Orchids

There is a general misunderstanding about orchids that they grow with much difficulty. Some even hold that they bloom o­nly in near greenhouse conditions. But this is not a fact as many types of orchids can flourish even in an ordinary environment, provided the essentials are religiously followed.

So it is not condition that is crucial but the extent of care that needs to be higher. With suitable standards of care orchids may grow as indoor window plants.

The Orchidaceae family is a large family that has nearly 750 genera, about 2000 species. More over there are some thousand species that are artificially made hybrids. These are divided in two types, terrestrial and epiphytic, the former grow o­n the ground while the later cling to rocks, trees or shrubs. Most of them are terrestrial.

Like most terrestrial plants the terrestrial orchids also have thick and fleshy roots with fine fibrous roots connected to them. They provide nutrient food to the plant. As against this epiphytic orchids also have aerial roots along with the base root. These aerial roots help them climb and creep along a reasonably damp surface. These roots are cylindrical and thick.

Continue reading…

Written by Bobbie on January 13th, 2006 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on Flowers.

Daphnes for Scent and Colour

Anyone with even a passing knowledge of plants knows that daphnes have wonderfully fragrant flowers. And because some of them - usually the most scented - flower in winter, they’re the sort of must-have plants that are usually among the first planted in any new garden.

There are around 50 species of Daphne, many of which are choice garden specimens. They are widespread lot, ranging from Europe and North Africa to temperate and subtropical Asia. Most of them are evergreen or nearly so, but a few are deciduous, often flowering before the foliage expands.

The plant everyone calls daphne is Daphne odora, particularly the cultivar ‘Leucantha’ , which is often misspelt ‘Leucanthe’ . This shrub, a native of China and Japan, sells in vast numbers, mainly o­n the strength of its perfume, but also because it’s a reasonably hardy evergreen bush. It grows to around 1.5m tall with leathery, deep green leaves up to 80mm long. From mid-winter o­n into spring it produces clusters of small, starry, pale pink flowers. Several flower and foliage forms are available and the variety with yellow-edged leaves, ‘Variegata’ (sometimes called ‘Aureomarginata’ ), is often hardier and easier to grow than the species.

Daphne odora can be quite particular about soil conditions and is slightly frost tender in cold winter areas. It does best in cool, moist, humus enriched, well-drained, acid soil in sun or light shade. Work in plenty of compost or similar organic matter - it’s impossible to use too much - and feed regularly with liquid fertilisers and an occasional side dressing of acid fertiliser. Kept healthy, D. odora develops quickly and is attractive even without flowers, but it isn’t a long-lived bush. You can expect to have to replace it at least every 8-10 years.

Continue reading…

Written by Bobbie on January 13th, 2006 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on Flowers and Fresh Flowers.

Caring for Roses

Roses the most delicate and tender plant, that gives soothing fragrance and holds beautiful look, needs a bit of extra care to charm for a longer span of life. The leaves that tend to fade or fall, intimate you to pay a little more attention to your roses and get ready to provide proper treatment to them.

Generally the rose leaves, due to temperature rise, hot air blowing, excessive sun rays, lack of watering or inadequate water sprinkling or even mishandling, fall down the water. They should be immediately taken out or else they may cause damage to the entire bush. Having removed the fallen leaves you need to start your treatment.

Be careful to keep water supply constant as you hold the stems under the water tap or running water from any other source. Use a well sharpened knife or scissor to trim each of the stems nearly two centimeters. Be a little prompter to replace the trimmed stems cut the pot or in the arrangement so that the cutting ends might not dry up. If dried, they will not get as energetic growth as expected.

Continue reading…

Written by Bobbie on January 13th, 2006 with comments disabled.
Read more articles on Flowers and Fresh Flowers.