Find Your Local Florist:Everything you want to know about flowers!
Ask The Expert: Can the Peace Lilly be planted out doors?
Plant Expert Reply:
Yes and No. Peace lilies can be planted outdoors in moist but well-drained soil under deep shade conditions. They are not hardy in any of our zones. Therefore in the United States and Canada, they can be used only as an annual planting during the late spring and summer months.
Ask the Expert: where are the seeds on a white bird of paradise?
I want to propagate my white bird of paradise but am unable to get the entire root system of the babies. I’ve attempted it and not been successful, seeing as how they’re too deep in the ground. They stay green for about a week or two then die. Is there a specific time when I should be doing this? I’m thinking maybe the seeds. Are the seeds in the flower itself? If not where? Arcelia
Plant Expert Reply:
To propagate Bird of Paradise (Strelitizia) you divide the root suckers from the plant in the late spring. You want to dig up clumps that have 4 or more shoots. You will separate them into single stems removing the dead leaves & roots. You can wash the roots and even soak them in a bleach water solution (1 part bleach – ten parts water) for ten minutes – this will help with any bacterial problems that can arise. Then you can plant the divisions – be sure they are plant at the same depth as they were originally. It can take up to 12weeks for new roots to form. So be patient. This propagation method will take 1 to 2 years to achieve a mature blooming plant.
You can start Bird of Paradise from seed. However, it will take 3 to 5 years for the seed to become a mature plant. If you plan on harvesting the seeds from your own plant, look for black round seeds that have a fuzzy orange cover on one end. Before you plant them you will need to soften the hard exterior of the seed. Do this by soaking the seeds in room temperature water over night. You will need to also nick the seed before you plant it. Keep you soil moist as the seeds germinate.
Good Luck and let me know how it goes.
Ask The Expert: I RECENTLY PURCHASED A HOUSEPLANT AT A LOCAL GARDEN CENTER. IT DID NOT HAVE
ANY TAG AND NO ONE AT THE CENTER WAS SURE WHAT IT WAS. IT WAS TOO INTERESTING AND BEAUTIFUL FOR ME TO PASS UP. IT IS GROWING IN A NEAT MOUND SO FAR. THE LEAVES ARE OVAL SHAPED, ABOUT 1″X 2″. VERY DARK IN COLOR, THE UNDERSIDE IS DARK PLUM COLORED, THE TOP IS DARK GREEN WITH SILVER STRIPE
AND NICELY TEXTURED. THE NEW LEAVES ARE RATHER PLUM COLORED AND THEN GET DARKER. OVERALL IT LOOKS SIMILAR TO AN EMERALD RIPPLE OR SOME SORT OF PEPEROMIA. WOULD YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT IT IS?? PATTY
Plant Expert Reply:
Nothing is more challenging than identifying a plant without seeing it. Your awesome description makes it a little easier. There are two possibilities: a type Pilea or a type Peperomia. Below are some pictures of different types. See if any look like your plant. If not, send me a picture of yours and I’ll try to make a better identification. My choice would be the Aluminum Plant.
Ask the Expert: Bamboo Plants
I have a small top vase with 3 curly Bamboo plants, they have been beautiful for the 3 years that I have had them. I recently bought some orange glass disks to put them in to match the new colors in my kitchen. They started turning yellow, and the smaller new leaves were falling off.
I have always changed their water at least once a week, and use plant food as per your directions. Please help! I don’t want to loose them, today I took them out of the glass disks, washed the roots really well and put them back in plain water. I do want to use the orange glass disks if you have a solution for me.
Thanks,
Wanda Graham
Plant Expert Reply:
You may need to clean the container as well, just in case the discs had a residue that affect the lucky bamboo.
Any time you add elements such as pebbles, glass discs, rocks, etc. to your lucky bamboo container, you need to wash them first. Why? Because, you want to make sure they do not have any chemical residue on them that might harm the lucky bamboo. So I suggest you first let the lucky bamboo recover from it’s trauma. You can then wash the discs with soapy water, rinse them thoroughly and then place them in the lucky bamboo container.
You might check to see if the discs you purchased are safe for plants especially lucky bamboo. Not all pebbles, rocks or decorative discs are safe to use in aquatic situations. So check before you place your discs back in with the lucky bamboo.
Ask the Expert: Have I damaged my Peace Lily after transplanting?
I purchased 2-3 small Peace lilies about 7 years ago for my boss. She is not a plant person, so it became my responsibility to keep it alive. It has been transplanted once from the pot it was originally in to a slightly larger pot and it has thrived increasing to 5 plants.
Lately it has been droopy and in need of water every other day. It has remained in the office in a relatively climate controlled environment until yesterday. I am in Florida and unfortunately my vehicles air conditioning went out. By the time I drove the 2 miles to home, the plant was all wilted and dying looking. I placed it in the shade as my houses a/c was not on and the inside temperature was almost as uncomfortable as my trucks.
I kept in in the shade and the ambient temp dropped due to an approaching storm. It was in the low 80’s to upper 70’s. I gently removed the plant from the pot and soaked it in water to try to loosen the dirt around the roots. My intention was to put it in 2 pots. I was afraid to cut or try to finger separating wasn’t working on the roots.
Carefully I put soil in the new pot and added a little water. I kept this up in layers and added the ‘mother’ plant in to the center. I added potting soil around it and added water to moisten it. I left is under my oak tree overnight in the shade and it appeared to be slightly recovering until the drive to work this morning. One of the plants in the mother plant has dark wilted green leaves and is majorly droopy. The rest of the plant is a little ‘depressed looking’ with slightly wilted leaves.
I have one of those watering globes and added it in once the plant was placed back in it’s home in the office.
Will my plant recover or have I done permanent damage to it? It really doesn’t appear to be loving life right now. Thoughts/help is greatly appreciated. Cheryl
Plant Expert Reply:
The short answer is to give the plant time, and it will be fine.
The long answer is:
When a peace lily or any other plant is in stress don’t add any more stress to it. After [Read more…]
I can’t get past the Autumn Illuminations fall centerpiece. Among the other fall flowers, this centerpiece stood out instantly. That’s saying quite a lot considering how colorful and beautiful the other arrangements are!
"Autumn Illuminations" Fall Centerpiece
But what was it about Autumn Illuminations that drew my eye back to it? Well for starters, it’s not an ordinary bouquet or typical arrangement. It has practicality, purpose and function. The Autumn Illuminations centerpiece is a wreath of fall flowers surrounding a warm colored candle. Imagine the smell of a pumpkin spice candle surrounded by fresh fall flowers! Mmmmm.
I saw this centerpiece and knew that it had to be the featured flower arrangement for August. The summer is winding down and the fall is getting ready to come ahead full force. Before you trade your summer flowers for Halloween and Thanksgiving arrangements, find a middle ground with colorful fall flower centerpieces like Autumn Illuminations. You’ll be glad you did! Plus it’s something nice to come home to if you or your husband is a farmer rushing to finish the harvest.
Trust me. You’ll love having the Autumn Illuminations centerpiece on your table.
Ask the Expert: schefflera problem
I have a schefflera plant which I take outside during the spring and summer months. It grows like crazy. Last year i noticed these brownish seed like things on many of the leaves. I cut it way back, and again this year thoughs seed like things are covering a good portion of it. I don’t know if its a bug or disease problem and haven’t been able to find anything that describes this problem. Stephanie
Plant Expert Reply:
Brown Soft Scale
It sounds like you might have an insect called brown soft scale. I found this picture of Brown Soft Scale From University of Florida” Does the brown scale look like the brown seed on your schefflera?
You will need to spray an insectide on your plant to kill these insects. You will need one that is safe to use on houseplants. Your local garden center should have one. You can also try insecticidal soap which can be found at your local garden center.
What Is Google Places?
Ever type something into the Google search box for a particular city? When the results came up, there were a few listings right beside a map at the top of the page – those are listings on Google Places.
Many florists are unaware that registering & claiming your Google Places listing is free and controlling your information is beneficial. Since Google pulls information from many different sources, you may find that Google has “holes” in their data about your shop. It is important that Google has your updated information and that it comes from YOU to make sure it is correct. Unclaimed listings can be claimed by others who might not put your best foot forward. Your Google Places listing is also another platform for marketing.
Controlling local information is a free way to get the word out about your flower shop, which is why Flower Shop Network wants you to know how to claim your shop’s Google Places listing.
Ask the Expert: I was hoping you could help identify this flower
These photos were taken from a garden in the Chena Village, along the Chena River outside of Fairbanks in July of this year. I was hoping you could identify them, and let me know if they were native. Thank you!
– Margaret
Plant Expert Reply:
The flower you have so lovely captured in the photos above is Delphinium. Florists in Alaska, as well as in other places, use this flower in arrangements because it is one of the few true blue flowers available to them.
Delphinium is a genus of 250 annuals, perennials and biennials. In 1998 while vacationing in Alaska, I saw some of the tallest delphinium I had ever seen. It was in the garden of a lady who was a sled dog racer. I believe Delphinium is native to Alaska. If it isn’t it should be, we saw it everywhere during our two week stay.
Some may call this plant larkspur. The terms are often confused and used interchangeably. However, Larkspur and Delphinium are not really the same plant but closely related. In your pictures the blossom shape looks more like Delphinium.
