Showing posts with label Birth Month Flowers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Birth Month Flowers. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

March Birth Month Flower is Daffodil

Daffodil

The birth flower for March is daffodil. In the language of flowers, daffodils symbolize chivalry, respect, modesty and faithfulness.
Daffodils form a group of large-flowered members of the genus Narcissus. Most daffodils look yellow, but yellow-and-white, yellow-and-orange, white-and-orange, pink, and lime-green cultivars also exist. Daffodils grow perennially from bulbs. In temperate climates they flower among the earliest blooms in spring: to this extent daffodils both represent and herald spring. They often grow in large clusters, covering lawns and even entire hillsides with yellow.
Daffodils belong to the genus Narcissus. Daffodil is the common English name for them all, and Narcissus is the Latin, botanical name for them all. Some people refer to daffodils as "jonquils", from the Spanish name for the flower.
The name of the flower is derived from an earlier "affodell", a variant of asphodel. The reason for the introduction of the initial "d" is not known, though from at least the sixteenth century "Daffadown Dilly" or "daffadowndilly" has appeared as a playful synonym of the name. What a fancy March birth flower.

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Lily is May Birth Month Flower

Lily of the Valley
Botanical Name : Convallaria majalis
Common Name : Lily of the Valley
Product Use : Cut Flower
Pronunciation : kon-va-LAH-ree-a mah-JA-lis
Family Roots : Member of the Liliaceae (lily) family.

Native to Europe.

Related species include lily, tulip, asparagus, daylily.
Personality : Nodding, bell-shaped flowers occur in loose, one-sided clusters at stem ends.

Stems 8-10 inches long, bearing 6-8 clusters of flowers.

Plant is a herbaceous perennial from a rhizome, classed as a monocotyledon, leaves mostly parallel veined.

Flower fragrance is sweet, mild.
Availability : Mainly spring but some year-round.
Flower Color : White, pink.
Decorative Life : 3-6 days.
Ethylene Sensitivity : More research needed
Ethylene Comments : Likely to be ethylene sensitivity but unknown at this time. To be safe, treat with an anti-ethylene product.
Post Harvest
Care Opportunities :
Recut stems under water and place into a fresh flower food solution.

Flowers tend to wilt quickly if exposed to heat or poor air circulation, green buds may not open.
Storage Specifics : 30-32F for 2-3 weeks if rhizomes still are attached, store cut stems at 32-34F in water or dry for up to 5 days. At 36-40F, unopened flowers turned yellow, pathogen growth increased and vaselife decreased.
Tidbits : From the Latin "convallis" (a valley), referring to where the plant is found. The specific epithet name majalis means May, in reference to when it flowers.

Flowers are used in the perfume industry, rhizomes have medicinal properties.

With over 3000 species, the lily family includes many medicinal and food species in addition to ornamental species.

Some references suggest placing stems on ice to revive if limp.

Single and double flower forms are available.

See More Birth Month Flowers:

http://www.hoogasian.com/BirthMonthFlowers.html