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Flower of the Week: Sunflower

When it comes to the “little suns” that bloom in summer, one has to mention sunflowers, a vibrant plant of the Compositae family. Sunflower’s large, rounded capitulum grows high at the apex of the stalk, impressing viewers with an intense visual impact.

Tall sunflowers make a great garden backdrop, and you can also plant them in the innermost part of the flowerbed. While its golden-yellow image has taken firm hold in people’s minds, you can also choose to plant wine red, reddish-brown, or chocolate-brown varieties depending on your preference.

Its seeds can be eaten or pressed for oil, making it greatly valuable in the kitchen. If you want to harvest sunflower seeds, remember to put up bird-proof nets before the seeds mature.

An Inspiration for Arts and Avant-Garde Fashion

Speaking of sunflower-related artwork, Van Gogh’s Sunflowers series is certain to come to mind. Van Gogh painted many sunflowers during his lifetime, 11 paintings of which survive today. The two most famous paintings are Vase with Twelve Sunflowers and Still Life: Vase with Fifteen Sunflowers.

Nowadays, you can see these paintings at places like the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, and the National Gallery, London.

Vincent van Gogh (1888) Vase with Fifteen Sunflowers

After Van Gogh, Paul Gauguin painted Sunflowers in Tahiti in 1901. It is considered to be his tribute to his friendship with Van Gogh. In 1888, the two artists spent a meaningful period of time working and living together in Arles, France.

Paul Gauguin (1901) Sunflowers

In the late 19th century, sunflowers and lilies became hallmarks of the Aestheticist Movement popular in the British literature and art circles. Oscar Wilde, the iconic figure of the Aestheticism Movement, always had these two flowers at hand when he visited Paris or traveled to America. His home was also always decorated with sunflowers and lilies accompanied by equally ornate and iconic peacock feathers, celadon china, and various objet d’art.

Opponents of Aestheticism went so far as to use sunflowers to mock the movement. The flower has been repeatedly featured in various satirical works.

George Frederick Keller (1882) The Modern Messiah

Directional Indicator

The sunflower is also a popular plant in the famous game Minecraft. The game designers set a rule that sunflowers are always facing east, making it one of the tools players use to identify directions.

In reality, sunflowers’ discs only follow the sun’s movement across the sky in the early stages of their growth. After they mature, they remain facing east to catch the first rays of the morning sun.

Eco-friendly Sunflower

Compared to the average plant, sunflowers’ root systems can absorb more harmful substances such as lead and arsenic, as well as radioactive elements such as uranium and cesium. As a result, it is often planted for cleansing contaminated soil and water.

After the Chernobyl disaster, sunflowers were planted on rafts to slowly absorb cesium and strontium from local ponds. After the Fukushima nuclear disaster, the government also distributed sunflower seeds to local residents. Sunflowers not only served as a defense against radiation but also brought psychological solace.

How do I Grow Sunflower Well?

Sunflower is quite easy to care for. Simply provide it with its preferred soil, light, and moisture conditions, and you can count on the blooming of glorious beauty in the summer.

Sunflower is a tough annual plant, so it can grow in most areas. It is suitable for growing in fertile, moist, well-drained, weakly alkaline soil. It does not require much moisture and can reasonably tolerate drought. Simply wait until the soil is dry to water it.

It prefers ample sunlight and needs at least 6 hours of light per day. It can be planted in a bright and sheltered location to prevent high winds from breaking its stems.

Size: 60-300 cm (2-10 in) tall

Hardiness: USDA Hardiness Zones 2-11

Light: Full Sun

Soil: Fertile, moist, well-drained, weakly alkaline

Bloom Time: Summer

How to Control Lawn Weeds

Weeds are an unsightly bane on all of those who care deeply about their lawns. This article will provide you with all the information you need to prevent and remove weeds to keep your lawn beautiful and healthy.

How do lawns get so weedy? When lawns have disturbed soil, it brings the weed seeds to the surface and then establish themselves in your lawn. The seeds can also blow in from neighboring areas, once again establishing themselves in your lawn.

Identification of Lawn Weeds

Before dealing with weeds, knowing the types of them can help us choose a more targeted solution.

1. Identify Annual Grassy Weeds

Annual grassy weeds such as crab grass reseed themselves at the end of the growing season and then die. The following spring, the seeds germinate to grow new plants.

2. Identify Broadleaf Weeds

Broadleaf weeds include weeds with leaves, such as clover and dandelions that grow in lawns with low nitrogen fertility.

3. Identify Perennial Grassy Weeds

Perennial grassy weeds go dormant in the winter along with your lawn grass and come back in the spring. They tend to spread through the roots and seeds.

All these weeds will establish themselves in lawns that have a mower blade set too low, have compacted soil, or are overwatered.

How To Remove Weeds in Your Lawn

You may need these:

Required Tools

Required Materials

Ways of Weeding

It’s recommended to remove the weeds when they are young before they spread or grow seed.

Kill broadleaf weeds by using a dial sprayer. When connected to a garden hose, a dial sprayer kills weeds over a wide area.
Kill perennial grassy weeds one at a time by using a non-selective plant killer to coat the weeds with a glove dipped in an herbicide solution.
Use pre-emergent herbicides before the weed seeds germinate and plants emerge, which will be utilized in the soil surface and move into the soil with rainfall or irrigation. This is the easiest way to keep your lawn free of weeds.
Use post-emergent herbicides to the whole lawn or directly on the unwanted actively growing weeds.

Preventing Weeds in Your Lawn

Mow your grass when it is about one-third above the standard cutting height. Keep other nearby plant areas immaculate. (Mowing every 3 to 5 days during growth periods helps keep your lawn at an appropriate height during the summer months.)
Before the weed seeds grow, mow the grass at a taller height. Once the grass grows tall and thick which shades the soil, weed seeds are not as able to sprout and grow. Before the weed seeds form, mow your lawn again.
Make sure to water deeply and infrequently. It helps your lawn grow deeper roots so it can better compete with weeds.
Feed your lawn on a regular basis. A stressed-out lawn has a higher chance of being taken over by weeds.

In this way, appropriate mowing, irrigation and fertilization habits can prevent most weed difficulties. Be sure to leave the grass clippings on the grass after mowing. This helps to provide approximately 20% of the fertilization needs of most grass types.

How to Pinch a Plant for Full Growth and High Yields

Sometimes the best way to get gorgeous blooms and control a plant’s shape is to pinch it. Learn what it means to pinch a plant and the best strategies to ensure you get bigger, better blossoms this summer.

Growing great plants takes lots of maintenance, and that often includes pinching them. Far from hurting your garden, pinching plants can encourage bloom production and promotes branching to help them achieve a better shape.

Here’s how to pinch a plant for the best results.

What Does It Mean to Pinch a Plant?

“Pinching” a plant is actually a form of pruning where you remove parts of the main stem to encourage fuller growth and a longer blooming period.

A soft pinch involves merely taking the top inch off stems, similar to deadheading.

A hard pinch, in contrast, involves removing several tiers of leaves and multiple inches from the top. In many cases, you will remove the main stem directly above its leaf nodes in order to force the plant to grow two new stems from the shoot.

Not all flowers are suitable for pinching, but species that respond well include petunia, dahlia, marigold, sweet peas, and geranium, as well as herbs like basil, tarragon, thyme, and sage.

Be careful not to pinch campanula, delphinium, dill, larkspur, and most sunflowers, as removing their main stem will stop flower production altogether.

Why Pinch Out Plants?

Pinching certain plants offers many benefits, including the following.

Leads to denser, fuller plants
May extend the harvesting time for leafy herbs by preventing them from developing flowers and going to seed
Keeps plants compact and confined to smaller growing spaces
Encourages more blooms as well as a longer blooming period
May increase the size of individual flowers

How to Pinch Out Plants

Although pinching plants is a form of pruning, it’s possible to do so with little more than your fingernails. However, garden shears can make the job easier, especially if you have multiple plants to pinch at once.

Plan to pinch early in the season so that you encourage bushing and spreading during the plant’s most vigorous growing time.

To pinch, simply put your thumb and forefinger around the new growth, squeezing with your fingernails until it comes off the plant. You want to take care to pull it off in a seamless way, so you don’t unnecessarily tear the plant and leave a large wound.

Make sure you pinch as close to the leaf nodes as possible, taking care not to hurt the pair of tiny buds forming there. Each of these leaf nodes will turn into a new stem, meaning that you’ll get two new branches for each one you pinch off.

It’s possible to pinch plants again once they have produced two or three more sets of leaves. Plan to stop pinching once you achieve your desired shape, and give the plant a generous dose of a phosphorus-based liquid fertilizer to keep the plant from getting stressed and to promote healthy flower production.

You can prolong the blooming season further by deadheading dry, withered blooms as you see them. If you want to stagger flowers throughout the summer for late-season bloomers like asters and sage, pinch back half of your plants by one-third. These pinched plants will then bloom later than the others and prolong your flower season.

It’s important to stop pinching plants by the middle of the growing season if your goal is seed production. Leave these late blooms in place so that they can successfully go to seed before the end of warm weather.

Pinch Plants for Better Blooms This Summer

Pinching plants is an easy way to maximize the beauty of your garden. Do you research about which varieties respond best to pinching, and you’ll be rewarded with gorgeous flowers for far longer than you would otherwise.

13 Best Trees for Hot Dry Summers Days

Many trees often overheat and can quickly die. Protect your garden and plants by choosing from our curated list of heat-tolerant trees. Create your ideal garden today that will stand the test of time.

Eastern white pine

Eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) is a long-lived evergreen tree native to mixed forests of temperate zones in eastern North America. It is considered one of the tallest trees in its native area. Eastern white pine has a straight-grained lightweight wood, highly valued in construction.

American basswood

American basswood (Tilia americana) is a deciduous tree with a wide, rounded crown, very similar to its European cousin Tilia cordata. A subtle difference between the species can be found on the bark – if an orange hue is present in the valleys on the bark, then it is T. cordata.

Cider gum

The Cider gum is a hardy evergreen tree that can be grown as a sound barrier and privacy screen. Juvenile branches are often used in cut floral arrangements for their sweet aroma. These trees are easy to grow, heat tolerant, drought tolerant, and deer resistant.

Silver wattle

Silver wattle is a fast-growing evergreen tree or shrub growing up to 50 feet (15 meters) tall. The leaves are blue-green to silvery grey and thinly divided, which makes them attractive all year long. The flowers of the Silver wattle are bright balls of color made up of yellow flowerheads of 13–42 individual flowers.

Black poplar

Black poplar (Populus nigra) is a medium- to large-sized deciduous tree which can be naturally found in many alluvial European forests. It is a fast-growing tree, with a wide crown which is a common nesting place for different species of birds. Due to the degradation of its natural habitat, Black poplar has become an endangered species in certain areas.

Eastern red cedar

Eastern red cedar is a coniferous evergreen tree that is native to North America. The fruit of this tree, juniper berries, is an important food source for birds in the winter. The wood of the Eastern red cedar is used in fencing as it is resistant to heat and rot, and it is also used to line closets and chests since it also resists moths.

Common hackberry

Common hackberry (Celtis occidentalis) is a medium-sized deciduous tree, native to North America. It looks similar to elms and some other hackberry trees at first glance, but you can distinguish it by looking at the bark – if it is verrucous and has corky texture, then it is probably Common hackberry.

Red buckeye

Red buckeye (Aesculus pavia) is a flowering plant native to the midwestern and southern United States. Red buckeye is also called the firecracker plant. This plant attracts bees while its seeds are poisonous. The Red buckeye can be used to make soap.

Common juniper

Common juniper (Juniperus communis) has the largest geographical range of any woody type of plant. It grows on every inhabited continent. It is cultivated for ornamentation, essential oil, and lumber. Common juniper berries and twigs are used as a culinary flavoring, perhaps most popularly in gin. The berries can cause stomach discomfort if eaten in large quantities, however.

Cigartree

Catalpa bignonioides, commonly known as Cigartree, is a medium-sized deciduous tree native to North America. This species is widely used for ornamental purposes due to its favorable growing qualities and magnificent clusters of showy flowers.

Northern red oak

Arguably the most popular hardwood in the US, lumber from Northern red oak is used for cabinets, flooring, veneers, trim, and more. When growing, the tree is large and reaches between 50 to 75 feet (15 to 23 meters) tall. The foliage on this tree is stunning, with dark green leaves in summer giving away to brilliant red in the fall.

Common ash

Common ash (Fraxinus excelsior) is a large deciduous tree featured in Norse mythology and Scottish folklore. Common ash is native to mainland Europe. This species is susceptible to the disease Ash dieback which is caused by the fungus Hymenoscyphus fraxineus. Common ash often grows in basic soils on calcareous substrates.

Crepe myrtle

Crepe myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) is a highly ornamental small tropical tree or shrub, often multi-stemmed. It is native to India, Southeastern Asia, and Japan, and features a characteristic vase-shaped crown and beautifully-ruffled pink blooms that can last from early summer to autumn. It is also a popular nesting shrub for small birds.

As Your Landscape Grows, Think Dynamically

As landscapes grow and evolve, it pays to create a long-term plan that takes into account mature plant sizes and seasonal maintenance.

Most people will agree that landscape and garden design is an art form, but unlike other types of artwork, a landscape is never finished.

Landscapes are continually growing, changing, and evolving. This is one of the primary reasons why it pays to take your time creating a design for your garden before you start planting — consider the mature sizes of plants and shrubs, as well as how their growth will change the garden dynamics. Even tiny, flowering ornamental plants and bulbs can grow tall and spread out far wider than you initially dreamed possible.

As your landscape grows, you must think dynamically. This means having a plan for seasonal maintenance, annual cutbacks, and a multi-year plan.

Plan Ahead

When you first design your garden, use graph paper and make a drawing to scale so that you can sketch out where everything will go.

Calculate the mature sizes of the plants you have chosen, and draw them in at the mature size. This will help you to make sure there is enough space to accommodate the plants you want.

Think about the flowering seasons and fall colors, and draw out your garden in every season. You don’t have to be a great artist, just think in colors, shapes, and sizes.

Look at where the shrubs and trees will cast shade, and plan for how that will change the garden as they grow. The more you plan in advance, the easier it will be for you to make decisions about the landscape as it grows and changes.

Shape and Manicure

In addition to designing a landscape with the mature sizes of plants in mind, you should also consider how you may want to shape shrubs and ornamental trees as the landscape matures.

As shrubs and ornamental trees grow, they can become unruly and cast shade onto understory plants, affecting their growth and flowering. Cutting them back will keep the landscape in balance and can add a beautiful overall design element.

There are many different methods for manicuring ornamental trees — from pollarding to topiary — so look at the different ways that you can mold them to fit into your aesthetic.

Shaping small trees and shrubs isn’t only practical, it adds geometry, whimsy, and stronger lines to your landscape.

Multiply, Divide, and Add

Just as a family might add an extra bedroom to their home when they have another child, you should consider expanding your garden beds over time to make room for new plants and to adjust for the growth of older, more mature ones.

Some of this expansion will happen naturally — for instance, with flowering bulbs that multiply over time. Every few years, bulbs like to be divided, which means digging them up and removing half or more of them to create space for the bulbs to thrive.

While this can be a great opportunity to share with friends and neighbors, it also means that you can increase the number of bulbs in your garden — often by expanding existing flower beds or creating new ones.

If you are running out of flower bed space, you might want to consider giving up some of your lawn to create larger planting areas that leave only pathways between planted areas.

Take the Inside Outside

When you first begin to plan your garden, look at your space and imagine how it might evolve over time.

It doesn’t matter if you are only beginning with one small corner of the yard — always think about the big picture and how it will look in one, 5, or 10 years. Over time, landscapes often grow to the extent that they begin to encroach on your outdoor living spaces.

As garden beds creep closer to porches, patios, and decks, one of the most natural progressions is to incorporate outdoor living spaces into the garden.

A simple pergola or gazebo can turn part of your landscape into an extension of your home. Flowering vines like wisteria or jasmine can provide shade in the summer, and an outdoor heater and curtains can extend the season into late fall or even early winter.

One thing about having a beautiful garden is that you want to be in it as much as possible. Creating outdoor living spaces gives you an opportunity to do that.

Outdoor kitchens, showers, sitting areas, and even small meditation spaces are all ways that you can transition some of your time spent indoors to being outside.

Don’t look at the landscape as just a decorative part of your home, but rather as an extension of your living space.

Be Open to Change

As landscapes grow, things will inevitably change. Trees may become sick and die, ornamental plants may become too aggressive and begin to take over, and extreme weather can take its toll.

Wherever you are forced to adjust to change in the garden, look at it as an opportunity.

If an area of the landscape never seems to drain properly, instead of fighting it you may choose to install a rain garden or a water feature.

If you struggle to provide enough water for your garden, it might be a good idea to install more of a drought-resistant landscape.

If an ornamental plant you installed begins to take over, remove it and replace it with something less aggressive.

If a tree or shrub is dying, take the opportunity to figure out why and replace it with a more appropriate species.

Landscapes are always changing, and the more open you are to change, the happier you will be when things don’t go as planned.

Be prepared for growth with plans for expansion, adaptation, and maintenance. But also be prepared for unfortunate weather events, pests, and plant diseases. Your landscape is a work in progress — and a great adventure.

The Hottest Plants on Social Media Right Now

Make room on your wish list! We’ve collected a list of the most talked-about plants of the season, including rare colors, striking leaves, and new trends.

There’s no doubt that the houseplant hobby has blown up in the past few years. And with this popularity comes an increased demand for the rare and the unusual. Check out some of the most coveted plants that everyone seems to be talking about on social media.

Variegated Monsteras

The iconic shape of the Monstera leaf has already taken over as the main symbol of today’s plant craze, and its appeal is only magnified by the color variations seen in the gorgeous leaves of these high-demand variants.

They sell for hundreds of dollars, sometimes even just for a single leaf cutting, with the largest plants going for thousands on auction sites.

The jaw-dropping ‘Albo Variegata’

The highest demand is currently for the Monstera Deliciosa ‘Albo Variegata’, which sprouts “half moon” leaves with a solid line dividing bright green and pure white halves, and for the Monstera deliciosa ‘Thai Constellation’, which features a speckled or marbled look in its white-and-green leaves.

A large ‘Thai Constellation’ leaf

All variegated varieties are destined to be expensive and rare, not only due to demand, but because they grow more slowly than the all-green Monstera.

This is because the white portion of each leaf contains no chlorophyll, and thus barely contributes no nutrients to the growth of the plant. This makes them not only slow-growers, but also a bit more finicky and difficult to care for than the average plant.

None of this deters people from spending exorbitant amounts on this striking addition to their collections.

Plants With Fenestrated Leaves

Speaking of iconic leaves, the demand is high right now for any species with fenestrated leaves. “Fenestrations” are those holes and slits that give some tropical leaves such a distinctive shape.

For people who love that shape but aren’t crazy about the size or expense of a Monstera Deliciosa (or who don’t want to wait for the plant to grow large enough to develop those gorgeous fenestrations), the Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma is quickly emerging as a popular choice.

A potted Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma

Sometimes called the “Mini Monstera” or Philodendron “Mini Ginny,” this plant is actually from an entirely different genus, although its care needs are very similar to those other, more-well-known plant types.

The leaves of this plant are both fenestrated and small, each one coming out the size of a hand or less no matter how mature this plant gets. It grows as a vine, creating gorgeous possibilities for interior design.

Trained to grow up a pole, the Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma can create a vertical accent for any room with bright indirect light

Pink Philodendrons

While the Philodendron has been a mainstay in the houseplant world for generations, today’s plant lovers are craving the unique look of varieties with different color patterns on the leaves — and pink is by far the hottest color.

The Philodendron ‘Pink Princess’ has been popular since it was created in the 1970s, and variants such as the Philodendron ‘White Princess’, which grows both white and pink variegation, and the ‘Strawberry Shake’, featuring a rare quadricolor variegation with orange, pink, and yellow all possible on the same plant, are becoming one of the hottest new trends among Instagram influencers.

The leaves of the Pink Princess Philodendron show a variegation pattern against a dark, almost black leaf

Philodendrons with pink leaves became so popular in the past few years that they have even spawned fakes and scams, so beware.

The ‘Pink Congo’ is a green Philodendron dosed with ethylene, which temporarily turns the leaves fully pink. Unfortunately, these leaves will revert to green a short time after an unsuspecting customer takes one home.

Natural plant variegation typically does not involve the whole leaf (remember green means chlorophyll, which keeps a plant alive).

Moonshine Sansevieria

The snake plant has enjoyed skyrocketing popularity in interior design lately, and this easy-care plant is often a newbie’s very first purchase when entering the houseplant hobby.

This doesn’t mean, however, that experienced plant lovers look down on the plant, especially when there are so many choices in leaf color and pattern.

A pale Moonshine Sansevieria, center, in front of several other varieties of the Snake Plant

The hottest snake plant right now is the Moonshine Sansevieria. Its uniquely pale leaves, sage green in color, provide a beautiful contrast to the richer foliage of most other plants.

Raven ZZ plant

Another mainstay of the easy-care houseplant world, the ZZ plant has a hot new little sibling: Zamioculcas zamiifolia ‘Dowon’ the Raven ZZ.

The Raven ZZ plant’s leaves start off as electric green, then mature into a rich, deep color that contrasts starkly with the standard form of this plant.

A new twist on an old favorite is always a delight, and on social media people love showing off their new finds!

Fiddle Leaf Fig

Possibly the reigning queen of the indoor jungle, the giant leaves of this ficus tree are used to fill indoor spaces with life and rich green color.

Look closely at the indoor jungle photos posted to Instagram and Twitter, and you’ll notice that a full, majestic Fiddle Leaf Fig is often creating much of the effect of lushness and greenery in the background.

Perhaps it is their reputation for being finicky and difficult to care for that keeps them reigning supreme: Keeping one of these happy and thriving in their home may provide the ultimate proof that a “plant influencer” is truly an expert.

Flower of the Week: Poppy

Poppies bloom in sunny places, bringing a colorfully energetic boost in late spring and early summer. They do not require frequent maintenance thanks to their hardy vitality, making them ideal ornamental plants for decorating gardens, beautifying courtyards, serving as potted flower or cut flowers, etc.

Poppy is an annual herb native to Eurasia. It has strong fecundity and often grows on farms. European farmers once regarded it as a weed, but now it is considered an important ornamental flower.

There are many names for poppy, including “common poppy”, “red poppy”, “corn poppy”, “field poppy”, and more.

A black wheat field full of cornflower and poppy

The most common poppy color is a deep, gorgeous red. However, red is far from the only color. People have also cultivated white, purple, pink, and yellow flowers. Poppies can also take on patterns that include multiple colors, inner colors, spots, and so on.

A famously cultivated variety, the Shirley poppy, has many light colors, spots, or lace color patterns. These gorgeous flowers have 4 nearly-round petals, some double petals, and some semi-double petals which overlap each other to flaunt its beauty.

Place of Interest

If you wish to run in a field of poppies, you can visit the town of Bewdley Worcestershire, UK. The sea of poppy flowers here has been rated as one of the “ten most beautiful flower gardens in the world”. The Worcestershire Wildlife Foundation has set up a nature reserve here, planting a large field of poppies to signify a symbol of hope and encouragement for local plants and wildlife to return to the wild.

The best time to visit Bewdley Worcestershire is in late June every year. At that time, poppies will be in full bloom and you can enjoy the most beautiful red flower garden.

Symbolizing Hope and Death

Poppy is the national flower of Belgium. In 1753, Carl Linnaeus, a Swedish botanist, formally named and described the plant in his inaugural publication, “Species Plantarum“.

In 1873, Monet created a perspective oil painting called “Poppy Field”, which depicts a mother and her son both far away and close up on a hillside where poppies are blooming. The picture is both serene and lively. Poppy represents hope and is said to illustrate Monet’s happy moments after marriage.

Poppy Field by Claude Monet (1873)

In 1915, Canadian surgeon John Alexander McCrae wrote the famous poem, “In Flanders Fields”, to mourn the fallen soldiers in the first World War. Poppy appeared in the first chapter, implying death and mourning.

In Memory of Soldiers and Love

In 1921, a bright red poppy became the symbol of mourning war victims. Every year, November 11 is designated as a national memorial day in Britain and Canada. People wear a paper or plastic poppy chest-flower to commemorate the fallen soldiers in the first and second world wars.

In China, poppy was named after Yu Ji, the mistress of Xiang Yu, the overlord of ancient Western Chu. According to folklore, after Yu Ji committed suicide for Xiang Yu, there were red and bleeding flowers across the land. People called these flowers “poppy” to commemorate Yu Ji’s loyalty to love.

In Persian Literature, the red poppy is also closely related to love. They are often called “eternal lover flowers”, symbolizing people who die for love.

What Is an Opium Poppy?

The opium poppy is a somewhat dangerous plant from which drugs can be extracted. Both poppy and opium poppy belong to the Papaveraceae family, but they are actually two different plants.

To tell the two apart, it is helpful to know that the whole plant of the common poppy has fluffy hairs, and has a small flower diameter of about 2 inch (5-6cm). This poppy has tender, thin petals and small fruit. On the other hand, there is only sparse, hard hair on the stem of the opium poppy. The diameter of the flower is larger, ranging up to 4 inch (10 cm). Also, the petals of opium poppy are thick and glossy, and the fruit is larger.

Poppy flowers and fruits

Of the whole poppy genus, opium poppy is the only one that we can extract drugs from. Other than that, poppies are just typical, harmless, ornamental plants.

Can I Grow a Decent Poppy?

Poppy doesn’t require special care or maintenance to become a pleasant and eye-catching ornamental plant. It should be noted that there are only a few fibrous roots in poppy, so avoid transplanting as much as possible. It can thrive once it has suitable amounts of light, soil, watering, and pruning.

Poppy prefers a place with plenty of sunlight and good ventilation. The plant is hardy but struggles in the summer heat. Its soil requirements are not demanding; simply use sandy loam with good drainage and fertility. Ground-planted poppy does not need to be watered often. However, potted plants should be watered once every 3-5 days, more in spring and less in winter. Prune the branches of the flowers properly so that they can produce more and larger flowers.

Size: Up to 90 cm (35 inches)

Cold resistance: USDA cold resistance interval 3-9

Sunlight: Full sun

Soil: Well-drained and fertile sandy loam

Blooming time: Late spring to early summer

How to Care for Your Plants During a Hot Summer

Are you looking for tips on caring for your plants during the upcoming summer weather?

As the temperatures rise, it is time to get your plants ready to take on the summer heat. There are many sun-loving plants that are quite admirably adapted to the elevated temperatures and low water levels, such as succulent and cacti. However, if these plants are used to being inside, they will not be able to manage the elevated temperatures of being outside. Leafy tropical plants are very prone to heat damage and may not recover from the heat.

Although your first reaction to elevated summer temperatures is to panic and run for the water hose, slow down as it might not be the best thing for your plants. Stay tuned to learn more on how to keep your plants healthy during the summer heat.

Signs of Heat Stress in Plants

Most of the stress for plants are either from too much heat or too little water. Therefore, you want to learn to recognize the signs of heat stress, which include the following:

Thinking ahead of time can help you catch stress problems before they arise on your plants. Following are more signs of heat stress and how you can combat them:

Leaf Drop: Many times, plants and flowers drop flowers when they are heat stressed. When this happens, be sure to check the water situation. Water the plants if needed and wait for the heat to abate.
Stop flowering: There are a few plants that stop flowering during extreme heat such as peppers and tomatoes. They will simply lose their leaves, or they may not flower at all until the temperature comes down.
Bolting: Bolting occurs when a plant prematurely grows flower stalks and produces seeds, preventing the plant from bearing a robust harvest. This is also called "running to seed" or "going to seed”.
Blossom End Rot: During extreme heat, tomatoes, peppers, squash, and cucumbers may present black spots on their bottoms. This is usually caused by a calcium deficiency by inconsistent soil moisture. So, the best thing to do for this problem is to water deeply and mulch well.

But be careful not to overwater your plants. Some plants wilt regardless of the amount of water in the soil. Using too much water can lead to fungal diseases. Make sure you provide enough water to maintain the best soil moisture level. If you use mulch in your flower beds, make sure you have a 3-inch layer over the root zones, which insulates them from the heat.

How to Protect Plants from Heat Stress

Use a shade cloth, and bring portable plants into shade
Water in the mornings before hot days
Water deeply (but avoid overwatering)
Remember that potted plants dry out quicker
Measure soil dryness if possible
Sprinkle your plants sparingly
Do not use fertilizer
Avoid pruning/removing damaged foliage
Do not repot your plants during a heat wave
Promote high humidity and keep your plants cool

Water is a vital requirement of all a plant’s biology. Since they are mostly water, keeping the cells hydrated is crucial to maintaining the health and growth of plants. When you water deeply, you encourage the plant to grow sturdier, larger, live longer, and deliver greater yields.

15 Favorite Pink-Flowered Plants for Your Garden

Flamingos and piglets agree: sometimes you just need a little more pink. If that’s your thought when looking at your flowerbed, we have the perfect list for you! Read up on the pink flowers that will really make your garden pop.

Creeping phlox

The Creeping phlox are a group of hardy, flowering plants that will be familiar to many gardeners. With many species bearing showy flowers and being very cold-tolerant (many are naturally found in high alpine environments or at very high latitudes), Creeping phlox are very popular ornamentals, and there are dozens of garden cultivars. Creeping phlox are also noteworthy for being particularly attractive to butterflies – for this reason, they’re often a staple in temperate pollinator gardens.

Bleeding heart

Bleeding heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis) is a flowering plant related to the poppy. Bleeding heart is native to Siberia, China, Korea, and Japan. This plant is commonly referred to as the Japanese bleeding heart. Bleeding heart is a popular ornamental plant and grows best in moist soils and full sunlight.

Common foxglove

Common foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) is a herbaceous flowering plant naturally found in forests, heaths, and mountain grasslands. Common foxglove produces clusters of purple to white tubular flowers, with numerous dark spots on the inner surface. They are very attractive and commonly cultivated for ornamental purposes.

Japanese meadowsweet

Japanese meadowsweet is considered by many to be an invasive species due to its ability to spread rapidly, creating a dense thicket or hedge. The species traces its roots to Japan, Korea, and China and was introduced in other areas because of its attractive flowers. Use caution when planting to make sure that this shrub can be managed appropriately.

Seaside petunia

Seaside petunia (Calibrachoa parviflora) is a small wildflower species that can grow to be 1 inch tall and 12 inches wide. Seaside petunia is often planted as ground cover because it blooms delicate pinkish lavender, petunia-like blossoms in spring and summer. It is commonly found growing along streams in deserts and wetland areas.

Brazilian jasmine

Mandevilla sanderi, colloquially known as Brazilian jasmine, is an ornamental perennial vine native to South America. Its velvety flowers are most often white, scarlet or pink in color. Brazilian jasmine contains white latex, which is toxic and can have an irritating effect when it comes in contact with skin or eyes.

Pink trumpet tree

The Pink trumpet tree is a striking pink flowering tree. It drops its foliage immediately before bursting into bloom, leaving the gorgeous blossoms as the focal point. This tree is easily pruned to keep its moderate size, and its root system is not aggressive, making it a great tree to plant near patios or driveways to provide shade and beauty.

Winter-flowering cherry

Winter-flowering cherry (Prunus subhirtella) is a Japanese native tree that is grown ornamentally for its abundant white flowers and drooping or weeping foliage. Highly prized in its native Japan, this tree is a common fixture at religious sites like Shinto and Buddhist shrines and some trees are considered to be sacred. The tree is very long-lived and individuals can live for more than 1,000 years.

Large white petunia

Large white petunia ( Petunia axillaris ) is a flowering herbaceous annual plant of the tobacco family (Solanaceae), native to South America. Because of its hardiness and elegant trumpet-shaped white flowers, it is a familiar garden plant, but still less common in gardens than its descendent – the garden petunia. Garden petunia is a hybrid of Petunia axillaris and Petunia integrifolia.

Catawba rhododendron

The Catawba rhododendron is usually cultivated in North America and Europe as an ornamental plant. The Rhododendron catawbiense generally grows up to 3m tall, but can occasionally reach heights of 5m. In the United States, the Catawba rosebay is often found in the Appalachian Mountains.

Wild leek

The Wild leek is from the onion genus and grows a variety of vegetables, of which the most commonly known are leeks, pearl onions, salad leek, Persian leek, and elephant garlic.

Garden cosmos

Garden cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus) is a herbaceous annual plant often cultivated as an ornamental in temperate regions. Due to its self-sowing ability, Garden cosmos can grow on the same spot for several years, even though it is an annual. Not surprisingly, this quality also made it an invasive species in certain areas of the world.

Garden phlox

The Garden phlox is a flowering plant that is native to the United States. The name, phlox, comes from the Latin for “flame,” reflecting its bright colors. Garden phlox flowers can become important food sources for insects and hummingbirds.

Pinkladies

Pinkladies natives to the grasslands in the Central United States but spread outside its native states quickly. Today, it has been naturalized in a total of 28 states in the US and spreading as far south as Chihuahua and Coahuila in Mexico. Pinkladies is commonly used as an ornamental ground cover plant but escaped out from the gardens quickly.

Rose campion

The Rose campion is an important ornamental plant and has received the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit. It natives to Asia and Europe and now is widely cultivated. The Latin Silene coronaria stands for used for garlands and is sometimes referred to as Lychnis coronaria in the United Kingdom.

Most Common Epiphyte

Moth orchid

Moth orchid (Phalaenopsis amabilis) is an orchid species that is considered aesthetically pleasing and easy to grow. Moth orchid’s blossoms bloom for several months and bloom multiple times if cared for properly. When kept as a houseplant, Moth orchid should be watered regularly and the roots should not be allowed to dry out. This species grows well in bright, indirect sunlight.

Kandyan dancer orchid

Kandyan dancer orchid (Oncidium sphacelatum) is a perennial orchid that blooms from fall to winter. The colorful, ruffled blooms look like the swirling skirts of dancers. Commonly found growing on trees and rocks in coastal areas and tropical regions. Flowers blossom in long spikes and are yellow with brown accents, offering a stunning display.

Indian staghorn fern

Indian staghorn fern is a species of staghorn fern featuring uniquely shaped fern fronds that form a basket shape. This fern is native to parts of India, Burma, and China.

Turtle shell orchid

The Indian staghorn fern (Rossioglossum ampliatum) is native to Mexico, Central America, and northwestern South America. A Indian staghorn fern should be watered when its potting mix starts to become dry. They require fertilizer and bright, diffused light. They may flower at any time, but the heaviest period is in the fall.

Renanthera orchid

Renanthera orchid , or Renanthera coccinea, gets its scientific name from the Latin and Greek words meaning kidney, which describes the shape of the flower. This orchid is usually red, orange, or yellow and originates in India and Asia.

Foxtail orchid

Foxtail orchid is an epiphyte plant that grows on other plants’ trunks. It’s native to tropical regions of Asia and one of its most distinguishing characteristics, besides its distinctive flower spike that resembles a fluffy foxtail, is its spicy aroma released only during warm evenings.

Champion's diploprora

Champion’s diploprora is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. It contains two recognized species, native to Asia.

Stiff acampe

They are medium sized plants, epiphytic, with a thick branched and ascending stem. The leaves are uneven, bi-lobed. It has an inflorescence 15 cm long, erect and unbranched, which has several fleshy flowers 2 cm long. It blooms in spring and summer.

Showy medinilla

Showy medinilla (Medinilla magnifica) is a perennial evergreen shrub that can grow to be 4 to 8 feet tall. This species is a tropical plant that grows best in shade and has blue-green foliage. It blooms from April to August, when its huge pink flowers droop from the stems.

Japanese bird's-nest fern

Japanese bird’s-nest fern (Asplenium antiquum) is a decorative fern that will grow from 2 to 3 feet tall in optimum growing conditions. It prefers shade to filtered sun and should be grown indoors or in a covered patio area. A humidity-loving plant, it prefers moist but not wet soil. Native to Asia, it is commonly found growing on tree trunks.

Wilson's phalaenopsis

Wilson’s phalaenopsis are members of the genus, Phalaenopsis wilsonii. These Asian and Australian species often produce large, ornate flowers that have made them among the most popular orchids among gardeners. Though natural Wilson’s phalaenopsis are found almost exclusively in tropical zones, they can adapt to other climates in a garden setting.

Spotted zygopetalum

Spotted zygopetalum (Zygopetalum maculatum) is a tropical orchid that is fragrant and beautiful. It is a small-sized orchid with 2 inch wide flowers that are green with purple or brown spots. It has long, leathery leaves and sturdy stems. Thrives in warm climates with high humidity. Needs well-drained potting medium like sphagnum moss or fir chips when growing in containers.

Parrot flower

Parrot flower (Papilionanthe teres) is a species of orchid that is native to southeast Asia. The genus name is derived from the Latin words for “butterfly” and “flower,” in reference to this plant’s beautiful petals that resemble butterfly wings. One variety of this orchid was the pollen parent to Papilionanthe Miss Joaquim, a hybrid cultivar that is the national flower of Singapore.

White nun

White nun (Lycaste virginalis) is an epiphyte orchid that will bloom from November to April. Flowers range in color from all-white to varying shades of pink and lavender. Flowers are 6 inches wide and a mature plant will produce between 6 to 12 flowers during its blooming period. Blooms are long lasting and highly fragrant.

Crucifix orchid

Crucifix orchid (Epidendrum ibaguense) is a species of epiphytic orchid, meaning that it grows only on other plants. Epidendrum ibaguense is found in Trinidad, French Guyana, Venezuela, Colombia, and northern Brazil.