Find Your Local Florist:Everything you want to know about flowers!
Ask The Expert: “One you will laugh I need a spelling lesson. sheffeleria? even the spell check cannot help me. the other is what is the common name for phothos? and spelling for both.” – Patricia
Plant Expert Reply:
Patricia,
Ask the Expert: All the leaves on my Gardenia house plant are dying and falling off.
The Gardenia’s leaves are turning yellow on the outer edges then turning brown in the middle and falling off. What is the problem and how can it be corrected? – Cleo
Plant Expert Reply:
Cleo,
Yellowing leaves can be a result of many different issues including fungus, insects, nematodes, insufficient light, temperature changes, over-watering or under watering. It can also simply be a result of the natural aging process. The oldest leaves of a Gardenia often turn yellow and fall off. To correctly diagnose the problem, I will need to know a little bit about the plant’s environment.
Is the problem occurring on lower older leaves of the plant?
Has the light, temperature or watering changed recently?
Do you see any webbing or signs of insects on the plant? You might need a magnifying glass to see the insects.
If you could send me a photo of the leaves that are yellowing that would be helpful. Once we diagnose the problem it should be very easy to correct.
Sincerely
Ask the Expert: What flower is this?
What flower is this? The stem is long and slender. The buds are shown in the picture. The piston is short.
Thank you, Hyunmee
Plant Expert Reply:
Hyunmee,
Ask the Expert: please identify this plant.
Found at our neighbors house. We live in Colorado, and it attracted bumble bees. Intriguing plant!
Plant Expert Reply:
Ask The Plant Expert: What is this plant called?
Can anyone tell me what this tree or shrub is called?
Amanda
Plant Expert Reply:
Amanda,
This plant is a type of Sumac. There are 250 species in this genus (Rhus). I am not sure exactly which of those can claim this particular plant. Some of the species in this genus can be poisonous like Rhus toxicodendron (Poison Ivy) or Rhus vernix (Poison Sumac) while others are used as a cooking spice. You might want to take a leaf to your local garden center or extension service to make a positive id.
Ask the Expert:
Please take a look at the small ground cover plant observed in a clear, non-active ag field. It has tiny yellow flowers.
Now, are the dense clustered green and scattered individuals the same?
SD
Plant Expert Reply:
SD,
It could be a type of Lysimachia nemorum sometimes referred to as Yellow pimpernel. I can’t see what the yellow flowers look like. Here is a link to what I think it is. Tell me if it looks like your plant.
Thanks
Ask the Plant Expert:
“I have moonflowers I grew last growing season (I am located in Wyoming) in a pot. I harvested the seeds and planted in several pots this year. What I noticed growing in the middle of our grass, by my children’s trampoline, is something that looks like a hybrid moonflower. The flowers are similar (just smaller). They are just as fragrant, and they are developing seed pods (just like the ‘regular’ moonflower plant). However, it look much different. The leaves are shaper (not rounded like the other plants). Do you think this moonflower somehow bred with a seed to a weed?
I am attaching two pictures of the plant in question. It shows the leaves, blooms and seed pods. Any help would be appreciated! I don’t know if I should harvest these seed pods, or destroy them! The plant smells pretty, so I hate to do that, but I also don’t want some weird, unknown thing growing around my yard! Thank you so much!” – Angela
Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply:
I believe what you have there is a relative of your moonflower. Your moonflower is a type of Datura and this new mystery shrub is in the same family. I believe it to be Datura stramonium or Datura leichhardtii. I would think this is more likely to be a random weed than a hybrid of your moonflower and a rogue weed, but I guess stranger things have happened.
Although the flowers are beautiful, all Datura plants contain tropane alkaloids which are toxic, so you might want to keep this in mind when deciding whether it stays or has to go! Hope this helps!
Ask the Expert: “How can i tell the difference between American holly and English holly? The leaves appear the same” – Katrina S.
Plant expert Reply:
Katrina,
It is very difficult to tell American Hollies (Ilex opaca) from English Hollies (Ilex aquifolium). Every resource on hollies will tell you that English Hollies have glossier leaves. Well that is all well and good if you have them side by side, but glossy is a very subjective attribute. For example in the pictures above, I can’t really tell the difference in the glossiness of the leaves. According to the American Horticulture Society, their leaf description is very similar. English Holly leaf – Elliptic or ovate, glossy, dark green leaves with entire, wavy, spine-toothed, or spiney margins. American Holly leaf – oblong-elliptic, spine-toothed or entire, leathery matte, dark green leaves.
For me the best way to tell them apart is by the older leaves. The American holly leaves tend to have a dark appearance and a more matte finish. The new leaves will always have a glossy look similar to the English Hollies. I have to be honest, even with this little trick, I have missed the mark a few times. The nice thing about these two types of hollies is that they can be used interchangeably. So unless you are trying to match a replacement shrub you can use which ever one is available.
However, if you are trying to match existing shrubs, the best thing to do is take a small stem with leaves to your local garden center. With your sample they should be able to determine which type you have.
Ilex aquifolium – English Holly
Ilex opaca picture came from Wiki Commons user Dcrjsr ( Jane Shelby Richardson at Duke University)
Ilex aqufolium pitcure came from Wiki Commons user Quartl
Ask The Expert: To cut or not to cut I ask??!
My plant (do not know the name I think it’s in the palm tree family) is reaching my 10″ vaulted ceiling however, it’s bending and very weak. To help support it I used string and thumbtacks and tacked it to the wall. Should I cut the top off? If it is top heavy is it okay to cut? The bark if you would or trunks are thin. Is there a way to help thicken them up? While viewing the photos if you have any advice on this plant I will Thank You in advance.
Hailey
Plant Expert Reply:
Hailey,
You have a very large Dracaena. Yes it is in need of a trim to keep it healthy inside your home.
I took the liberty of altering your photo to show where you can top your plant. If you look at the picture to the right you will see a red box highlighting part of the Dracaena stem. Any where along this stem you can cut the top off the plant. Be sure you cut the stem at a 45 degree angle. This will ensure that the plant will heal correctly with little to no dieback. I like to mist the cut area for a couple days to allow the cut to dry out slowly. Mist it with luke warm water once a day.
You can take the piece you cut off and start a new plant. To do this you will need some rooting hormone. When you cut the top off dip the cut end into the rooting hormone and then stick it into a pot with moist soil. In a few weeks the piece you cut off will form roots thus giving you a new plant.
The old plant most likely will form new growth on the side of the stem where you made the cut. Good Luck and let me know how it does.
Ask the Expert: What type of plant and how to care for it.
Philodendron Makes a Good Houseplant
This plant was left from my renters. The majority of the leaves were lying on the floor. I put two sticks into the pot to try to give the stems support and tied up with ribbon to have it grow up. Is this the correct size and type of pot? Should I leave the leaves where the lay? I rotated pot as to the leaves might rise when sunlight hits it. What is the name of the plant and how should I take care of it? Alexandra Allen
Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply:
Alexandra,
It looks like you actually have two types of Philodendron. The nice thing about Philodendrons is their versatility. So in this case, you could either let the leaves trail downward or give them support to grow up. Although the plant seems fine in its present container, you might want to re-pot the plant into a container about half-again as big. Be sure the new container has drain holes in the bottom and that you use a good basic houseplant potting soil.
If your sticks are giving the plant the support they need, keep using them. If you need more support, your local garden center should have plant totems.
Since this plant flourishes in bright, filtered or indirect light, it will thrive indoors. Just place it in a room with moderate light level. It is best not to place it directly in front of a window. Keep the soil moist, but make sure excess water can drain away from the plant. If the humidity level in your house is low, mist the air around the plant with lukewarm water every day at least once. About once a month give the plant a dose of a well-balanced fertilizer.
Hope this information is helpful.
