pendulous, 3 inches long, stigmas minute on slender branches, peduncle 3? inches, bracts none or abortive. It was referred to in 1913 as the Ornamental Hibiscus of Hawaii.

By Weblandlord: Can you identify this flower for a lady from my Church?

Answer by Webmaster: The flower you are referring to is Bleeding Heart or Bag Flower (Clerodendrum thomsoniae).

Bleeding Heart is a twining evergreen shrub (vine) originated in tropical west Africa. It is an excellent tub or hanging basket plant. Flowers are seen year round, more during warmer months of the year. The plant needs good drainage. The soil medium should always be kept moist for a healthy growth of the plant. To produce more flowers, prune after plant has stopped blooming. The plant is Propagated from stem cuttings in late spring or late summer.

By Faris: The name of that plant used in flower arrangements, looks like catterpillar?

Answer by Andy: I hope you are speaking about the foxtail fern, which is also known as the bottle-brush fern (Asparagus densiflorus 'Myers' ). It is an evergreen arching perennial that has feathery, needle-like, stems. Foxtail Fern is often thought of as a fern but really it is not a true fern, i.e. it produces seeds rather than spores. This “Fern” is however related to the vegetable Asparagus which also has fern-like foliage. Please have a look at the image attached with this mail, for you to confirm that I was speaking about the same plant which you are describing.

By June: Should you cut back Nippon daisies? When and to what Height?

Answer by Ana: Nippon Daisies are large white daisies, with yellow centers and are one of the most beautiful beautiful cutflowers.

Nippon Daisies should be cut back almost to the ground level in the spring. Then, after they grow to 3 or 4 inches, remove all the old woody growth and let only the new growth continue. Again, when it is about 12 to 15 inches tall, cut it back to about half the length.

You should see lush growth with your Nippon Daisies and can expect them to give lovely blossoms the next season if you follow this strategy. Happy gardening.

By Katie: What kind of enviornment do Apple Blossoms prefer?

Answer by Daniella: Apple blossoms thrive well broadly in mediterranean to temperate climatic zones. It grows the best in most fertile soils, preferring a moisture retentive well-drained loamy soil and heavy clay soils. Apple blossoms prefer a sunny position and flourishes well in partial sun.

By Anonymous: what is the geowing strategy for lilies plants for cut flowers?

Answer by Webmaster: Before trying out growing lilies for harvesting, it is better to have a look at the overall advantages and disadvantages of growing lilies. The advantages include the ease of harvest of typically leafless stems of lilies, closer planting (since the plants do not branch much) leading to a higher yield per square foot, unique flower forms and a current strong market. And the disadvantages are like a higher cost associated with purchasing bulbs (since the bulbs should be purchased every year) compared to seed, and having to completely remove plant parts from the field to avoid weed problems the following season.

Please have a look at our page on Lilies for an overview of growing lilies domestically. But if you are specifically looking for growing them on a large scale for harvesting cutflowers, please look into the Interesting Information section of the same page below the content part to find out more about Production of Asiatic and Oriental Lilies as Cut Flowers, an article by College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Maryland.

By Isabelle: I have been trying to find an english or botanical name to a flower - Teuila - native to my parents homeland Samoa.

Answer by Bell: After a lot of research, it was found that "Teuila", in Samoa, is known as Alpinia in English. Its scientific name is Alpinia purpurata. There are many varieties of Alpinia, one of which is the Teuila, found in Samoa, the national flower of Samoa. Both the flowers and foliage of Alpinias are excellent for cut flower arrangements.

By Debbie: I live in SE Michigan. How do I protect from winter my Hardy Hibiscus & Nikko Blue Hydrangea?

Answer by Ron: Although your hardy Hibiscus does not need much winter care, Hydrangea does demand a good amount of care in winter.

The hardy Hibiscus does not require much care. But during the coldest nights, it is advisable to cover the plant with a frost cloth although, it is not a must. But, after they experience a killing frost, hardy hibiscus can be trimmed back to about 10 inches above the ground. Once the soil is close to freezing solid, probably towards the end of November, they should be heavily mulched with leaves, hay or straw.

As far as pruning of the hardy hibiscus is concerned, it is not very much needed if it is new plant unless you want to contain the space into which it grows. If your plant is a old one, you cn prune the stems which had blooms the last season.

Coming to the winter care of Nikko Blue Hydrangea, pruning is a very step in the life cycle of the plant. Any stems that bloomed the previous season, should be cut back and the stems which did not bloom need not be pruned, as they are going to provide the flowers the next year. Any dead stems or weak parts of the plant should also be cut back simultaneously.

By Wang: Why do some flowers bloom only during day time?

Answer by Solange: Different flowers have different blooming times. Some flowers bloom during the day time whereas some others during the nights, especially towards the evening. This blooming time coincides with the time of their fragrances. So, if we have a look at this query from these points of view, we can see there is a relation between their times of blooming, fragrance and pollination.

Flowering plants produce volatile chemicals in flowers which evaporate into the air and produce their fragrances. As many scientific investigations on flowers suggest, the primary function of the fragrances of flowers is to attract pollinators of those flowers. Further, some other researches indicate that certain flower fragrances are odorous to herbivores so as to deter herbivores from feeding on these plants.

The nature of fragrances vary from flower to flower as a result of combinations and recombinations of various chemicals in that flower. Further, different flowers release their fragrances at different times. For instance, some flowers are fragrant during day times while some others during the nights. It was found by Dr. Braja Mookherjee of International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) that this kind of a circadian cycle (having different intensities of fragrances at different times) is an adaptation of flowers to suit with the timing of pollinators and thir times of activeness.

For instance, in Snapdragons, the intensity of fragrance of flowers is high during the day time when their pollinators, the bees are active. Similarly, the intensity of fragrance of flowers is high during the night time in Nicotiana when their pollinators, the moths are active.

As the scientific investigations suggest, thus, some flowers bloom during the day time and close during the nights only to suit the timings of their respective pollinators.

By Shirley: When should I plant Azaleas?

Answer by Daniella: Spring is the best time to plant azaleas because they do not normally tolerate sudden changes in temperature, whether low or high temperature. So, it is best to plant it in early spring so that it does not undergo any strain because of fluctuations in temperature during the initial days. Spring is again a good option to plant azaleas because there are no dry winds during this season, which azaleas cannot tolerate.

Also, please follow the following tips for better results with azaleas:

• Azaleas are shallow rooted plants. They are easily damaged by excessive soil moisture. So, choose an acidic soil (4.5 to 6.0 pH) which is well-drained and with some organic content.
• Select a site where there is very less wind. The site can be behind a building or a slope where they act as barriers to wind. But let not the site be at the corner of a building. The winds are very strong here. Some evergreen shrubs like pine or spruce, planted to the south of these plants can also reduce the risk of wind.The azaleas may develop leaf scorch or splitting of the bark on the stems if they are not protected from wind.
• Azaleas give their best in partial sun. Let not the sunlight be direct on the plant or be it in complete shade. The site should be moderately shaded.
• Since, azaleas are shallow rooted, let not the soil be dried up. Provide some good water supply on a regular basis. But, do not let the plant water-logged. Mulching at the base of the plant is a good solution to keep the plant moist.
• Azaleas do not require high nutrition as many other shrubs demand. Hence, these plants require less fertilizing. Do not fertilize azaleas unnecessarily unless they show some symptoms of nutrient deficiency like stunted growth, smaller than normal leaves, light green to yellowish leaf color and early leaf drop.