Plant of the Week...Poinsettia

 One of the most traditional and delightful decorations at Christmas is the poinsettia. While the classic color choice is a vibrant red, these days there is a wide array of other colors, including pink, white, marbled, speckled, and lime. The colorful parts of the plant, the bracts, are actually modified leaves. The flower (cyathia) is small, green or yellow, and situated in the middle of the bracts. Native to Central America, the plant was called cuetlaxochitl by the Aztecs, who used the plant for dying textiles, cosmetics and medicinal purposes.

Joel Poinsett

The poinsettia was “discovered” by Joel Roberts Poinsett, a hobbyist botanist, who was appointed by John Quincy Adams as the first U. S. Ambassador to Mexico in 1825 and fell in love with this unique plant.

We step it up for our poinsettia displays

CARE OF POINSETTIAS:

Place plant in indirect sunlight for at least six hours per day. If direct sun can’t be avoided, diffuse the light with a shade or sheer curtain.

Provide room temperatures between 68–70°F. Generally speaking, if you are comfortable, so is your poinsettia. Water your plant when the soil feels dry to the touch.

Abby and Chris man our sleeving station

Allow us to “sleeve” your plant to protect it from the cold and other damage while in transport.

Fertilize your plant AFTER it blooms with a balanced, all-purpose fertilizer.

Keep plants away from cold drafts or excessive heat (avoid open windows, fireplaces, appliances, ventilation ducts, etc.).

Painted purple for the Ravens!

Don’t expose plants to temperatures below 50°F. Poinsettias are sensitive to cold, so don’t put them outside during the winter months!

And, like most plants, do not overwater or allow your plant to sit in standing water. Always remove the potted plant from the decorative foil or pot cover to water and then drain. 

Longwood displays inspire

Re-Blooming your Poinsettia

With proper care, dedication and a certain amount of luck, you too can re-bloom your poinsettia! As the beauty of the plant begins to “fade” by late March or early April, cut it back to about 8” in height. Continue a regular watering program, and fertilize your plant with a balanced fertilizer. By the end of May, you should see vigorous new growth. After all chance of frost has passed and night temperatures average 55°F or above, place your plants outdoors in indirect sunlight. Continue regular watering and fertilize every 2 to 3 weeks. Pruning may be required in late June or early July to keep plants bushy and compact. Do not prune after September 1.

Breeders are constantly improving the colors and positive traits of the poinsettia

In early June, you may transplant your poinsettia into a larger pot. Select a pot no more than 2” larger than the original pot. A soil mix with a considerable amount of organic matter, such as peat moss or leaf mold, is highly recommended.

Leah and our greenhouse team keep displays beautiful

Starting October 1, the plants must be kept in complete darkness for 14 continuous hours each night. Accomplish this by moving the plants to a totally dark room, or by covering them overnight with a large box. During October, November and early December, poinsettias require 6-8 hours of bright sunlight daily, with night temperatures between 60–70F. Temperatures outside of this range could delay flowering. Continue the normal watering and fertilizer program. Carefully following this regime for 8 to 10 weeks should result in a colorful display of blooms for the holiday season!

We grow most of the poinsettias in our own farm greenhouses

The Legend of the Poinsettia

Pepita was a poor Mexican girl who had no gift to present the Christ Child on Christmas Eve. As Pepita walked sadly to the chapel with her cousin Pedro, her heart felt no joy. “I am sure, Pepita, that even the most humble gift, if given in love, will be acceptable,” said Pedro consolingly. Not knowing what else to do, Pepita knelt by the roadside and gathered a handful of weeds, fashioning them into a small bouquet. Looking at the scraggly bunch of weeds, she felt embarrassed by the humbleness of her offering. She fought back a tear as she entered the small village chapel.

Just after the morning watering

She laid the bouquet at the foot of the nativity scene. Suddenly, the bouquet of weeds burst into blooms of brilliant red, and all who saw them were certain that they had witnessed a Christmas miracle right before their eyes. From that day on, the bright red flowers were known as the Flores de Noche Buena, or Flowers of the Holy Night, for they bloomed each year during the Christmas season.

Poinsettias are safe for pets, according to the veterinary schools at Penn State, Cornell, and Ohio State. The sap in the stems may be slightly irritating. 

Toxic or Safe?

According to a recent national poll, half of Americans mistakenly believe that poinsettias are toxic. In fact, no other consumer plant has been as widely tested as the poinsettia. Researchers at Ohio State University (OSU) have measured the effects of ingesting unusually high doses of all parts of the plant (including the leaves, stems and sap) and found the plant to be non-toxic. According to POISINDEX®, the information resource used by the majority of U.S. poison control centers, a 50-pound child would have to eat 500 to 600 leaves to even get a bellyache!! The sap, however, can be irritating to the skin. As far as pets, the ASPCA says Poinsettia sap can be “Irritating to the mouth and stomach, sometimes causing vomiting, but generally over-rated in toxicity”. (aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants/poinsettia)

John has been growing our poinsettias for about 30 years

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Plant of the Week ...Paperwhites, Narcissus tazetta 'Ziva'

 Why do we love Paperwhites so? Is it the bright, white color? The tall, easy, fast growing bulb? The incredible fragrance? For what ever the reason, Paperwhites are a staple in our indoor decorating. 

Paperwhites started  from bulbs now will yield beautiful blooms for the holidays. Great for a kid's project, paperwhites make a beautiful gift grown in a nice ceramic container or a simple glass bowl or jar. 

Expect paperwhites to get 12-24" tall. They may need staking or could use the sides of a glass jar or vase to keep the stems from falling. The most popular Paperwhite is 'Ziva'. Prized for its pure white color and incredible fragrance, 'Ziva' is also the most readily available. Look for large, firm bulbs to plant. Most will take 4-8 weeks to bloom. 

Growing in Pebbles

Start with small gravel the color of your choice. White marble chips or natural pebble colors work well. Add gravel to a shallow dish, glass jar or other vessel. Place bulbs then add a touch more gravel, keeping about a third of the bulb above the gravel. Add water so it is a little below the bulbs base. We want to make the roots reach for the water. As buds appear, move the pot to a cooler spot and rotate it to keep the flowers from reaching for the light. 

Sometimes the paperwhites can get floppy. A few ways to keep the plant more compact include: 

• Keeping the plant at about 60 degrees while providing plenty of light.
• Stake the plants or tie a ribbon around  the center to keep them together. 
• As the bulbs first sprout, begin to water with an alcohol solution. Add 1 part 40 proof alcohol (I use vodka) to 7 parts water for more compact stems. 

Enjoy the simplicity and beauty of growing paperwhites all winter. Start bulbs every 2-4 weeks for continuous flowering. 

All photos used in this blog are courtesy of iBulb, a part of  Royal Anthos

Plant of the Week: Amaryllis

Photo courtesy of iBulb

Amaryllis, Hippeastrum, have incredibly large, beautiful, dramatic blooms atop long, slender, hollow stems. The gorgeous blooms are great to use in cut-flower arrangements when creating a holiday centerpiece, though the plant itself is decoration enough. 

Photo courtesy of iBulb

 For stunning winter color in your home throughout the holiday season, plant amaryllis bulbs from October until the end of April. Given proper treatment, they will continue to bloom for several years. Of all the flowering bulbs, the amaryllis is one of the easiest to bring to bloom

Longwood Gardens Conservatory

QUICK FACTS:

Originated in South America’s tropical regions

Amaryllis means “sparkling” and refers to the attractive bloom

Flowering period: Late December until the end of June, depending on planting time

Flowering time: 6-8 weeks

Bulb size: Large to extra large (In general, the larger the bulb, the more flowers produced.)

Plant size: 18-24” tall, with blooms 3-6” wide; dwarf varieties available

Blooming on my kitchen counter this bulb had 17 blooms on one season. Its worth buying the bigger bulb!

PLANTING DIRECTIONS

Amaryllis bulb 
Courtesy iBulb

Plant bulbs in a good-quality, well-drained potting soil. The pot should have good drainage and be about 3–4” wider than the bulb. The potting mixture should be about 1” below the rim of the pot (for ease of watering), and about 1/3 of the bulb should show above the soil level. Firm the soil and water well.

Position the potted bulb in a warm place with direct light for proper stem development, ideally 68 to 70° F. Water sparingly until the stem appears. As the bud and leaves appear, gradually water more. The stem will grow rapidly at this point and flowers will open after the stem reaches its full height. Fertilize with a water-soluble houseplant fertilizer once a month while the plant is in active growth. Turning the pot every few days will  keep the foliage growth balanced.                    

Longwood Gardens with Kalanchoe 

Generally, bulbs will flower in about 6-8 weeks. To achieve continuous bloom, plant bulbs in 2-week intervals. Once the flower buds are ready to open, the pot can be moved to a cooler location, with less direct light. This will both prolong flowering and bring out the brilliant colors of the amaryllis. Remove the flowers as they fade, thus preventing seed formation, which diverts food from the bulb itself.

AFTERCARE

After the amaryllis has stopped flowering, cut the spent flowers and the stem at the top of the bulb. Allow the leaves to continue to grow as food manufactured will enlarge and feed the bulb. Continue to water and fertilize for approximately 5–6 months, allowing the leaves to fully develop. As the leaves start to yellow around early fall, stop watering and let the leaves fade away naturally.

Courtesy of iBulb

Place the amaryllis in a cool (40-50° F), dry, dark place for a minimum of 6 weeks. No watering or feeding is necessary during this dormant period. Caution: Do not store amaryllis bulbs in a refrigerator that contains apples and other fruit that will sterilize the bulbs.

After 6 weeks, remove bulbs and plant them approximately 8 weeks before you would like them to bloom. Follow the planting directions above for next steps.

I hope we all encourage our kids to have the kind of enthusiasm that my friend's son had when he saw this awesome plant

Plant of the Week: Christmas Cactus

 Schlumbergera including Thanksgiving, Christmas and Holiday cacti, are among my favorite plants. Though I'll share care tips and blooming techniques for this plant, know that a Holiday Cactus blooms at will and handles benign neglect. 

Holiday cacti are available from early November through the winter holidays in most garden centers. The color range is phenomenal, including white with a blush of pink, fuchsia, red, peach, and gold. 

Light pink is our earliest bloomer this year

Christmas cacti are wonderful plants to grow and save for generations of gardeners. They are long-lived; I've know families that have shared plants through 4 generations!

Native to Brazil in South America, this tropical succulent blooms in our winter for a couple of months. Though its primary bloom time is now, don't be surprised to see a limited rebloom in early spring.  It is an epiphyte that naturally resides in the crooks of branches in its native habitat.

 Choose a well-draining potting soil and a container with drainage holes. Water the plants when the soil is dry to the touch. Do not let the pot sit in a saucer with water. Plants need to be evenly watered when they are in bloom, but do well with less water after flowering. 

Sold this time of year in small, medium and large pots

My Christmas cactus lives out on my patio in the summer with very little care. It was brought indoors with the rest of my houseplants in late September. Lower temperatures did nip at the buds, but the flowers are showing lots of color now. Once the buds set, Christmas cacti prefer lower nighttime temperatures. 

A small hanging basket is a perfect home for Holiday cacti

Holiday cactus are easy to propagate. Take segmented cuttings in late winter and set them aside for a few days until the cut end dries out. Plant the cutting into soil; keep humid with a plastic cover or dome sold at garden supply store with seed starting supplies. Roots should form in 2-3 weeks. 

At the garden center and from our WBAL viewers, we get many questions about Christmas cacti. We try to answer some of them in this video.

Dwarf Alberta Spruce

 

Dwarf Alberta Spruce welcome
holiday guests to the front door

Dwarf Alberta Spruce, Picea glauca 'Conica', grow in a cone shape, growing very slowly to about 12 feet at the rate of just a few inches a year. The classic Christmas tree shape provides the ideal tree for 'sprucing' up garden pots outside for the holidays. The addition of lights and ornaments create the perfect outdoor decorations welcoming guests to our homes. 

Spiral trained Dwarf Alberta Spruce
do well in the spring and summer gardens as well 
Photo from plantingtree.com

Use a well-draining potting soil when planting in a pot. Water thoroughly whenever the soil surface is dry. Give the tree plenty of space from walls and posts as it does best with good air circulation. The needles are very short, just a 1/2 long, and are very densely packed. Apply holiday lights around the tree and add ornaments and ribbon to decorate. 

We have a nice assortment of sizes in stock now

Dwarf Alberta Spruce are native to Alaska, parts of Canada, and to the northern most regions of the contiguous United States. They grow well in colder climates, and are often used in foundation plantings in gardens as far south as our mid-Atlantic region. Prepare an area in the yard to transplant the tree after the holidays; as hardy as it is, the Dwarf  Alberta Spruce will not overwinter in a pot that freezes over winter. Because to base of the spruce grows the widest, make sure to give it plenty of space.  Plant in an area with full sun, with good air circulation in organically amended (compost or Leafgro), Mulch around the tree, being careful to stay about 3 inches away from the trunk. After planting, water weekly until the soil freezes.

Picea glauca 'Conica'

Dwarf Alberta Spruce will last for years in the landscape. They do require some maintenance to keep them nice, as they naturally prefer colder, dryer climates. 

Snow, the perfect decoration
Randy Harter photo