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Common Oriental Lilies Add An Exotic Touch

August 7, 2009 by Leave a Comment

Ask the Expert: Is this an Orchid?

Oriental Lily

Oriental Lily

My neighbor has this plant with beautiful purple & white flowers.  I think it is an Orchid, but could not find any photos that looked like it.  I want to ID it, so I can buy some for my garden.  I hope that it is a perennial & can take full sun.

Do you know what it is?

Thanks, Rob

Plant Expert Reply:

Although the plant has an exotic presentation with it long stem and multiple blooms, it isn’t an orchid. What you neighbor has is a common Oriental lily. I’m not sure exactly which cultivar.   These beautiful blooms come from a bulb that is hardy in zones 3-8. Once planted they come back year after year and multiply.  Oriental lilies are planted in the spring.  However, in some zones they are planted in the fall as well.

Oriental lilies usually bloom in the summer and their cousin Asiatic liles bloom 4 to 5 weeks earlier with a similar form and bloom.  They prefer full sun to partial shade.  They need to be planted in an area that drains well all year long.  You can find Oriental lilies at your local garden center.  Be sure to ask them how to amend the soil specifically for oriental lilies in your area.

Oriental lilies can also be used as cut flowers in flower arrangements.

Filed Under: Flower Identification Tagged With: ,

Surprise Lily Makes An Appearance

August 7, 2009 by 1 Comment

Ask the Expert: I may have old world day lily. The plant foliage comes up in spring and looks similar to daffodil, but larger. Leaves die back during July. After the leaves die, stem grows out of ground to the height of 3 ft. Each stem produces lily-like flowers 6 to each stem at the top of the stem in a circle.  They are white at edges pink at center. Six petals to each flower and delicate day lily look. If you have a clue let me know i will give more info. Donna

Plant Expert Reply:

Surprise Lily (Lycoris squamigera)

Surprise Lily (Lycoris squamigera)

I believe you have, what we call in the mid-south, a surprise lily.  So named because it seems overnight to pop up a bloom stalk with blooms and no appearance of leaves.  Surprise lilies (Lycoris squamigera) are sometimes called naked lily, resurrection lily, magic lily, mystery lily, hardy amaryllis, or Guernsey lily.  They come from a bulb and can be planted right under sod.

Nerine Bowdenii Spider Lily

Nerine Bowdenii Spider Lily

Another possibility is the Spider Lily (Nerine bowdenii) which is in the same family, Amaryllidaceae, as Lycoris.

In fact, the common names for each are often assigned to the other one as well.  For example Nerine is sometimes called surprise lily, Guernsey lily and are produced from a bulb just like Lycoris.

Each type of lily comes in a range of colors from white to purple and even a reddish color. They like full sun to partial shade, but full sun produces the best blooming.  Once planted they will come up year after year without much care.

In my area, we call this a homestead plant.  Many old homesteads have this flowering blooming in their yards.

For more information about the Lycoris squamigera, check out Floridata surprise lily page.

For more information about the Nerine bowdenii, check out Pacific Bulb Society Nerine page.

If your flower looks different, send me a picture and we will try to make a different identification.

Filed Under: Flower Identification Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Give The Perfect B-day Gift Thanks To These Birthday Card Messages

August 7, 2009 by Leave a Comment

Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Pardon the off-key singing, but I feel that it’s finally time to discuss birthday enclosure card messages. That’s right. Those pretty little cards attached to arrangements of flowers from local florists. What makes birthday card messages so special? Why everything of course! Many people even keep the enclosure card in a scrapbook long after the day has passed. You’ve gone the extra mile to send flowers. You’ve gone above and beyond to make the birthday boy or girl feel like royalty for a day. The memories are made by what is said and done on that day. What do you want your card message to say?

For most people, sending birthday flower arrangements is the easy part. It is composing the perfect enclosure card message for birthday flowers that is baffling. Trying to be funny? Want something so sweet it rots the teeth? Need quick and simple but sincere? This is where birthday card messages from local florists come in handy. As it just so happens, here is a list of the top 30 birthday card messages as compiled by local florists. When sending flowers this year, make it the most memorable gift of the day with one of these enclosure card messages.

Wacky Happy Weepy Laughy Birthday Card Messages For All

1)       (Funny) 29 again? Talk about recycling! Happy Birthday

2)       May God grant you a day filled with happiness, a year filled with joy.

3)       Today well-lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness and every tomorrow a vision of hope. You deserve a lifetime of beautiful tomorrows. Happy Birthday.

4)       (Funny) Another birthday? Before you start feeling old and depressed, just keep this in mind: I have pantyhose older than you!

5)       (Funny) Another birthday? Why it seems only yesterday you were a whole year younger! Happy Birthday.

6)       (Funny) Another candle on your cake? That is no cause to pout. Be glad that you still have the strength to blow the things out.

7)       (Funny) At birthday time, it’s good to remember our friends. Actually, it’s good to remember anything!

8)       Because you’re you I’m celebrating today! Happy Birthday

9)       Count not your years by adding the days but with joy count the friends you’ve made on the way. Wishing you a year of joy and friendship.

10)   (Funny) Don’t do anything embarrassing on your birthday this year. You don’t have as much time to live it down as you used to.

11)   (Funny) Don’t worry about those unsightly sagging varicose veins. Wear a mini skirt and tell people they’re net hose.

12)   (Funny) Don’t worry sister, you’re not getting older just more like mom.

13)   For your birthday, I wanted to get you the thing you need most but how do you gift-wrap a 25-hour day? Happy Birthday

14)   Friends in the Lord are always close at heart. I’m so glad God brought us together as friends. Happy Birthday

15)   Go ahead and have another birthday if you want to. But don’t expect me to keep up with you. Happy Birthday.

You’re only halfway through! Find more birthday enclosure card messages brought to you proudly by FlowerShopNetwork.com.

Filed Under: Card Messages Tagged With: , , , , ,

Are You Ready To Claim Your Yahoo Local Listing?

August 6, 2009 by 4 Comments

Much like claiming your Google Local or Bing Local listing, claiming your Yahoo! Local listing is an excellent way to promote your shop. Best of all — it’s free. To help you claim your shop’s listing, Flower Shop Network has created this step-by-step visual guide and tutorial to registering and claiming a Yahoo! Local listing. You may also want to print out the Checklist for Claiming Your Yahoo Local Listing to fill out for your records.

**Note: Yahoo now requires businesses to pay for a listing on their search engines. They have also partnered with Yext. Click here for more information on this company. You will also need a Yahoo! account to claim your Yahoo! Local listing. If you do not have one, skip to the section titled “Create Your Yahoo! Account” for more information. **

[edit: Updated March 2, 2016]

How To Claim Your Yahoo! Local Listing

Yahoo Local

The first step in claiming your shop’s Yahoo! Local listing is to visit the Yahoo! Local Listings Sign Up. You will see two boxes with different listing options. Ignore them. The fastest and easiest way to begin claiming your listing is to click the large yellow “Sign Up” button in the top right section of the page.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Florists Only Tagged With: , , ,

Peace Lily With Signs Of Root Rot

August 6, 2009 by

Ask the Expert: Will my peace lily come back to life?

Peace lily

Peace lily

Ok so i went on vacation about a month ago and i was gone for 2 weeks. Well my air conditioning went out in my house and my peace lily was dead when i got home. All of the leaves were dried up and black. So i cut them all off and watered the plant and left the plant alone for a month now. It looked like new growth was trying to come through and then they turn black on the tips! So now after reading about root rot i decited to take the plant out of its plastic pot that has holes on the bottom and clean the pot out. At the moment i dont have a different pot to put it in so this one will have to do for now. The roots are blackish brown color i dont know if i did the right thing but i just kinda picked at the roots to see if i could see some better looking roots and there was a few but i had just got done watering the plant and it was soaking wet. I think it was over watered now that i have read the proper way to water. So i filled the bottom of the pot with new soil and put the plant in the pot and filled around the sides. I pulled all the dead dried looking stalkes so that all that was left was green. This is what it looks like now. Do u think it will come back? Can root rot be treated in any way? Amanda

Plant Expert Reply:

I see some potential for recovery. The fact that you have a few areas of green left means the plant is still viable. However, it does sound as if you have a root rot problem.  Black, mushy roots or a pungent odor from the roots all indications of root rot. Foliage that is declining is also a sign of root rot.

Your plant can recover but you will need to take care of a few things first. Remove as many of the damaged roots as possible.  Do this by removing the plant from the pot and cut away the damaged roots.  If your plastic pot doesn’t have drain holes, make a few in the bottom of the pot before you place the plant back in it.  At this point we only want moist but not soggy soil.  In a few weeks the plant should start to show signs of new growth.

Good luck and keep me posted.

Filed Under: Plant Care Questions Tagged With: , , ,

New Website Page: Passover Flowers

August 6, 2009 by Leave a Comment

Passover Flowers

Passover Flowers


A new holiday ecommerce page for Passover Flowers is now available to users of the Flower Shop Network ecommerce websites.

The new Passover holiday page is available immediately to FSN members using our florist ecommerce websites. FSN members that have purchased Advanced Website Controls can turn on and edit the Passover page by accessing website controls inside FSNF2F.com.

If you have questions or would like to provide feedback, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Filed Under: Florists Only Tagged With: , , ,

Like Pink Flowers? You’ll Love The North Dakota State Flower

August 5, 2009 by Leave a Comment

If you’ve ever been on a nature walk in North Dakota, you’ve probably run across the Wild Prairie Rose and didn’t even know it. It’s a gorgeous flower with 5 bright pink petals and a tight cluster of yellow stamens at the center. The Wild Prairie Rose (Rosa arkansana or Rosa blanda) grows along roadsides, near streams, in pastures and in meadows. With a prevalence and beauty unparalleled by other native North Dakota flowers, the Wild Prairie Rose has been the North Dakota state flower for over one hundred years.

Photo courtesy 50states.com

Photo courtesy 50states.com

Though you probably weren’t around in 1907, the awe-inspiring Wild Prairie Rose has maintained its unique appeal for all of these years. Its charm never fades because it is instantly attractive. Its pink flowers help it pop next to wild grasses and other flora across the state. A nature walk is a chance to experience so much richness and natural beauty. Even in the midst of this often overwhelming experience, the Wild Prairie Rose is a diamond in the rough, unashamedly capturing attention but allowing viewers to revel in its beauty.

North Dakota florists are lucky. They do not have to travel far to enjoy the Wild Prairie Rose. It’s title as the North Dakota state flower may not mean much to a local florist, but it doesn’t have to. The Wild Prairie Rose has a reputation all its own and is beautiful enough to be momentarily captivating despite any title.

Filed Under: Flower Suggestions Tagged With: , , ,

New Website Page: Hanukkah Flowers

August 4, 2009 by Leave a Comment
Hanukkah Flowers - Florist eCommerce Page

Hanukkah Flowers - Florist eCommerce Page

A new holiday page is now available to users of the Flower Shop Network ecommerce websites. A screenshot of the new page is listed below.

The new Hanukkah holiday page is available immediately to FSN members using our florist ecommerce websites. FSN members that have purchased Advanced Website Controls can turn on and edit the Hanukkah page by accessing website controls inside FSNF2F.com.

If you have questions or would like to provide feedback, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Filed Under: Florists Only Tagged With: , , ,

Have You Heard of Chinese Valentine’s Day?

August 4, 2009 by Leave a Comment

Chinese Valentine’s Day is actually very cool. They do not regard their form of the holiday in the same way as we western hemispherians. (*grin*) It’s still a neat holiday for lovers and I’ll tell you why. But first! — a little Chinese Valentine’s Day history for you history buffs.

The History of Chinese Valentine’s Day

Chinese Valentine’s Day falls on the seventh day of the seventh month in the Chinese lunar calendar. For those playing along at home, that’s August 26, 2009. The traditional story is a love story told of two star-crossed lovers (a droll joke, or so you’ll later learn). One is the 7th daughter of the Emperor of Heaven. Her love interest is an orphaned cowherd. A true “he’s from the wrong side of the tracks” story or a pasture in this case.

Anyway, the emperor couldn’t stand the thought of them together so he decided to banish them to stars far away. He sent his daughter to the star Vega and the cowherd to the star Altair. Being a somewhat benevolent father, he decided to allow them to see each other once a year. You can probably see where this is going. That day–now celebrated as Chinese Valentine’s Day–is the seventh day of the seventh month of the lunar Chinese lunar calendar. You can almost hear the a-ha’s.

Modern Celebration of Chinese Valentine’s Day

Chinese girls and women do not take their dates for a night out and expect an armful of chocolates and flowers. Instead, they all visit a matchmaker in hopes that doing so will provide blessings for their future relationships. Couples in love also go to the matchmaker to ask for blessings on their relationship. There are several other interesting traditions but the one that really caught my eye for obvious reasons is how the young ladies use flowers.

They decorate the ox’s horn with flowers in hopes of preventing future disasters in their relationships. My only question now is where do I find a PETA approved Ox horn and a bucket full of flowers?

How Florists Help Celebrate Chinese Valentine’s Day

Lovers may not be visiting their florist for love advice on this day but that doesn’t mean that florists can’t help lovers find a way to share their affection. In fact, the westernization of many traditional celebrations puts them in the starting line-up! Aside from the crazies like me muttering something about “flowers for my ox horn”, you can still give fun gifts from the local flower shop to your lover on this day.

If you are a Chinese-American or just one who likes to celebrate random holidays (and I do!), this is a fun occasion for gift giving. Surprise your date with a bouquet of flowers as you leave to see “the matchmaker” in your life. A cute little twist would be to send flowers with an enclosure card that reads “for your ox horn”. Now off to my local florist for a gift for the most non-traditional traditional holiday I’ve ever heard of!

Filed Under: Holiday Info Tagged With: , , ,

Dogs, Cats, Houseplants: Living Happily Together

August 3, 2009 by 6 Comments

Pets And Houseplants – Achieving Compatibility

African Violet (Saintpaulia ionantha)If you share your home with dogs or cats, keeping them safe and happy is often your primary concern. At the same time, having interior foliage really makes a house a home. Many houseplants actually improve air quality and create a healthy environment for you.

Although houseplants are pretty and help improve your life, they can sometimes pose a serious issue for your beloved pets. According of the Humane Society of the US there are 700 identified plants that have “toxic” qualities that can cause harmful side effects in animals. Does this mean you have to chose between living with your beloved pet or an awesome houseplant? NO! It doesn’t. By taking certain steps and knowing which houseplants are dangerous to your cat or dog, you can create a pet safe home that includes beautiful foliage.

Keeping Your Pets and Your Houseplants

Before you throw out all your houseplants for the sake of your kitten or puppy, take time to consider whether you’re dog or cat can live with your plants. Some dogs and cats never touch houseplants while others can’t leave them alone. You can still enjoy these plants, even ones potentially “toxic” to pets.

You can protect your pet by taking a few preventative steps. Place plants on stands or hang them out of your dog’s reach. This can work with cats as well. However with cats, the plant must be placed so that your kitty can’t climb up to or jump on to the hanging plant. Otherwise, all questionable plants will need to be placed in a room unavailable to the cat.

If you receive a new plant as a gift, take time to see if your pet is even interested in it. Most cats and dogs simply ignore houseplants and leave them alone. Kittens and puppies are a bit different. They are extremely curious and will chew or play with just about anything. If you have a puppy take time to train them to leave the houseplants alone. Spritzing them with water when they get near the plant is usually a sufficient deterrent. With kittens it’s a bit harder to train them; you may have to put the plants out of the kittens reach.

If you’re still leery about exposing your pet to houseplants, select [Read more…]

Filed Under: Newsletters, Plants & Pets Tagged With: , , , ,
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