Pony Tail Palm (Beaucarnea recurvata) From Bernecker's Nursery

Ask The Expert: I was just given a elephant plant–large "foot" and long stringy leaves. It is at least 11 years old and never been transplanted. Should I transplant and what size planter!I think I am going to rename it 'Cousin It'!!!! Bobbi

Reply:

I assume the plant that you have looks like the one pictured above.  This is a Beaucarnea recurvata (Ponytail palm).  As you can tell from the picture, they like to be crowded in their containers.  So I would only transplant it if it has truly out-grown its container.  When you transplant it you want a container that is only slightly larger than the one that it is in - the plant only needs 2 to 3" of space between it and the side of the pot.  The key is to keep it at the same level in the pot. In other words don't bury it. the top of the rootball should still be the top in the new container.

Ask the Expert: lucky bamboo problems
I have a few questions about my "lucky bamboo" plant.

I received this plant nearly a year ago and had no problems when living in the tropics but since i have moved to a colder state i have been encountering problems. The plant originally had 3 stalks and was potted rather than being in water.

Firstly the leaves on the plant started turning yellow, i moved it from a window sill to my bathroom as i thought it may be getting to much sunlight. This didnt help, i then noticed one of the stalks starting to yellow as well as the tips of the leaves dyeing off after they had turned yellow. The stalk turned yellow became mushy and started growing these little black dots, i discarded this stalk but replanted the leaf stalk from it in potting mix. Will it grow or should i put it in water?

The remaining 2 stalks seem healthier although there are leaves that have yellowing or browned tips, is there any hope for these 2 stalks or will they continue to yellow and result in the stalk turning yellow and mushy as well?

I currently have the plant sitting in a lower light area and am watering with water thats been sitting out for 24 hours in case its something in the water.

Will cutting the leaf growths help? Should i take it out from the pot and keep it in water? HELP i dont want it to die!!

thanks

sarah jellie

Reply:
Your lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana) is going through transplant shock from the move. Anytime a plant is stressed, it is more susceptible to diseases and pests.

I think you have a couple of things going on. First the new water probably caused the initial yellowing leaves. The difference in light exposure from your old place to your new place may also be a factor. Those problems can be overcome. Place the lucky bamboo in light exposure that mimics the light exposure you used to have. As for water, you are doing just what you need to do.

If lucky bamboo is growing in soil it is best to keep it in soil. However, I would not place the cut bamboo stalk back into the original soil. I would either start it in water or give it the stalk its own pot with soil. You will need to keep the soil very moist until the roots form. The other stalks will not need this much moisture.

As for the leaves, remove all yellowing leaves. Then give your stalks time to recover. Good luck and keep me posted.

Honeysuckle Lonicera maachii

Ask the Expert: Flower identification help needed
I have what appears to be a Honeysuckle BUSH growing in my woodland garden.  I've looked in every book I can find and used online keys and come up with nothing.  The flower on it looks like a miniature honeysuckle, but the plant does not vine. It is growing like a bush. There are no blooms on new growth, only on old growth. I've attached a photo.  Do you know what it is and what its growth potential is? Any other info about it would also be appreciated.
Thanks Charly

Lonicera maackii Upright Honeysuckle Shrub

Reply:
Not all honeysuckle are twining vines, some are considered shrubs. These shrub type honeysuckles range from arching bushes to upright tree-like bushes. Shrub or bush honeysuckle are considered exotic and can be hard to distinguish from one another. In your case, I believe you have an upright tree-like form of honeysuckle in particular Lonicera maackii (Amur honeysuckle). If it is Amur honeysuckle, it can grow up to 15' high and wide. It will have fragrant white flowers that aged into a yellow color and will be followed by dark red berries. This plant can become invasive - spreading easily from place to place as a result of birds dropping the seeds after consuming the berries. It is deciduous. As with all honeysuckle, it will take full sun to partial shade and loves humus rich moist but well-drained soil. It is susceptible to aphids, leaf roller, scale, powder mildew, leaf spot and blights. I should be trimmed back 1/3 to 1/2 right after blooming.

Good luck with your honeysuckle. It looks like you have a fine specimen.

I literally see hundreds of flower arrangements every month. After having spent a significant amount of time in the floral industry, my passion for flowers remains but it takes a little bit more than it used to take to make me take a second glimpse…or a third…or tell someone else about it.

I'm not alone in this. All consumers-shoppers-buyers-gift givers want to hit the nail on the head and give the perfect gift. It's just finding that diamond in the rough that occasionally presents a problem. That's why we at Flower Shop Network try so hard to regularly replenish your idea bank. I got to thinkin' about it this afternoon (boy I sound southern today) and realized what really jumps out at people like me when we shop for flowers and gifts. We want something unique. Gift givers want something tried-and-true for the most part but with an edge. In other words, we want the gift that we know they'll like but with that little extra something that will make them remember the gift, the occasion and the sender.

Need some visual examples of unique flower arrangements and gifts?

Here are a few that jumped out to me:

Tropical Flowers

I have to say that I love the "Exotic Floral Vase" arrangement of tropical fresh flowers. To be honest, it made me want to run out and grab a seafood dinner. (The red anthuriums remind me of lobster pinchers.) It's uniquely shaped inside a clear vase. The flowers are colorful enough that they need no dressing up. They speak for themselves.

Plus, how often do you really see tropical flower bouquets like this? It's easy to find a carnation, rose or tulip bouquet. Tropical fresh flowers are unique enough by themselves. This bouquet just has an architectural feeling of clean lines and solid colors that is easy to enjoy whether you are into art and style or form and function.

Flower Animals

I've written before on how much fun flower animals are. Rabbits, puppies. Doesn't matter. Animal shapes made of flowers are too cute to pass up.

The two little girls in my life are both big animal lovers. Most kids are. That's why flower animals make great Easter gifts for kids, Valentines Day gifts for kids, even birthday gifts for children. If you can think of an occasion that merits a gift, try sending flowers like these.

Even if you plan to give something else later, this is a fun way to treat your child to something nice at school. It's always fun to receive gifts in front of classmates. In this way, your child is able to have all of the birthday attention he/she craves and more.

Unique Shapes

I know. Essentially it's just a few pieces of greenery wrapped, tied and trimmed to form a special shape. However, that's the difference between a regular gift and a unique gift. I probably wouldn't have looked twice at a simple pink rose bouquet in a tall pink vase. I looked multiple times at the "You Have My Heart" Valentines Day arrangement simply because it uses heather in a unique way. That's all it takes to make someone pause for a moment. Give them what they want and then a little extra.

Not to be cheesy, but forming unique shapes and lines with flowers is enough to make an ordinary gift into an Extraordinary gift. All it takes is that little extra. Ok, I guess I failed on the cheesy scale but the point is the same. Unique shapes just work.

Unique Containers

It's not just the container that makes me like arrangements like the "Candy Bouquet" gift basket. However, it had a huge role. Unique vases and containers make it fun to send flowers. You just want to be there when your buddy receives the gift and smiles.

My friends know about my sweet tooth so candy gift baskets are right up there on the list of "give to Brynn" gift ideas. Candy bouquets can come in many containers though. They can come in a bag and I'd be happy but I wouldn't be thrilled until I saw a smiling container staring back at me.

Unique containers and vases work wonders when sending flowers also. The containers become keepsakes that the recipient can store for years and think of you every time it's taken out. I want my friends to think of me and know that it was that little something extra that brought me to their minds.

Ask the Expert: how to grow my lucky bamboos
I have searched your website and with the information that I could collect, I was able to cut the shoots of my lucky bamboos. Small roots have appeared on them. But I don't know what to do further. Could you please guide? Waseema

Reply:

Once a lucky bamboo shoot begins to produce roots the care becomes essentially the same as a fully developed stem.  We have some great tips on how to care for lucky bamboo

Light Requirement for Lucky Bamboo:

Lucky bamboo needs bright indirect light. In it’s native environment Dracaena sanderiana receive an ample amount of light. However, the surrounding plants shade the lucky bamboo from direct exposure to the sun. Too much direct sunlight can cause the leaves to burn. It is important that the lucky bamboo receive adequate light; lack of light will cause week growth, stretching and poor color. Low light conditions will, also, cause stunted growth and inhibit new leaf growth. The light requirements for lucky bamboo are the same whether grown in water or in soil.

Water Requirements for Lucky Bamboo In Water

Water level should be at least a couple of inches. Make sure the roots are covered with water; add water to keep the water level constant. Every couple of weeks change the water completely. Refill the container with clean water. Lucky bamboo is sensitive to the salts and chemicals in tap water; use distilled water or rainwater if possible. If you must use tap water let it set in an open container over night; this will let the chlorine evaporate. However, there is no way to remove the fluoride from the tap water. Fluoride can cause leaf tips to turn brown. Low humidity can cause leaf tips to turn brown as well. Mist the leaves of the lucky bamboo every couple of days if lack of humidity is a problem.

Fertilizer Requirements for Lucky Bamboo

Lucky bamboo doesn’t require much fertilizer and can survive in pure water for quite a while. When you bring lucky bamboo home don’t fertilize it for a couple of weeks; this will prevent over-fertilization. In fact, if your lucky bamboo turns yellow when you bring it home immediately change the water. Yellow leaves on lucky bamboo are an indicator of over-fertilization. Anytime your lucky bamboo has been over-fertilized, change the water and don’t fertilize for several months.

Fertilize your lucky bamboo every couple of months (you can go longer). You can use a little dirty aquarium water (if you have it) or a diluted (tenth of the normal strength) water-soluble houseplant fertilizer. The best time to fertilize is when you change the water.

Temperature Requirements:
Lucky bamboo needs moderate temperature. Normal household temperatures are fine. However, placing lucky bamboo next to an air vent or a door can cause problems due to rapid temperature changes.

I also have a little guide that will help identify any problems that come up.

Lucky Bamboo Problems, Pests & Diseases

• Leaves with brown tips - Fluoride burn or lack of humidity. What to do: Fluoride Burn – replace water with clean distilled or rain water; Dry Air - mist leaves every day or every couple of days.
• Yellow Leaves – too much light or fertilizer. What to do: Too much light – place more distance between the lucky bamboo & the light; too much fertilizer – replace water with distilled water & don’t fertilize for several months.
• Stalks yellow from bottom up – too much fertilizer. What to do: Replace with distilled water and don’t fertilize. At the point that the stalks turn yellow it is often too late for the lucky bamboo to recover. It is often better to cut the green top off and start a new plant. If you have more than one stalk in a container, but only one is yellow, remove the yellow stalk and change the water.
• Brown or mushy stalks - root-rot; roots have rotted from over-fertilization or over-watering (plants potted in soil). What to do: Cut the healthy tops off and root new plants.
• White sticky substance on stalks, snail-looking growth on stalks or cottony substances on stalks – insects. Scale and spider mites can be, although rarely, a problem for lucky bamboo. What to do: Clean the container and pebbles with soapy water (a few drops of dish detergent in water works well) and rinse completely. Wipe each stalk gentle with the soapy water and rinse well. Place the clean stalks in the container and fill with distilled water or rainwater.
• Algae growing in water and on container – too much fertilizer and light. Algae grows in nutrient rich water with ample light. What to do: Clean the lucky bamboo, pebbles and container with soapy water following the same procedure as above. Place the lucky bamboo in the container and fill with water. You might need to move it a little farther from the light or switch to an opaque container.

Hopefully this information will bring you great lucky with your Dracaena sanderiana.  Please keep me posted on your lucky bamboo's progress.

Every once in a while a question comes in when even with a picture, I have trouble identifying it.  Some times it is the perspective in which the photo is taken.  Flowers and leaves can often resemble other plants depending on the camera angle or in this case my tired eyes.

Balloon Flower

Ask the Expert: Please can you identify this plant?
I have attached a photograph. Jan

Reply:

My inital thought was that it was some sort of weird kalanchoe because I thought the leaves looked thick.  But that identification just didn't seem right.  So I emailed Jan and ask her to take a picture from a little farther distance and to give me an approximate bloom size.  Jan was nice enough to send me another picture.

Balloon Flower Platycodon gradiflorus

Instantly, I knew what this plant was and a little mad at myself for thinking it was a kalanchoe.  This is a Platycodon grandiflorus commonly known as balloon flower.  It is one of my favorite perennials.  I have both white and blue in my garden.  It is called balloon flower because the bloom buds look like little balloons.  The buds open up and become 4 petal flowers. If you live in zone 4-9, I highly recommend planting balloon flowers in your garden.

It is amazing how changing the perspective of the picture can make identification easier or maybe I just need glasses.

Ask the Expert: Identify flowering plant
I have this plant in my garden. It has long, about 18\" tall, stems that have very thin, like pine needles, green leaves all the way up the stem. It has baby blue flowers, 4 or 5 petals per stem, about 1" wide. It blooms from April through summer and flowers close up in late afternoon. When they die off in the late Summer-Fall there are small rounds pods that have little seeds separated by pod sections, like in oranges. I don't have a picture, wish I did, as it would probably make your search alot easier. Thanks for any help that you can
give me. Terry

Reply:

Phlox Austromontana Photo By Thomas Stoughton

Yes a picture would help. So, I've found one that can help us narrow the choices. This is Phlox austromontana or Mountain Phlox. It can have light blue flowers and has a needle like foliage. I found the photo on the Cal's Photo website and the photographer was Thomas Stockton. Does your plant look anything like this one? If not we'll try another route.

Pennsylvania has the famous groundhog, Punxatawney Phil. This little guy "predicts" the arrival of Spring by judging whether or not he sees his shadow when he emerges from his resting spot on February 2nd. It's how popular culture enthusiasts gauge the onset of Spring or the lasting Winter.

South Dakota State Flower: Photo Courtesy 50states.com

Well, South Dakota's measure for this is a little less well known but just as fun to witness. The pasque (Ppulsatilla hirsutissima) is the state flower of South Dakota. It is also called the May Day Flower. This pretty purple flower (sometimes white or light purple) is an early Spring bloomer. One sight of these wildflowers means that Springs is creeping in!

Florists in South Dakota may not be able to use pasque flowers in their flower arrangements, but they are able to enjoy the simple beauty of the flower. Everything about the pasque is inspirational and brings a new design idea to mind. The most common color seen in pasque flowers is a vibrant purple. The color of this wildflowers has many cut flower alternatives that florists can use in Spring bouquets.

The shape of pasque flowers is also something magnificent. It's simplicity is appealing. You can find the petals of pasque flowers cupped or broad. When opened widely, most pasque flowers have petals that look similar to a six-point star. I'm already inspired with ideas for Chanukah (Hanukkah) arrangements.

I'm very sure that one look at the South Dakota state flower will be the purple inspiration you've been waiting for all winter!

In the hectic week before Mother's Day, a glance at the day in the life of a florist seemed to be an appropriate topic for this month's newsletter. Georgianne Vinicombe of Monday Morning Flower & Balloon Co. details the ups, downs and wonders of a day in the life of a florist.

I’ve noticed that what I love most about my job is something that an average person usually hates. What is that, you wonder? It’s diversity, change, constant evolution and sometimes even chaos. The day in the life of a florist is anything but boring or mundane.

Georgianne Owner of Monday Morning Flowers

I’ll bet if you asked someone what they thought it would be like to be a florist for the day, most would answer with cliché. The most common one I’ve heard over the years is “It must be fun to play with flowers all day”. Play? Who said anything about playing. Last time I looked it was my job to be a florist, not my hobby.

Another personal favorite is “It must be so calm and relaxing being surrounded by all the flowers”. Ok, anyone that says this has not been standing knee deep in floral debris with a pile of orders in front of them to be designed, with a delivery driver rushing you to hurry up, and all 6 of the phone lines are ringing at once. Ah… stress is holding me together! What would I do without it?

Is it always that hectic at a flower shop? Of course not, but the truth is that most people never experience that side of our industry. The day in the life of a florist is much more complex that anyone would imagine. There are flowers and supplies to be ordered, windows and coolers to be cleaned, balloons to be inflated, flowers to be prepped and arranged, plants to be watered, payroll, bills and taxes to be paid not to mention invoicing along with credit and collections. Orders and customers don’t just fall in our lap. There are marketing and advertising dollars to be spent wisely, websites to be updated, bridal consultations and proposals to be typed, phones to be answered and the list goes on.

Prepping Flowers At Monday Morning Flowers

Now, down to basics. There are certain tasks that get done day in and day out at a flower shop. First thing in the morning the flowers arrive, fresh from the wholesaler. That’s when the floral fun begins. Boxes and boxes of fresh flowers from all over the world are delivered to our door. Lots of buckets of fresh water are lined up as flowers are unpacked and inspected. A quick cut on the chopper and the flowers are placed into water for hydrating. I love this part seeing all the flowers lined up waiting to take their place in the cooler!!

Processing of fresh flowers happens everyday at my shop and it’s a revolving door of flowers in and out. Now we get to the fun part - flowers are artfully arranged in pretty containers of all shapes and sizes. Foliage, accent and focal flowers combined in various ways and then very carefully loaded onto one of delivery vans for a quick trip directly to the recipient! There’s nothing like receiving flowers, hand delivered by a uniformed driver. I don’t get to do it often but I still love delivering flowers. It’s fun to see peoples reaction!

"Why send flowers?" you may wonder. Flowers create memories. They attack all the senses at once. Color, fragrance and sentiment on a card. I’ve been in the business so long that sometimes it’s hard to think like a consumer or even a recipient of flowers. But when I do, in an instant, I am 5 years old again. It was my first dance recital and my mom had given me a sweet little nosegay of carnations and babies breath, tied with a pink bow. If I close my eyes, I can still smell those flowers and I feel instantly happy at the memory.

Monday Morning Flowers Staff

It’s finally my wedding day. The smell of the flowers, the carnations, the roses, the stephanotis… It’s funny on that day they remind me of what it felt like to be a little girl because the smell transported me back. Now, almost 24 years after my wedding day, the smell of carnations, roses and stephanotis reminds me the day that I truly became a woman. How did that happen, when did I grow up? Even though I didn’t know it then, I was born to be a florist.

Back at the shop, the fun continues as the designer hands are flying, support staff sweep up and the sales staff assist customers who need floral advice. Flowers in and out, phones ringing, computers spitting out orders and brooms constantly moving. Ah, the signs of successful flower shop!

What I love most about my days in the flower shop are the things that most people probably would avoid. No two days are ever the same. I never know what the day will hold. Maybe an old friend from high school will walk through my doors and ask me to do her wedding flowers or maybe the White House or a Celebrity will call with a flower order. Sound crazy? Those things have happened to me within the last six months. It’s what I love, the diversity of each day! The Life of a Florist - it’s not always a bed of roses but I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Georgianne Vinicombe is the owner of Monday Morning Flower & Balloon CO. in Princeton NJ and Yardley PA.  Not only is she an accomplished florist, Georgianne is a avid blogger as well.  On her blog Georgianne's "Smile Blog", she shares the challenges, inspiration and sheer joy of being a florist.

If you enjoyed learning about a day in the life of a florist, read Florists and the Wonderful Things They Do.

Want to learn more about how flowers create memories? Read Flower Memories.

Thinking of Mom this week.  Great ideas for Mother's Day are found in Flowers Spell Mother

My brothers are hilarious. If you've ever seen the hit comedy series Frasier, picture Niles and Frasier at 25 and 23.  Aaron (who turned 25 on the 4th of April) is finicky about his appearance, his preferences, his likes and dislikes. He plays the "big brother" role very well. Mark (my surrogate brother who is 8 days my senior) is also finicky but in very different ways. He's a "go green" enthusiast, avid vegetarian, and soon-to-be father. Their byplay is priceless and merited a very fun belated birthday gift for Aaron.

Mark forgot Aaron's birthday this year. Not sure how but it slipped his mind until the following Monday. My sister (22 on the 14th of April) was also forgotten briefly. Feeling horrible for forgetting Aaron's birthday, Mark brought over the coolest gift ever. I couldn't  help but laugh. I only wish I'd taken a picture!

Aaron and Mark enjoy gardening. In lieu of some elaborate reparations, Mark brought over a packet of forget-me-not seeds and a small garden shovel. It was too cool! Ok, maybe it's my warped sense of humor that made me laugh so much when I heard about this belated birthday gift. Something like this is always fun. If you have an equally wry sense of humor and just so happen to forget a birthday, call your local florist. I'm sure they can hook you up with some forget-me-nots for the occasion. Let's hope you never need this belated birthday tip!