Geranium

However, with the passage of time, humanity has lost interest in this remarkable plant. Today we can safely say geranium that she again finds its former success and demand.

Meanwhile, you need to be watered flower regularly and abundantly. Remember, geranium can not stand if a flowerpot stagnant water, so you just need to keep the ground moist, as well as to ensure good drainage.

Geranium: fertilizing and fertilizers

It is important to know that geraniums can not tolerate fresh manure! In principle, flower during the flowering and growth requires a standard fertilization. You can use a fertilizer for flowering plants, about twice a month.

The optimum temperature for the flower is considered normal room temperature. In the cold season, the most appropriate temperature for the flower from +10 to -15 degrees, so it is best to place the plant on a windowsill or in one of the coolest areas.

As for the lighting, the principle is: the more light the better. You can even allow some direct sunlight. As a result of the lack of light, the flower will have small leaves and will give you abundant flowering.

This is not surprising because this flower is one of those plants that can boast many advantages. Geraniums can be viewed in two variations: as a houseplant, and as a garden flower. A large number of species and varieties of plants are able to satisfy every taste.

The exception may be some cases if, for example, the roots of the plants have grown, and place in the pot was not enough or inadvertently filled with water plant.

Whether it's planting or transplanting remember that the flower does not accept large pots, but good drainage is very handy. The plant is quite suitable for the transplant ordinary garden soil or a universal zemlesmes. Particularly favorable conditions for the plants considered this recipe: eight pieces of sod land, two parts compost and one part sand.

At any flower arrangement she successfully take its place. Geranium has great potential medicinal properties. It should be noted that this plant terrifies many indoor pests. If you put a flower on the windowsill to other colors, protection from aphids is guaranteed.

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Begonia

Begonia - one of the most beautiful plants that decorate our gardens, parks, gardens, and just flat. This flower belongs to the great family Begoniaceae. Today the race has about 900 full and 2,000 hybrid species. The first begonia was described back in 1690 by Michel begonias, and use it for decorative purposes only began 200 years ago.

From the history

The story began with the begonias Antilles, where Michel Begon first described it. Subsequently, this flower was named in his honor. Decades later described begonia blossom forever a native of Brazil, even later - the royal begonia with the Indian subcontinent and tuberous subspecies from South America. It was from the beginning they have all the modern variety. Following widespread use of this flower for decorative purposes, begonia became incredibly popular: it was only once hothouse flower, and then there are those who are resistant climate surprises.

Today, throughout the world there are a huge number of hybrids and cultivars of cultural begonias.

All types begonias divided into groups in accordance with decorative features:

Decorative flowering;
Dkorativno-deciduous.
Locus of begonias can be called the tropics and subtropics. They prefer shady and moist places, but are also found on the steep shores of the sea at an altitude of 4000 meters, found in the mountains and on the arid slopes.

The variety of forms and types of begonias

Begonia is diverse not only in form but also in size and coloring. It may be, as the herb, whose length is 3 cm, and can be quite large shrubs. Begonias are stemless, are - with only one leaf. Sami leaves are painted in any shade of green, or the reverse side of the sheet monochrome or covered with colored spots and patterns. Begonia flowers themselves have a wide selection of colors, mostly warm palette.

Begonias - this house plants that can blossom not only in summer but also in winter. Decorative flowering species are plants with large bright flowers and ornamental deciduous leaves have a beautiful rich, but the flowers have less attractive. Sami leaves covered with bright hairs.

Lighting

For begonias it is very important that the light was bright. Particularly acute in need flowering specimens. In the summer pritenyat best begonia from direct light, because otherwise you may experience sunburn. Begonia decorative foliage suitable diffused light is best to place them on the eastern and western windows.

Temperature conditions

The most optimal temperature for the flowers - 21-23 degrees in the summer, and in winter not lower than 15-18.

By ground for begonias no special requirements there. It can be purchased at specialty store, and you can easily do yourself. If you decide to prepare the soil on their own, you will need: pot half filled with ground sheet, and then add the mixture of peat, humus in equal proportions. Do not forget to put a little sand on the bottom of a conventional pot. If you properly prepare the ground for begonias, she will long to please you with its strong growth.

Repot this plant should be necessary for Mary. Time passes with the previous transplant, and now grown roots can not fit in the old pot. That is why the plant should be placed in a spacious pot. It is best to transplant in the early spring. The plant should be careful to get out of the pot and the roots cleaned of the old peat. After that, it is best to put the plant into the water with potassium permanganate for a while. Once the roots are purified from the sand, you will need to cut off part of festered.

It is important not to pour a full pot of begonias land for the transplant. It is best to wait until the roots are completely dry, and then add a little earth. The plant, which recently transplanted, often need to be watered. Also, do not put begonia immediately in the sun. Remember now for awhile you need a hard look after Begonia. Typically, the healing time for a new dwelling is about 1 month.

Air humidity

Begonia because of its origin likes high humidity, but the spray is not recommended. This is due to the fact that, falling on the leaves, the water provokes the appearance of brown spots. To plant not muchilos from excessive dryness of the air, it is necessary to place the plant on the inverted pallet, and after the whole structure must be placed in another larger tray. The circumference of the need to pour a concrete block, which periodically need to moisten. Vaporized, the water will be needed to maintain the moisture balance of begonias.

Watering

In the hot summer days begonia need very abundant watering, but avoid stagnation of water in the pan, and even more in the pot. Watering should supernatant water when 1-1.5 cm of soil has dried up since the last watering. In winter, reduce watering. Pay special attention to types of tubers: in the winter they hibernate, so they should be placed in peat and completely eliminate the watering.

Top-dressing

Begin to feed begonia needed 1 every 2 weeks after flowering. Fertilizers with nitrogen should be used only for deciduous varieties, as they inhibit flowering, however, improve the growth of leaves.

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Kalanchoe

Kalanchoe - one of the few plants that includes just two major functions - decorative and medicinal. This thick-flower has come to us from the warm countries: Madagascar. Despite this rather unpretentious kalanchoe houseplant that can be grown easily in the home, knowing a few pravil.Pri proper care Kalanchoe beautiful green blossom bright pink flowers, but the flowering period of the plant at the not so prodolzhitelnyy.Nesmotrya out Kalanchoe that came to us from the warm tropical countries, this plant does not tolerate excess moisture. If the soil is too wet constantly, it primarily affects the roots: it begins the process of decay, so to watering should be taken seriously.


In spring and summer watering the plants will be held as follows:
Kalanchoe watered with cold water (preferably hold a glass jar, constantly filling her watering is better to carry out the old water). Watering so that in any case the water does not touch the stem, when it gets wet, do not absorb it possible that the process will start rotting. Watering should be moderate, so that the soil would be sufficient moist but not wet, the water should not flow. If you accidentally poured more water than you need, then immediately release the tray from the excess fluid. Remember that it is much better to Kalanchoe would receive less water than more: the plant copes very well with the lack of water for two or three dney.Osenyu kalanchoe and winter should be watered two times less than in the warmer months. In no case do not leave the water in the pan (preferably even, that it was completely dry). The plant does not tolerate the cold, but from the presence of even a couple of drops may just freeze and begin to rot. Watering must of necessity: Wait until the soil is completely dry, and you can safely add water. Make sure that the water temperature would be equal to room temperature. Otherwise, the plant will be watered every stress.

Requirements for light

Kalanchoe - one of those plants, which are constantly in need of sunlight, but there are a few features of the lighting of the pot. From morning till two or three o'clock in the afternoon to keep the Kalanchoe can on the windowsill or any other place with abundant sunlight to flower. However, after dinner Kalanchoe should be closed or moved into the shadow, creating a feeling of the night. If you can not keep changing the location of the flower, the problem can be solved with a light shawl, which you cover the pot. In the hours after lunch Kalanchoe does not perceive the sun's rays, they are likely to spoil the leaves of the plant.

In the winter, or on days when the sun comes out, the plant can not endure, permanently leaving on a windowsill.

Temperature conditions

Similarly as in the case of water temperature mode can be said that less is more. Kalanchoe feels most comfortable at 17-19 degrees, but if the room temperature drops to 5-6 degrees with the plant did not happen. But when too much heat Kalanchoe feels bad, it begins to absorb too much fluid, but absorb much the plant can not, so you may experience a variety of diseases.

Air humidity

Kalanchoe can not be kept in rooms with high humidity. As we said earlier, the flower does not love a surplus of water, and this applies not only to soil, but also the air. The reason is that the moisture in the air is also fed into the plant, creating an overabundance of fluid accumulated in the stem, rather than in the root system. The consequence may develop fungus, mold, etc.

Try to keep the air was as dry land, especially in autumn and winter.

Fertilizer dressing

Kalanchoe is not very fond of different fertilizers. As well as the issue of the soil, the plant quite unpretentious, but if you begin to notice that the flowers do not have enough minerals, select sukkulentarnye fertilizer. In winter, fertilize the soil in any case impossible.

During this period, even if the Kalanchoe will begin to fade (except for diseases), do not overload the root system of various additives. The best time to feed - this is the end of spring, in an extreme case - the middle of summer. Fertilizers should be given two times less than that indicated on the package - believe me, and this amount is more than enough for your home doctor.

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Aspidistra

Aspidistra - "friendly family"

The genus Aspidistra (Aspidistra) include 8 species of herbaceous ornamental deciduous plants lily family. Some sources indicate the family Landysheva (Conva-llariaceae). Homeland of this evergreen is East Asia. Aspidistra naturally grows in cool, heavily shaded forest.
The name is translated into Russian as "pointer snakes» («aspidis» - a snake, «tra» - Pointer). The shaded cool areas often live snakes and gray curved rhizome verdure too resembles a snake. People Razvan plants "friendly family".
Aspidistra has no stem. is flexible, dense, short. Because of the dense, half hidden underground rhizomes grow vertically dark green glossy leaves.
As a houseplant grow only one species - high Aspidistra (Aspidistra elatior Variegata). It has a decorative form aspidistra leaves with white or creamy yellow longitudinal stripes.
It blooms very rarely (usually in summer), and only one day. The flowers are sitting right on the rhizome, a special attraction are no different. After artificial pollination of flowers tied fairly large fruit with one seed inside.
Decorative value of carnations in her unpretentiousness and the Shade. This indoor plant is perfect for northern rooms for dressing rooms with a lack of natural light, for landscaping offices with artificial light. Aspidistra does not suffer from an excess or a lack of moisture, it does not need to feed. Therefore, this plant can advise beginner gardeners and all those who have no time to care rasteniyami.echebnye properties aspidistra:
Aspidistra has healing properties and at home is widely used in folk medicine. Aspidistra is a diuretic and anti-inflammatory action. The drugs include all parts of the plant. These broths are used in convulsions, gastro-intestinal diseases, diarrhea, pain in the muscles and stones in the urinary system.
Care aspidistra
Lighting. Aspidistra can grow in the back of the room away from the windows - it's unpretentious, shade tolerance, suitable for landscaping spaces north. A little more light requires a motley variety.
In the summer of "friendly family" feels great on the balcony or terrace.
Temperature. aspidistra can be grown under normal ambient conditions, it does not require the creation of a special temperature regime. In winter, the ideal temperature 10-12 ° C, but grows well at 20 ° C.
Watering. Do not allow drying earthen coma. However, the excess water in the pot is not desirable.
Humidity. Under normal circumstances, apartments aspidistra feels fine, but the dust from the leaves must be washed off.
Fertilizing. In the spring and summer of aspidistra fed complete mineral fertilizer is not more than 1 time per month. Variegated plants are virtually fertilize - too abundant food causes greening variegated leaves.
Transplantation. It grows slowly, in the year grows only about five leaves. The plant is transplanted not often when the entire ball is enmeshed roots better in April and May. In adult plants annually replace only the top layer of the earth. The rhizome should not completely fill with soil. For transplanted plants require large containers.
Soil. Aspidistra is not demanding on the soil composition. It grows well in normal garden soil or a vegetable garden.
Reproduction. Reproduction verdure is not working, are propagated by dividing the roots during transplanting. In April and May the rhizomes are cut into pieces with 3-5 leaflets, cuts sprinkled with powdered charcoal. Individual parts are planted in pots. The soil temperature at rooting should not be below 18 ° C.
Pests. Most often damaged aspidistra scale insects and spider mites. If a strong infection of the treated plants or karbofosom fufanonom.
With the defeat of spider mites carnations on the reverse side appears silvery leaves, very thin cobweb, leaves turn brown and dry up gradually. It is necessary to regularly moisten the air and spray the plant with lukewarm water. With strong infection process aktellik.

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Zamioculcas

Zamioculcas - care at home
Homeland: East Africa, Madagascar
The family Araceae.

Grown as an ornamental foliage plant with large, glossy, dark green leaves and shoots. Green foliage throughout the year. In room culture grows up to 0.8m, the life expectancy of 5 - 10 let.V process of evolution, to survive in the arid climate, has formed a large underground tuber, which has a supply of water. Flower, like all Araceae, has the shape of the cob. In room culture is difficult to achieve flowering. All parts of the plant are toxic.

Lighting.

Optimal lighting: bright ambient light - partial shade. Lighting after 10-00 in the spring and summer, in direct sunlight will result in burns ground parts of the plant. Zamioculcas can grow in the shade, but its development is much slower. To leaves retain their position and shape of the plants will not be affected Zamioculcas from time to time should be rotated around the axis.

The temperature and humidity.

Zamioculcas is highly resistant to hot dry weather. Optimum temperature:

21-290S summer;
winter 15-180S.
In the winter, lowering the temperature of the plant is better tolerated by dry content (without irrigation). Summer useful to keep him on the street. Spraying for Zamioculcas not required. 1 is useful once a month to do the plant warm shower to wash away the dust.

Watering.

The frequency of watering - with a slight soft drying earthen coma. If in doubt - do not water more per day. Excessive watering leads to the yellowing of leaves, root rot and death of the plant. In autumn and winter watering Zamioculcas with the frequency of watering - with strong soft drying earthen coma. For irrigation use warm water.

Soil.

It must be well-drained, not too heavy soil. The optimum acidity - pH 6.0.

The composition of the soil mixture: turf ground + 1 part ground sheet + 1 part peat, 1 part sand + 1 part sphagnum + 0.3 parts. You can use any part of the soil, which is used in the preparation of Peat mixture for cactus. Before applying the mixture must be sterilized.

Dressing.

During the growing season the frequency of feedings - 1 time in two weeks, alternating with organic fertilizer. The concentration of fertilizer (for feeding) 50% of the concentration of fertilizer recommended for indoor plants.

Once a month, it is desirable to foliar fertilizer: urea solution sprayed leaves or complex fertilizer containing trace elements in a concentration of 1 g / l. (See. Section foliar application).

Zamioculcas - transplant.

The best time for grafting - spring. Transplanting is carried out once every three - four years. When selecting the size of the pot, note that Zamioculcas plant of slow growth in the year formed 2-3 leaves, therefore, the size of the pot when transplanting choose not much more than the previous (10-15%).

After dredging plant from the pot, clean the roots of the plants from the ground. Cut the roots that are soft or have bad smell. Planting depth in the new pot should be at the previous year. The pot is required to be a hole for draining excess water. After the transplant, plant put in a penumbra.

The most frequently asked question - "yellow Zamioculcas ?!"

Possible causes:

Excessive watering plants. Between waterings soil in the pot should be dry. The problem is particularly acute in winter, when the plant reduces water consumption.
If your plant is directly exposed to sunlight for more than 6 hours per day, the leaves may be burned, and as a result turn yellow. In May - August from 11-00 to 15-00 is necessary pritenenie plants from direct sunlight.
Zamioculcas - slow growing plant (in the room culture). If you try to "accelerate" the growth of plants by means of feeding excess fertilizer, the roots are killed first, then the leaves turn yellow. Final - the plant dies.
The disease of the root system.
Zamioculcas - reproduction.

Zamioculcas is easily propagated vegetatively. Remember - all parts of the plant are poisonous!

1st method of reproduction - division of tubers (rhizomes). When transplanting the bush is divided into several parts. Delёnki planted in pots. The selected pot should match the size of delёnki (ie 2-4cm longer planted rhizomes) and not be deep. Soil mixture used for adult plants. Further care, both for an adult plant.

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Sansevieria

Life form 

Herbaceous, succulent

Family

Agave - Agavaceae

Origin

Kenya, Madagascar, Namibia, Angola

Ease of cultivation

One of the easiest to grow and resistant plants, suitable for beginners

Size

Usually from 30 cm to 1.2 m

The intensity of growth

Approximately 2 or 3 leaves per year

Life

Perennial

Temperature

It prefers temperatures in winter and summer 16-24 ° C. In winter, when the plant is watered, can withstand a minimum temperature of + 10 ° C and a short-term reduction of even 5 ° C.

Humidity

Easy to carry dry atmosphere

Lighting

Plants with variegated leaves prefer bright diffused light, only in bright light may abundant flowering. Sansevieria easily tolerate direct sun, at the same time, the types of green leaves can survive pritenenie

Soil

For a mixture of self-cooking should be taken: 1 part sod land, 1 part leaf earth, 2 parts coarse sand. Required drainage of at least a third of the pot.

Watering

The top layer of soil between waterings should dry out in the summer in great depth. 1 watered every 7-14 days, winter 1 every 3-4 weeks. The plant is harmful excessive watering, especially the entry of water into the center of the outlet.

Fertilizer

During the summer of growth 1 time per month to feed liquid fertilizer for cacti.

Reproduction

Propagated by dividing rhizomes, otsazhivaya side shoots. That's how you can keep the yellow leaves from the edges. The plant is easily propagated parts of the sheet length of 5-8 cm, which are slightly dried and planted upright in the sand. In this case the young plants will be completely green. You can try to keep the edges, if you make a wedge-shaped incision at the base of the sheet so as to come into contact with sand and roots gave only the side portions of the sheet (with rim).

Flowering

It blooms throughout the year, but more often in the summer of fragrant star-shaped flowers on long stalk

Transplant

Every 2-4 years in March - April, when the roots fill the entire pot and begin to act from the top. The plant prefers to close the pots, they should be wide and low, as shallow root system

Features of Care

It is advisable to regularly wipe the leaves.

Difficulties

Affected spider mites, mealybugs, thrips. With an excess of moisture leaves wilt, turn yellow and rot at the bottom and die. Dark spots on the leaves arise from the lack of light and the yellow and brown spots can appear as a result of fungal infections or excessive watering. Leaves become pale from lack of light. The leaves are sometimes distorted by the action of mealy bugs. The edges of the leaves can be damaged when exposed to cold air from the window.

Clearing the air

Introduced by NASA in the list of plants, effectively absorb nitrogen oxide and formaldehyde.

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Colchicum

Colchicum  is a genus of perennial flowering plants containing around 160 species which grow from bulb-like corms. Colchicum melanthioides is probably the best known species from the tropical regions. In contrast to most temperate colchicums the flower and leaves are produced at the same time, the white flowers are usually a small corymb which is enclosed by white bracts. Close relatives (such as Colchicum scabromarginatum and Colchicum coloratum) have flowers with very short stalks and might be pollinated by rodents.It is a member of the botanical family Colchicaceae, and is native to West Asia, Europe, parts of the Mediterranean coast, down the East African coast to South Africa and the Western Cape.The common names "autumn crocus", "meadow saffron" and "naked lady" may be applied to the whole genus or to many of its species; they refer to the "naked" crocus-like flowers which appear in late summer or autumn, long before the strap-like foliage which appears in spring. In this genus the ovary of the flower is underground. As a consequence, the styles are extremely long in proportion, often more than 10 cm (4 in).Its leaves, corm and seeds are poisonous. Murderess Catherine Wilson is thought to have used it to poison a number of victims in the 19th century.
The plant contains the alkaloid colchicine which is used pharmaceutically to treat gout and Familial Mediterranean fever. The use of the roots and seeds in traditional medicine is thought to have arisen due to the presence of this drug.

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Botanical tulips

Botanical tulips

Oct. Still not too late to plant tulips. And not bother the next 5 years lyukovits digging, plant popular now, in Europe botanical tulips.
All wild species of tulips and they descended from varieties that have preserved the most vivid signs of wild forms - nozkoroslost and early flowering - called botanical tulips. If you meet the inscription "Kaufman Tulip" or Foster or Greig on a beautiful picture with tulip bulbs - know that this is the botanical tulips. They also include the same tulip Lipsky with a tiny head drooping, tulip Turkestan as an unbuttoned white star with six rays and yellow stamens in the center. There tulip urumiysky, rock, tulip Tarda, Hager, tulip Klyuziana.

Botanical tulips are perfect for rockeries and alpine gardens. They are disclosed in early spring towards the sun, rastsvechivaya ground. Naturally, the best place for them to fit - it slopes facing south and south west. The soil there is quickly warming up, and this is exactly what these kids need for an early flowering.
These tulips are often very beautiful foliage in beautiful strips of different colors. This means that the area in which the planted botanical tulips, is decorative for a longer period of time.
His first botanical tulips I planted a long time ago. Opportunities to buy a lot of the bulbs once was, and wanted to see more varieties. That sadila 2-3 bulbs, not more. But as time passed, they grew slowly and did not look so lonely.
Botanical tulips are good is the fact that they do not need to dig up every summer. In addition to this wonderful property and they are very resistant to disease. Gradually expanding, several bulblets form this kutrtinku.

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Iridodiktiumy

Iridodiktiumy

Oct. Still not too late to plant tulips. And not bother the next 5 years lyukovits digging, plant popular now, in Europe botanical tulips.
All wild species of tulips and they descended from varieties that have preserved the most vivid signs of wild forms - nozkoroslost and early flowering - called botanical tulips. If you meet the inscription "Kaufman Tulip" or Foster or Greig on a beautiful picture with tulip bulbs - know that this is the botanical tulips. They also include the same tulip Lipsky with a tiny head drooping, tulip Turkestan as an unbuttoned white star with six rays and yellow stamens in the center. There tulip urumiysky, rock, tulip Tarda, Hager, tulip Klyuziana.His first botanical tulips I planted a long time ago. Opportunities to buy a lot of the bulbs once was, and wanted to see more varieties. That sadila 2-3 bulbs, not more. But as time passed, they grew slowly and did not look so lonely.Botanical tulips are good is the fact that they do not need to dig up every summer. In addition to this wonderful property and they are very resistant to disease. Gradually expanding, several bulblets form this kutrtinku.These tulips are often very beautiful foliage in beautiful strips of different colors. This means that the area in which the planted botanical tulips, is decorative for a longer period of time.Botanical tulips are perfect for rockeries and alpine gardens. They are disclosed in early spring towards the sun, rastsvechivaya ground. Naturally, the best place for them to fit - it slopes facing south and south west. The soil there is quickly warming up, and this is exactly what these kids need for an early flowering

.

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Kalanchoe

Kalanchoes are characterized by opening their flowers by growing new cells on the inner surface of the petals to force them outwards, and on the outside of the petals to close them.In traditional medicine, Kalanchoe species have been used to treat ailments such as infections, rheumatism and inflammation. Kalanchoe extracts also have immunosuppressive effects. Kalanchoe pinnata has been recorded in Trinidad and Tobago as being used as a traditional treatment for hypertension.A variety of bufadienolide compounds have been isolated from various Kalanchoe species. Five different bufadienolides have been isolated from Kalanchoe daigremontiana. Two of these, daigremontianin and bersaldegenin 1,3,5-orthoacetate, have been shown to have a pronounced sedative effect. They also have the strong positive inotropic effect associated with cardiac glycosides, and with greater doses an increasing effect on the central nervous system.
Kalanchoe also written Kalanchöe or Kalanchoë, is a genus of about 125 species of tropical, succulent flowering plants in the family Crassulaceae, mainly native to the Old World. Only one species of this genus originates from the Americas, 56 from southern & eastern Africa and 60 species in Madagascar. It is also found in south-eastern Asia until China.Most are shrubs or perennial herbaceous plants, but a few are annual or biennial. The largest, Kalanchoe beharensis from Madagascar, can reach 6 m (20 ft) tall, but most species are less than 1 m (3 ft) tall.

The genus was first described by the botanist Michel Adanson in 1763. Adanson cited Camellus as his source for the name.the name came from the Chinese name "Kalanchauhuy".
Kamel's species was most likely Kalanchoe ceratophylla as he describes the plant as having deeply divided leaves.In common with other Crassulaceae (such as the genera Tylecodon, Cotyledon and Adromischus), some Kalanchoe species contain bufadienolide cardiac glycosides which can cause cardiac poisoning, particularly in grazing animals. This is a particular problem in the native range of many Kalanchoe species in the Karoo region of South Africa, where the resulting animal disease is known as krimpsiekte (shrinking disease) or as cotyledonosis. Similar poisonings have also occurred in Australia. Kalanchoe ceratophylla is called  (apparently 'Buddhist temple herb') in China, not very close in pronunciation: qiélán cài or jia lan cai depending on the romanisation (but the Cantonese 'gaa laam choi' may be closer). The genus Bryophyllum was described by Salisbury in 1806 and the genus Kitchingia was created by Baker in 1881. Kitchingia is now regarded as a synonym for Kalanchoe, whereas some botanists treat Bryophyllum as a separate genus.

Bufadienolide compounds isolated from Kalanchoe pinnata include bryophillin A which showed strong anti-tumor promoting activity, and bersaldegenin-3-acetate and bryophillin C which were less active. Bryophillin C also showed insecticidal properties.These plants are cultivated as ornamental houseplants and rock or succulent garden plants.They are popular because of their ease of propagation, low water requirements, and wide variety of flower colors typically borne in clusters well above the phylloclades. The section Bryophyllum - formerly an independent genus - contains species such as the "Air-plant" Kalanchoe pinnata. In these plants, new individuals develop vegetatively as plantlets, also known as bulbils or gemmae, at indentations in phylloclade margins. These young plants eventually drop off and take root. No males have been found of one species of this genus which does flower and produce seeds, and it is commonly called, the Mother of Thousands; the Kalanchoe daigremontiana is thus an example of asexual reproduction. These plants are the food plant of the caterpillars of Red Pierrot butterfly. The butterfly lays its eggs on phylloclades, and after hatching, caterpillars burrow into phylloclades and eat their inside cells. This plant is known to the Chinese as "thousands and millions of red and purple" , and is commonly purchased during the Chinese New Year for decorative purposes.

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Aloe

Aloe also written Aloë, is a genus containing over 500 species of flowering succulent plants. The most widely known species is Aloe vera, or "true aloe", so called because, though probably extinct in the wild, it is cultivated as the standard source of so-called "aloe vera" for assorted pharmaceutical purposes.Other species, such as Aloe ferox, also are cultivated or harvested from the wild for similar applications.The circumscription of the genus has varied widely.Most Aloe species have a rosette of large, thick, fleshy leaves. Aloe flowers are tubular, frequently yellow, orange, pink, or red, and are borne, densely clustered and pendant, at the apex of simple or branched, leafless stems. Many species of Aloe appear to be stemless, with the rosette growing directly at ground level; other varieties may have a branched or unbranched stem from which the fleshy leaves spring. They vary in color from grey to bright-green and are sometimes striped or mottled. Some aloes native to South Africa are tree-like (arborescent). Many genera, such as Lomatophyllum, have been brought into synonymy. Species at one time placed in Aloe, such as Agave americana, have been moved to other genera.The APG III system (2009) places the genus in the family Xanthorrhoeaceae, subfamily Asphodeloideae. In the past, it has been assigned to the family Aloaceae (now included in the Xanthorrhoeaceae) or to a broadly circumscribed family Liliaceae (the lily family). The plant Agave americana, which is sometimes called "American aloe", belongs to the Asparagaceae, a different family.
The APG III system (2009) places the genus in the family Xanthorrhoeaceae, subfamily Asphodeloideae. In the past it has also been assigned to the families Liliaceae and Aloeaceae, as well as the family Asphodelaceae, before this was merged into the Xanthorrhoeaceae.
The genus is native to tropical and southern Africa, Madagascar, Jordan, the Arabian Peninsula, and various islands in the Indian Ocean (Mauritius, Comoros). A few species have also become naturalized in other regions (Mediterranean, India, Australia, North and South America).

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Spathiphyllum

Spathiphyllum

They are evergreen herbaceous perennial plants with large leaves 12–65 cm long and 3–25 cm broad. The flowers are produced in a spadix, surrounded by a 10–30 cm long, white, yellowish, or greenish spathe. The plant does not need large amounts of light or water to survive.
Spathiphyllum is a genus of about 40 species of monocotyledonous flowering plants in the family Araceae, native to tropical regions of the Americas and southeastern Asia. Certain species of Spathiphyllum are commonly known as Spath or peace lilies.
Schott's description of the genus refers to Spatha foliaris persistens, where spatha is a spathe, and foliaris is an adjective modifying spathe, meaning relating to a leaf, and persistens means continuing or persisting. Phyllum also means a leaf.

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Sansevieriya

Sansevieria - Asparagus genus of the family; includes about 66 species of evergreen perennials bessteblevyh from dry, rocky areas in tropical and subtropical Africa, Madagascar, India, Indonesia and South Floridy.Neprihotlivoe houseplant that the Soviet Union also called "pike tail", "Teschin language" and "Snakeskin" . Trifasciata Latin name means "three-band."Responds well to the summer is not too abundant watering (once a week), reduce watering in winter (up to 2-3 times a week). Transplant better in the spring, at this time should be propagated plants. During the growth period Fertilizer spend watering, using a liquid fertilizer for indoor plants, fertilization is carried out not more than once a month.
Growth conditions
Plants contain the winter at a temperature not lower than 14-16 degrees. Photophilous. Resistant to increased dryness of the air. Care common. Transplantation every 2-3 years. It is recommended to grow in a shallow bowl. It grows well on lit windows, and under a fairly strong Shadowed not very demanding on the temperature conditions (can grow in warm and cool place).
Watering
Reproduction
Propagated by dividing rhizomes and leaf cuttings mandatory podvyalivaniem slice the air. Long sheet is cut into pieces 5-6 cm long. and obliquely planted in the sand. A few weeks later the leaves take root and give small roots and new leaves.The ease of cultivation: Beginners
Lighting: Bright light
Humidity: Low
This hardy plant deserved its reputation as indestructible. It grows in the sun and in the shade, tolerate dry air, drafts, watering is rare, it does not need repotting. However, it does not tolerate waterlogging and soil for a long stay at about 0 degrees. Which can be grown without sunlight using LB lamp for 16 hours per day.

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Aglaonema

Aglaonema

Aglaonema - a sort of evergreen dwarf shrubs and herbs of the family Araceae or Aronnikovye (Araceae), originating from Southeast Azii.Listya form apical crown. The vagina is usually long. Leaf blades ovate-ellipsoid, slightly ellipsoidal, sometimes broadly or semilinear at the base often asymmetrical, from descending to the round, sometimes heart-shaped, often with stripes, silver or pale green spots. Primary veins pinnate, often poorly differentiated, merge with the edge vein; vein higher order parallel pinnate.
Evergreen grass, sometimes strong, upright stem without branches or creeping and branching, often rooting at the nodes. Internode green, smooth.
The genus according to one of 50 species, 23 other species; Some are cultivated as an indoor ornamental plants.

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Chlorophytum

Chlorophytum

Chlorophytum, is a genus of almost 200 species of evergreen perennial flowering plants in the century plant subfamily within the asparagus family. The plants are native to the tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, Australia, and Asia.
Chlorophytum comosum, the common Spider Plant, a native of South Africa, is a very popular houseplant especially in its variegated form 'Vittatum'. It is commonly grown in hanging pots suspended by ropes or wires in bright sunlight.
They grow to 10–60 cm tall, with a rosette of long, slender leaves 15–75 cm long and 0.5–2 cm broad, growing from a thick, fleshy rhizome. The flowers are small, usually white, produced on sparse panicles up to 120 cm long; in some species the plants also reproduce vegetatively by means of plantlets, tiny plants that take root on touching the ground.
Chlorophytum borivilianum is a native of India, used and grown as a medicinal plant.

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Flower photo

FLOWER PHOTO

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Violets flower

Viola is a genus of flowering plants in the violet family Violaceae. It is the largest genus in the family, containing between 525 and 600 species. Most species are found in the temperate Northern Hemisphere, however some are also found in widely divergent areas such as Hawaii, Australasia, and the Andes.In horticulture the term "pansy" is normally used for those multi-coloured, large-flowered cultivars which are raised annually or biennially from seed and used extensively in bedding. The terms "viola" and "violet" are normally reserved for small-flowered annuals or perennials, including the species. Some Viola species are perennial plants, some are annual plants, and a few are small shrubs. A large number of species, varieties and cultivars are grown in gardens for their ornamental flowers. One quirk of some Viola is the elusive scent of their flowers; along with terpenes, a major component of the scent is a ketone compound called ionone, which temporarily desensitises the receptors of the nose, thus preventing any further scent being detected from the flower until the nerves recover. Flower colours vary in the genus, ranging from violet, through various shades of blue, yellow, white, and cream, whilst some types are bicolored, often blue and yellow. Flowering is often profuse, and may last for much of the spring and summer. After flowering, fruit capsules are produced that split open by way of three valves. On drying, the capsules may eject seeds with considerable force to distances of several meters. The nutlike seeds have straight embryos, flat cotyledons, and soft fleshy endosperm that is oily. The seeds of some species have elaiosomes and are dispersed by ants.Viola are most often spring blooming with chasmogamous flowers with well-developed petals pollinated by insects. Many species also produce self-pollinated cleistogamous flowers in summer and autumn that do not open and lack petals. In some species the showy chasmogamous flowers are infertile. Viola typically have heart-shaped, scalloped leaves, though a number have palmate leaves or other shapes. The vast majority of Viola species are herbaceous, and a substantial number are acaulescent in habit - meaning they lack any noticeable stems and the foliage and flowers appear to rise from the ground; the remaining species have short stems with foliage and flowers produced in the axils of the leaves. The simple leaves of plants with either habit are arranged alternately; the acaulescent species produce basal rosettes. Plants always have leaves with stipules that are often leaf-like. Viola cultivar showing the large round flowers and the novel coloration that has been achieved through breeding. The flowers of the vast majority of the species are zygomorphic with bilateral symmetry. The flowers are formed from five petals; four are upswept or fan-shaped petals with two per side, and there is one broad, lobed lower petal pointing downward. The shape of the petals and placement defines many species, for example, some species have a "spur" on the end of each petal while most have a spur on the lower petal. Solitary flowers end long stalks with a pair of bracteoles. The flowers have 5 sepals that persist after blooming, and in some species the sepals enlarge after blooming. The flowers have five free stamens with short filaments that are oppressed against the ovary, only the lower two stamens have nectary spurs that are inserted on the lowest petal into the spur or a pouch. The flower styles are thickened near the top and the stigmas are head-like, narrowed or often beaked. The flowers have a superior ovary with one cell, which has three placentae, containing many ovules.

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Sunflower plant

Sunflower

Helianthus or sunflowers  is a genus of plants comprising about 70 species in the family Asteraceae, all of which are native to North America except three species in South America. The common name, "sunflower," also applies to the popular annual species Helianthus annuus, the common sunflower. This and other species, notably Jerusalem artichoke (H. tuberosus), are cultivated in temperate regions as food crops and ornamental plants. The domesticated sunflower, H. annuus, is the most familiar species. Perennial sunflower species are not as popular for gardens due to their tendency to spread rapidly and become invasive. Whorled sunflowers, H. verticillatus, were listed as an endangered species in 2014 when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued a final rule protecting it under the Endangered Species Act. The primary threats are industrial forestry and pine plantations in Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee. They grow to six feet tall and are primarily found in woodlands, adjacent to creeks and moist, prairie-like areas. There is quite a bit of variability among the perennial species that make up the bulk of the species in the genus. Some have most or all of the large leaves in a rosette at the base of the plant and produce a flowering stem that has leaves that are reduced in size. Most of the perennials have disk flowers that are entirely yellow, but a few have disk flowers with reddish lobes. One species, H. radula, lacks ray flowers altogether. They bear one or several to many wide, terminal capitula (flower heads), with bright yellow ray florets at the outside and yellow or maroon disc florets inside. Several ornamental cultivars have red-colored ray florets; all of them stem from a single original mutant. During growth, sunflowers tilt during the day to face the sun, but stop once they begin blooming. This tracking of the sun in young sunflower heads is called heliotropism. By the time they are mature, sunflowers generally face east. The genus is one of many in the Asteraceae that are known as sunflowers. It is distinguished technically by the fact that the ray flowers, when present, are sterile, and by the presence on the disk flowers of a pappus that is of two awn-like scales that are caducous (that is, easily detached and falling at maturity). Some species also have additional shorter scales in the pappus, and there is one species that lacks a pappus entirely. Another technical feature that distinguishes the genus more reliably, but requires a microscope to see, is the presence of a prominent, multicellular appendage at the apex of the style.
The rough and hairy stem is branched in the upper part in wild plants but is usually unbranched in domesticated cultivars.The petiolate leaves are dentate and often sticky. The lower leaves are opposite, ovate or often heart-shaped. The upper leaves are alternate and narrower.
Sunflowers are usually tall annuals, that grow to a height of 50–390 centimetres (20–154 in).Helianthus species are used as food plants by the larvae of many lepidopterans.

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Rhododendron plant

Rhododendron

Azaleas make up two subgenera of Rhododendron. They are distinguished from "true" rhododendrons by having only five anthers per flower..Is a genus of 1,024 species of woody plants in the heath family (Ericaceae), either evergreen or deciduous, and found mainly in Asia, although it is also widespread throughout the Southern Highlands of the Appalachian Mountains of North America.Rhododendron is a genus characterised by shrubs and small to (rarely) large trees, the smallest species growing to 10–100 cm (3.9–39.4 in) tall, and the largest, R. protistum var. giganteum, reported to 30 m (98 ft) tall. It is the national flower of Nepal.The leaves are spirally arranged; leaf size can range from 1–2 cm (0.39–0.79 in) to over 50 cm (20 in), exceptionally 100 cm (39 in) in R. sinogrande. They may be either evergreen or deciduous. In some species, the undersides of the leaves are covered with scales (lepidote) or hairs (indumentum). Most species have showy flowers.Rhododendron are characterised by having inflorescences with scarious (dry) perulae, a chromosome number of x=13, fruit that has a septicidal capsule, an ovary that is superior (or nearly so), stamens that have no appendages, and agglutinate (clumped) pollen.
Species in this genus may be part of the heath complex in oak-heath forests in eastern North America. They have frequently been divided based on the presence or absence of scales on the abaxial (lower) leaf surface (lepidote or elepidote). These scales, unique to subgenus Rhododendron, are modified hairs consisting of a polygonal scale attached by a stalk.
Some of the best known species are noted for their many clusters of large flowers. There are alpine species with small flowers and small leaves, and tropical species such as section Vireya that often grow as epiphytes. 

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Peony plant

Peony

Most are herbaceous perennial plants 0.5–1.5 metres (1.6–4.9 ft) tall, but some resemble trees 1.5–3 metres (4.9–9.8 ft) tall. They have compound, deeply lobed leaves and large, often fragrant, flowers, ranging from red to white or yellow, in late spring and early summer. The peony is a flowering plant in the genus Paeonia, the only genus in the family Paeoniaceae. They are native to Asia, Southern Europe and Western North America. Boundaries between species are not clear and estimates of the number of species range from 25 to 40. The following sequence of flower types becomes more complex in its arrangement of petals. The flower types include Single (e.g., Athena, Scarlet O’Hara), Japanese (Nippon Beauty, Madame Butterfly), Anemone, Semi-Double (Paula Fay, Buckeye Belle), Double (Gardenia, Paul M. Wild) and Bomb-Double (Raspberry Sundae, Mons Jules Elie).
The peony is named after Paeon (also spelled Paean), a student of Asclepius, the Greek god of medicine and healing. Asclepius became jealous of his pupil; Zeus saved Paeon from the wrath of Asclepius by turning him into the peony flower. It has been widely believed that Paeonia is closest to Glaucidium, and this idea has been followed in some recent works. Molecular phylogenetic studies, however, have demonstrated conclusively that Glaucidium belongs in Ranunculaceae, but that Paeonia belongs in the unrelated order Saxifragales. The family name "Paeoniaceae" was first used by Friedrich K.L. Rudolphi in 1830, following a suggestion by Friedrich Gottlieb Bartling that same year. The family had been given other names a few years earlier. The composition of the family has varied, but it has always consisted of Paeonia and one or more genera that are now placed in Ranunculales.

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Orchidaceae plant

Orchidaceae is a diverse and widespread family of flowering plants, with blooms that are often colourful and often fragrant, commonly known as the orchid family. Along with the Asteraceae, they are one of the two largest families of flowering plants, with between 21,950 and 26,049 currently accepted species, found in 880 genera.The determination of which family is larger is still under debate, because verified data on the members of such enormous families are continually in flux.The family also includes Vanilla (the genus of the vanilla plant), Orchis (type genus), and many commonly cultivated plants such as Phalaenopsis and Cattleya. Moreover, since the introduction of tropical species into cultivation in the 19th century, horticulturists have produced more than 100,000 hybrids and cultivars.The type genus (i.e. the genus after which the family is named) is Orchis. The genus name comes from the Ancient Greek , literally meaning "testicle", because of the shape of the twin tubers in some species of Orchis.  The term "orchid" was introduced in 1845 by John Lindley in School Botany, as a shortened form of Orchidaceae. Regardless, the number of orchid species nearly equals the number of bony fishes and more than twice the number of bird species, and about four times the number of mammal species. The family also encompasses about 6–11% of all seed plants.Orchids are easily distinguished from other plants, as they share some very evident shared derived characteristics, or "apomorphies". Among these are: bilateral symmetry of the flower (zygomorphism), many resupinate flowers, a nearly always highly modified petal (labellum), fused stamens and carpels, and extremely small seeds. The largest genera are Bulbophyllum (2,000 species), Epidendrum (1,500 species), Dendrobium (1,400 species) and Pleurothallis (1,000 species).

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Iris plant

Iris is a genus of 260–300 species of flowering plants with showy flowers.The often-segregated, monotypic genera Belamcanda (blackberry lily, I. domestica), Hermodactylus (snake's head iris, I. tuberosa), and Pardanthopsis (vesper iris, I. dichotoma) are currently included in Iris. It takes its name from the Greek word for a rainbow, referring to the wide variety of flower colors found among the many species.Irises are perennial plants, growing from creeping rhizomes (rhizomatous irises) or, in drier climates, from bulbs (bulbous irises). They have long, erect flowering stems which may be simple or branched, solid or hollow, and flattened or have a circular cross-section. The rhizomatous species usually have 3–10 basal sword-shaped leaves growing in dense clumps.he inflorescences are in the shape of a fan and contain one or more symmetrical six-lobed flowers. These grow on a pedicel or peduncle. The three sepals, which are spreading or droop downwards, are referred to as "falls". They expand from their narrow base, which in some of the rhizomatous irises has a "beard" (a tuft of short upright extensions growing in its midline), into a broader expanded portion ("limb"), often adorned with veining, lines or dots. The three, sometimes reduced, petals stand upright, partly behind the sepal bases. They are called "standards". Some smaller iris species have all six lobes pointing straight outwards, but generally limb and standards differ markedly in appearance.The iris flower is of interest as an example of the relation between flowering plants and pollinating insects. The shape of the flower and the position of the pollen-receiving and stigmatic surfaces on the outer petals form a landing-stage for a flying insect, which in probing for nectar, will first come into contact with the perianth, then with the stigmatic stamens in one whorled surface which is borne on an ovary formed of three carpels.Irises are extensively grown as ornamental plants in home and botanical gardens. Presby Memorial Iris Gardens in New Jersey, for example, is a living iris museum with over 10,000 plants, while in Europe the most famous iris garden is arguably the Giardino dell'Iris in Florence (Italy) which every year hosts one of the most famous iris breeders' competitions in the world. Irises, especially the multitude of bearded types, feature regularly in shows such as the Chelsea Flower Show. Irises grow in any good free garden soil, the smaller and more delicate species needing only the aid of turf ingredients, either peat or loam, to keep it light and open in texture. The shelf-like transverse projection on the inner whorled underside of the stamens is beneath the overarching style arm below the stigma, so that the insect comes in contact with its pollen-covered surface only after passing the stigma; in backing out of the flower it will come in contact only with the non-receptive lower face of the stigma. Thus, an insect bearing pollen from one flower will, in entering a second, deposit the pollen on the stigma; in backing out of a flower, the pollen which it bears will not be rubbed off on the stigma of the same flower. They are united at their base into a floral tube that lies above the ovary (known as an epigynous or inferior ovary). The styles divide towards the apex into petaloid branches; this is significant in pollination. The bulbous species have cylindrical, basal leaves. As well as being the scientific name, iris is also very widely used as a common name for all Iris species, as well as some belonging to other closely related genera. A common name for some species is 'flags', while the plants of the subgenus Scorpiris are widely known as 'junos', particularly in horticulture. It is a popular garden flower.

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Gypsophila plant

Gypsophilia is a Canadian jazz band from Nova Scotia. The band is composed of Ross Burns, Alec Frith, Nick Wilkinson (guitars), Gina Burgess (violin), Adam Fine (double bass), Matt Myer (trumpet), and Sageev Oore (piano, keyboards, accordion, melodica). Gypsophilia has released three albums to date, Minor Hope,(2009) and Constellation (2011).While "gypsy jazz" remains a major component of the music, Gypsophilia has incorporated elements of tango, klezmer, funk, classical music, hard bop and post bop, and its soloists avoid the heavily-cliched improvisational style found in most contemporary "gypsy jazz". The band's repertoire ranges from energetic swinging dance music to more sophisticated jazz, from highly improvised to through-composed pieces, but often combines these elements, striving to incorporate challenging modern harmonies and melodies in the context of an accessible, swinging beat.Gypsophilia's first CD Minor Hope was released on May 19, 2007. Recorded live over two nights at The Sonic Temple recording studio in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the album's thirteen original compositions demonstrate the range of influences that inform Gypsophilia's sound. For example, the long-form HIV Jump (D. Oore) mixes classical music with classic jazz and fusion. Gypsophilia was initially inspired by the music of French jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt, but soon found its own distinctive sound through unique original compositions and the melding of the band members' varied backgrounds and influences.Nicole's Song (N. Wilkinson) builds from a contemplative ballad through a somewhat baroque bridge to a dynamic suspended climax. Sebo Psoriatic Psongs (D. Oore) begins as a dissonant country blues and ends with ‘70s Roland Kirk-inspired blues-funk. Kfeetz kfotz  is an uptempo klezmer romp. Vulnerable (D. Oore) is a fragile and highly-textured triple-metre ballad. Minor Hope (D. Oore) builds on the Django Reinhardt standard "Minor Swing" with new melody and harmony, and a solo double bass cadenza.

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Gladiolus plant

The genus occurs in Asia, Mediterranean Europe, South Africa, and tropical Africa. The center of diversity is in the Cape Floristic Region.The genera Acidanthera, Anomalesia, Homoglossum, and Oenostachys, formerly considered distinct, are now included in Gladiolus. Is a genus of perennial bulbous flowering plants in the iris family (Iridaceae). It is sometimes called the 'Sword lily', but usually by its generic name (plural gladioli).The majority of the species in this genus are diploid with 30 chromosomes but the Grandiflora hybrids are tetraploid and possess 60 chromosomes. This is because the main parental species of these hybrids is Gladiolus dalenii which is also tetraploid and includes a wide range of varieties (like the Grandiflora hybrids). Gladioli are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including the Large Yellow Underwing.The South African species were originally pollinated by long-tongued anthrophorine bees, but some changes in the pollination system have occurred, allowing pollination by sunbirds, noctuid and Hawk-moths, long-tongued flies and several others. In the temperate zones of Europe many of the hybrid large flowering sorts of gladiolus can be pollinated by small well-known wasps. Actually, they are not very good pollinators because of the large flowers of the plants and the small size of the wasps. Another insect in this zone which can try some of the nectar of the gladioli is the best-known European Hawk-moth Macroglossum stellatarum which usually pollinates many popular garden flowers like Petunia, Zinnia, Dianthus and others.The ovary is 3-locular with oblong or globose capsules, containing many, winged brown, longitudinally dehiscent seeds. In their center must be noticeable the specific pellet-like structure which is the real seed without the fine coat. In some seeds this feature is wrinkled with black color. These seeds are unable to germinate.The flower spikes are large and one-sided, with secund, bisexual flowers, each subtended by 2 leathery, green bracts. The sepals and the petals are almost identical in appearance, and are termed tepals. They are united at their base into a tube-shaped structure. The dorsal tepal is the largest, arching over the three stamens. The outer three tepals are narrower. The perianth is funnel-shaped, with the stamens attached to its base. The style has three filiform, spoon-shaped branches, each expanding towards the apex.These flowers are variously colored, pink to reddish or light purple with white, contrasting markings, or white to cream or orange to red. Gladioli have been extensively hybridized and a wide range of ornamental flower colours are available from the many varieties. The main hybrid groups have been obtained by crossing between four or five species, followed by selection: Grandiflorus, Primulines and Nanus. They make very good cut flowers.Gladioli are half-hardy in temperate climates. They grow from rounded, symmetrical corms, that are enveloped in several layers of brownish, fibrous tunics.
Their stems are generally unbranched, producing 1 to 9 narrow, sword-shaped, longitudinal grooved leaves, enclosed in a sheath. The lowest leaf is shortened to a cataphyll. The leaf blades can be plane or cruciform in cross section.The genus Gladiolus contains about 260 species, of which 250 are native to sub-Saharan Africa, mostly South Africa. About 10 species are native to Eurasia. There are 160 species of Gladiolus endemic in southern Africa and 76 in tropical Africa. The flowers of unmodified wild species vary from very small to perhaps 40 mm across, and inflorescences bearing anything from one to several flowers. The spectacular giant flower spikes in commerce are the products of centuries of hybridisation, selection, and perhaps more drastic manipulation.

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Gerberas plant

Gerbera is a genus of plants in the (daisy family). It was named in honour of German botanist and medical doctor Traugott Gerber | (1710-1743) who travelled extensively in Russia and was a friend of Carolus Linnaeus.
Gerbera contains naturally occurring coumarin derivatives. Gerbera is a tender perennial plant. It is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds, but resistant to deer. Their soil should be kept moist but not soaked.
Gerbera species bear a large capitulum with striking, two-lipped ray florets in yellow, orange, white, pink or red colours. The capitulum, which has the appearance of a single flower, is actually composed of hundreds of individual flowers. The morphology of the flowers varies depending on their position in the capitulum. The flower heads can be as small as 7 cm (Gerbera mini 'Harley') in diameter or up to 12 cm (Gerbera ‘Golden Serena’).
Gerbera is also important commercially. It is the fifth most used cut flower in the world (after rose, carnation, chrysanthemum, and tulip). It is also used as a model organism in studying flower formation.Colours include white, yellow, orange, red, and pink. The centre of the flower is sometimes black. Often the same flower can have petals of several different colours.
Gerbera is native to tropical regions of South America, Africa and Asia. The first scientific description of a Gerbera was made by J.D. Hooker in Curtis's Botanical Magazine in 1889 when he described Gerbera jamesonii, a South African species also known as Transvaal daisy or Barberton Daisy. Gerbera is also commonly known as the African Daisy.
Gerbera is very popular and widely used as a decorative garden plant or as cut flowers. The domesticated cultivars are mostly a result of a cross between Gerbera jamesonii and another South African species Gerbera viridifolia. The cross is known as Gerbera hybrida. Thousands of cultivars exist. They vary greatly in shape and size.

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Freesia plant

Freesia is a genus of herbaceous perennial flowering plants in the family Iridaceae, first described as a genus in 1866 by Chr. Fr. Echlon (1795-1868) and named after German botanic and doctor Friedrich Freese (1794-1878). It is native to the eastern side of southern Africa, from Kenya south to South Africa, most species being found in Cape Province. Species of the former genus Anomatheca are now included in Freesia.The plants commonly known as "freesias", with fragrant funnel-shaped flowers, are cultivated hybrids of a number of Freesia species. Some other species are also grown as ornamental plants.
Freesias are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Large Yellow Underwing.
They are herbaceous plants which grow from a conical corm 1–2.5 cm diameter, which sends up a tuft of narrow leaves 10–30 cm long, and a sparsely branched stem 10–40 cm tall bearing a few leaves and a loose one-sided spike of flowers with six tepals. Many species have fragrant narrowly funnel-shaped flowers, although those formerly placed in the genus Anomatheca, such as F. laxa, have flat flowers.

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Daffodil - Narcissus (plant)

Narcissus were well known in ancient civilisation, both medicinally and botanically, but formally described by Linnaeus' in his Species Plantarum (1753). The genus is generally considered to have about ten sections with approximately 50 species. The number of species has varied, depending on how they are classified, due to similarity between species and hybridization. The genus arose some time in the Late Oligocene to Early Miocene epochs, in the Iberian peninsula and adjacent areas of southwest Europe. The exact origin of the name Narcissus is unknown, but it is often linked to a Greek word for intoxicated (narcotic) and the myth of the youth of that name who fell in love with his own reflection. The English word 'daffodil' appears to be derived from "asphodel", with which it was commonly compared.
The species are native to meadows and woods in southwest Europe and North Africa with a center of diversity in the Western Mediterranean, particularly the Iberian peninsula. Both wild and cultivated plants have naturalised widely, and were introduced into the Far East prior to the tenth century. Narcissi tend to be long-lived bulbs, which propagate by division, but are also insect-pollinated.Like other members of their family, narcissi produce a number of different alkaloids, which provide some protection for the plant, but may be poisonous if accidentally ingested. This property has been exploited for medicinal use in traditional healing and has resulted in the production of galantamine for the treatment of Alzheimer's dementia. Long celebrated in art and literature, narcissi are associated with a number of themes in different cultures, ranging from death to good fortune, and as symbols of Spring. The daffodil is the national flower of Wales and the symbol of cancer charities in many countries. The appearance of the wild flowers in spring is associated with festivals in many places. Known pests, diseases and disorders include viruses, fungi, the larvae of flies, mites and nematodes. Some Narcissus species have become extinct, while others are threatened by increasing urbanisation and tourism.
Historical accounts suggest narcissi have been cultivated from the earliest times, but became increasingly popular in Europe after the 16th century and by the late 19th century were an important commercial crop centred primarily on the Netherlands. Today narcissi are popular as cut flowers and as ornamental plants in private and public gardens. The long history of breeding has resulted in thousands of different cultivars. For horticultural purposes, narcissi are classified into divisions, covering a wide range of shapes and colours.
Narcissus has conspicuous flowers with six petal-like tepals surmounted by a cup- or trumpet-shaped corona. The flowers are generally white or yellow (orange or pink in garden varieties), with either uniform or contrasting coloured tepals and corona.
The plants are scapose, having a single central leafless hollow flower stem (scape). Several green or blue-green, narrow, strap-shaped leaves arise from the bulb. The plant stem usually bears a solitary flower, but occasionally a cluster of flowers (umbel). The flowers, which are usually conspicuous and white or yellow, sometimes both or rarely green, consist of a perianth of three parts. Closest to the stem (proximal) is a floral tube above the ovary, then an outer ring composed of six tepals (undifferentiated sepals and petals), and a central disc to conical shaped corona. The flowers may hang down (pendent), or be erect. There are six pollen bearing stamens surrounding a central style. The ovary is inferior (below the floral parts) consisting of three chambers (trilocular). The fruit consists of a dry capsule that splits (dehisces) releasing numerous black seeds.
The bulb lies dormant after the leaves and flower stem die back and has contractile roots that pull it down further into the soil. The flower stem and leaves form in the bulb, to emerge the following season. Most species are dormant from summer to late winter, flowering in the spring, though a few species are autumn flowering.
Narcissus is a genus of perennial herbaceous bulbiferous geophytes, dying back after flowering to an underground storage bulb. They regrow in the following year from brown-skinned ovoid bulbs with pronounced necks, and reach heights of 5–80 cm depending on the species. Dwarf species such as N. asturiensis have a maximum height of 5–8 cm, while Narcissus tazetta may grow as tall as 80 cm.

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Carnations plant

It is a herbaceous perennial plant growing to 80 cm tall. The leaves are glaucous greyish green to blue-green, slender, up to 15 cm long. The flowers are produced singly or up to five together in a cyme; they are 3–5 cm diameter, and sweetly scented; the original natural flower colour is bright pinkish-purple, but cultivars of other colours, including red, white, yellow and green, have been developed.

Some fragrance-less carnation cultivars are often used as boutonnieres for men.
For the most part, carnations express love, fascination, and distinction, though there are many variations dependent on colour.

Along with the red rose, the red carnation can be used as a symbol of socialism and the labour movement, and historically has often been used in demonstrations on International Workers' Day (May Day).
In Portugal, bright red carnations represent the 1974 coup d'etat started by the military to end the fascist regime ongoing since 1926.
Light red carnations represent admiration, while dark red denote deep love and affection.
White carnations represent pure love and good luck, while striped (variegated) carnations symbolise regret that a love cannot be shared.

Growing carnations
Carnations require well-drained, neutral to slightly alkaline soil, and full sun. Numerous cultivars have been selected for garden planting.
Colombia is the largest carnation producer in the world.

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