Sunday, August 12, 2012

Know About The Detailed Information About Canada Anemone

This anemone is very common in the upper midwest and great lakes area. A native perennial often found on sandy, moist shorelines, as well as prairies in moister lower lying locations. The large, over 1 inch wide, white flowers are comprised of five sepals, and arise on long stalks above the flower stalk leaves.

The basal foliage is similar in appearance to Wild Geranium. Older lower leaves are dark green and the newer leaves on the flower stalk contrast nicely as they are often lighter green in color.


Canada Anemone is rhizomatous, it spreads quickly if planted in rich, mesic to wet soils. In slightly drier, well drained soils it will not spread as rapidly. This is a great plant to utilize in shoreline plantings. Many beetles love the flowers that provide copious amounts of pollen - tiny flower beetles will nestle under the stamens and feed. This long horned beetle is a regular visitor on our Canada Anemone.

This ant-like Long Horned Beetle is a new sighting this year in the yard. Found on many of our woodland white flowering natives. Larvae of this beetle feed on decaying wood of oak, hickory and hackberry trees. Also the first sighting of the season of Tumbling Flower Beetles. They are many of these beetles on the Canada Anemone flowers feeding on the pollen.

This red-eyed fly is the most common visitor, also feeding on the pollen. Many native bees also love the Canada Anemone flowers. Small Carpenter Bees, Sweat Bees and Mining Bees are common visitors. This spider seems to know the flowers are popular with bees and was waiting patiently for one to stop by. Canada Anemone is native to eastern North America. See map below for range.

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

There Are So Much Knowledge You Need To Know About Sakura

Sakura, heard the name of sakura, reminds us with “Land of the Rising Sun", Japan. Interest which is the national flower of Japan only blooms in spring is around the beginning of April until the end of April, that's why this flower is so special.

Cherry fruit from this plant can be eaten in general, and also many varieties have been cultivated not bear fruit because of special used as an ornamental plant.
Besides being a state icon of Japan, sakura also often synonymous with beauty and pretty. Beautiful cherry blossoms motifs are also frequently used in a wide variety of goods from Japan such as clothes, room interior design, furniture, and much more.


Cherry blossoms are not only growing in Japan, these gorgeous flowers are also found in other countries such as Australia, Brazil, China, Germany, Korea, and others.
There is a tradition that has always eagerly awaited almost everyone in Japan, Hanami. Hanami is the tradition of enjoying the cherry blossoms are blooming time of the coming of spring. This tradition is like a picnic with the nearest person or family, rolling out mats under the sakura trees are blooming and enjoy a vacation together.

And one thing that’s important for us to know, actually sakura is not a flower name but the term used to blooming cherry blossoms in Japan. Taken from the word “saku” which means blooming.

Friday, July 6, 2012

Know More Information About The Peony

If planted too deep you will probably get pretty foliage with a few or no blooms, and if too shallow, the buds will be exposed and are likely to get broken off by Old Shep when he serves notice on a stray cat or rabbit.
You should expect blooms from three to five eye divisions the first season. Only seven of the 60 varieties I planted in my garden a few years ago failed to bloom the first year. The plants made a splendid display of flowers the third season after planting.
Digging and dividing large, old peony clumps is no easy task, as most gardeners have learned. If the freshly-dug clump is left exposed to the air for a while, the roots will become less brittle and are more easily handled without breaking. The soil which is tightly held by the roots is best removed with a stream of water from the hose.
Do not simply cut the clump in half and plant the two peonies without removing any of the old large roots. Such divisions depend upon the old roots for nourishment and seldom bloom. The clump should be cut into smaller divisions, usually with from three to five eyes, some of the older roots removed and the others shortened to about six inches. This method stimulates the production of new roots which increases the plant's vigor and productiveness. A stout butcher knife and a hammer are good division tools.
Established plants may be fertilized in early spring with a handful of balanced plant food applied in a ring around each plant and stirred into the soil.
To Preserve Color
Most peony flowers fade in sunlight and if left to open and stand in the sun they lose much of their delicate beauty. If you wish to use peonies for display in a flower show or as a bouquet in the home, cut the flowers and let them open in the dark or at least in partial shade. Do not cut stems so long that all of the leaves are taken with the stalk. This would tend to weaken the plant.
Peonies which are properly planted and maintained are seldom bothered by diseases. The foliage is hardly ever attacked by insect pests. Plants should be carefully watched and if any disease occurs the affected parts should be removed and destroyed.
Root knot, leaf spot and botrytis blight are the three most common ailments. Root knot can be avoided by planting clean, healthy divisions in disease-free soil. New plants should not be set in an old bed where root knot has occurred. If the plants are properly spaced, very little damage is done by leaf spot.
Botrytis blight is likely to be the most serious peony disease. It affects stems, buds and leaves just like in caring for orchid plants. Young stalks in early spring suddenly wilt and fall over, and young buds turn black and dry up. Later on, larger buds which become infected turn brown and fail to open up. For control, remove and destroy all infected parts as soon as they appear. Cut off all tops near the crowns in the fall and burn. If severe infestation has occurred before, remove the upper two inches of soil around the plants and replace with fresh disease-free soil.

Thursday, May 31, 2012

The Anemone Flower Is A Separate Genus From The Hepatica And Pasque Genera

The Ritteri Anemone is also referred to as the Magnificent Anemone or Heteractis Magnificent Sea Anemone. Some aquarists still refer to it as Radianthus ritteri, but this name was recently changed to the current H. magnifica. It can grow to over three feet in diameter in the wild, although it generally does not grow larger than 1½ feet in the aquarium. Its tentacles have a long, non-tapering shape that may, on occasion, appear swollen at the tips. They can almost completely retract into the base.
  
Anemone
Anemone requires strong lighting combined with strong, but intermittent, water movement within the tank. It generally prefers a high point in the tank to ensure it obtains all the light it needs, but it may change locations, seeking the ideal conditions. Its strong sting can harm corals. The presence of a Clownfish, such as Amphiprion perideraion, will help it acclimate. Ritteri Anemones from different locations may serve as hosts to other clownfish, and even shrimp.
  
Always be sure to cover any pump intakes or overflows to prevent an anemone from getting sucked in. For pumps like powerheads, sponge works well but be sure and clean it regularly. For overflows, you can use filter floss, or the fine mesh PVC gutter grills which can be found at home improvement stores. This material comes in a roll, is black which is a little less noticeable than white filter floss. You can use fine smaller cable ties to secure the material to intake, but be sure to use the ties that have no metal parts.
  
Although, it won't be wrong to call a sea anemone 'the flower of the sea', in reality it is a carnivorous animal of the salty waters. It is a polyp, that has poisonous tentacles with which it injects poison into its prey and kills it. The anemones have a soft, cylindrical body with a broad, circular foot at the bottom. On the top of its body, it has its mouth surrounded by tentacles with poison, that paralyze their prey. Then it grabs the paralyzed creature and shoves it down its mouth. Although, they usually lies attached to the rocks and shells in the ocean, it may also slowly crawl the ocean floor with the help of its foot or swim using its tentacles.

Care Information
  
Follow a regular watering schedule during the first growing season to establish a deep, extensive root system. Remove old flowers to prolong flowering. Cut back to the ground at the end of the season.
  
Design Ideas
  
An exceptional perennial for naturalizing and wild gardens. Grow in meadows and grasslands with non-invasive grasses. Spot into rock gardens for transient spring color. May be used in perennial borders with well drained slightly alkaline soils.
  
Companion Plants
  
Grow this perennial with other declicate plants such as Thriller Lady's Mntle, (Alchemilla mollis 'Thriller'), Crimson Star Columbine, (Aquilegia x hybrida 'Crimson Star'), Pink Anemone Clematis, (Clematis montana rubens) and Tiny Rubies Cheddar Pink, (Dianthus gratianapolitanus 'Tiny Rubies').

Friday, May 25, 2012

People Have Been Eating Flowers For Centuries

Eating Flowers
Believe it not, people have been eating flowers for centuries. The broccoli and cauliflower that we eat are actually clusters of flowers. Artichokes are also flower heads. Even some blossoms that look more like regular flowers-pansies and roses, for instance-have a long edible history.

Flowers can taste sweet, minty, or bitter. They give a special flavor-or even a pretty look-to many foods. But it is very important to know which flowers (or parts of flowers) can be eaten, because lots of plants are poisonous. Even if you know it isn't poisonous, it's better not to eat blooms that you find growing outside because you don't know if they've been treated with chemicals (pesticides) to control insects. Safe, edible flowers can be found in food stores. Or you can grow your own from seeds that come in specially labeled packets that tell you the flowers will be okay to eat.

After falling out of favor for many years, cooking and garnishing with flowers is back in vogue once again. Flower cookery has been traced back to Roman times, and to the Chinese, Middle Eastern, and Indian cultures. Edible flowers were especially popularin the Victorian era during Queen Victoria's reign.

Today, many restaurant chefs and innovative home cooks garnish their entrees with flower blossoms for a touch of elegance. The secret to success when using edible flowers is to keep the dish simple, do not add to many other flavors that will over power the delicate taste of the flower. Today this nearly lost art is enjoying a revival.

The culinary use of flowers dates back thousands of years to the Chinese, Greek and Romans. Many cultures use flowers in their traditional cooking–think of squash blossoms in Italian food and rose petals in Indian food. Adding flowers to your food can be a nice way to add color, flavor, and a little whimsy. Some are spicy, and some herbacious, while others are floral and fragrant. The range is pretty surprising.

It’s not uncommon to see flower petals used in salads, teas, and as garnish for desserts, but they inspire creative uses as well–roll spicy ones (like chive blossoms) into handmade pasta dough, incorporate floral ones into homemade ice cream, pickle flower buds (like nasturtium) to make ersatz capers, use them to make a floral simple syrup for use in lemonade or cocktails. (See a recipe for Dandelion Syrup here.) I once stuffed gladiolus following a recipe for stuffed squash blossoms–a little out-there, I know, but they were great. So many possibilities…

Chrysanthemums are an edible flower that can be used in different ways.

Chrysanthemum petals range in color from white to red -- and their taste changes from a mild broccoli to a spicy, peppery taste.

• Petals can be used as a garnish in salads. However, it is important that you blanch them before you add them to your salads.

• The leaves of chrysanthemums can be used to add zip to your vinegar.

• The leaves and stems of the Crown Daisy can be used to season salads or they can be added to stir-fries.