Description

Sunflower

Common names: sunflower Description: These large field-grown flowers have 2- to 8-inch diameters. Short petals surround a large disc. Petal colors are pale or golden yellow, orange, red or bronze; discs are brown, black, or green. Thick stems support single- and double-flower varieties. Special care: Keep sunflowers hydrated to help stems support heavy head weight. Place sunflowers in tall containers to provide adequate support for their height.    Tulip Flowers Common names: tulip Description: Single flowers have six petals. Flower variations include lily-flowering types, double flowers, fringed petals and ruffly parrot varieties. Colors include white, yellow, pink, peach, orange, red, lavender, purple and bi-colors. Vase life is up to seven days.   Roses  Common names: tea rose, sweetheart rose, spray rose Description: With almost 120 varieties available, roses are a classic favorite. Roses span the color spectrum with varieties available in all shades of reds, pinks, purples, oranges, corals, peaches and whites. Tea roses open 3 to 4 inches. Stems can be 12 — 30 inches. Spray roses can have several flowers on one stem. Depending on the variety, roses typically last 4 — 7 days. Bird of Paradise Flowers     Common names: bird of paradise Description: Named for their similarity in shape to the heads of tropical birds, these have multicolored 6-inch flowers held inside green, pointed bracts. Their blooms are bright orange with purple and live one to two weeks. Daffodil Flowers       Common names: Daffodil, narcissus, jonquil Description: Six outer petals surround a cup creating a trumpet-style look of this cut flower. Some stems produce one flower; others produce clusters. The outer petals are yellow or white; cups may be white, yellow, orange or salmon, and some have an orange edge. Special care: Daffodils secrete a sap that can harm other flowers if not properly conditioned. If mixed with other flowers, do not recut as you will cause sap to be released again. Orchid Flowers       Common names: orchid, cymbidium, dendrobium, oncidium, cattleya, phalaenopsis Description: Throughout the world, more than 17,000 species are known, and varieties vary in size and shape. Oncidium blossoms are 1 1/2 to 1 inch and are usually yellow with orange-red markings. Cymbidium and dendrobium flowers have a butterfly-like shape and are 3 to 4 inches acress. The larger of the two, cymbidiums are white, yellow, green or lavender with pink or red lips, while dendrobiums are often white or lavender. Cattleya blossoms are large, ruffled and usually 5 to 6 inches across in white or purple with contrasting throats. Phalaenopsis have moth- or butterfly-shaped flowers in colors such as white, pink, purple and bicolors. Lily Common names: lily, Asiatic lily, Oriental lily   Description: Trumpet-shaped flowers grow to a 6-inch diameter. Stems grow to 3 feet long, carrying four to eight blossoms. Sparse foliage is dark green. Because blooms open at various times, most lilies live one to two weeks. Colors include white, yellow, pink, red and orange; many have a deeper color (freckles) on the inner petal. Special care: To prevent pollen from staining petals or clothing, remove stamens. Attention Cat Lovers: According to the ASPCA, lilies are considered to be highly toxic to cats. While the poisonous component has not yet been identified, it is clear that with even ingestions of very small amounts of the plant, severe kidney damage could result. The Society of American Florists recommends keeping lilies out of the reach of cats. It is important to note that lilies do not pose a problem for other pets or humans. Delphinium Flowers       Common names: delphinium Description: Delphiniums provide some of the best cut flowers with a color range including blue, lavender, purple, pink, salmon, rose, red, white, and bi-colors. Flowers grow along spikes with stems that are 1 to 6 feet long. Flowers are either single or double, and foliage is medium green and leafy. Vase life ranges from four to 12 days.