Plant Profile

Botanical Name: Euphorbia pulcherrima

Common Name: Poinsettia

FAMILY NAME: EUPHORBIACEAE

Species and of special interest:

Origin: Mexico to Central America

Availability: All year round

Foliage Characteristics: Has bold red and green foliage, mainly flaming red bracts however can also be orange, pale green, cream, pink, white or marbled which can be mistaken for being the but are actually part of the foliage.

Floral Characteristics: Despite the red being mistaken as the flower, the small yellow/green buds grow into the foliage meaning this doesn’t attract pollinators so it isn’t actually a flower.

Special features and characteristics of special interest Mainly acts as a good indoor plant which prefers morning sun. In Australia, Poinsettia is grown in glasshouses

Maintenance, Cultural requirements and Post Harvest Treatments: Minimal water with moderate indoor light. Any frost exposure can kill the plant completely. This plant grows best in subtropical climates and keeps best in partial sunlight rather than direct sunlight.

Pest and Diseases: Can be sensitive to fungal ad bacterial disease such as stem rot and is very sensitive to ethylene gas.

Use In Floristry: Usually come in a potted plant form and are very popular around Christmas time because of their vibrant colour.

Customer advice: When caring for plant allow any excessive water to drain out as too much water would encourage unintentional death through mould, fungi and root rot.

References:

Sydney Market Fresh (Flower) Website http://marketfresh.com.au/flowers/a-z-flower-search/item/1707-poinsettia-potted.html

‘What Cut flower Is That’ Delwin Thomas and Bettina Gollnow November 2013

Plant Profile

Botanical Name: Hyacinthus orientalis & cvs

Common Name:

FAMILY NAME: LILIACEAE

Species and cultivars of special interest:

Origin: Eastern Mediterranean

Availability: Autumn, Winter and Spring

Foliage Characteristics: This plant has long, narrow leaves that are folded lengthwise and become more floppy as the life of the flower/plant progresses.

Floral Characteristics: Available in a Colour range of White, cream, creamy-yellow, pale to deep pink, blue, lilac and purple. The form in a cluster of small, bell-shaped blubs that from the bottom up and have a bold fragrance.

Special features and characteristics of special interest The typical vase life for this flower is approximately 7- 10 days

Maintenance, Cultural requirements and Post Harvest Treatments: These flowers should be moderately watered and be in indirect sunlight.

Pest and Diseases: The flower petals become transparent as the flower begins to age and die and spraying the flower with mist is not recommended as it can cause fungal disease and cause the plant to rot.

Use In Floristry: Can be used as a focal flower on its own or in arrangements as well as individual flowers can be wired for wedding bouquets and posies as well as in accessory craft like corsages etc.

Customer advice: When purchasing, look for deep green foliage with strong stems and colourful, flowering . Where possible, avoiding cutting the stems too short as this could result in a top heavy product as the clusters can be quite heavy. The stem can be supported by a bamboo skewer however this may reduce the vase life.

References:

Sydney Market Fresh (Flower) Website http://marketfresh.com.au/flowers/a-z-flower-search/item/1643-hyacinth.html

‘What Cut flower Is That’ Delwin Thomas and Bettina Gollnow November 2013

The Flower Expert Website http://www.theflowerexpert.com/content/growingflowers/growingflowers/hyacinth

Plant Care Guides http://www.garden.org/plantguide/?q=show&id=2065