Gerbera Flower

Gerbera is a genus of the family of sunflowers, Daisies and Asters - Asteraceae, with a wide distribution from Africa to Madagascar, tropical Asia and South America. Through hybridization, Gerberas are available in a massive array of colors.

The meanings of gerbera flowers stem from those attributed to the general daisy family. These meanings include innocence and purity. Daisies are also a classic symbol of beauty however, the gerbera variety holds an added meaning of cheerfulness, which stems from the assortment of colors available.

Some Interesting Facts About Gerberas

• Having a long vase life, Gerbera flowers are widely used in the Cut Flower Industry. Gerberas are great flowers for adding color to any room or garden.
• Gerberas are also referred to as Gerbera Daisies, daisy being a general name for all species in the family Asteraceae, to which Gerberas belong.
• Gerbera flowers often measure 7 inches (17.8 cm) across.
• Gerberas come in a wide range of colors - from light to dark yellow, orange, pink, brilliant scarlet, deep red, and many more.
• Gerberas can be used in landscapes as bedding plants for borders and flower beds or as Cut Flowers for table arrangements.
• Gerberas are native to Transvaal, South Africa.
• Hybrid Gerbera varieties cloned through tissue culture are uniform, and have long-lasting flowers with thick peduncles that are not light sensitive; hence, flowers remain open in the dark, lending themselves to indoor use in flower arrangements.

About Gerbera Flower

Gerberas are perennial flowering plants featuring a large capitulum with striking, 2-lipped ray florets. The capitulum on the Gerberas has the appearance of a single flower, but is actually a cluster of hundreds of individual flowers. The morphology of the flowers varies depending on their position in the capitulum of the Gerberas.

Various Forms of Gerbera Flowers

Gerberas come in various forms. Broadly, they can be put into four groups-

·         Single Flowers - These Gerberas have a row of non-overlapping petals (ray florets) with a green center (disc florets). These are the most common gerberas available in the market.

·         Double or duplex - These Gerberas have a double row of overlapping petals with a green, black, or dark red eye.

·         Crested doubles - These doubles contain two rows of overlapping petals with one or more inner rows of shorter petals with a green, black, or dark red eye.

·         Full crested doubles - These have solid overlapping rows of petals with an inner row diminishing in size, covering the eye entirely.

Source: http://www.theflowerexpert.com/content/mostpopularflowers/gerberas

Iris Flower

The tall, beautiful iris, named after the Greek goddess who rode rainbows, comes in many magical colors.

Every gardener wants this perennial. Despite its divine origins, it is hardy, reliable, and easy to grow. Irises also attract butterflies and hummingbirds and make lovely cut flowers.

There are some 300 species in the genus Iris. The most familiar irises are the tall (at least 28 inches) bearded irises (Iris germanica).

The distinctive flowers have three large outer petals called "falls" and three inner upright petals called "standards." The falls may have beards or crests. Bearded iris are so-called because they have soft hairs along the center of the falls. In crested iris, the hairs form a comb or ridge.Most irises flower in early summer. Some, mostly bearded hybrids, are remontant, flowering again later in the summer.

Planting

• Irises need at least half a day of sun and well-drained soil. Without enough sun, they won't bloom.
• They prefer fertile, neutral to slightly acidic soil. If your soil is very acidic, sweeten it with a bit of lime, and forbear summer watering, which can lead to rot.
• Bearded irises must not be shaded by other plants; many do best in a special bed on their own.
• Soil drainage is very important. Loosen the soil with a tiller or garden fork to a depth of 12 to 15 inches, then mix in a 2- to 4-inch layer of compost.
• Plant iris in mid- to late summer.
• Bearded irises have rhizomes (fleshy roots) that should be partially exposed, or thinly covered with soil in hot climates.
• Plant rhizomes singly or in groups of three with the fans outermost, 1 to 2 feet apart, depending on the size.
• Dig a shallow hole 10 inches in diameter and 4 inches deep. Make a ridge of soil down the middle and place the rhizome on the ridge, spreading roots down both sides. Fill the hole with soil and firm it gently.
• Water thoroughly.
• When planting, top-dress with a low-nitrogen fertilizer, and again in early spring.

Care

• Avoid applying high-nitrogen fertilizers to the surface or carelessly mulching with organic matter, which may encourage rhizome rot.
• Keep rhizomes exposed. Unlike bulbs, which thrive deep underground, iris rhizomes need a bit of sun and air to dry them out. If they're covered with soil or crowded by other plants, they'll rot. Irises may benefit from shallow mulching in the spring.
• Don't trim iris leaves. Leaves carry on photosynthesis for next year's growth. Cut off brown tips—and cut the flowering stalk down to the rhizome to discourage rot.
• If iris foliage is hit with heavy frost, remove and destroy it to eliminate borer eggs.
• After 2 to 5 years, when clumps become congested or lose vitality, divide and replant sound rhizomes in fresh soil. The best time to replant irises is soon after bloom. Transplant them to places where they will have "wet feet but dry knees." 

Source: http://www.almanac.com/plant/irises

Kangaroo Paw Flower

Facts About Kangaroo Paw Flower:

• Mangle's Kangaroo Paw is the floral emblem of Western Australia, where it is endemic.

• Other common species include the Green Kangaroo Paw, which ranges in color from lemon yellow to emerald green, and the Catspaw, which has smaller red, orange and gold flowers.

• Different species of the unusually shaped Kangaroo Paw usually deposit pollen on different areas of the birds' head. Thus, pollen from one species is unlikely to deposit in the flowers of another species.

• The red and green Kangaroo Paw is easily distinguished by its large red and green paw-shaped flowers.

• The Mangle's Kangaroo Paw has traditionally been used in Aboriginal medicines.

• Kangaroo Paws are also pollinated by honey eaters or wattlebirds.

• A major disease of Kangaroo paws is a fungus, which causes Ink disease, where large black blotches appear on the leaves.

• The genus name, Anigozanthos is derived from the Greek word 'anises', meaning unequal or oblique, and 'anthos', meaning flower, an allusion to the division of the Kangaroo Paw flower into six unequal parts.

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

Ginger Flower

The number of ginger plant species available for avid collectors (if you aren’t one yet, you may be at risk of becoming one) is staggering. And why would you want to stop at a few plants? There is so much variation between species: where one flower looks like an otherworldly pinecone, another resembles a mutant orchid, and yet another looks like a tropical insect dreamed up by a cartoonist.

Common Names

Flowering ginger plants aren’t known by any other common names, although some individual species bear such uninteresting names as “red ginger” or “yellow ginger.” Collectors should choose plants based on the Latin name rather than any common name to avoid mislabeled plants and muddled taxonomy issues. Gardeners just looking for an attractive container plant can look for a plant in bloom that they admire, as all tropical gingers thrive under similar growing conditions.

Description

Ginger plants spread and emerge from rhizomes, the thick fleshy roots you are accustomed to seeing in the market for seasoning food. The leaves are usually lance-shaped or oblong, deep green, and glossy. Flowers vary greatly from one genus to another, and may be borne throughout the growing season in tropical climates.

Native Country

Ginger is an adaptable tropical plant, and grows throughout much of Southeast Asia. Although some people associate flowering gingers with the state of Hawaii, many of the species were introduced to the island as ornamentals, and some, like the red button ginger, are considered invasive plants.

Size:

Many of the flowering gingers sold as garden plants reach an average height between four and five feet tall. Gardeners should consult the care tag of the individual species to choose a proper location or container size.

Source: http://flowers.about.com/od/Exotic-Flowers/p/Flowering-Ginger-Plants.htm