Agapanthus

The name Agapanthus comes from the Greek agap, meaning love, andanthos, meaning flower, translating broadly as the flower of love.

Agapanthus is also commonly known as the Lily of the Nile, African Blue Lily, and African Lily. The genus, Agapanthus includes about 10 species. Agapanthus flowers bloom in large, round clusters or umbels of blue, white or violet-blue. The funnel shaped Agapanthus flowers grow at the end of a thick 2 to 4 foot tall stem. The Agapanthus clusters measure about 6 to 8 inches across.

Kingdom

Plantae

Division

Magnoliophyta

Class

Liliopsida

Order

Asparagales

Family

Alliaceae

Genus

Agapanthus

Agapanthus plants are native to South Africa, spreading across the Western Cape through to the Eastern Cape. Agapanthus grows in the shade of trees to get protection from the hot sun.

The Agapanthus africanus' anthers, like the petals, are bluish because the pollen is lilac in color. Agapanthus africanus shares this characteristic withAgapanthus caulescens and Agapanthus coddii. Bees visit and pollinate the Agapanthus flowers. The Agapanthus seeds are dispersed by wind. Agapanthus africanus are lily-like blooms and come in clusters made up of many bell-shaped flowers. The Agapanthus clusters are globe-shaped or pendular. Agapanthus flowers are in various shades of blue, from a dusky, powder blue to an almost indigo-purple, but there are some white varieties as well.

Facts About Agapanthus

• Agapanthus is a showy, widely grown plant for its exotic blue or white flowers that bloom from late spring until the beginning of autumn, depending on the species.
• The perennial Agapanthus grows from an underground rhizome each year.
• The tender Agapanthus africanus species is evergreen while the hardier Agapanthus campanulatus species, coming from moister, mountain grasslands, have slightly smaller flowers and die down during winter and re-emerge again the following spring.
• Agapanthus is suspected for causing hemolytic poisoning in humans, and the sap causes severe ulceration of the mouth.
• Agapanthus contains several saponins and sapogenins that generally have anti-inflammatory (reduce swelling and inflammation), anti-oedema (oedema - swelling due to accumulation of fluid), antitussive (relieve or suppress coughing) and immunoregulatory (have influence on the immune system) properties.

Lisianthus

Lisianthus flowers are a wonderful gift for Sagittarians (born between November 22 and December 21) from the perspective of Astrology.

Lisianthus (Eustoma Grandiflorum) is a genus of 3 species in the family Gentianaceae. Lisianthus are found in warm regions of the Southern United States, Mexico, Caribbean and northern South America. Lisianthus is popular in horticulture, as an ornamental, a potted indoor plant, and a cut flower.

Kingdom

Plantae

Division

Magnoliophyta

Class

Magnoliopsida

Order

Gentianales

Family

Gentianaceae

Genus

Eustoma

Growing to 15 - 60 cms in height, Lisianthus plants are herbaceous annuals which have bluish green, slightly succulent leaves and a large funnel shaped flowers growing on the long straight stems. These plants are mostly found growing in grasslands and areas of disturbed grounds.

Lisianthus are large gentian-like bell-shaped flowers with flaring pale purple petal-like lobes. They bloom in summer from the upper leaf axils. Long-lasting flowers with four wide ruffled, delicate petals and oval leaves, they come in various colors such as white, various shades of pink, lavender, deep purple, and bi-colors such as blue-violet. Double and single Lisianthus flower varieties exist as well.

The Common names of Lisianthus are Prairie Gentian, Texas bluebell, Tulip gentian, Bluebells and Lira de San Pedro.

Lisianthus are long-stemmed flowers in cymes, with often only a few openings at a time. Sepals on Lisianthus are only fused close to the base and are much smaller than petals. The petals on Lisianthus are purple or bluish, large and rounded, with only a fuse at the base. The petals form a trumpet or funnel-shaped corolla, and are often yellow on the inside close to the mouth of the flowers. The stamens of the Lisianthus are inserted close to the base of the petals along with long and slightly twisted anthers. The Lisianthus stigmas are bilobed. Garden Lisianthus cultivars typically grow 18-30 inches tall, although some dwarf varieties (6-8 inches tall) are also available. Lisianthus is also known as a glabrous herb.

 

Facts about Lisianthus

• Eustoma grandiflorum was formerly known by the scientific name of Lisianthus russellianus.
• Eustoma is named after the Greek words eu (beautiful, good, well-), and stoma (mouth).
• Single forms of Lisianthus resemble full blown Tulips or Poppies.
• Double forms of Lisianthus reminds one of Roses or Peonies.
• The name Lisianthus comes from the Greek words lysis, meaning dissolutionand anthos, meaning flower.

About Rose

I'd rather have Roses on my table than diamonds on my neck. - Emma Goldman

Roses for the longest time have enjoyed the honor of being the most popular flowers in the world. The reason for popularity of the rose flower may be its wide variety in terms of color, size, fragrance and other attributes.

Kingdom

Plantae

Division

Magnoliophyta

Class

Magnoliopsida

Order

Rosales

Family

Rosaceae

Subfamily

Rosoideae

Genus

Rosa

The rose has been a symbol of love, beauty, even war and politics from way back in time. The variety, color and even number of Roses carry symbolicmeanings. The Rose is most popularly known as the flower of love, particularly Red Rose.

Roses have been the most popular choice of flowers for the purpose of gifting across the world. They also act as a great addition to home and office decor. A bunch of roses or even a single rose works wonders aesthetically and considerably enlivens a place. Besides fresh cut roses, artificial flowers like silk roses in different colors are also widely used as decoration.

Some Interesting Facts About Roses

• The birthplace of the cultivated Rose was probably Northern Persia, on the Caspian, or Faristan on the Gulf of Persia.
• Historically, the oldest Rose fossils have been found in Colorado, dating back to more than 35 million years ago.
• Roses were considered the most sacred flowers in ancient Egypt and were used as offerings for the Goddess Isis. Roses have also been found in Egyptian tombs, where they were formed into funeral wreaths.
• Confucius, 551 BC to 479 BC, reported that the Imperial Chinese library had many books on Roses.
• Ancient Sumerians of Mesopotamia (in the Tigris-Euphrates River Valley) mentioned Roses in a cuneiform tablet (a system of writing) written in approximately 2860 BC.
• The English were already cultivating and hybridizing Roses in the 15th Century when the English War of Roses took place. The winner of the war, Tudor Henry VII, created the Rose of England (Tudor Rose) by crossbreeding other Roses.
• While no Black Rose yet exists, there are some of such a deep Red color as to suggest Black.
• Roses are universal and grown across the world.
• The Netherlands is the world's leading exporter of Roses.

Marigold

Did You Know? Marigolds were first discovered by the Portuguese in Central America in the 16th century.

Marigolds are hardy, annual plants and are great plants for cheering up any garden. Broadly, there are two genuses which are referred to by the common name, Marigolds viz. Tagetes and Celandula. Tagetes includes African Marigolds and French Marigolds. Celandula includes Pot Marigolds.

Kingdom

Plantae

Division

Magnoliophyta

Class

Magnoliopsida

Order

Asterales

Family

Asteraceae

Genus

Tagetes, Calendula

Marigolds come in different colors, yellow and orange being the most common. Most of the marigolds have strong, pungent odor and have great value in cosmetic treatment. There are many varieties of Marigolds available today.Some of the major Marigold varieties are listed below:

• African or American Marigolds (Tagetes erecta): These marigolds are tall, erect-growing plants up to three feet in height. The flowers are globe-shaped and large. Flowers may measure up to 5 inches across. African Marigolds are very good bedding plants. These flowers are yellow to orange and do not include red colored Marigolds. The Africans take longer to reach flowering stage than the French type.
• French Marigolds (Tagetes patula): Marigold cultivars in this group grow 5 inches to 18 inches high. Flower colors are red, orange and yellow. Red and orange bicolor patterns are also found. Flowers are smaller (2 inches across). French Marigolds are ideal for edging flowerbeds and in mass plantings. They also do well in containers and window boxes.
• Signet Marigolds (T. signata 'pumila'): The signet Marigolds produce compact plants with finely divided, lacy foliage and clusters of small, single flowers. They have yellow to orange colored, edible flowers. The flowers of signet marigolds have a spicy tarragon flavor. The foliage has a pleasant lemon fragrance. Signet Marigolds are excellent plants for edging beds and in window boxes.
• Mule Marigolds: These marigolds are the sterile hybrids of tall African and dwarf French marigolds, hence known as mule Marigolds. Most triploid cultivars grow from 12 to 18 inches high. Though they have the combined qualities of their parents, their rate of germination is low.

Facts About Marigolds

• Marigold (Calendula) is an extremely effective herb for the treatment of skin problems and can be used wherever there is inflammation of the skin, whether due to infection or physical damage; for example, crural ulceration, varicose veins, hemorrhoids, anal fissures, mastitis, sebaceous cysts, impetigo or other inflamed cutaneous lesions.
• As an ointment, Marigold (Calendula) is an excellent cosmetic remedy for repairing minor damage to the skin such as sub dermal broken capillaries or sunburn. The sap from the stem is reputed to remove warts, corns and calluses.
• In the 12th century Macer wrote that merely looking at the Marigold plant would improve the eyesight and lighten the mood.
• In South Asia, bright yellow and orange Marigold flowers are used in their thousands and placed in garlands and to decorate religious statues and buildings. They are also used as offerings and decoration at funerals, weddings and other ceremonies.
• Pigments in Marigolds are sometimes extracted and used as a food coloring for humans and livestock.

Propagating and Growing Marigolds

Marigolds can be propagated by seeds. The plants need about 45 days to flower after seeding. Marigold seeds should be sown 2 cm apart. Cover seeds with 1/4 inch of potting soil. Water sufficiently. Plants will appear within a few days. When true leaves have formed, transplant into individual containers or outdoors.

Marigolds are robust, non-fussy plants that bring a lot of sunshine in your garden. Marigolds can be grown easily.

• Plant your seeds in half-sunny or sunny locations.
• The soil must be well-drained, moist and fertile.
• Add potash fertilizers to prolong the flowering period.
• Pinch off the first flowers before they open. This will lead to a larger number of flowers.

Care for Marigolds

Marigolds have a pungent odor which keeps insects at bay, but they can be bothered by slugs. Also, tall American and Triploid Marigold varieties need staking to protect them from strong winds and heavy rainfall. Learn more on growing and taking care of Marigolds.

Jasmine

Jasminum sambac, a popular species in the genus Jasmine is also the National Flower of Indonesia where it is known as Melati, and the Philippines, where it is known as Sampaguita.

The Jasmine is a very popular flower around the world especially in the tropics because of its unique fragrance. The Jasmine is native to tropical and warm or temperate regions of the old world.

The Jasmine flowers are white in most species, with some species being yellow. The Jasmine is believed to have originated in the Himalayas in western China.

Kingdom

Plantae

Division

Magnoliophyta

Class

Magnoliopsida

Order

Lamiales

Family

Oleaceae

Genus

Jasminum

Unlike most genera in the Oleceae family, which have four corolla lobe petals,Jasmines often have five or six lobes. Jasmines are often strong and sweet scented. Jasmines are widely cultivated for their shining leaves and beautiful clusters of fragrant flowers.

Flowering in Jasmines takes place in summer or spring which is usally six months after planting. The Jasmine flower releases its fragrance at night after the sun has set and especially when the moon is waxing towards fullness. Jasmine flower buds are more fragrant than the flowers.

There exists a true Jasmine and a false Jasmine, and the two are commonly mistaken for each other because of the fragrance the plants release. The true Jasmine belongs to the family Oleaceae and is primarily a bushy shrub or a climbing vine and is non-poisonous.

True Jasmines have oval, shiny leaves and tubular, waxy-white flowers. The false Jasmine on the other hand is in a completely different genus, Gelsemium, and family, Loganiaceae, which is considered too poisonous for human consumption.

 

Facts About Jasmine

• Jasmine shrubs reach a height of 10-15 feet, growing approximately 12-24 inches per year.
• Jasmine leaves are either evergreen or deciduous.
• A Jasmine leaf is arranged opposite in most species. The leaf shape is simple, trifoliate or pinnate with 5-9 leaflets, each up to two and half inches long.
• The Jasmine stems are slender, trailing, green, glabrous, angled, and almost 4-sided.
• Most of the Jasmine species bear white flowers, which are about 1 inch in size.
• The Jasmine oil, which is a very popular fragrant oil, contains benzyl acetate, terpinol, jasmone, benzyl benzoate, linalool, several alcohols, and other compounds.
• The variety Jasminium sambac, is a clustered flower of an equally strong scent known in Hawaii as the Pikake.
• The two types of Jasmine which are used for oil production are the Jasminum grandiflorum and Jasminum officinale.
• The nectar of the fragrant flowers of Carolina Jasmine, Gelsemium sempervirens, is poisonous, although its dried roots are used as a sedative in medicinal preparations.
• The Jasmine flower oil, extracted from the two species Jasminum Officinale and Grandiflorum, is used in high-grade perfumes and cosmetics, such as creams, oils, soaps, and shampoos.

Growing Jasmine Flowers

• Jasmines grow well in moist, well drained, sandy loam to clayey garden soil with moderate level of fertility.
• Jasmines prefer a full sun to partial shade and a warm site.
• Jasmine bushes should be planted during June to November.
• Jasmine plant should be kept at least eight feet apart in order to save the later growth of the plant from jamming together.
• Adding of leaf molds to the soil makes a better growth of the plant.
• Mild fertilizer should be applied during spring.
• Plenty of water should be given during summer.
• Jasmine plants should be provided with full sunlight up to at least four hours a day.

Iris

The word Iris means rainbow. Iris is the flower of the Greek goddess Iris who is the messenger of Love. In the language of flowers Iris symbolizeseloquence.

Irises are wonderful garden plants. The word Iris means rainbow. Irises come in many colors such as blue and purple, white and yellow, pink and orange, brown and red, and even black.

The genus Iris has about 200 species and is native to the North Temperate regions of the world. The habitat of irises also varies a lot. Some irises grow in deserts, some in swamps, some in the cold far north, and many in temperate climates. Bearded Iris and Siberian Iris are two of the most common types of irises grown.

Kingdom

Plantae

Division

Magnoliophyta

Class

Liliopsida

Order

Asparagales

Family

Iridaceae

Genus

Iris

Since Iris is the Greek goddess for the Messenger of Love, her sacred flower is considered the symbol of communication and messages. Therefore the flower iris in the language of flowers symbolizes eloquence. Based on their color, irises convey varied messages. A purple iris is symbolic of wisdom and compliments. A blue iris symbolizes faith and hope. A yellow iris symbolizes passion while white iris symbolizes purity. A gift of iris can be used to convey many emotions.

Hyacinth

March 7th is World Hyacinth Day.

Hyacinths are spring-flowering bulbs with long, narrow leaves that are folded lengthwise. Hyacinths are highly fragrant flowers that bloom in dense clusters.

Hyacinth is the common name for approximately 30 perennial flowering plants of the genus Hyacinthus (order Liliales, family Liliaceae) of the Mediterranean region and Africa.

The common Hyacinth (Hyacinthus Orientalis), whose flowers open fully and look like little starfishes, should not be confused with the common grape Hyacinth flowers (Muscari Botryoides).

The common grape Hyacinth bears tight blooms in a raceme resembling clusters of grapes. Both are spring-blooming bulb plants.

Kingdom

Plantae

Division

Magnoliophyta

Class

Liliopsida

Order

Asparagales

Family

Hyacinthaceae

Genus

Hyacinthus

The common garden Hyacinth, Hyacinth Orientalis, originated in Anatolia and was brought to Europe in the 16th century. The Hyacinth bulb produces a dense, compact spike of flowers, 6-12 inches (15-30 cm) tall.

Hyacinths are highly fragrant, bell-shaped flowers with reflexed petals. The waxy, densely-packed florets come in shades of white, peach, orange, salmon, yellow, pink, red, purple, lavender and blue.

The 7-8 leaves of the hyacinth are fleshy, glossy green and strap shaped. The Hyacinth bulb is a light purple or cream in color and are covered with dry, papery, skin-like layers.

Facts About Hyacinths

• An ancient Greek legend describes the origin of the Hyacinth. Two of the gods, Apollo and Zephyr, adored a handsome young Greek called Hyakinthos. Apollo was teaching Hyakinthos the art of throwing a discus.
  Zephyr, who was the god of the west wind, was overwhelmed with jealousy and he blew the discus back. It struck Hyakinthos on the head and killed him. From his blood grew a flower, which the sun god Apollo named after him.
• The word 'Hyacinth' has also surfaced in an ancient language (called'Thracopelasgian') which was spoken 4,000 years ago.
• The wild Hyacinth is a native of Turkey and the Middle East, along the eastern shores of the Mediterranean. Hyacinths were grown in Europe in the time of the Greeks and Romans. Both Homer and Virgil noted its sweet fragrance.
• After this, the Hyacinth faded from history and did not reappear until the 16th century when it was reintroduced into Western Europe from Turkey and Iran.Leonhardt Rauwolf, (a German doctor) collected some Hyacinths when he visited Turkey in 1573.
• Hyacinths have been cultivated commercially since the second half of the 16th century. They became very popular in 18th and early 19th century Europe.
• The bulbs are now grown commercially in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. In the Netherlands Hyacinths are also grown as cut flowers.
• The common garden Hyacinth is cultivated to a minor extent in the Netherlands for the perfumery trade. However, most Hyacinth perfumes sold are synthetic, based primarily upon phenylacetaldehyde. Hence, the Hyacinth is also called the Dutch Hyacinth.
• The normal bloom time for Hyacinths is from March to April.
• In the Victorian language of flowers, the Hyacinth flower symbolizes sport or play. The blue Hyacinth signifies sincerity.

 

Varieties of Hyacinths

• Single Hyacinths : The full heads on these classic hyacinths look good in the garden or when forced in pots. The Blue Giant is one of the largest singles which has sky blue flowers with dark blue veins.
• Double Hyacinths : Fluffy whorls of colorful flowers are arranged on 10-12 inch stems. Hollyhock is an outstanding variety that features dark pink blooms.
• Multiflora Hyacinths : Each bulb produces a number of flower stalks with loose arrangements of flowers. These are less formal than singles and doubles.

Growing Hyacinths

• Plant hyacinth bulbs in fall, 6 to 8 weeks before a hard frost is expected and when soils are below 60 degrees F.
• This is usually during September and October in the North, and October and November in the South.
• Prepare the garden bed by using a garden fork or tiller to loosen the soil to a depth of 12 to 15 inches, then mix in a 2 to 4-inch layer of compost.
• Dig a hole 6 to 8 inches deep.
• Set the bulb in the hole, pointy end up, then cover with soil and press firmly.
• Space bulbs 4 to 6 inches apart.
• Water thoroughly after planting.

After they bloom in spring, allow the plants to grow until the leaves die off. They need time after blooming to store energy in the bulbs for next year. To remove the dead plant, either snip them off at the base, or twist the leaves while pulling lightly.

Hyacinth Plant Care

• Keep Hyacinths watered during dry spells in fall.
• After the plants have finished flowering in spring, cut back flower stalks but allow the leaves to die back naturally, hiding the unsightly foliage with annual or perennial plantings.
• An annual application of compost should provide adequate nutrients.
• Flower size may decline in subsequent years, so some gardeners treat Hyacinths as annuals and plant fresh bulbs each fall.