Acacia Flower

ACACIA (a-ka’sha). About 1200 species of acacia are scattered through the warm regions of the world. Most of them are shrubs or small trees. Some are matted plants a few inches high. All are thorny and pod-bearing.

The tiny sweet-smelling blossoms cluster together in fluffy balls or cylinder shapes. They range in color from deep yellow to almost white. The leaves are usually grayish and fernlike. The acacia is quick-growing and short-lived. 

Australia has about 300 species of acacia. The early settlers called them wattles because they used the plant branches to make wattle-and-daub huts. The golden wattle is Australia’s national Bower.

In the southwestern United States acacias are grown in many parks and gardens. The ornamental species were imported from Australia. The native catclaw (Texas mimosa) growswild and types of flower is heartily disliked because of its strong hooked spines. The Arizona Indians, however, made meal of the pods. Smaller acacias are eaten by cattle and horses.

Gum arabic is obtained from an African species (see Gums and Resins). The Australians get tannin, used for tanning leather, from the bark of some species and make furniture of the hard, dark “black-wood” of acacia. The wood of an Indian species is the chief source of catechu, a dye for true khaki. France grows several kinds for perfume.

The genus acacia belongs to the mimosa tribe of the pea family. The black locust is sometimes called “false acacia” . The plant that florists call mimosa is actually an acacia.

Several products in the food and manufacturing industries are obtained from acacia. The best known of these is gum Arabic which is used in both candy and medicine. Other acacia gums are used in dyes. Tannin, used for tanning leather, comes from the bark of some acacia trees, especially the wattle.

There are only a few members of this genus in the United States. The most important of these is the cat’s claw tree. It is found on the dry, steep hillsides and canyons of the Southwest. Acacias also are grown in California where the winters are mild. Indians use the seeds from the pods as food. In the United States the name acacia sometimes is used for locust trees, which are members of the same family. Both the bristly and clammy locusts have been called rose-acacia.

Source: http://www.flowers-cs.com

Violet Flower

VIOLET (vi’olut) is a large genus of flower that has about 400 species. Mythology says that it was Aphrodite’s sacred flower. It has been known since earliest times and was the symbol of the ancient city of Athens. North America has the greatest number of species. It has been named the state flower of Wisconsin, Illinois, New Jersey, and Rhode Island.

Most kinds of violet are low-growing, compact bushes, but others are more upright and may be a foot tall. Some of the species have delicately perfumed blossoms borne amid heart-shaped, deep green leaves. In color violets range from white through light yellow and blue to purple.

Examples are the bird’s-foot violet and the violas and pansies commonly grown in gardens. The flower called dogtooth violet is not a true violet but belongs to the lily family.

Although perfume is made from violet odor, most kinds of violet are odorless. Sometimes the blooms are crystallizes into candies or used in salads.

In the wild state most violets grow on rich, moist soils in the shade of trees or bushes An exception to this is the bird’s-foot violet commonly found in sunny spots on sandy soils or rocky ledges. Wild violets multiply by means of seeds or runners which spread out from the parent plants and take root. The cultivated types are usually grown from divisions of the old plants.

The two most important rules in the care of violets are to give enough but not too much moisture and to supply plenty of shade. Early spring is the best time to plant them. If they grow slowly weeding is necessary. Often they grow vigorously and compete readily with other plants.

Source: http://www.flowers-cs.com

Dahlia Flower

DAHLIA, a member of the Compositae family is a flowering plant. It is native to Mexico, Central America, and northern South America. Dahlias were cultivated by the Aztecs, taken to Europe by the Spaniards, and soon spread throughout the world in widely different climates. There are 18 species and thousands of hybrid varieties.

Dahlias are many-branched plants grown from underground rubbers. The stalks range in height from 10 inches (dwarf varieties) to 20 or 30 feet, but the usual height is from 1 to 8 feet. Flowers may be single or double. The petals are straight, rolled upward, and ruffled or flaring.

Blossoms may be from 1 to 15 inches across. Colors range from white to nearly black and in all hues except blue. The petals often are flecked with another color. Blossoming time depends on climate, soil, and variety; it is usually from August until frost.

A sunny location and light soil are best for dahlias, but they can be grown in partial shade and in almost any soil that is not waterlogged. The tubers should be planted when the soil is warm, two or three feet apart (closer for dwarfs), and four inches deep. The plants need to be well watered, especially while blooming. It is helpful to fertilize before planting and again at the beginning of August.

Stakes should be placed firmly in the ground before planting so that the stalks can be tied to the stakes when they are about two feet tall. After the tops are frozen in late fall, the tubers may be dug, cleaned, dried for a few days, and stored until spring. Dahlias may be grown from seeds, and dwarf dahlias can be grown indoors in winter.

Dahlias grow from tuberous, or thick, fleshy roots that look somewhat like bulbs. They should be planted in rich, well-drained soil and in full sun after all danger of frost has passed. After the first frost, the roots should be dug up and stored for the winter in a cool, dry place. Storing the root clump with soil attached will stop shriveling. At planting time, the roots should be separated and planted about 6 inches (15 centimeters) deep. Dahlias flower in the late summer.

Source: http://www.flowers-cs.com

Melati Flower

NATIONAL FLOWER OF INDONESIA

For a pretty long span of time there was no national flower in Indonesian commoner dictionary, but the 5th June 1990 changed the history and made another record for one country having three national flowers. Yes, it was the day when to honor the world environment day, the government of Indonesia officially declared Moon Orchid (Phalaenopsis Amabilis), Melati (Jasminum Sambac) and Rafflesia (Rafflesia Arnoldi Indonesia), as the national flowers of the country.

Each of the flowers is blessed with its own qualities-The Moon Orchid is one of the longest blooming orchids, where as Jasminum Sambac which symbolizes the beauty of a girl, is commonly used in religious or cultural ceremony especially in Java and Bali and on the other hand Rafflesia is noted for producing the largest individual flower on earth.

THE ADVANTAGES

Melati (Jasminum sambac), including a plant that has many benefits. Small flowers white and fragrant, often used for various needs. Jasmine, can bloom year round and can be grown in loose soil with a height of about 600 or 800 meters above sea level, so long as to get enough sunlight. Medical plant melati can be propagated by cuttings. The new shoots will emerge after about 6 weeks.

1. Stop the milk coming out excessive

• Ingredients: 1 handful of leaves of jasmine
• Method: the material is finely crushed
• How to use: affixed around the breasts, every morning before the bath.

2. Sore eyes (red eyes or Belek)

• Ingredients: 1 handful of leaves of jasmine
• Method: the material is finely crushed
• How to use: taped to the forehead, when it is dry replaced new, repeat until healed.

3. Swelling caused by leaf bee attack

• Ingredients: 1 handful of jasmine flowers
• Method: The material knead until smooth
• How to use: affixed to the part stung by bees.

4. Fever and headaches

• Ingredients: 1 handful of leaves of jasmine, jasmine 10
• Method: The material knead by hand, then soaked with water in a hamper
• How to use: the water bath is used to compress the forehead

5. Shortness of breath

• Ingredients: 20 sheets of jasmine leaves and salt to taste
• Method: the ingredients are boiled in 3 cups of water until boils down to 2 cups and filtered.
• How to use: affixed around the breasts, every morning
• before the bath.

Source: http://titan-medicalplant.blogspot.com

http://www.theflowerexpert.com

Sun Flower

The sunflower (Helianthus annuus) is an annual plant native to the Americas. It possesses a large inflorescence (flowering head), and its name is derived from the flower's shape and image, which is often used to depict the sun. The plant has a rough, hairy stem, broad, coarsely toothed, rough leaves and circular heads of flowers. 

The heads consist of many individual flowers which mature into seeds, often in the hundreds, on a receptacle base. From the Americas, sunflower seeds were brought to Europe in the 16th century, where, along with sunflower oil, they became a widespread cooking ingredient. Leaves of the sunflower can be used as cattle feed, while the stems contain a fibre which may be used in paper production.

To grow best, sunflowers need full sun. They grow best in fertile, moist, well-drained soil with heavy mulch. In commercial planting, seeds are planted 45 cm (1.5 ft.) apart and 2.5 cm (1 in) deep. Sunflower "whole seed" (fruit) are sold as a snack food, raw or after roasting in ovens, with or without salt and/or seasonings added.

Sunflowers can be processed into a peanut butter alternative, sunflower butter. In Germany, it is mixed with rye flour to make Sonnenblumenkernbrot (literally: sunflower whole seed bread), which is quite popular in German-speaking Europe. It is also sold as food for birds and can be used directly in cooking and salads. American Indians had multiple uses for sunflowers in the past, such as in bread, medical ointments, dyes and body paints.

Source: Wikipedia

Aster Flower

Asters are beautiful perennials that are found wild in North America and southern Europe. The genus Aster includes some 600 species of widely distributed flowering plants in the family Asteraceae.

Asters are also called as Starworts, Michaelmas Daisies, or Frost Flowers. Asters are found chiefly in North America, with some species extending into South America; others are distributed throughout Europe and Asia.

The word Aster is of Greek derivation and refers to the Starlike flowers that can be white, red, pink, purple, lavender and blue, mostly with yellow centers.

The genus Aster is now generally restricted to the old world species, with Aster amellus being the type species of the genus (and of the family Asteraceae). The new world species have now been reclassified in the genera Almutaster, Canadanthus, Doellingeria, Eucephalus, Eurybia, Ionactis, Oligoneuron, Oreostemma, Sericocarpus and Symphyotrichum, but still the new world species are also widely referred to as Asters in the horticultural trade.

Asters are actually 1 - 1.5 - inch flowers. Asters are very complicated flowers. An Aster flower is actually a collection of very tiny tubular flowers, grouped together in a central disk, and surrounded by so-called ray flowers or petals, eg., Sunflower. The central disk of flowers on the Asters is surrounded by the ring of ray flowers.

In many cases the disk flowers are a different color than the petals so that the entire flower head looks like a single flower with a central disk surrounded by differently colored petals. The ray flowers on the Asters are never yellow. The tubular flowers of the Asters are bisexual, having both a pistil and stamens; the ray flowers are usually sterile.

Some popular varieties of Asters are: Lindley's Aster (Aster ciliolatus), New England Aster (Aster novae-angliae), Many-Flowered Aster (Aster ericoides), Western Silvery Aster (Aster sericeus), Willow Aster (Aster hesperius), Flat-Topped White Aster (Aster umbellatus), Smooth Aster (Aster laevis).

Facts About Asters

·  Aster plants are mostly coarse-growing, leafy-stemmed plants that are occasionally slightly woody at the base.

· Most of the Asters are perennials, but a few are annuals and biennials.

· All Asters have alternate, simple leaves that are untoothed or toothed but rarely lobed.

· The leaves of the Aster plant are often dark green and, like the flower petals, can also be long, thin and pointed.

· Asters generally bloom in late summer and fall, but Alpine asters (Aster alpinus) flower in May and June.

· The two main groups of Asters are New England Asters (Aster novae anglias) and New York Asters (Aster nova belgii).

· Asters are one of the easiest garden perennials to cultivate.

· Asters' biggest problem is powdery mildew.

· Asters are used as food plants by the larvae of a number of Lepidoptera species.

·  Asters are oftentimes a prime target for birds, bees and butterflies because they are fragrant and colorful.

·  Many species of Asters are drought resistant.

· Asters depend on insects to pollinate them. Some insects that take pollen from one plant to another include bees, butterflies, and flies.

· The seeds of Bushy Asters are small achenes, and look like parachutes, which usually spread by wind.

· The China Aster (Callistephus cinensis), also a Compositae, a native of China, is related to the true Asters.

Source: http://www.theflowerexpert.com/

Rafflesia Arnoldi Flower

The first description of Rafflesia arnoldi was given by Robert Brown. Taxonomic classification of plant family Rafflesiaceae has not been thoroughly decided as yet. At least 55 species in eight genera however have been identified. The genera of Rafflesiaceae plant family are Apodanthes, Bdallophyton, Cytinus, Mitrastemon, Pilostyles, Rafflesia, Rhizanthes and Sapria.

Since all the plants of this family are parasitic, they therefore do not have any roots, stems or leaves. Individual flowers or buds simply sprout on the species of Tetrastigma woody vines. They lack chlorophyll. Some flowers are monoecius, with both sexes in the same flower. All flowers of the family Rafflesiaceae may not carry the same parts and traits.

Species of Rafflesia

The recognised species of Rafflesia with their scientific name, year and place of discovery are listed as follows:
1821: Rafflesia arnoldi, found at Sumatra, Borneo.
1825: Rafflesia patma, Sumatra, Java.
1841: Rafflesia manillana, Leyte Island, Phillipines.
1850: Rafflesia rochussenii, Sumatra, Java.
1868: Rafflesia tuan-mudae, Borneo.
1879: Rafflesia hasseltii, Sumatra.
1884: Rafflesia schadenbergiana, Mindanao, Philippines
1910: Rafflesia cantleyi, Peninsular Malaysia
1918: Rafflesia borneensis, Borneo.
1918: Rafflesia ciliata, Borneo.
1918: Rafflesia witkampii, Borneo.
1984: Rafflesia gadutensis, Sumatra.
1984: Rafflesia keithii, Borneo.
1984: Rafflesia kerrii, Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia.
1984: Rafflesia micropylora, Sumatra.
1984: Rafflesia pricei, Borneo.
1989: Rafflesia tengku-adlinii, Borneo.

Origin and Distribution

Raffles and Arnold were touring the west coast of Sumatra in Borneo around the Manna river when their guide, excited and surprised, came to them with the news of having seen a very huge flower. The gigantic flower was named Rafflesia arnoldi by Raffles to commemorate his friendship with Arnold. Rafflesia sightings were reported much earlier though. Louis Auguste Deschamp, a French surgeon-naturalist, reported having seen the Rafflesia in 1797 in Java.

Prior to both discoveries, the aborigines who had known about its presence were using Rafflesia for medicinal purposes. Since 1821, 24 Rafflesia species names have been published though not all of them are taxonomically resolved and identified.

Rafflesia is found in tropical rainforests of Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Philippines. It occurs only in certain habitats as a parasite on the Tetrastigma species of woody vines. Rafflesia is a very rare flower, difficult to reproduce in the lab and its dried specimen is difficult to preserve. Other species of Rafflesia can measure between 36 to 42 in. in diameter and weigh between 9 to 12 kg.

Since all the plants of this family are parasitic, they therefore do not have any roots, stems or leaves. Individual flowers or buds simply sprout on the species of Tetrastigma woody vines. They lack chlorophyll. Some flowers are monoecius, with both sexes in the same flower.

This world's largest flower is also found in many areas in Bengkulu forests, on the slopes of Bukit Barisan Mountains. The flower has a diameter of about one meter in full bloom. It has no visible root or stem, and no leaves. The weigth up to 7 kg, it takes the buds up to 8 months to mature. The flower stays in bloom from 1-15 days and can be seen during the months of September-December.

Rafflesia Arnoldi is a big flower in the worlds, if one visit Rejang Lebong, the flower was stand at the City Center of CURUP as a monument, that is why, the people call Bengkulu is A LAND OF RAFFLESIA, or in Indonesian means BUMI RAFFLESIA, because in a certain seasons, if we are lucky, we can see a beautiful flower of Rafflesia, in the forest, which appear in periodic of 5 years or more.

Sources: indonesia-tourism.com and infopedia

Lily Flower

Lily is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants growing from bulbs, all with large prominent flowers. Lilies are a group of flowering plants which are important in culture and literature in much of the world. Most species are native to the temperate northern hemisphere, though their range extends into the northern subtropics. Many other plants have "lily" in their common name but are not related to true lilies.

The flowers are large, often fragrant, and come in a range of colors including whites, yellows, oranges, pinks, reds and purples. Markings include spots and brush strokes. The plants are late spring- or summer-flowering. Flowers are borne in racemes or umbels at the tip of the stem, with six tepals spreading or reflexed, to give flowers varying from funnel shape to a "Turk's cap". The tepals are free from each other, and bear a nectary at the base of each flower. The ovary is 'superior', borne above the point of attachment of the anthers. The fruit is a three-celled capsule.

Lilies of different kinds are commonly found all across the globe. Lilies come in different shapes, sizes and colors. Lilies are really excellent plants for beds and borders. Lilies are suitable for use in a shrub border, as accent plants, a formal or naturalized pool planting. Even some of the small species would fit perfectly in an alpine rock garden.

From many sources

White Anthurium Flower

Common Name: Peace Lily, White Anthurium

Botanical Name: Spathiphyllum spp. (spath-i-FILL-um)

Decorative Life: Weeks, months to years, depending on use and care.

Post Harvest Care:

• Irrigate frequently as this plant uses a lot of water. Also, if the growing media is allowed to dry and salt levels increase, plant damage is likely to follow, as this species is salt sensitive.

• If allowed to wilt, the leaves may recover but the flowers may not.

Harvest Instructions: 

Maintain growing mix moist and do not allow salts to build up. Also, increasing growing media pH decreased the severity of Cylindrocladium disease. Spraying plants with gibberellin at 250 ppm can stimulate flowering some 9-11 weeks later depending on cultivar.

Family Roots:

• Member of the Araceae (arum family).
• Native of Colombia.
• Common relatives include philodendron, anthurium, pothos and caladium.

Personality:

• Classed as a monocotyledon.
• Leaves are oval or elliptical, narrowed to a point, on stalks coming directly from the soil line.
• Flower head consists of leaf-like spathe surrounding column-like spadix made up of small flowers. Often confused with its cousin, Anthurium.

Availability: Year-round.

Flower Color: White to greenish.

Storage Specifics: Chill sensitive, store at or above 60F. Exposing plants to 50F for one day or 55F for two days can cause chill related problems. Symptoms include leaf wilting and/or water soaked looking spots on the leaf margins.

Tidbits:

• Spathiphyllum: Greek for leaf-spathe, referring to the character of the spathe. A spathe is a leaf or bract subtending (below) a flower cluster. It is often colored and considered part of the flower as in this species.

• Several arum family members (including taro) are grown in tropical regions for their edible tubers, representing starch staples for large populations. Many other species are grown for their beautiful foliage.

• Essentially pest-free. If grown in Florida, plants should have been produced under 70-80% shade. Grown under lower light levels, plants are better adapted for the commonly encountered lower light levels when placed indoors.

• Will generally grow well in light levels bright enough to read a newspaper in comfort.

Recent Findings:

Poole and Conover (1993) stored 'Petite' at 36-46F from 1-4 days and subsequently noted water-soaked spots on leaf margins within a few days. As summarized by Brown (1988) of the work by Wolverton et al. (numerous years), this is one of many foliage and flowering plant species that can remove air pollutants such as formaldehyde and/or benzene often found in cigarette smoke from interior environments.

Source: http://www.calyxflowers.com/

Rose Flower

The rose is the most deeply ingrained flower in human history and human culture. It has been immortalized and integrated into music, festivals, poetry and even wars. It has been used as a symbol of passion as well as grief.

It is the sign of human love, given on such occasions as the annual remembrance of Mother's Day. Roses are naturally found throughout the Northern Hemisphere, and fossil records show the presence of ancient roses in the Tertiary Period, which began some 70 million years ago.

Where the genus Rosa first originated is unknown. In nature, some 150 wild species of Rosa are spread from Alaska to Mexico, from Northern Africa to China. All roses are close relatives of cherries, apples, pears, raspberries and plums and have long been cultivated and cherished for their hips, the fruit of the rose flower that has nutritional and medicinal value. A unique characteristic of the rose is its ability to flower over and over again from early summer to late autumn.

In many ways the rose is the perfect flower: Each flower possesses multiple ovaries that are located in a cup-like structure called a hypanthium. Leaves are located alternately on an often-thorny stem and have a serrated margin. Five petals are typically found on the natural rose while modern hybrid roses posses many more of the colorful petals. Both male and female reproductive parts are found in each flower.

The Romans at first believed that the rose was useful as a source of natural medicines. Soon, the beautiful flowers became necessities at Roman festivals. Roman emperors demanded that their baths be filled with rose water and they reclined on carpets of rose petals during their feasts.

Perfumes made from roses became a high priority luxury for the ruling elite and resulted in hardships among the peasant class, who were forced to grow roses instead of cultivating much needed food.

Source: http://www.livescience.com