Flowers For You

Modern Garden Roses

2009-03-16T06:40:00.000-07:00

Classification of modern roses can be quite confusing because many modern roses have old garden roses in their ancestry and their form varies so much. The classifications tend to be by growth and flowering characteristics, such as "large-flowered shrub", "recurrent, large-flowered shrub", "cluster-flowered", "rambler recurrent", or "ground-cover non-recurrent". The following includes the most notable and popular classifications of Modern Garden Roses:

Hybrid Tea

The favourite rose for much of the history of modern roses, hybrid teas were initially created by hybridizing Hybrid Perpetuals with Tea roses in the late 1800s. 'La France,' created in 1867, is universally acknowledged as the first indication of a new class of roses. Hybrid teas exhibit traits midway between both parents: hardier than the teas but less hardy than the hybrid perpetuals, and more everblooming than the hybrid perpetuals but less so than the teas. The flowers are well-formed with large, high-centered buds, and each flowering stem typically terminates in a single shapely bloom. The shrubs tend to be stiffly upright and sparsely foliaged, which today is often seen as a liability in the landscape. The hybrid tea class is important in being the first class of roses to include genes from the old Austrian brier rose (Rosa foetida). This resulted in an entirely new color range for roses: shades of deep yellow, apricot, copper, orange, true scarlet, yellow bicolors, lavender, gray, and even brown were now possible. The new color range did much to skyrocket hybrid tea popularity in the 20th century, but these colors came at a price: Rosa foetida also passed on a tendency toward disease-susceptibility, scentless blooms, and an intolerance of pruning, to its descendants. Hybrid teas became the single most popular class of garden rose of the 20th century; today, their reputation as being more high maintenance than many other rose classes has led to a decline in hybrid tea popularity among gardeners and landscapers in favor of lower-maintenance "landscape" roses. The hybrid tea remains the standard rose of the floral industry, however, and is still favoured in small gardens in formal situations. Examples: 'Peace' (yellow), 'Mister Lincoln (red), 'Double Delight' (multicolors)

Hybrid Perpetual Rose

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The dominant class of roses in Victorian England, hybrid perpetuals first emerged in 1838 and were derived to a great extent from the Bourbons. They became the most popular garden and florist roses of northern Europe at the time, as the tender tea roses would not thrive in cold climates. The "perpetual" in the name hints at repeat-flowering, but many varieties of this class had poor reflowering habits; the tendency was for a massive spring bloom, followed by either scattered summer flowering, a smaller autumn burst, or sometimes nothing at all until next spring. Due to a limited color palette (white, pink, red) and lack of reliable repeat-bloom, the hybrid perpetuals were ultimately overshadowed by their own descendants, the Hybrid Teas. Examples: 'Ferdinand Pichard', 'Reine Des Violettes', 'Paul Neyron'.

Rose

2009-03-16T06:36:00.000-07:00

A rose is a perennial flower shrub or vine of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae, that contains over 100 species and comes in a variety of colors. The species form a group of erect shrubs, and climbing or trailing plants, with stems that are often armed with sharp prickles. It is a common error to refer to roses having thorns. But thorns are modified leaves, whereas these sharp protrusions on a rose are modified epidermal tissues (prickles). Most are native to Asia, with smaller numbers of species native to Europe, North America, and northwest Africa. Natives, cultivars and hybrids are all widely grown for their beauty and fragrance.

The leaves are alternate and pinnately compound, with sharply toothed oval-shaped leaflets. The plant's fleshy edible fruit is called a rose hip. Rose plants range in size from tiny, miniature roses, to climbers that can reach 20 meters in height. Species from different parts of the world easily hybridize, which has given rise to the many types of garden roses.

The name originates from Latin rosa, borrowed from Oscan from colonial Greek in southern Italy: rhodon (Aeolic form: wrodon), from Aramaic wurrdā, from Assyrian wurtinnu, from Old Iranian *warda (cf. Armenian vard, Avestan warda, Sogdian ward, Parthian wâr).

Attar of rose is the steam-extracted essential oil from rose flowers that has been used in perfumes for centuries. Rose water, made from the rose oil, is widely used in Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine. Rose hips are occasionally made into jam, jelly, and marmalade, or are brewed for tea, primarily for their high Vitamin C content. They are also pressed and filtered to make rose hip syrup. Rose hips are also used to produce Rose hip seed oil, which is used in skin products and some makeup products.

Flowers Usage

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In modern times, people have sought ways to cultivate, buy, wear, or otherwise be around flowers and blooming plants, partly because of their agreeable appearance and smell. Around the world, people use flowers for a wide range of events and functions that, cumulatively, encompass one's lifetime:

For new births or Christenings
As a corsage or boutonniere to be worn at social functions or for holidays
As tokens of love or esteem
For wedding flowers for the bridal party, and decorations for the hall
As brightening decorations within the home
As a gift of remembrance for bon voyage parties, welcome home parties, and "thinking of you" gifts
For funeral flowers and expressions of sympathy for the grieving

People therefore grow flowers around their homes, dedicate entire parts of their living space to flower gardens, pick wildflowers, or buy flowers from florists who depend on an entire network of commercial growers and shippers to support their trade.

Flowers provide less food than other major plants parts (seeds, fruits, roots, stems and leaves) but they provide several important foods and spices. Flower vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower and artichoke. The most expensive spice, saffron, consists of dried stigmas of a crocus. Other flower spices are cloves and capers. Hops flowers are used to flavor beer. Marigold flowers are fed to chickens to give their egg yolks a golden yellow color, which consumers find more desirable. Dandelion flowers are often made into wine. Bee Pollen, pollen collected from bees, is considered a health food by some people. Honey consists of bee-processed flower nectar and is often named for the type of flower, e.g. orange blossom honey, clover honey and tupelo honey.

Hundreds of fresh flowers are edible but few are widely marketed as food. They are often used to add color and flavor to salads. Squash flowers are dipped in breadcrumbs and fried. Edible flowers include nasturtium, chrysanthemum, carnation, cattail, honeysuckle, chicory, cornflower, Canna, and sunflower. Some edible flowers are sometimes candied such as daisy and rose (you may also come across a candied pansy).

Flowers can also be made into herbal teas. Dried flowers such as chrysanthemum, rose, jasmine, camomile are infused into tea both for their fragrance and medical properties. Sometimes, they are also mixed with tea leaves for the added fragrance.

Symbolism

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Many flowers have important symbolic meanings in Western culture. The practice of assigning meanings to flowers is known as floriography. Some of the more common examples include:

Red roses are given as a symbol of love, beauty, and passion.
Poppies are a symbol of consolation in time of death. In the UK, New Zealand, Australia and Canada, red poppies are worn to commemorate soldiers who have died in times of war.
Irises/Lily are used in burials as a symbol referring to "resurrection/life". It is also associated with stars (sun) and its petals blooming/shining.
Daisies are a symbol of innocence.

Flowers within art are also representative of the female genitalia, as seen in the works of artists such as Georgia O'Keeffe, Imogen Cunningham, Veronica Ruiz de Velasco, and Judy Chicago, and in fact in Asian and western classical art. Many cultures around the world have a marked tendency to associate flowers with femininity.

The great variety of delicate and beautiful flowers has inspired the works of numerous poets, especially from the 18th-19th century Romantic era. Famous examples include William Wordsworth's I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud and William Blake's Ah! Sun-Flower.

Because of their varied and colorful appearance, flowers have long been a favorite subject of visual artists as well. Some of the most celebrated paintings from well-known painters are of flowers, such as Van Gogh's sunflowers series or Monet's water lilies. Flowers are also dried, freeze dried and pressed in order to create permanent, three-dimensional pieces of flower art.

The Roman goddess of flowers, gardens, and the season of Spring is Flora. The Greek goddess of spring, flowers and nature is Chloris.

In Hindu mythology, flowers have a significant status. Vishnu, one of the three major gods in the Hindu system, is often depicted standing straight on a lotus flower. Apart from the association with Vishnu, the Hindu tradition also considers the lotus to have spiritual significance. For example, it figures in the Hindu stories of creation.

Morphology

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Flowering plants are heterosporangiate, producing two types of reproductive spores. The pollen (male spores) and ovules (female spores) are produced in different organs, but the typical flower is a bisporangiate strobilus in that it contains both organs.

A flower is regarded as a modified stem with shortened internodes and bearing, at its nodes, structures that may be highly modified leaves. In essence, a flower structure forms on a modified shoot or axis with an apical meristem that does not grow continuously (growth is determinate). Flowers may be attached to the plant in a few ways. If the flower has no stem but forms in the axil of a leaf, it is called sessile. When one flower is produced, the stem holding the flower is called a peduncle. If the peduncle ends with groups of flowers, each stem that holds a flower is called a pedicel. The flowering stem forms a terminal end which is called the torus or receptacle. The parts of a flower are arranged in whorls on the torus. The four main parts or whorls (starting from the base of the flower or lowest node and working upwards) are as follows:

Calyx: the outer whorl of sepals; typically these are green, but are petal-like in some species.
Corolla: the whorl of petals, which are usually thin, soft and colored to attract insects that help the process of pollination.
Androecium (from Greek andros oikia: man's house): one or two whorls of stamens, each a filament topped by an anther where pollen is produced. Pollen contains the male gametes.
Gynoecium (from Greek gynaikos oikia: woman's house): one or more pistils. The female reproductive organ is the carpel: this contains an ovary with ovules (which contain female gametes). A pistil may consist of a number of carpels merged together, in which case there is only one pistil to each flower, or of a single individual carpel (the flower is then called apocarpous). The sticky tip of the pistil, the stigma, is the receptor of pollen. The supportive stalk, the style becomes the pathway for pollen tubes to grow from pollen grains adhering to the stigma, to the ovules, carrying the reproductive material.

Although the floral structure described above is considered the "typical" structural plan, plant species show a wide variety of modifications from this plan. These modifications have significance in the evolution of flowering plants and are used extensively by botanists to establish relationships among plant species. For example, the two subclasses of flowering plants may be distinguished by the number of floral organs in each whorl: dicotyledons typically having 4 or 5 organs (or a multiple of 4 or 5) in each whorl and monocotyledons having three or some multiple of three. The number of carpels in a compound pistil may be only two, or otherwise not related to the above generalization for monocots and dicots.

In the majority of species individual flowers have both pistils and stamens as described above. These flowers are described by botanists as being perfect, bisexual, or hermaphrodite. However, in some species of plants the flowers are imperfect or unisexual: having only either male (stamens) or female (pistil) parts. In the latter case, if an individual plant is either female or male the species is regarded as dioecious. However, where unisexual male and female flowers appear on the same plant, the species is considered monoecious.

Additional discussions on floral modifications from the basic plan are presented in the articles on each of the basic parts of the flower. In those species that have more than one flower on an axis—so-called composite flowers—the collection of flowers is termed an inflorescence; this term can also refer to the specific arrangements of flowers on a stem. In this regard, care must be exercised in considering what a ‘‘flower’’ is. In botanical terminology, a single daisy or sunflower for example, is not a flower but a flower head—an inflorescence composed of numerous tiny flowers (sometimes called florets). Each of these flowers may be anatomically as described above. Many flowers have a symmetry, if the perianth is bisected through the central axis from any point, symmetrical halves are produced—the flower is called regular or actinomorphic, e.g. rose or trillium. When flowers are bisected and produce only one line that produces symmetrical halves the flower is said to be irregular or zygomorphic. e.g. snapdragon or most orchids.

Flower specialization and pollination

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Flowering plants usually face selective pressure to optimise the transfer of their pollen, and this is typically reflected in the morphology of the flowers and the behaviour of the plants. Pollen may be transferred between plants via a number of 'vectors'. Some plants make use of abiotic vectors - namely wind (anemophily) or, much less commonly, water (hydrophily). Others use biotic vectors including insects (entomophily), birds (ornithophily), bats (chiropterophily) or other animals. Some plants make use of multiple vectors, but many are highly specialised.

Cleistogamous flowers are self pollinated, after which they may or may not open. Many Viola and some Salvia species are known to have these types of flowers.

The flowers of plants that make use of biotic pollen vectors commonly have glands called nectaries that act as an incentive for animals to visit the flower. Some flowers have patterns, called nectar guides, that show pollinators where to look for nectar. Flowers also attract pollinators by scent and color. Still other flowers use mimicry to attract pollinators. Some species of orchids, for example, produce flowers resembling female bees in color, shape, and scent. Flowers are also specialized in shape and have an arrangement of the stamens that ensures that pollen grains are transferred to the bodies of the pollinator when it lands in search of its attractant (such as nectar, pollen, or a mate). In pursuing this attractant from many flowers of the same species, the pollinator transfers pollen to the stigmas—arranged with equally pointed precision—of all of the flowers it visits.

Anemophilous flowers use the wind to move pollen from one flower to the next. Examples include grasses, birch trees, ragweed and maples. They have no need to attract pollinators and therefore tend not to be "showy" flowers. Male and female reproductive organs are generally found in separate flowers, the male flowers having a number of long filaments terminating in exposed stamens, and the female flowers having long, feather-like stigmas. Whereas the pollen of animal-pollinated flowers tends to be large-grained, sticky, and rich in protein (another "reward" for pollinators), anemophilous flower pollen is usually small-grained, very light, and of little nutritional value to animals.

Flower

2009-03-16T06:26:00.000-07:00

A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Magnoliophyta, also called angiosperms). The biological function of a flower is to mediate the union of male sperm with female ovum in order to produce seeds. The process begins with pollination, is followed by fertilization, leading to the formation and dispersal of the seeds. For the higher plants, seeds are the next generation, and serve as the primary means by which individuals of a species are dispersed across the landscape. The grouping of flowers on a plant are called the inflorescence.

In addition to serving as the reproductive organs of flowering plants, flowers have long been admired and used by humans, mainly to beautify their environment but also as a source of food.

Tropicl flowers

2009-03-05T21:22:00.000-08:00

Titan Arum (Amorphophallus titanum), largest flower in the world, is a tropical flower of Soth East asian Origin. In fact, it is the world's largest un-branched inflorescence. In its native lands, the flower blooms vary in size from 7-12 feet in height.

Tropical flowers hold a special place in the hearts of flower lovers due to their breathtaking fragrance and exquisite beauty. Orchids, Rhizomes, Gingers, Heliconias etc., which are more popular with the flower lovers are Tropical Flowers.Tropical Flowers are those that thrive naturally in tropical climatic conditions.

All the tropical flowers happen to be alien for other geographic regions of the world viz., Temperate and Polar regions where they are referred to as Exotic Flowers. All tropical flowers are thus exotic to the Americas and Europe. But not necessarily all exotic flowers are tropical flowers.

The tropics are the geographic region of the Earth centered on the equator and limited in latitude by the two tropics: the Tropic of Cancer in the north and the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere. Tropical Flowers are those species of flowers that are native to the tropics. The principal regions with a tropical climate are the Amazon Basin in Brazil, the Congo Basin in West Africa and Indonesia. The buzz word in the world of flowers, the Hawaiian tropical flowerscome from this core tropical region. Besides, India, southern China, etc., also fall under the tropical region.

Flower Name (with Scientific Name)	About the Flower	Flower Image
African Moon (Dimorphotheca pluvialis/Osteospermum spp)	African Moon is a white daisy flower covering huge spring fields of Namibia. Learn more about African Moon
African Tulip (Spathodea campanulata)	African Tulip flowers are the orange scarlet flowers with glossy green pinnate leaves. Learn more about African Tulip
Alpine aster (Aster alpinus)	Alpine aster flowers are violet pink, and white colored flowers, which are good for cut flower arrangements. Learn more about Alpine Aster
Alpinia (Alpinia)	Alpinias are seen in colors ranging from pink to red, and make very impressive container plants. Learn more about Alpinia
Amazon lily (Eucharis grandiflora)	Amazon lily is a beautiful, sweet scented white flower, which make an excellent potted plant. Learn more about Amazon lily
Angel wing begonia (Begonia coccinea)	Angel-wing begonia flowers are in pinks, reds, oranges, and make beautiful flowering houseplants. Learn more about Angel wing begonia
Annual Delphinium (Consolida ajacis)	Annual Delphinium flowers are in blue, white, pink or lilac color florets. Learn more about Annual Delphinium
Begonia Fairlady (Begonia sempeflorens)	Begonias are compact bedding plants white in color. Learn more about Begonia Fairlady
Begonia-non-stop red (Begonia Nonstop Red)	Begonia Nonstop Red are the tuberous begonias, which are ideal for baskets, pots, and gardens. Learn more about Begonia-non-stop red
Bitter Gourd (Momordica charantia)	Bitter Gourd flowers are yellow, and its bitter fruit is edible. Learn more about Bitter Gourd
Blanket flower (Gaillardia aristata)	The Blanket flower, has yellow flowers where petals are broadly margined with yellow and the remainder of the flower has some shades of crimson. Learn more about Blanket flower
Bleeding Heartwine (Clerodendrum thomsoniae)	The Bleeding Heartwine flowers have white calyx's and scarlet flowers. Learn more about Bleeding Heartwine
Blood lily (Scadoxus multiflorus, Haemanthus multiflorus)	Blood lily is a bulbous plant, with a spectacular flowerhead which is a huge spherical umbel containing 100 flowers. Learn more about Blood lily
Blue Alpine Daisy(Aster alpinus )	Alpine aster flower is a delightful flower and used as a front of a border. Blue Alpine Daisy
Blue Dawn flower (Ipomoea indica)	Blue Dawn flowers are a striking purple-blue, formed in a dense clustered inflorescence. Learn more about Blue Dawn flower
Blue jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia)	Blue jacaranda flowers are clusters of blue tubular flowers, giving rise to woody, disc-shaped seed pods. Learn more about Blue jacaranda
Blue-Passion flower (Passiflora caerulea)	The blue passion flower is crowned with prominent blue- and purple-banded filaments, with an egg-shaped orange fruit. Learn more about Blue-Passion flower
Bottle brush (Callistemon citrinus)	The bottlebrush flower spikes are usually yellow or red, and gives a small woody fruit containing hundreds of tiny seeds. Learn more about Bottle brush
Calatheas (Calathea roseo-picta)	Most of the Calathea species are popular house plants, and commonly called Prayer Plants or Zebra Plants. Learn more about Calatheas
Catasetum (Catasetum spitzii)	Catasetum species, are usually helmet lipped, with flower color varying widely, from apple green to greenish-yellow, bright yellow, orange-yellow, with red markings. Learn more about Catasetum
Cattleya (Cattleya amethystoglossa)	Cattleyas are the rare lavender colored flowers, producing 20 flowers at a time in an inflorescence. Learn more about Cattleya
Cautleya (Cautleya lutea)	Cautleyas are the eastern himalayan bright yellow flowers,enclosed in deep red colored bracts. Learn more about Cautleya
Chrysanthemum	Chrysanthemum flowers bloom in various forms, and can be daisy-like, decorative, pompons or buttons. Chrysanthemums can be white, purple or red color. Chrysanthemums are one of the most popular flowers in the world, next only to the Rose. Learn more about Chrysanthemum
Constantia (Constantia cristinae)	Constantia flowers are pretty light colored miniature flowers a bit more than a 1/2 an inch. Learn more about Constantia
Cosmos pink (Cosmos bipinnatus)	Cosmos flowers are showy solitary red, and bright colored disks, seen also as white, pink or purple flowers. Learn more about Cosmos pink
Cryptopodium	Cryptopodium flowers are branched off from an inflorescence of 5 feet, producing dozens of yellow flowers. Learn more about cyrtopodium
Day Lily Frans Hals (Hemerocallis hybrids)	Day Lily flowers are seen as attractive, alternating bright yellow and yellow-striped red petals. Learn more about Day Lily Frans Hals
Decorative Dahlia (Dahlia)	Decorative dahlia flowers have fully double blooms without a clear disc. Ball and Small Decorative Dahlias were popular landscape flowers of 18 th century. Learn more about Decorative Dahlia
Encyclia (Anacheilium fragrans)	Encyclia flowers are extremely fragrant, with no color variation but there are stripes on the lips. Learn more about Encyclia
Etlingera (Etlingera elatior)	Etlingera flower inflorescence comes out of the ground instead of the terminal spike. It is greatly used as a cut flower. The center of the flower shows a cone shaped structure formed by lowering of the bracts. Learn more about Etlingera
Flame of the Forest (Butea monosperma)	Flame of the Forest flowers, are brightly colored scentless flowers, grouped along the ends of the stalks. The characteristic flower feature is its curved beak-shaped keel. Learn more about Flame of the Forest
Frangipani (Plumeria rubra)	Frangipani flower is propeller shaped with a delicate yellow center and a creamy white outer petal. Frangipani flowers are highly scented during nights and often used in bouquets. Learn more about Frangipani
Golden shower (Cassia Fistula)	Cassia flowers are bright, yellow, fragrant flowers. Cassia flowers are attractive to bees and butterflies, and look like long, grape-bunches of yellow gold flowers. Learn more about Golden shower
Grass of the Dew (Cyanotis arachnoides)	Grass of the Dew flowering plants produces furry violet blooms, dotted with yellow stamens. Learn more about Grass of the Dew
Heliconia (Heliconia Pendula (Frosty)	Heliconias are double colored with Pinkish red on lower half of the cheek and red on the upper half, with Yellow lip and tip, and having a deep red rachis. Learn more about Heliconia
Hibiscus (China-rose) (Hibiscus)	Hibiscus flowers are large, flat, conspicuous, trumpet-shaped flowers, with five petals, ranging from white to pink, red, purple or yellow. Learn more about Hibiscus
Koutruk lei (Koutruk lei)	Koutruk lei flowers are small bell-shaped, blue flowers. Koutruk lei flowers are rare flowering plants, blooming once in every nine years. Learn more about Koutruk lei
Laelia (Laelia angereri)	Laelia flowers are produced on long inflorescences. Laelia angereri is the largest species in the rupiculous Laelia group. Learn more about Laelia
Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera)	Lotus flowers are found in white and pink colors in general and they grow in shallow and murky waters. Learn more about Lotus
Maxillaria (Maxillaria picta)	Maxillaria flowers are extremely fragrant, yellowish to white flowers produced at a time on the inflorescence. Brownish-red marking on the exterior of the sepals and petals of the flowers is seen. Learn more about Maxillaria
Morning Glory (Ipomea Species)	morning glory flowers are vines, which are saucer-shaped, opening at morning time. Morning Glories produce typical funnel-shaped blossoms in white, red, blue, purple and yellow. Learn more about Morning Glory
Musas (Musas)	Musas are easy to grow and flower and add lush tropical feel to any garden. Learn more about Musas
Sampaguita (Jasminum sambac)	Sampaguita are pure white, small, dainty, star-shaped blossoms. Sampaguita open at night and wilt the next day. Learn more about Sampaguita
Sophornitella (Sophronitella violacea)	Sophornitella flowers are quite showy and very colorful. Sophornitella flower inflorescence produce fairly large flowers. Learn more about Sophornitella
Sophronitis (Sophronitis coccinea)	Sophronitis is a very intense orange-red flower. Learn more about Sophronitis

Exotic Flowers

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Breathtaking Exotic Flowers and plants add that extra special touch to gardens, homes, and all ocassions - weddings, celebrtions, banquets, as well as solemn occasions. Find below the list of various exotic flowers, which we have compiled. You can click on the links to know more about individual Exotic Flowers:

Flower Name (with Scientific Name)	About the Flower	Flower Image
Dutch amaryllis (Amaryllis/Hippeastrum)	Amaryllis flowers are bulbous flowers coming in Orange, red, rose, pink, white, bicolored. Learn more about Amaryllis
Anthuriums (Anthurium species)	Anthuriums are rigid flowers with a thick and waxy feel and appearance. The anthurium flower is in fact the spathe of the plant. In the middle of the spathe is an upright organ called the spandix. The flowers actually grow on the spandix. Their colors range from whites to pinks and reds. Learn more about Anthuriums
Birds of Paradise (Stelitzia reginae)	The name Birds of Paradise comes from the spectacular flower shape, which resembles a birds beak and head plumage. Learn more about Birds of Paradise
Calla Lily (Zantedeschia)	The calla lily flower spathe, is a large, flaring, trumpet-shaped bract, surrounds the spadix which is covered with tiny flowers. Learn more about Calla Lily
Equadorian roses	Equadorian roses are very beautiful roses displaying in a wide range of colors. Learn more about Equadorian roses
Gardenias (Gardenia jasminoides)	Gardenias are waxy, white and very fragrant, seen either single or double and up to 4 inches in diameter. Learn more about Gardenias
Lilacs	Lilac flowers are purple color, clustered, beautiful and very fragrant, which carries quite a distance.Learn more about Lilacs
Lily of the valley	Lily of the valley are bell-shaped flowers that infuse the air with fragrance throughout the day. Learn more about Lily of the Valley
Oriental Lily	The Oriental lily flowers may be borne erect, horizontal, or drooping, and can be funnel-shaped to bell-shaped. Lily flowers comes in white to yellow, pink, orange, and red colors. Learn more about Oriental lily
Tulips	Tulips are large, showy flowers with six petals. Tulips come in incredible variety of colors, heights, and flower shapes. Learn more about Tulips
Heliconia Pendula (Frosty)	Heliconias are pinkish red on lower half of the cheek and red on the upper half. Learn more about Heliconia
Musas	Inflorescence of Musas is 6 inch crimson red/purple. Musa Bananas of exquisite taste and grandeur. Learn more about Musas
Calatheas	Calathea Flower is the most beautiful in the Marantaceae family. Calathea flowers bracts come in various shapes. Learn more about Calatheas
Gingers	Gingers are one of the most beautiful and colorful flowers in the world of flowers. Learn more about Gingers
Palms	The individual palm flowers are usually small greenish and insignificant. Palm flowers are borne on simple or branching spikes, very generally protected by a spathe or spathes. Palms
Orchids	The Orchids are one of the most exquisite and fascinating flowers in the world. Learn more about Orchids
Lotus	The beautiful and fragrant Lotus flower opens in the morning and petals fall in the afternoon. Lotuses are found in white and pink colors in general and they grow in shallow and murky waters. Learn more about Lotus

Rose flower meanings

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Rose Variety	Meaning of the Rose	Image of the Rose
Red rose	I Love You True Love Congratulations Courage and Respect
Red Rosebud	Pure & Lovely
Moss Rosebud	Confessions of Love
Bridal rose	Happy Love
White rose	Innocence Purity Humility I am Worthy of You
White Rosebud	Girlhood Heart Ignorant of Love
Thornless rose	Love at First Sight Early attachment
Yellow rose(	Decrease of Love Jealousy Try to Care Joy
Leaf rose	You May Hope
Dark Crimson rose ()	Mourning
Hibiscus rose	Delicate Beauty
Burgandy rose	Unconscious Beauty
Christmas rose	Relieve my anxiety
Coral rose	Desire
Damask rose	Freshness Persian Ambassador of Love
Dog rose	Pleasure & Pain
Garden rose	I am from Mars
Lavender rose	Enchantment
Orange rose	Fascination Desire Enthusiasm
Pink rose	Perfect Happiness Secret Love Grace & Sweetness Indecision
Dark pink rose	Thankfulness
Rose pale pink	Grace Joy
Peach rose	Immortality Sincerity Gratitude Closing of a Deal
Deep red rose	Bashful Shame
Tea rose	I'll Remember - Always
Rose-Of-Sharon	Consumed by Love
Carmine rose	deceitful desire (not true to color)
Fiery red rose	flames of passion
Cardinal red rose	sublime desire
Amaranth red rose	long standing desire
Black Rose	Death Farewell
Blue Rose	The unattainable or impossible
Light colored roses	friendship and Sociability
A wild rose	simplicity
A musk rose	capricious beauty
A withered white rose	death or loss of innocence
Faded rose	Beauty is fleeting
Hybrid tea roses	"I'll remember you always"
Rosa mundi (striped)	Variety
Rose in a tuft of grass	There is everything to be gained by good company

Carnations

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Spray carnations are more popular and precocious in terms of growth than the Large flowered Carnations.

Carnations (Dianthus caryophyllus) are one of the most popular florists' flowers. As long lasting flowers, Carnations are very popular as boutonnieres, in corsages, bouquets, and in a wide range of floral arrangements. Carnations are popularly favored on special occasions, especially Mother's Day and weddings.

Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Caryophyllaceae
Genus: Dianthus

Carnations are also commonly referred to by their scientific name, "Dianthus", the name given by the Greek botanist Theopharastus. Carnations got the name Dianthus from two Greek Words - "dios", referring to the god Zeus, and "anthos", meaning flower. Carnations are thus "The Flowers of God".

The single flowers of the Carnations species, Dianthus caryophyllus have 5 petals and vary from white to pink to purple in color. Border Carnation cultivars may have double flowers with as many as 40 petals. When grown in gardens, Carnations grow to between 6 and 8.5 cm in diameter. Petals on Carnations are generally clawed or serrated. Carnations are bisexual flowers and bloom simply or in a branched or forked cluster. The stamens on Carnations can occur in one or two whorls, in equal number or twice the number of the petals.

Gerberas

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Gerberas are the most popular florist flowers next only to Carnations and Roses.

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.

Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Subfamily: Mutisioideae
Genus: Gerbera

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 closter of hundreds of individual flowers. The morphology of the flowers varies depending on their position in the capitulum of the Gerberas.

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.
Some species of Gerberas, such as Gerbera anandria, Gerbera aurantiaca and Gerbera jamesonii bear the suffix Daisy - Ghostly Daisy, Hilton Daisy, Barberton Daisy, Gerbera Daisy and Transvaal Daisy
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 colors.
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.

LIlies

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Lilies are one of the most popular flowers in the UK, next only to the Rose. Globally, Lilies rank fourth among the flowers in popularity.

Different kinds of lilies are commonly grown in the gardens. Lilies are best suited for growing in flower and shrubbery borders and in pots.

Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Liliopsida
Order: Liliales
Family: Liliaceae
Genus: Lilium

Lilium, the genus, is the Latin form of the Greek word 'Lerion' for the Madonna Lily. Red lily was first described by the famous Swedish botanist Carl von Linne (Linnaeus) in 1753.

Facts About Roses

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The birthplace of the cultivated Rose was probably Northern Persia, on the Caspian, or Faristan on the Gulf of Persia.

Historically, the oldest Rose fossils have been found in Colorado, dating back to more than 35 million years ago.
Roses were considered the most sacred flowers in ancient Egypt and were used as offerings for the Goddess Isis. Roses have also been found in Egyptian tombs, where they were formed into funerary wreaths.
Confucius, 551 BC to 479 BC, reported that the Imperial Chinese library had many books on Roses.
Ancient Sumerians of Mesopotamia (in the Tigris-Euphrates River Valley) mentioned Roses in a cuneiform tablet (a system of writing) written in approximately 2860 BC.
The English were already cultivating and hybridizing Roses in the 15th Century when the English War of Roses took place. The winner of the war, Tudor Henry VII, created the Rose of England (Tudor Rose) by crossbreeding other Roses.
While no Black Rose yet exists, there are some of such a deep Red color as to suggest Black.
Roses are omnipresent and grown over all parts of the globe.
The Netherlands is the world's leading exporter of Roses

ROSES

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Roses are the best gifts ever. Roses are known for their exclusive beauty and fragrance. Gift a bouquet of roses to your beloved parents to show your gratitude, to your fiance/fiancee or your partner to express your love and to your friends to tell them how much they mean to you.

Roses are the most popular flowers in the world and have probably always been the most popular flowers. Roses have been symbols of love, beauty, war and politics from the beginning of time.

Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Rosales
Family: Rosaceae
Subfamily: Rosoideae
Genus: Rosa

Different varieties and colors of Roses denote different Meanings. Rose is popularly known as the flower of love, particularly Red Roses.

Rose, besides being the popular gifts around the world, are also a great addition for the homes and offices as decorations. A rose flower in a drinking glass arranged on a table to a floral arrangement of a bunch of roses add that extra touch to the decor. Besides fresh cut roses, artificial flowers like silk roses in different colors are also widely used. Order your silk rose now and add grace to your decoration.

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Sampaguita (Jasminum sambac) is a sweetly scented tropical flower. Belonging to the wide genus of Jasmines (Jasminum), Sampaguita is the common name of the species Jasminum sambac. Sampaguita is also known as Philippine Jasmine, Arabian jasmine, Pikake in Hawaii, Grand Duke of Tuscany, Kampupot, and Melati .

Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Lamiales
Family: Oleaceae
Genus: Jasminum

The species Jasminum sambac is native to southern Asia, in India, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. Sampaguita is serving as the National Flower of for two countries - Philippines and Indonesia.. The beautiful ornamental Sampaguita blooms cover the glossy green leafed bushed type ever bloomer. The Sampaguita is also well known in Asia for its use in teas and religious offerings, symbolizing divine hope.

Sampaguita grow on a woody vine or semi-climbing shrub, which reaches a height of 1,2 meters. The leaves are ovate or rounded in shape and 6 to 12 cm long. The leaves and Sampaguita flowers grow on short stalks. The Sampaguita flowers bloom either singly or as bundles of blossoms at the top of the branches. Blooming all through the year, Sampaguita are pure white, small, dainty, star-shaped blossoms. The flowers open at night and wilt in less than a day. The Sampaguita flower has about 8-10 calyx teeth that are very slender, and 5 to 8 mm long. The Sampaguita's corolla tube is slender and 1 to 1.5 cm long, the limb is usually double and 1.5 to 2 cm in diameter. The 2 stamens on the Sampaguita are included with a 2-celled ovary.

Sampaguita's distinct sweet, heady fragrance is its unique feature. The essential oil from the flowers is similar to jasmin (Jasminum grandiflores). Sampaguita flowers do not bear seeds, therefore the plant is cultivated by cuttings. Sampaguita was imported into the Philippines in the 17th century from Himalayan areas. The Sampaguita is a native part of the Philippine landscape for centuries. The plant is originally from India and is grown throughout India today. About eight cultivars are generally listed for Sampaguita.Some varieties of Sampaguitas can grow as large as small roses in India.

Jasmine Plant Care

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Remove the weeds present near Jasmine plants.

Fertilizers should be added from time to time.
Phosphorous and Potassium should be applied in two split doses i.e once after annual pruning and again during June and July.
Tips of the plants should be pinched to stimulate lateral growth and frequent prunning.
First irrigation should be given immediately after planting and subsequent irrigation at an interval of seven to ten days.
Younger plants should be tied with the stems to give a fairly heavy support.

Growing Jasmine flowers

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Jasmines grow well in moist, well drained, sandy loam to clayey graden soil with moderate level of fertility.
Jasmine prefer full sun to partial shade and a warm site.
Jasmine bushes should be planted during June to November.
Jasmine Plant should be kept at least eight feet apart in order to save the later growth of the plant from jamming together.
Adding of leaf molds to the soil makes it better for the growth of the plant.
Mild fertilizer should be applied during spring.
Plenty of water should be given during summer.
Jasmine plants should be provided with full sunlight upto at least four hours a day.

Some Popular Varieties in Jasmine

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Common Jasmine, or poet's Jasmine - Jasmine officinale, is native to Iran, which produces fragrant white flowers that are the source of attar of Jasmine used in perfumery.
Winter Jasmine - Jasmine nudiflorum, a Chinese species with solitary yellow flowers, is used as a cover plant on hillsides.
Arabian Jasmine - Jasmine sambac, are used to make jasmine tea.
South African Jasmine - Jasmine angulare: an evergreen vine, which is only hardy in the coastal areas. Jasmine blooms in the summer, bearing unscented white flowers in groups of three.
Spanish Jasmine - Jasmine grandiflorum: is a semi-evergreen to deciduous vine with fragrant, white flowers, which are 1 inch in diameter.

Italian Jasmine - Jasmine humile: an evergreen shrub or vine, which can reach up to 20 feet and arch to make a 10-foot-wide mound. Clusters of fragrant, bright yellow flowers are present all summer.
Primrose Jasmine - Jasmine mesnyi: an evergreen shrub with yellow, unscented flowers, which are up to 2 inches in diameter.
Downy Jasmine - Jasmine multiflorum: has clustered, white flowers that are not strongly scented. The stems and leaves have a downy coating, resulting in an overall gray-green effect.

Facts About Jasmine

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Jasmine shrubs reache to a height of 10-15 feet, growing approximately 12-24 inches per year.

Jasmine leaves are either evergreen or deciduous.
A Jasmine leaf is arranged in opposite in most species, leaf shape is simple, trifoliate or pinnate with 5-9 leaflets, each up to two and half inches long.
The Jasmine stems are slender, trailing, green, glaborous, angled, almost 4-sided.
Most of the Jasmine species bear white flowers, which are about 1 inch in size.
Jasmine oil, which is a very popular fragrant oil, contains benzyl acetate, terpinol, jasmone, benzyl benzoate, linalool, several alcohols, and other compounds.
The variety Jasminium sambac, is a clustered flower of a equally strong scent known in Hawaii as the Pikake.
Two types of Jasmine are used for oil production - Jasminum grandiflorum and Jasminum officinale.
The nectar of the fragrant flowers of Carolina Jasmine, Gelsemium sempervirens, is poisonous, although its dried roots are used in medicinal preparations as a sedative.
Jasmine flower oil, extracted from the two species Jasminum Officinale and Grandiflorum, is used in high-grade perfumes and cosmetics, such as creams, oils, soaps, and shampoos.

Jasmine

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Jasmine flower and the essential oil extracted from the flower are being used extensively in cosmetics and perfumery, and as a calmative (relaxing properties, sedative) and aphrodisiac (intensifies sexual desire).

Jasmine is a very Popular Flower around the world, especially in tropics because of its unique fragrance. The Jasmine is native to tropical and warm temperate regions of the old world.

Jasmine flowers are white in most species, with some species being yellow flowered. Jasmine is believed to have originated in the Himalayas in western China.

Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Lamiales
Family: Oleaceae
Genus: Jasminum

Unlike most genera in the Oleceae family, which have four corolla lobes petals, Jasmines often have five or six lobes. Jasmines are often strongly and sweetly scented. Jasmine is widely cultivated for its shining leaves and beautiful clusters of fragrant flowers.

Flowering in Jasmines takes place in summer or spring, usally six months after planting. The Jasmine flower releases its fragrance at night after the sun has set and especially when the moon is waxing towards fullness. Jasmine flower buds are more fragrant than the flowers.

There exists a true Jasmine and a false Jasmine, and the two are commonly mistaken for each other because of the fragrance the plants release. The true Jsmine belongs to the family Oleaceae, is primarily a bushy shrub or climbing vine, and is non-poisonous.

True Jasmine has oval, shiny leaves and tubular, waxy-white flowers. The false Jasmine, on the other hand, is in a completely different genus, Gelsemium, and family, Loganiaceae, is considered too poisonous for human consumption.