Flower of June: Passionate about Passionflower

What is the vine with the exotic purple flowers that pops up in the North Florida area in the summer months? It is no other than the stunning plant Passiflora, also called passionflower or maypop. Passiflora incarnata is the most common species in the southeast but you will most likely encounter other examples of this plant, with varieties in the many hundreds.

Passionflower when used in landscape design looks best in natural and informal plantings, as its vines tend to go where they please and are typically deciduous as opposed to evergreen. It is especially valued in butterfly gardens, as it is the food plant of many different types of Florida caterpillars. Passionflower is a fast growing perennial that can grow as high at 12 feet!

The unique purple flowers of passionflower are about three inches in diameter and each blossom only lasts 24 hours.  Our local passionflower vines, considered a wildflower, have hardy roots through very cold weather and their fruits are edible, although so popular with wildlife you will rarely get a chance to see them ripen to the orange color they attain in the late summer and fall before they are eaten.  

Passionflower is the food of a number of butterfly species, including the zebra longwing and Gulf fritillary. Bumblebees are known to become intoxicated from the nectar of passionflower (look closely at the photo at the top), and will stay on the blooms all day long, sometimes falling to the ground in a stupor.

The fruit was a favorite of colonial settlers of the South and Native Americans alike; the Cherokee called it "ocoee" and some people still know it as wild apricot.  To this day eating passionfruit is a favorite of Cajuns: they call the plant liane de grenade, or "pomegranate vine".

Native Americans taught European colonists to utilize leaves of passionflower to make a calming medicinal tea, and it is still used this way in some Central and South American cultures. There are studies currently being done to investigate whether passionflower leaf extract is a better alternative to anxiety medications than the current pharmaceutical treatment.

And finally - why is this lovely flower named for "passion"?  The label refers to the passion of Jesus in Christian history: in the 15th and 16th centuries, Spanish missionaries chose the physical structures of this flower, especially the numbers of its various parts, as symbols of their faith.  You may notice the passionflower sometimes appearing as a decorative element in Christian artworks over the centuries since.

Passionflower will always be found in areas with lots of available sunlight, never in shady areas beneath a forest canopy. Other species you could likely encounter in North and Central Florida include the Passiflora racemosa, a large evergreen vine with long clusters of bright red passionflowers, about five inches each in diameter. Also growing in gardens and forests of Palm Coast, St. Augustine, and Ormond Beach is the blue passionflower, Passiflora caerulea.

🦚Article by Connie Helena, author of The Green Orchid 🦚

Flower of May: Love for Gardenia is No Secret

We know that deep red roses are for True Love; bright yellow roses are for Friendship.  The symbolism of a flower is often a testament to its character, but not in the case of the elegant and stunning gardenia, which is the floral symbol for Secret Love.

This evergreen flowering shrub has just begun its fragrant show of blossoms this month in North Florida landscape designs.  That being said, gardenia is not salt tolerant so we would not advise you to incorporate it into beach landscaping.

Also sometimes growing in the fashion of a small tree or a hedge, gardenia have very shiny dark green leaves and its flowers are a pure white that eventually fade to yellow as they end their brilliance.  With its heavenly scent and a classic shape, gardenia are often used in weddings.

Botanists know that gardenia will continuously bloom for several months of late spring into mid summer.  Selective about its conditions and placement, gardenia does best with a professional landscaper's guidance in regards to installation and maintenance.

Gardenia is part of the coffee family of plant species, Rubiaceae, and the most common gardenia is Gardenia jasminoides, found growing wild in Vietnam, Southern China, Taiwan, Japan, Myanmar, and India. Gardenia is native to the tropical and subtropical regions of the world and has been in cultivation in China for at least a thousand years.

You may hear gardenia sometimes called "cape jasmine" or "cape jessamine".  The flowers eventually become oval fruits, and these are still used in Chinese medicine.  Gardenia is also used to make yellow dye in Asia.  It is a flower with a rich history and a popularity all over the world, either as a landscape design element or as a houseplant.

🦚Article by Connie Helena, author of The Green Orchid 🦚

Flower of January: The Beautiful Camellia

Have you noticed the camellias in bloom around northeast Florida this month?  If you would like to enjoy the camellia during its season of stunning flower, visit Washington Oaks State Park in Palm Coast, Florida, where there are several cultivars blooming right now.

Camellia originated in eastern and southern Asia, and its beautiful image is frequently featured in Asian art. In Chinese the name translates to "tea flower".  On the Indian subcontinent and in Asia, leaves of Camellia sinensis are in fact the basis for tea.

There are 100–250 known species of camellia and the ornamental varieties are generally Camellia japonica, Camellia oleifera, and Camellia sasanqua, with over 3,000 hybrids and cultivars. Camellias are evergreen shrubs or small trees that can grow over 60 feet tall.

Their leaves are glossy and the flowers range from white through pink colors to red and blends of these shades.  Rare yellow camellias are found in South China and Vietnam. Camellias prefer rich, acidic soils and a large amount of water, usually not tolerating drought at all.

Camellia plants have a rapid growth rate and are food plants for many butterfly species.  Along with tea, camellia is also used to make a cooking oil that is widely used in Asia.  Camellias were not found in gardens outside of Asia until 1739 in England, then America in 1797.

Frequently planted in woodland settings (such as Washington Oaks), camellias are highly valued for their winter flowering, setting them apart in cold weather. Flower forms include single, semi-double, double, anemone form, rose form, and formal double.

🦚Article by Connie Helena, author of The Green Orchid 🦚

Flower of November: The Chrysanthemum for Fall

Chrysanthemum indicum, the autumn flower chrysanthemum, is sometimes called mum or chrysanth and the number of varieties at this point are literally countless. Native to Asia and northeastern Europe, for us the mum symbolizes the fall season, November, and Thanksgiving. Whether you are enjoying the flowers of chrysanthemum in your garden or on your table, it is a plant that is synonymous with this time of year.

Here are some fascinating facts about this lovely flower:

The name of this flower comes from the Greek words chrysos meaning gold, and anthemon meaning flower.

Mums were first cultivated in China as far back as the 15th century BC.

This flower came to America in 1798 when Colonel John Stevens brought in a variety known as 'Dark Purple' from England.

Mums are edible, but it is advised you only use the flower petals and blanch them first for the best flavor.

Yellow or white chrysanthemum flowers are boiled to make a sweet drink in some parts of Asia called chrysanthemum tea.

In Korea, there is a popular rice wine flavored with chrysanthemum flowers. 

Mum leaves are steamed or boiled and used as greens or aromatic flavors in many Asian cuisines.

Chrysanthemum is used as a natural source of insecticide: its pyrethrins attack the nervous systems of all insects, and inhibit female mosquitoes from biting.

The NASA Clean Air Study showed that chrysanthemum plants reduce indoor air pollution.

The term "chrysanthemum" is also used to refer to specific fireworks that produce a pattern of trailing sparks similar to the flower.

The chrysanthemum is the official flower of November in the United States.

King Tut of Egypt was buried with floral necklaces of chrysanthemums!

In Japan, the chrysanthemum is a symbol of its Emperor: for example the Chrysanthemum Crest and Seal, and the Emperor's position on the Chrysanthemum Throne.

Mums are composed of many individual flowers (florets), each one capable of making a seed.

🦚Article by Connie Helena, author of The Green Orchid 🦚 

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 🦚

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 🦚

   

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 🦚

Florida Holly is Not So Festive After All

In northeast Florida as we celebrate the holidays we may enjoy the presence of "Florida Holly" trees in our yard producing red berries to enhance the season. Think again: these trees are actually a highly invasive species better known as the Brazilian-pepper tree!

Schinus terebinthifolius is also mistaken for the innocent sounding "Christmasberry" tree, but this plant is responsible for allergic skin reactions and respiratory illness (when blooming), not to mention that over 700,000 acres in Florida are covered by this weed making these areas inhospitable to native plants and wildlife.

The Brazilian-pepper tree is actually native to Brazil, Paraguay, and northern Argentina and was introduced to Florida in the 1800s to be cultivated and sold as an ornamental plant. Why does it enjoy Florida and the rest of agricultural zones 9-11 so much? Its salt tolerance is high, it will grow in any soil, has no nutritional requirements, grows very quickly, has high drought tolerance, and loves full sun.

Not at all related to holly but rather to poison ivy, this trickster has the potential to create a dense forest canopy that shades out all other foliage and produces such a poor habitat for native wildlife species that almost nothing other than the Brazilian-pepper itself will survive. It is highly prohibited to plant Brazilian-pepper tree or encourage its growth.

On an interesting note, this plant is grown for culinary purposes in other countries and marketed as "pink peppercorns" here by itself or in spice blends. Bees love the flowers of Brazilian-pepper and make honey from its nectar. Raccoons and possums eat the fruit of the plant and contribute to its spread by passing the seeds, as do seed loving birds such as the migratory American Robin. It is believed that some birds and other wildlife adore the berries of this plant for their narcotic effects at certain times of the year.

If you have "Florida Holly" in your yard, you can use its fruit-laden branches as Christmas decorations because the small bright red berries will mature between December and January. From a professional standpoint, it is never acceptable for a landscape designer to encourage these invasive species for landscaping in Ormond Beach, St. Augustine, or Palm Coast.

🦚Article by Connie Helena, author of The Green Orchid 🦚

Century Plant and Agave in the Florida Landscape Design

Newcomers to northeast Florida are often captivated by the site of the gigantic century plants thriving so impressively in landscape designs from St. Augustine to Ormond Beach. Also known as maguey or American aloe (although not in the aloe family), century plant (Agave americana) actually only lives to be 10-30 years. This waterwise ornamental plant has a large dramatic form when fully grown and is prized for modernist, desert-style landscape designs, as well as being perfectly suited for Florida-friendly xeriscaping.

The spreading rosette shape of century plant can grow as wide as 13 feet and its leaves can be almost seven feet long.  Each leaf tip is extremely sharp and can pierce skin, so do not plant this drought tolerant beauty anywhere near a childrens' play area!  Alternatively, century plants can be cultivated along a perimeter as a natural fence to keep people or animals in or out of a designated zone.  The two most commonly encountered Agaves are the blue straight leaved type and the variegated curly leaved species.  If you are drawn to more exotic varieties, landscapers can help you incorporate them into your landscape design for St. Augustine, Palm Coast, and Ormond Beach.    

These succulents will bloom only once, their unique flowers growing many feet in the air on stalks, and after they bloom they will die.  So enjoy this amazing plant for as long as it lives! Various Agaves are used to produce tequila, mezcal, and pulque in Mexico, as well as agave nectar, a healthy and natural alternative to sugar.  The fibers from certain century plants are also used in Mexican crafts and textiles. 

🦚Article by Connie Helena, author of The Green Orchid 🦚

Amazing Facts About the Live Oak Tree

The majestic live oak tree (Quercus virginiana) is one of the world's most eye catching and fascinating species of tree and it is located throughout the southern United States including Sanford, Deltona, DeBary, Daytona Beach, Port Orange, Lake Helen, Orange City, DeLand, and Ormond Beach, Florida. If you have one of these incredible species in your landscape design already, you most likely have an appreciation for its visual impact as well as its maintenance challenges.

Including new live oak saplings in a landscape design is making investments for the long term: they may not look as enticing in the beginning as they most certainly will in a few decades. A Volusia or Seminole County, Florida tree service will assist you with caring for aged live oaks.  Landscape designers will discuss all the things you need to know about incorporating potentially beautiful live oaks into your design, or designing around their already established presence. Keep in mind these facts regarding this native tree:

-There are other species of live oak, but the southern live oak is the most well known and was the first to be given that name. Live oaks indicate the evergreen types of oak tree (the ones that do not lose their leaves in the fall, as opposed to deciduous).

-Live oak is a huge, sprawling tree that reaches heights of 65 feet to 85 feet at maturity and has been known to live 500 years or longer.

-Live oak is the southern symbol of strength and the state tree of Georgia.

-Live oak trees require very little watering when first planted and when it reaches four to five feet tall, supplemental watering is no longer necessary.

-Live oaks are one of the heaviest native American hardwoods, weighing 55 pounds per cubic foot when air dry. Its strong, dense wood explains why these trees have outlasted so many Florida hurricanes.

-Live oaks support many types of epiphytic (air) plants, including Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides) and resurrection fern (Polypodium polypodioides). These plants do not harm the tree in any way and add to its beauty.

-The large amount of acorns produced by the live oak are food for wild turkeys, wood ducks, jays (including the threatened Florida scrub jay), quails, whitetail deer, raccoons, squirrels, yellow-bellied sapsuckers, and black bears among others.

-Bulow Creek State Park in Ormond Beach is one of the largest remaining stands of southern live oak forests in Florida. Within its boundaries is the Fairchild Oak, one of the largest and oldest live oak trees in the South.

🦚Article by Connie Helena, author of The Green Orchid 🦚

What is a serenity garden?

A serenity garden is a space that is specially designated in your home or business landscape to be a place of contemplation, peace, and solace. It is often a hidden area or courtyard with plants, hardscaping, and water features such as a fountain or waterfall. Serenity gardens are sometimes located at an entry point or between two separate sections of a structure. It is a beautiful way to divide and unite interior and exterior space at the same time.

Serenity gardens can also incorporate elements of zen gardens such as arches and feng shui. The principle purpose of a serenity garden is to instill calm, enhance relaxation, and encourage meditation. For some people this garden has a memorial or religious theme. For others it is the place to escape and get away from it all.

A serenity garden should be placed away from ringing telephones, car pollution, and other distractions and unpleasantries. There should be a comfortable sitting area such as a bench that receives equal parts sun and shade, or whichever your individual preference. Perhaps a rocking chair would suit you as you let your stress fade away.

Nature is an obvious element of a serenity garden: besides personally preferred plants, consider a bird feeder or house, or a koi pond. Wind chimes or a rhythmic bamboo water spout add a gentle, soothing sound effect. Statues can be placed in ideal locations for inspiration and reflection. Stones and boulders are a reminder of the solid, eternal state of the universe.

🦚Article by Connie Helena, author of The Green Orchid 🦚

American Beautyberry is a Florida Jewel

The American Beautyberry (callicarpa americana) lives up to its name: it is an outstanding shrub of the verbena family that loves northeast Florida so much it grows wild or cultivated with equal ease. Also known simply as beautyberry or French mulberry, this native plant is known for its characteristically eye-catching clusters of purple berries in the summer and fall months.

American Beautyberry responds well to transplanting and will propagate from seed or soft-wood cuttings in soil. Birds are known to eat the berries when there is not much else to eat in the colder months, but it is not their first choice for food. This is good thing so that the beautiful berries remain in the garden. Beautyberry leaves are a known food source for some caterpillars so they make a welcome addition to the a butterfly garden.

Currently in the Palm Coast, Ormond Beach, and St. Augustine area of Florida our beautyberry bushes are just getting their leaves back after a cold season. Soon we will have the tiny lavender flowers that will lead to the lovely magenta berries. Landscapers welcomes your questions regarding hardy species such as American beautyberry for Flagler, St. Johns, and Volusia landscape design - and of course we are also topmost experts when it comes to more sensitive and exotic varieties of plants.

🦚Article by Connie Helena, author of The Green Orchid 🦚

Flower of July: Crape or Crepe, This Myrtle Tree is Florida Friendly

Hello summer and beautiful, colorful crape myrtle trees! One of the first signs of warmer weather in these parts of northeastern Florida is the blossoming of our many crape myrtle trees that, being deciduous, may have died back over the winter and were trimmed and pruned to perfection by a landscaper.

Crape (or crepe - either spelling is fine) myrtle trees are fast growing and retain their blooms for what seems like forever, as long as 120 days to be exact. They come in gorgeous shades of white, purple, pink, and red. Lagerstroemia indica is a rewarding addition to your Florida landscape design.  It is very versatile and can be used in a variety of plantings.

Crape myrtles like a lot of water but they will tolerate dry soils also. They are affordable trees that come in endless choices of types and sizes. Although pruning the trees back is common practice, it is also possible to let them grow to their full size which can be quite large.  You cannot miss the crape myrtle trees in bloom all over North Florida this time of year.

Landscaping pros will gladly incorporate the lovely, hardy crape myrtle tree or shrub into your landscaping plan for your home in Ormond Beach, Daytona Beach, Palm Coast, and the surrounding areas of Florida.  We also design, install, and maintain luxury landscaping in St. Augustine.

Although the crape myrtle is native to India, it is still considered Florida Friendly.  It is drought tolerant and welcoming to pollinators such as bees and butterflies. To see more photographs of this beautiful tree, go to the National Arboretum Crapemyrtle Page.

🦚Article by Connie Helena, author of The Green Orchid 🦚

Florida Friendly Plant: Lantana

Common lantana (lantana camara), also known as shrub verbena, is a lovely summer and fall flowering plant that tends to pop up in the natural landscape on occasion. In the tropical areas where lantana is native, it is evergreen but here in northeast Florida it will die back during frost only to rise again beautifully when spring comes. Lantana is a favorite among butterflies and the less rain the better as more flowers form with drought conditions. Lantana will grow in sun or part shade and will tolerate many different types of soil including poor ones.

If you are lucky enough to have one of the pink/orange lantana bushes grow naturally in your yard, you may like to keep it as part of your xeriscape design. Because of new state laws and views, Florida Friendly landscaping is enjoying a new prominence and lantana is a nice addition to this particular landscape style. In frost-free climates such as Hawaii, lantana is such a hardy grower that it is consider invasive.

🦚Article by Connie Helena, author of The Green Orchid 🦚