In and Out Plants - Houseplants of the month - May

In and Out Plants - Houseplants of the month - May

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May 2017: In & Out Plants Houseplants of the Month

The story of In & Out Plants

Merging indoors and outdoors and making the garden into a second home is a popular trend. Calla Lily, Campanula, Cockscomb, Balloon Flower and Lily fit perfectly with this: fabulous houseplants that can be placed both inside and outside and hence join the two together in a natural way. The variety of colours and shapes is overwhelming, but very different depending on the species. Campanula and Balloon Flower (Platycodon) mainly come in blue, white and pink, was lilies are widely available in orange, yellow, white and pink. The colour palette with Cockscomb (Celosia) and Calla Lilies is even more diverse, from delicate pastels through to brilliant deep shades. And you can enjoy these lavish bloomers from April to September. 

Origin 
These In & Out Plants originate from very different places. Calla Lily is a swamp plant which embeds itself firmly in riverbanks. The plant grows from South Africa to Malawi, often in places where the drainage of rainwater is obstructed. This creates a brief swamp-like situation during which Calla Lily stores water in its bulbs, which helps it get through the dry periods. All the Lilies that are used as houseplants are hybrids. The plant is native to Japan, China and Korea. Tropical Cockscomb originates from East Africa, South America and South-East Asia, and has now established itself in all tropical regions. The plant has been bred in the Netherlands since 1989. Prior to that, many cultivated forms came from Japan. Campanula grows in Italy, whilst Balloon Flower (Platycodon) has its roots in East Asia.

What to look for when buying In & Out Plants

• When buying this varied group of plants, look at the pot size and whether the plants are uniform in terms of size, height, diameter and number of flowers. 
• The ripeness varies according to species. Generally speaking, the buds must be well-developed so they can flower for the consumer. Being underripe is often the reason why flowers don’t open of buds shrivel. 
• With the bulb crops (Lily and Calla Lily) the soil can be a bit dry, since the plants get some of their energy from the bulb. It also makes them easy to ship and at the point of sale. With Calla Lily the tubers and the plant itself can be infected with bacteria, which shows in slimy stems and the rapid decline of the plant. Yellow or drooping leaves are also signs the plant is not healthy. The tuber size (diameter of the tuber in cm) determines the number of flowers that will be produced by each plant. The same applies to Lilies. The larger the bulbs used in the pots, the more buds there will be per stem. With the Lily it’s important to check that the bulbs are properly rooted and are not loose in the pot.
• With Campanula, Balloon Flower and Cockscomb it’s very important that the soil is slightly damp in order to prevent the plant from drooping. Water regularly. Do make sure that the water only goes on the soil and not the foliage and flowers, since botrytis can otherwise rapidly infect the plants in the form of grey mould. It is particularly important to check the plant carefully for this fungal disease in the case of plants that are supplied in cellophane or in wrapped trays. 
• Give these plants enough light - if conditions are too dark, they will start to stretch. These species can also suffer yellowing and drooping leaves. 

Choice of range
The range of plants that can be used both indoors and outdoors is growing rapidly. There are many different varieties of each species, many which are increasingly being sold by cultivar name.
Calla Lily (Zantedeschia) comes in both large-flowered and small-flowered varieties in almost all the colours of the rainbow: white, yellow, pink, purple, lilac, salmon, orange. The leaf colour can also range from green to speckled.
Pot Lilies also come in various cultivar groups. Hence there is the Asiatic Group (small buds, delicate leaf, bright colours), the Oriental Group (coarse buds and leaves, large flowers with a strong scent, particularly white and pink varieties), the Longiflorum Group (long white flowers) and the LA Group (hybrid of Longiflorum x Asiatic Group, particularly with pastel colours).
Cockscomb has been intensively bred in recent years to produce attractive new varieties with fantastic new flower shapes and colours (bright, pastel and bicoloured). There are three shapes: the C. Cristata Group (cockscomb), the C. Plumosa Group (plume cockscomb) and the C. Spicata Group (tail-shaped small flowers). The latter group in particular provides most of the varieties that are used as In & Out Plants.
The Balloon Flower range is restricted to 3 colours: white, blue and pink. Before the flowers open, they are shaped like balloons. The flowers themselves consist of 5 petals, and the foliage is somewhat grey in colour.
Campanula has an extensive range which characterised by white, blue and bicoloured varieties. The variety C. isophylla, with its star-shaped flowers, is best for use as an In & Out Plant. The range is more extensive for the garden, but is less suitable for use both indoors and outdoors. 

Care tips for consumers

• All In & Out Plants prefer a cool and light spot indoors to ensure the longest possible flowering. In the garden they can tolerate both full sun and partial shade. 
• As bulb crops, the Calla Lily and the Lily are the easiest to care for: watering once a week is enough. 
• Campanula, Cockscomb and Balloon Flower have softer leaves, and therefore evaporate more moisture, meaning they need more water: the soil should always be slightly damp.
• For profuse flowering give the plants and food every two weeks and remove wilted flowers for extra-long flowering.
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• Display tips for In & Out plants
• In & Out plants are suitable for containers, pots and hanging baskets. Combine the various species together by colour, or create colourful mini gardens in the display that makes clear that the plants can be used both in the living room and on the patio or balcony. The plants combine well with summery accessories such as butterflies, decorative insects and other botanical elements. 

These plants would make excellent displays for your wedding - whether grouped on the tables for your guests or the larger plants used at the aisle entrance or altar, or for a civil ceremony the doorway displays. These can then be given out to guests for thank you's.

Thank you to Thejoyofplants.co.uk. and https://www.flowercouncil.co.uk for the above information.

We can source all of these plants through the season just ask us for your requirements. We can also source a wide range of pots to compliment each plant or for a striking look bright and colourful pots of all shapes and sizes. Whether for a long term display or for a one off event we can source, supply and set up so you don't have to. A care service can also be supplied if needed.

Sandra x

Banana Tree - House plant of the month - April

Banana Tree - House plant of the month - April

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April 2017: Banana tree Houseplant of the Month 

The story of the banana tree 

Many people are familiar with the banana tree (Musa) from exotic trips and holidays, since they grow everywhere in hot regions, from Tenerife to Indonesia and from Thailand to Mexico. Although it’s called a banana tree, what looks like a trunk is actually overlapping widened leaf stems which together create the apparent trunk of this perennial plant. The flowers grow on a thick flower stem, often with a purple bract. The male flowers are at the end of the dangling flower stem, and the female flowers that grow into bananas are higher up. Because the flower hangs down as a result of gravity and the bananas want to grow upwards towards the light, the bananas end up somewhat curved. On plantations where bananas are produced, it takes about 18 months from planting to harvesting. The parent plant then dies, but by then it has formed young shoots that provide the next harvest. As a houseplant, the banana tree rarely bears fruit.

Origin 
Bananas originate from East Asia, and have spread from there across the rest of the world in countries around the equator. The first cultivation by humans dates from around 8000 years B.C. in the Wahgi Valley in New Guinea. Alexander the Great is said to have brought the plants to the West from India. Banana trees were initially used on plantations to protect coffee, cocoa and pepper plants from the bright sun thanks to their large leaves. Only later were they appreciated for their fruit.  

What to look for when buying a banana tree 

• When buying banana trees look at the pot size, the height of the plant and the number of plants per pot. Because the plant’s leaves are rather fragile, they must be sleeved in order to prevent leaf damage and cold damage. 
• The plant should be free of diseases and pests: aphids and scale insects are the most common. Also look for the presence of sticky clear honeydew, which is a sign that there are ‘beasties’ living on the plant. The plant can have red spider mite if conditions are too dry. 
• If the banana tree has been kept too wet, this can cause root rot, disrupting the plant’s growth. 
• Banana trees cannot cope well with temperatures below 12-15°C, which is something to bear in mind when transporting them during the cold months.

Choice of range 
The range of banana trees is limited. The most common varieties are Musa ‘ Dwarf Cavendish’ and Musa ‘Tropicana’. Most banana trees are offered as dwarf banana trees, and their size also makes them suitable for the living room. All plants are characterised by the large, smooth-edged leaves, often with a slightly wavy edge. There are sometimes darker markings on the leaf which further enhance the decorative value. With hardy bananas it’s useful to know that only the rhizome is properly hardy, and the aboveground parts are sensitive to frost. 

Care tips for consumers

• Wrap carefully for the journey home during the colder months. 
• Banana trees like a warm and light position. The large leaf area means that the plant evaporates quite a lot of moisture, and therefore needs some extra water. Avoid getting the soil too wet, since this can cause root rot. 
• To get a banana tree to flower, you need both patience and space where it can keep growing with plenty of light and high temperatures, such as a conservatory. The plant may then flower and produce fruit after 3 to 4 years. 
• Houseplant food once a month will keep the banana tree strong and beautiful.
• The banana tree can be placed in the garden in a sunny, sheltered spot as a container plant from mid-April to mid-October. Allow it to overwinter indoors, and allow it to gradually acclimatise to bright sunlight in the spring to prevent scorching.

We can special order these plants for you. They make great plants for your office or reception area if they get lots of light. AS shown, they look great in striking pots which can really add colour to the area. We can also provide care for these plants (or any other) just ask us for more details.

The text and photos are curtesy of https://www.flowercouncil.co.uk and Thejoyofplants.co.uk.

Sandra x

Bromeliads - Houseplant of the month for March

Bromeliads - Houseplant of the month for March

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March 2017: Bromeliads Houseplant of the Month

The story of Bromeliads 

Cheerful, colourful, tropical and blessed with extraordinary appearances: the Bromeliad has long been the most exotic beauty amongst the houseplants. Initially people were not drawn to the attractive conical leaf rosettes and their brightly coloured bracts so much as to the delicious fruit of the best-known Bromeliad, the pineapple. There are more than 1600 different species in the wild. The plants are compact or extended, and grow concentrically from the leaf rosette. The stem grows up from this funnel with beautifully coloured bracts, amongst which unusual flowers emerge. All Bromeliads are ‘monocarps’. That means that the plant has reached the end of its life after flowering. Although baby plants will have formed by then, which will flower again after a few years. 

Origin 
Most Bromeliads originate from the tropical regions of North and South America, where they grow in varying climatic conditions. The Bromeliads include species such as Pineapple, Guzmania, Vriesea, Aechmea and Tillandsia. In the wild most of these plants grow on trees with thread-like roots (epiphytic) without drawing nutrients or water from the tree. They get those from the air. 

What to look for when buying Bromeliads

• Bromeliads are classified by pot size, diameter and thickness of the plant, and the way in which the bracts are or are not branched. The question of whether the bracts are upright or slanted in the rosette and how ripe the plant is also determine classification. If the flowers have already largely emerged amidst the bracts, the plant is past its peak. 
• Bromeliads are little troubled by pests and diseases. Damage to the bracts or the foliage is often caused by shipping, storage or cold damage. The plant can also be too ripe, or have yellow leaves. There are virtually no other pests or diseases present during the sale phase. 
• All Bromeliads must be stored at a minimum of 12-15°, and preferably warmer. You should therefore leave the plant in the sleeve or box during the shipping and storage phase in order to avoid cold damage. 
• Temperature fluctuations can cause cells in the leaf to rupture, which makes the plant less visually attractive. Ensure that the plant doesn’t get too damp. High humidity or condensation in the cellophane can cause botrytis.

Choice of range 
The Bromeliad range is diverse and colourful. The best-known species are Guzmania and Vriesea, whereby Guzmania blooms concentrically and Vriesea always has a somewhat flat inflorescence. The leaves are always smooth and usually green, but there are also variegated varieties. They both come in a wide range of colours and in various sizes. There are even botanical varieties of Vriesea which are sold as a foliage plant thanks to the decorative leaf markings. The pineapple is also a member of the Bromeliaceae family - as a houseplant it’s known as the pineapple plant. These plants are offered because of the decorative fruit in the rosettes. Ananas ‘Pacifico’ is an attractive red colour. One of the oldest and best-known Bromeliads is the Achmea or urn plant. In the past it usually came with serrated leaves, but nowadays it comes with attractive smooth edges and a beautiful pink inflorescence: Aechmea ‘Primera’. The classic pink variety has now been joined by white, red, orange and bicoloured varieties. Another common Bromeliad is Tillandsia cyanea, with pink inflorescences from which the cyan-coloured flowers emerge. 

Care tips for consumers 

• Bromeliads are very easy to look after. Place the plant in a light, warm spot, but not in full sun. Bromeliads can also be placed outdoors in the summer months, provided that the plant has shade for part of the day in order to avoid scorching.
• The rosettes contain absorbent hairs and scales with which the plant absorbs water and nutrients. Bromeliads particularly need water in the rosette and sparingly on the soil. Watering once a week is sufficient. Replace the water in the rosette regularly. The plant can be lightly misted on the leaves during flowering. To ensure lengthy and lavish flowering, give the plant some plant food once a month. 

For weddings these would make excellent table displays or the smaller varieties would make superb favours. 

Team up your wedding colours with the time of year, red for St Valentines Day, Yellows for Easter, Orange for Autumn and there will be a bromeliad for you.

Bromeliads are produced in a very environmentally friendly way, which can be a good argument for choosing this plant, in view of the interest in sustainable living.

All photos and information is supplied by Thejoyofplants.co.uk and The Flower Council of Holland.

If you would like to purchase any of these fabulous plants either for yourself or as a gift or to discuss using them for your wedding designs please get in touch for availability.

Sandra x

Specialty Palms - Houseplant of the month February

Specialty Palms - Houseplant of the month February

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February 2017: specialty palms Houseplants of the Month

The Palm family is diverse and useful. Palms provide coconuts, dates, oil, sugar, rattan, raffia and sago, and play an important role in the global economy. As a houseplant, they are the defining symbol of the (sub-)tropics. There are over 200 genuses and 3000 species, which grow in the warm regions of Asia, Africa, America and Australia. Most palms have a straight trunk with a crown of feather or fan-shaped leaves at the top. Palms are always grown from seed, and the production time depends on the size of plant. The larger or older the plant is, the longer it takes to cultivate.

Origin
Livistona rotundifolia originates from Malaysia. Rotundifolia refers to the round, hand-shaped palm leaves. Rhapis grows in China and South-East Asia. Caryota, recognisable by its ‘ragged’ leaves, comes from a region stretching from India to the Philippines. Finally Cycas is not actually a palm, but is a member of one of the oldest plant families, the Cycadaceae. Cycads existed millions of years ago, in the Carboniferous and Jurassic period, also known as the era of the dinosaurs. in Jesus’s time the leaves were used to pave the roads, which is why the plant is also called the peace palm. Cycas occurs widely in southern regions, and is native to South-East Asia. The young leaves unfurl like those of fans. Cycas can reach a great age, up to 1000 years, but grows extremely slowly.

What to look for when buying specialty palms

• When buying specialty palms, it important to look at the number of plants per pot, since this indicates the thickness of the plant. Cycas, Rhapis and Livistona will usually contain no more than 1 to 3 plants per pot, and Caryota features multiple plants so that the plant has some volume straightaway.
• Also look at the plant's pot size, height and leaf length, which together say something about the age. The older and larger a specialty palm is, the more expensive it will be.
• When buying specialty palms, the plant must be free of pests and disease, particular mealybug and scale insects. 
• If specialty palms have been kept too dry, they can suffer from red spider mite, which can be identified by grey discolouration of the leaves. Brown leaf tips are caused by insufficient humility, yellow leaves by soil which is too dry or wet. 
• The plant must be well-rooted, may not wobble in the pot and may not be so top-heavy that it cannot stand independently.
• In the colder months it’s a good idea to place specialty palms in a sleeve, since they are very sensitive to cold. 

Choice of products 
The range of specialty palms is limited.  It’s notable that no varieties are offered - all palms are botanical species.
Rhapis, also known as Lady Palm, is characterised by dark green fan-shaped leaves. The stems resemble bamboo poles and are covered in brown fibres, which makes the plant particularly decorative.
Caryota, or the Fishtail Palm, is very eye-catching because of its leaf tips which look like they’ve been torn, creating an exciting silhouette.
Livistona (Chinese Fan Palm or Fountain Palm) has large composite leaves. Because they are largely joined together, they appear to be one large leaf. Livistona has spiky leaf stems, which makes this plant particularly special.
Cycas (Sago Palm, Peace Palm) is characterised by sturdy feathered dark green leaves which grow on the trunk in a rosette. When the plant is young, the trunk looks like a ball. All the plants have massive, thick trunks the grow taller. Both young and older Cycas are available for sale.

Care tips for consumers 

• All palms are ‘easy care’. However, every specialty palm requires a different approach, because the plants all grow differently, have different leaf thicknesses and structures, and originate from different regions. In order to be able to advise consumers correctly, look at the individual palm. 
• The plant may require more or less water, depending on position, the size of the plant and the thickness of the leaves. For thicker and more rugged leaves (Cycas and Rhapis) give less water. For thinner and more fragile leaves (Livistona and Caryota) give more water. The latter two also like being sprayed from time to time, particularly in the winter months when the heating indoors is on, causing the air to be particularly dry. A light rain shower is also great for refreshing these plants in the spring and summer months. It also prevents browning of the leaf edges and tips. 
• Plant food once every four weeks is enough to keep specialty palms healthy and beautiful for a long time. 
• Palms generally prefer a moderately light or light position, but not in bright sunlight. The Cycas is the exception: in the summer months it can stand outside in the sun after it has slowly acclimatised to it. When Cycas produces a new leaf rosette, it will shed the old, lowest rosette. It’s best if new leaves are produced in a light, sunny spot outdoors, so that the leaves are nice and compact. The leaves will be more stretched in the living room. 
• In the cold months, wrap up specialty palms carefully for transporting home: as tropical beauties they cannot cope with the cold. 
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Sales and display tips for specialty palms 
A specialty palm is a statement plant which is best displayed with some space around it in order to do it full justice. A pedestal can thereby be effective. Specialty palms are popular gifts for a new home and a new venture, but are particularly bought by the general public for decorative reasons. Motivating sales arguments are thereby the air-purifying effect, the possibility of using them to create a green partition, and the natural, tropical look. Specialty palms also fit with the trend to use houseplants outdoors as well in the warm months. 

For wedding designs palms would make an excellent choice especially with Pantone of the year colour; Greenery.

Use single palms as large table centers or as aisle decorations or use leaves like this (below) as a budget friendly alternative.

All photos and information from  Thejoyofplants.co.uk and The Flower Council of Holland.

If you would like purchase any palms for yourself or as a gift or would like to use them in your wedding designs please get in touch for availability and more creative ideas.

Sandra x