Flower of the Holy Night: All About the Poinsettia


Poinsettia plants are everywhere around the holidays but do you know the story behind this festive bloom that is synonymous with Christmas itself?  With its bright red, pink, or white "flowers" (which are actually colored leaves called bracts), the poinsettia is the most popular potted plant in the United States with its wholesale contributing over $250 million dollars to the U.S. economy each year.    

The poinsettia got its name here from Joel Roberts Poinsett, an American botanist, physician, and diplomat to Mexico who in 1828 sent cuttings to his home in South Carolina. The poinsettia is native to Mexico (its Spanish name translates to "Flower of the Holy Night") where as a wild tropical tree it can reach heights of more than ten feet. The ancient Aztecs called it cuetlaxochitl and used it to make a reddish-purple dye as well as a medicine for fevers.

One of 2013's holiday season U.S. Postal Service Forever stamps features artwork of the lovely poinsettia. “The image of the poinsettia has proven to be so timeless that the Postal Service has featured it on two previous holiday stamps, one in 1964 and one in 1985,” stated Stamp Services Director Susan McGowan.

Typically the plant is for indoors only, as it is sensitive to freezing.  In Florida, the poinsettia can be planted outdoors as well. If you have poinsettias that you would like to transfer outside, wait until the weather begins to warm, then bring the pots outside and put in a shady place so they can acclimate.

After a few weeks, plant your poinsettias in full sun in well drained soil and keep in mind that in order to flower they need 14 hours of complete darkness each day for 6 to 8 weeks, so keep away from bright street lamps or other outdoor lighting.  Pruning poinsettias after they bloom in spring promotes a fuller plant and in our area you will have a thriving poinsettia if you fertilize it once a month from May to September.

Contrary to what many people have been led to believe, the poinsettia is not toxic to humans or animals.  Eating the poinsettia will cause stomach upset and being exposed to the milky sap of the plant can irritate the skin, but the commonly held notion that poinsettias are highly poisonous is an urban legend.

🦚Article by Connie Helena, author of The Green Orchid ðŸ¦š


Mulch is a Must in Landscaping


One component of landscaping installation you can be assured will not be ignored by a professional landscaper is the necessity of mulch, initially applied and continuously maintained, for your garden beds.  Mulch is the material, usually organic, that covers the soil around your plants.  In nature, mulch is created by leaves and other decomposing matter and it is part of what encourages the growth of plants in both wild and structured landscape plans.

The basic purposes of mulch are to conserve moisture, improve the soil, discourage weed growth, and enhance visual harmony and beauty.  The next time you notice a property with an especially attractive landscape design, look a little bit closer and you will see how important the use of mulch is when it comes to an appealing flow to the design.  And of course, any thriving and healthy landscape will have proper mulching to thank for it.  There are even brightly dyed mulches that add a dose of color to entice the eye.    

Different mulch affects the soil in different ways and a professional landscaping company will be familiar with the prime choices of mulch for your particular landscape design.  Bark chips, shredded mulch, wood chips, and wood chip mulch are some examples of what may be used locally and these materials vary in appearance, cost, availability, and effect on the soil underneath.  Rocks, crushed stone, and gravel are also considered a material for the process of mulching, with its own special accommodations.

Mulch is applied as deep as six inches to keep soil temperature and moisture at a stable level.  Application of mulch decreases evaporation so plants get properly watered, and blocks sunlight so that weeds cannot sprout.  Mulch slowly decomposes into the soil, which is why it needs to be replaced periodically. 




    

Flower of October: Hibiscus is the Rockstar of Florida Landscaping


The hibiscus flower is ubiquitous with Florida landscape design in so many ways: hibiscus flowers are pictured being scattered by a Seminole woman on the official Florida state seal and in reality can be found growing all over the state.  This colorful beauty, available in literally hundreds of varieties, is used as a focal point in landscape design as well as a uniquely Floridian hedge option.  Our summers are heralded by the eye catching blooms of hibiscus in almost every color of the rainbow, and these beauties keep blooming all the way through fall.

Hot weather, humidity, rain, and abundant sunshine bring out the best in the hibiscus (which is why it is still blooming in October for Floridians).  These plants need to be properly fertilized and pruned at the appropriate times, making the services of a professional landscape maintenance company an added bonus because not only will they care for your lawn and shrubbery, but a landscaper is also equipped to enhance the health and appearance of blooming plants like hibiscus.

Hibiscus is comprised of a vast genus of plants in the mallow family (hibiscus is also called rose mallow); the hundreds of species are native to warm-temperate, subtropical, and tropical regions all across the world!  There are both annual and perennial herbaceous hibiscus and these plants with their large showy flowers can be woody shrubs or small trees.  Flower colors may change in some species as the plant ages and most hibiscus are magnets for butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds.

Because this flower is found all over the world, it is appreciated by many different cultures for its beauty and symbolism.  Tahitian women wear one red hibiscus behind their ear to indicate they are available for marriage.  The flowers are dried and eaten in Mexico and a tea can be made from hibiscus that has been proven to reduce high blood pressure.  Varieties of hibiscus are the official national flowers of Haiti, Malaysia, and South Korea.

🦚Article by Connie Helena, author of The Green Orchid ðŸ¦š

   

The Official Flora of Florida

This year, Florida celebrates 500 years since Ponce de Leon first landed upon our shores.  He proclaimed the peninsula (which he believed was an island) would be known as Florida, the "flowery land".  This arrival by a European explorer occurred in the vicinity of St. Augustine and you might like to imagine the flowers, plants, and trees that were most likely present.

Landscaping in this area is full of tropical and semi-tropical blossoms and a variety of palm trees, among so many other varieties of unique flora.  Ponce de Leon's landing occurred during the Easter season, also known as Pascua Florida, the Feast of Flowers.

When it came time to create an official state seal in 1868, it is not surprising that hibiscus flowers being scattered by a Seminole woman were the focal point of the image chosen to symbolize Florida.  Because of the times, a cocoa tree was also used to represent Florida agriculture.

Many years later the cocoa tree was replaced in the seal with the native sabal palm tree, which is now also the designated state tree of Florida.  The state flag of Florida is comprised of the seal superimposed over a red St. Andrew's cross on a white background.

What other flowers have come to stand for our beautiful land of blooms?  The official state flower since 1909 is not hard to guess: no other flower could symbolize the Sunshine State as perfectly as the lovely, fragrant orange blossom.

And there is an official state wildflower as well: selected and announced just recently in 1991, Coreopisis can be seen thriving along roadsides as part of highway beautification programs.  This native wildflower is usually bright yellow but can be other colors such as pink.

🦚Article by Connie Helena, author of The Green Orchid ðŸ¦š


How will you design your landscaping?


You have your property and you know you need a new landscape design planned, installed, and ultimately maintained.  There are options available to you when beginning this project - a project that can be so significant that it basically creates the very first impression everyone who visits your home will experience.  Consider these starting points:

1) Design it yourself.  This is an acceptable idea if you are by trade a professional landscape designer.  If not, you will need more understanding of your property's soil, climate, and weather patterns than you probably realize.  You will also need to know the growth schedule and needs of the plants you use for your landscaping so that you can create a year round design.  Watering and pest control are important components of successful landscape design in Florida, so you should be well versed in these factors as well.

2) Utilize feng shui concepts.  Perhaps this Chinese method of decorating will be a good guide to how your landscape should be set up and designed.  Feng shui takes into consideration directional placement, color meanings, use of water features and lighting, the flow of "energy" through the garden, and the elements of wood, fire, water, earth, and metal.  Feng shui is not for everyone, but it may be the way you want to design your landscape, although it leaves out important maintenance considerations.    

3) Duplicate other landscape designs.  There is such an abundance of material to peruse when designing your landscaping.  Magazines, web sites, books, and other sources will give you a wealth of ideas when you are collecting your personal landscape inspiration.  Perhaps you will decide to copy some plant and design choices found in your own geographic area, taking into consideration how well this works for the local climate.  Keep in mind: soil, sun, and watering can be very different for each particular property and you may have very little idea of how much regular maintenance is required.  

4) Hire a professional landscaper.  Most successful landscape designs either begin with a professional designer or continue indefinitely with one.  This is because with an established, licensed company, you know that you are hiring someone who knows the conditions and climate of your property better than most and will create beautiful gardens that reflect this knowledge.  Landscapers have not just the initial design to think about, but the long term performance of the plants and trees that are selected for each unique project.  Another benefit of utilizing the services of a professional landscaper is that you can also incorporate your own design ideas, whether they come from feng shui or other sources, and work together in harmony to create something amazing and personal!

🦚Article by Connie Helena, author of The Green Orchid ðŸ¦š 


Striking Signs of Spring: Bottlebrush in Bloom


What flower is one of the most eye catching elements of Palm Coast landscape design?  If you have taken note of the striking Bottlebrush trees and shrubs that are currently in bloom, with their unique brush shaped red blossoms, you will agree this is a special plant.  So many beautiful Palm Coast landscapes incorporate the evergreen Bottlebrush, or Callistemon, and its lovely shape is an elegant addition to your yard year round, although many would say it is at its peak while blooming.

Red in the landscape is a powerful design component and nothing attracts attention like the hot hue of the Bottlebrush.  The tree or shrub has an Asian style as its delicate leaves cascade downwards, adding texture and movement among other stronger, thicker landscape plants and trees.  Some Native American cultures believe the red bottle brush shaped flowers catch evil spirits before they can enter a home, giving Bottlebrush a whimsical story behind its attractive appearance.

What do you need to know about the Bottlebrush from a botanical point of view?  This plant is perennial, relatively easy to maintain, and drought resistant, although it does best with regular watering, as most Palm Coast landscape designs, because of our unpredictable weather patterns, tend to thrive as well.  A relative of the crape myrtle, Bottlebrush is native to Australia and was introduced in European gardens in 1789. If you have a Bottlebrush blooming, expect to see lots of nectar feeding birds, like hummingbirds, as well as insects, especially butterflies!

🦚Article by Connie Helena, author of The Green Orchid ðŸ¦š


Palm Coast Landscape Blog Highlights


This landscape blog covering Palm Coast, Flagler Beach, Ormond, Daytona, and St. Augustine is in its third year of knowledge sharing for those readers interested in Florida landscaping issues.  Here are the top five posts of all time, counting our total readership well into the thousands:

1) Century Plant and Agave in the Florida Landscape Design - Still one of the most stunning examples of our unique northeast Florida botanical elements for landscaping, this plant is as fascinating as it is beautiful.

2) Amazing Facts About the Live Oak Tree - This tree is nothing if not majestic and apparently many web searches seeking information on the live oak bring web visitors to this post.

3) The everlasting green beauty of Florida landscape design - The second blog ever posted, announcing important company news and sharing an interesting tidbit and quote about color, has stayed in the top ever since.

4) Florida Holly is Not So Festive After All - This explains in detail the truth about one of our area's most mistakenly identified trees, and even if you know its true identity, you may not know the whole story.

5) Fire Pits Add Cozy Heat to Florida Evenings - Fire pit design, as aspect of hardscaping that GreenFlex Landscaping specializes in, has gotten more popular as a functional landscape design feature.


The truth about Amaryllis flowers

In the early spring of northeast Florida we begin to see signs of what many of us call the Amaryllis flower - a tall spike of large showy flowers emanating from a bulb in the ground.  In cooler parts of the country these bulbs are grown in pots indoors and are sold around the holidays.  Our climate enables us to put these beauties in our landscaping and enjoy their return each year, as well as their thriving propagation.

What may surprise you is that this flower is not an Amaryllis at all, but rather a Hippeastrum, according to botanists who have been divided on the issue for centuries!  A true Amaryllis is a South African bulb related to the Hippeastrum, a flower which originates in South America.  The decision was made official in 1987 but that has not changed the common (incorrect) classification.

Other facts of note regarding the Hippeastrum:

1) It includes about 90 species and 600 plus hybrids and cultivars.
2) Some Hippeastrum have evergreen leaves and some deciduous (seasonal).
3) This flower usually has six petals, three on the outside and three inside.
4) Depending on the species, there may be two or as many as 15 flowers on one stem.
5) Some varieties of Hippeastrum are air plants, which is why the bulbs need exposure to air.
6) The plants can be food sources for butterfly and moth larva.
7) Hippeastrum is Greek for "knight's star", most likely a reference to the morning star weapon.
8) These bulbs do not respond well to frost or too much watering.
9) The first commercial growers of Hippeastrum were the 18th Century Dutch.
10) There are five types of flowers: single, double, miniature, cybister, and trumpet.

🦚Article by Connie Helena, author of The Green Orchid ðŸ¦š