Featured Flowers: Tulips
Although usually associated with Holland, tulips originated in Persia, and are indigenous to Iran, Afghanistan and Turkey. Tulips are believed to have come to Europe in the 16th century. In almost no time at all, tulips became a very popular flower, especially in Holland and France. Even today, we refer to varieties of tulips as being "Dutch Tulips" or "French Tulips", despite their origins.
Unlike most flowers, tulips cannot be grown in a warm tropical climate, since they require a cold period to induce plant growth. Tulips are one of the few flowers whose stems continue to grow after they bloom. It is thought that in nature, the pointed blossom helps the flower push through any remaining snow, and the stem's elongation lifts the blossom above the snow and away from the parent bulb. Warmth and light seem to trigger this behavior. In modern arrangements of cut tulips, the stem's elongation gives rise to the charachteristc graceful gooseneck bends in vased arrangements.
Dutch tulips usually have a smaller bloom and a shorter stem, while French tulips have a considerably larger blossom and longer stem. Both varieties are available in an amazing assortment of colors. Another type of tulip popular in floral shops is the parrot tulip, whose petals have feathered or fringed edges.
Tulips are available pretty much throught the year, thanks to modern coldhouses and cultivation in the southern hemisphere. For field grown tulips in the northern hemisphere, the peak season is December through April. Thanks to their colors and availability, tulips are gaining more and more popularity at Christmas, Valentine's Day and Easter. During "field season" in the US, most tulips are grown domestically or are imported from Holland. Tulips in the summer are usually imported from South Africa, Australia or New Zealand.
In nature, tulips prefer cool. To help your tulip arrangement last longer, keep it in a cool location, away from direct heat. Since tulips bend toward light, it's a good idea to rotate a tulip arrangement every day, or place them in a spot with even light. If you did not receive a packet of flower food with your arrangement, the water should be changed and the stems should be recut daily. Tulips are also sensitive to ethylene gas, which is given off by ripening fruit, so keep flowers and fruit away from one another.
Brand Flowers and the Sun Valley Group are two leading growers of tulips. If you're planning an event which will include tulips, their websites are a good resource. Their flowers are available through your local florist (they do not sell direct to consumers), so when you find something you like, talk to your local florist to arrange the details.
Sources:
"Tempting Tulips", Floral Management v24 n11
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulips
Brand Flowers (http://www.brandflowers.com/05_guide_ft.html)
Sun Valley Group (http://www.thesunvalleygroup.com/thesunvalleygroup/FlowerTypes.cfm?type=Tulip&site=svf)
The name Amaryllis means "splendid beauty", and their name certainly fits these flowers. Called "the perfect cut flower for Christmas", the British have made the Amaryllis their new favorite (favourite?) Christmas plant. In the US, Amaryllis bulbs and cut flowers have gained in popularity in the last several years as well. And for no wonder--the blooms from the South American varieties are spectacular in shape, size and color, and are perched stately atop a sturdy stalk.
Originating in Central and South America, with smaller varieties originating in South Africa, the season for the Amaryllis is September to April, with the peak coming just in time for the Christmas holidays. Many Amaryllises flower in with petals of vibrant reds, whites or variegated, making them perfect for the season's decorating.
Bulbs and bulb kits are popular gifts for the winter holidays, but they are also very striking in cut flower arrangements. If you want memorable and dramatic flowers, talk to your local florist about an arrangement containing amaryllises.
You can see what the Florist Bloggers create with amaryllises at http://floristblogs.com/tags/amaryllis/default.aspx.
References:
http://www.flowers.org.uk/flowers/facts/a-d/amaryllis.htm
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/main.jhtml?xml=/gardening/2007/11/16/garden-amaryllis116.xml
http://www.flowers.org.uk/flowers/facts/a-d/amaryllis.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippeastrum
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaryllis
http://www.gardenline.usask.ca/plants/amaryll.html
http://faculty.ucc.edu/biology-ombrello/POW/amaryllis.htm
Long a favorite gardeners, peonies are very popular in everyday arrangements and wedding bouquets. Available in a variety of colors, the large, fragrant flowers of the peony impart a soft, fluffy texture to arrangements. Peonies are closely related to ranunculus and anemones, which also share the characteristic soft, colorful appearance.
The peony flower is nectar rich, and in the garden, ants are strongly attracted to the flowers. One of the old wive's tales about peonies is that ants are required for the blossoms to open. This is not the case--the blossoms open fine on their own, as greenhouse grown peonies will attest. The use of garden-cut peonies in wedding bouquets has probably brought a few unwanted guests up close to the bride or bridesmaids, though!
Grower Florabundace sends us this info about peonies:
The Chinese name for Peony is "sho yu" which means "most beautiful"
Color: Colors range from pure white through baby pinks and palest peaches to clear deep pink and darkest rich maroon. There is also a pale yellow but it is rare.
Availabilty: Peonies are only available between late May and early July domestically.
Care Tips: Peonies are very thirsty flowers, so make sure you top up the vase or bowl.
Peonies are in peak availability in April through August when the international markets are factored in. Learn more about peonies at the CCFC or in Wikipedia.
These aren't your grandma's corsages!
Prom season is approaching. In addition to the perfect dress, the perfect hairdo, the perfect makeup and the perfect ride, don't forget the perfect flowers. The trend in today's prom corsages and boutonnieres is bling, with jewelled accents, pearl wirstbands and filigree holders adding extra sparkle. The photos below are a few examples of some of the latest trends in prom flowers.
The Florist Blogs bloggers have filled this site with blog posts and photos of cool prom corsages--view them at http://floristblogs.com/tags/Prom+Flowers/default.aspx. You can subscribe to this list in your RSS reader so you'll have the new posts first.
One of the secrets to having the coolest corsage and boutonniere at prom is to plan ahead. Contact your florist early on, and provide a swatch of the dress if possible so colors can be matched or complemented.
| Flower rings, to match your corsage |
Fantasy butterfly corsage |
Floral Earrings |
Pink rose bracelet with pearl accents |
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| Pearl wristlet |
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Roses. Popularized in story, poem and song, immortalized in art, symbols in both war and peace. Their visual beauty and delicate fragrance evoke even the deepest passions, so it's no wonder roses have been the symbol of love for centuries.
Wild roses, closely related to apples, are simple flowers, featuring only four or five petals and few colors. Garden roses are the more familiar variety, with their high petal count and wide color varieties. Growers have created literally hundreds of varieties in the past 150 years or so, providing florists and customers a great selection of sizes and colors. Every year, events such as SAF's Outstanding Varieties competition showcase more new hybrids suitable for commercial use. In fact, the rose seen in our masthead is Polar Star, a new variety which won Best in Show at the 2006 competition. Today, roses are the most popular flower sold, being very popular for everyday arrangements as well as weddings and funerals.
Just as varieties of roses change through the years, so too do the styles of arrangements. A dozen red roses in a vase with baby's breath is considered "old faithful" when it comes to saying "I love you!", but roses can be arranged in many intricate and exciting styles. The member floists here will be sharing some of their favorite varieties and interesting designs through Valentine's Day--you can see the most recent posts at http://floristblogs.com/tags/roses/default.aspx.
The most popular time of year for roses is Valentine's Day. This is also a popular time for customer confusion and anxiety. We hope that the posts and photos here help with that "What should I order" anxiety. For advice on not being scammed at Valentine's Day, visit FloristDetective.com's Valentine's Day tips.