Gardenia

Gardenias are waxy, white and very fragrant flowers Gardenias are one of the most popular exotic flowers

Gardenias are native to the tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, southern Asia, Australasia and Oceania. This species can be difficult to grow elsewhere because it demands high humidity to thrive and bright (not direct) light. Some types of gardenias can be grown as houseplants.

Kingdom – Plantae

Division -Magnoliophyta

Class -Magnoliopsida

Order  -Gentianales

Family -Rubiaceae

Genus -Gardenia

Gardenias symbolize purity and sweetness. They indicate secret love. They convey joy. They tell the receiver “you are lovely”.

ome Interesting Facts About Gardenias

• Gardenias are grown for their beautiful foliage and they make great cut flowers.
• Gardenias flowers from about mid-spring to mid-summer, i.e., May through July
• Many of the gardenia species are strongly scented.
• The genus Gardenia is named after Alexander Garden, a physician in Charleston of South Carolina.
• Gardenias can be used as screens, hedges, borders or ground covers.
• In France, Gardenia is the traditional flower which men wear as boutonnieres.
• The most popular cultivated species is the Cape jasmine, native to China.
• Each gardenia flower is followed by 6-sided berries of rich orange-red with long, elegant stems.
• Gardenia thunbergia produces a woody fruit which has hard, angular seeds inside.

About Gardenia Flower and Plant

Gardenias are very fragrant creamy-white flowers with glossy, dark-green leaves. Gardenia flowers are solitary or in small clusters, white or pale yellow. The gardenia flowers are with a tubular-based corolla with 5-12 lobes petals from 5-12 cm diameter.

Gardenia plants are evergreen shrubs and small trees growing to 1-15 m tall. The Gardenia plant leaves are opposite or in whorls of three or four. They are dark green and glossy 5-50 cm long and 3-25 cm broad, with a leathery texture. They are simple, entire, hairless, with wavy margin.

 

Growing Gardenias

• Gardenia plants need high humidity.
• A loose, well-drained organic soil is recommended.
• For best results plant gardenias in full sun, partial shade, or shifting shade.
• Dig a hole twice the size of the root ball.
• Thoroughly mix one part soil and one part planting mix.
• Check that the top of the original root ball is slightly above the level of the surrounding soil.
• Take the soil mixture and make a gentle mound of soil sloping away from the plant so that the water drains away from the trunk.
• Remove any air pockets, if present.
• Water the plant with a root stimulator.

Gardenia Care

• Do not over-water gardenias.
• Fertilize with an acid fertilizer.
• Check for aphids, mealybugs, spider mites, thrips and scales.
• Also check gardenia plants for bud drop, a common ailment.

Sweet Pea

Did you know? Currently, almost every cultivar of the sweet pea is available in international markets, except yellow.

 

Sweet pea is a plant native to the Mediterranean region. Since they are annual climbers and grow in a wide spectrum of colors, they grow for a long period of time, and are the first choice for individual cut flowers and/or exquisite floral decorations.

Kingdom – Plantae

Division – Magnoliophyta

Class – Magnoliopsida

Order – Fabales

Family – Fabaceae

Subfamily – Faboideae

Tribe – Vicieae

Genus – Lathyrus

Species – odoratus

All sweet pea flower varieties are not fragrant, but the ones that are, live up to their namesake. This particular strain of flowers contains up to 160 species.

One must keep a constant eye on the flower throughout its lifespan, as it is prone to all kinds of pests and insects. Unlike the edible pea, seeds of this flower are not edible, and are known to cause toxicity.

Growing Sweet Peas

•  Choose a site in full sun with rich, well-drained soil.
• Sweet Pea vines need full sun and rich, well drained soil.
• Work in some compost before planting. Sweet Pea seeds should be sown directly where it is to grow.
• Soak seeds overnight then plant about an inch deep and 3-4 inches apart.
• Water thoroughly after planting, then restrict water until seeds germinate.
• Fertilize every two to four weeks, or work in a slow-release fertilizer at planting time. Sweet peas are heavy feeders.
• The Sweet Pea plant benefits from deadheading, but leave a few flowers at the end of theseason to seed for next year.

Sweet Pea Plant Care

• Plant Sweet Peas in an area that gets good air circulation.
• Water early in the day so the leaves are dry by nightfall; wet leaves are a magnet for fungus.
• Do not over fertilize or you’ll wind up with very deep green leaves but few flowers.
• Alternatively,organic fertilizers are also excellent for Sweet Peas. Additional mulching with composted manure will help retain soil moisture and provide nutrients for strong plant growth and flowering.
• If the blooms are not cut regularly, deadhead the plant as soon as flowers fade. Allowing the plant to produce seedpods will reduce overall flower production.
• Removing spent blooms will ensure more blooms.
• Do not grow sweet peas where other legumes are growing or grew last year.

Gifting Tip

Sweet Pea is the most popular gifting option world over, but don’t let this deter you into thinking that it will be a common gifting idea. Due to its availability in numerous colors and its ability to be styled into any kind of floral arrangement, it has immense scope for original, innovative arrangements every time.

Lily – Lilium

 

 Lilium (members of which are true lilies) is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants growing from bulbs, all with large prominent flowers. Lilies are a group of flowering plants which are important in culture and literature in much of the world. Most species are native to the temperate northern hemisphere, though their range extends into the northern subtropics. Many other plants have “lily” in their common name but are not related to true lilie

 

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Monocots
Order: Liliales
Family: Liliaceae
Subfamily: Lilioideae
Genus: Lilium

Names

The botanic name Lilium is the Latin form and is a Linnaean name. The Latin name is derived from the Greek λείριον, leírion, generally assumed to refer to true, white lilies as exemplified by the Madonna lily.^[1] The word was borrowed from Coptic (dial. Fayyumic) hleri, from standard hreri, from Demotic hrry, from Egyptian hrṛt “flower”. Meillet maintains that both the Egyptian and the Greek word are possible loans from an extinct, substratum language of the Eastern Mediterranean. The Greeks also used the word κρῖνον, krīnon, albeit for non-white lilies.The term “lily” has in the past been applied to numerous flowering plants, often with only superficial resemblance to the true lily, including lotus, ranunculus, tulip, iris, anemone, agapanthus, zantedeschia, daylily, and others. All English translations of the Bible render the Hebrew shūshan, shōshan, shōshannā as “lily”, but the “lily among the thorns” of Song of Solomon, for instance, may be the honeysuckle.

Range

The range of lilies in the Old World extends across much of Europe, across most of Asia to Japan, south to India, and east to Indochina and the Philippines. In the New World they extend from southern Canada through much of the United States. They are commonly adapted to either woodland habitats, often montane, or sometimes to grassland habitats. A few can survive in marshland and epiphytes are known in tropical southeast Asia. In general they prefer moderately acidic or lime-free soils.Lilies are tall perennials ranging in height from 2–6 ft (60–180 cm). They form naked or tunicless scaly underground bulbs which are their overwintering organs. In some North American species the base of the bulb develops into rhizomes, on which numerous small bulbs are found. Some species develop stolons. Most bulbs are deeply buried, but a few species form bulbs near the soil surface. Many species form stem-roots. With these, the bulb grows naturally at some depth in the soil, and each year the new stem puts out adventitious roots above the bulb as it emerges from the soil. These roots are in addition to the basal roots that develop at the base of the bulb.The flowers are large, often fragrant, and come in a range of colours including whites, yellows, oranges, pinks, reds and purples. Markings include spots and brush strokes. The plants are late spring- or summer-flowering. Flowers are borne in racemes or umbels at the tip of the stem, with six tepals spreading or reflexed, to give flowers varying from funnel shape to a “Turk’s cap”. The tepals are free from each other, and bear a nectary at the base of each flower. The ovary is ‘superior’, borne above the point of attachment of the anthers. The fruit is a three-celled capsule.Seeds ripen in late summer. They exhibit varying and sometimes complex germination patterns, many adapted to cool temperate climates.Naturally most cool temperate species are deciduous and dormant in winter in their native environment. But a few species which distribute in hot summer and mild winter area (Lilium candidum, Lilium catesbaei,Lilium longiflorum) lose leaves and remain relatively short dormant in Summer or Autumn, sprout from Autumn to winter, forming dwarf stem bearing a basal rosette of leaves until accept enough chilling requirement, the stem begins to elongate while warming.

Ecology

Lilies are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including the Dun-bar.

Toxicity

Some Lilium species are toxic to cats. This is known to be so especially for L. longiflorum though other Lilium and the unrelated Hemerocallis can also cause the same symptoms. The true mechanism of toxicity is undetermined, but it involves damage to the renal tubular epithelium (composing the substance of the kidney and secreting, collecting, and conducting urine), which can cause acute renal failure. Veterinary help should be sought, as a matter of urgency, for any cat that is suspected of eating any part of a lily – including licking pollen that may have brushed onto its coat.

Cultivation

Many species are widely grown in the garden in temperate and sub-tropical regions. They may also be grown as potted plants. Numerous ornamental hybrids have been developed. They can be used in herbaceous borders, woodland and shrub plantings, and as patio plants. Some lilies, especially Lilium longiflorum, form important cut flower crops. These may be forced for particular markets; for instance, L. longiflorum for the Easter trade, when it may be called the Easter lily.Lilies are usually planted as bulbs in the dormant season. They are best planted in a south-facing, slightly sloping aspect, in sun or part shade, at a depth 2½ times the height of the bulb (except L. candidum which should be planted at the surface). Most prefer a porous, loamy soil, and good drainage is essential. Most species bloom in July or August. The flowering periods of certain lily species begin in late spring, while others bloom in late summer or early autumn.^[8] They have contractile roots which pull the plant down to the correct depth, therefore it is better to plant them too shallowly than too deep. A soil pH of around 6.5 is generally safe. The soil should be well-drained, and plants must be kept watered during the growing season. Some plants have strong wiry stems, but those with heavy flower heads may need staking.

Stargazer

Numerous forms, mostly hybrids, are grown for the garden. They vary according to the species and interspecific hybrids that they derived from, and are classified in the following broad groups:

• Asiatic hybrids (Division I). These are plants with medium sized, upright or outward facing flowers, mostly unscented. They are derived from central and East Asian species and interspecific hybrids, including L. amabile, L. bulbiferum, L. callosum, L. cernuum, L. concolor, L. dauricum, L. davidii, L. × hollandicum, L. lancifolium (syn. L. tigrinum), L. lankongense, L. leichtlinii, L. × maculatum, L. pumilum, L. × scottiae, L. wardii and L. wilsonii.
• Martagon hybrids (Division II). These are based on L. × dalhansonii, L. hansonii, L. martagon, L. medeoloides and L. tsingtauense. The flowers are nodding, Turk’s cap style (with the petals strongly recurved).
• Candidum (Euro-Caucasian) hybrids (Division III). This includes mostly European species: L. candidum, L. chalcedonicum, L. kesselringianum, L. monadelphum, L. pomponium, L. pyrenaicum and L. × testaceum.
• American hybrids (Division IV). These are mostly taller growing forms, originally derived from L. bolanderi, L. × burbankii, L. canadense, L. columbianum, L. grayi, L. humboldtii, L. kelleyanum, L. kelloggii, L. maritimum, L. michauxii, L. michiganense, L. occidentale, L. × pardaboldtii, L. pardalinum, L. parryi, L. parvum, L. philadelphicum, L. pitkinense, L. superbum, L. ollmeri, L. washingtonianum and L. wigginsii. Many are clump-forming perennials with rhizomatous rootstocks.
• Longiflorum hybrids (Division V). These are cultivated forms of this species and its subspecies. They are most important as plants for cut flowers, and are less often grown in the garden than other hybrids.
• Trumpet lilies (Division VI), including Aurelian hybrids (with L. henryi). This group includes hybrids of many Asiatic species and their interspecific hybrids, including L. × aurelianense, L. brownii, L. × centigale, L. henryi, L. × imperiale, L. × kewense, L. leucanthum, L. regale, L. rosthornii, L. sargentiae, L. sulphureum and L. × sulphurgale. The flowers are trumpet shaped, facing outward or somewhat downward, and tend to be strongly fragrant, often especially night-fragrant.
• Oriental hybrids (Division VII). These are based on hybrids L. auratum and L. speciosum, together with crossbreeds from several species native to Japan, including L. nobilissimum, L. rubellum, L. alexandrae, and L. japonicum. They are fragrant, and the flowers tend to be outward facing. Plants tend to be tall, and the flowers may be quite large. The whole group are sometimes referred to as “stargazers” because they appear to look upwards. (For the specific cultivar, see Lilium ‘Stargazer’.)
• Other hybrids (Division VIII). Includes all other garden hybrids.
• Species (Division IX). All natural species and naturally occurring forms are included in this group.

And there are subdivisions classified by flower aspect and form. EX:(flower aspect/flower form)Flower aspect:

• a up-facing
• b out-facing
• c down-facing

Flower form:

• a trumpet-shaped
• b bowl-shaped
• c flat (or with tepal tips recurved)
• d tepals strongly recurved (with the Turk’s cap form as the ultimate state)

Many newer commercial varieties are developed by using new technologies such as in vitro pollination, ovary culture and embryo rescue.

Pests and diseases

Aphids may infest plants. Leatherjackets feed on the roots. Larvae of the Scarlet lily beetle can cause serious damage to the stems and leaves. The scarlet beetle lays its eggs and completes its life cycle only on true lilies. Oriental, rubrum, tiger and trumpet lilies as well as Oriental trumpets (orienpets) and Turk’s cap lilies and native North American lily species are all vulnerable, but the beetle prefers some types. The beetle could also be having an effect on native Canada species and some rare and endangered species found in northeastern North America. Day lilies are excluded from this category. Plants can suffer from damage caused by mice, deer and squirrels. Slugs, snails and millipedes attack seedlings, leaves and flowers. Brown spots on damp leaves may signal botrytis (also known as lily disease). Various fungal and viral diseases can cause mottling of leaves and stunting of growth.

Propagation and growth

Lilies can be propagated in several ways;

• by division of the bulbs
• by growing-on bulbils which are adventitious bulbs formed on the stem
• by scaling, for which whole scales are detached from the bulb and planted to form a new bulb
• by seed; there are many seed germination patterns, which can be complex
• by micropropagation techniques (which include tissue culture);commercial quantities of lilies are often propagated in vitro and then planted out to grow into plants large enough to sell.

According to a study done by Anna Pobudkiewicz and Jadwiga the use of flurprimidol foliar spray helps aid in the limitation of stem elongation in oriental lilies.

Culinary and herb uses

China

Lilium bulbs are starchy and edible as root vegetables, although bulbs of some species may be very bitter. The non-bitter bulbs of L. lancifolium, L. pumilum, and especially L. brownii (Chinese: 百合 干; pinyin: bǎihé gān) and Lilium davidii var unicolor are grown on a large scale in China as a luxury or health food, and are most often sold in dry form for herb, the fresh form often appears with other vegetables. The dried bulbs are commonly used in the south to flavor soup. Lily flowers are also said to be efficacious in pulmonary affections, and to have tonic properties. Lily flowers and bulbs are eaten especially in the summer, for their perceived ability to reduce internal heat. They may be reconstituted and stir-fried, grated and used to thicken soup, or processed to extract starch. Their texture and taste draw comparisons with the potato, although the individual bulb scales are much smaller. There are also species which are meant to be suitable for culinary and/or herb uses. There are five traditional lily species whose bulbs are certified and classified as “vegetable and non-staple foodstuffs” on the National geographical indication product list of China.

Culinary use:

野百合Lilium brownii, 百合（变种）Lilium brownii var. viridulum, 渥丹 Lilium concolor, 毛百合 Lilium dauricum, 川百合 Lilium davidii, 东北百合 Lilium distichum, 卷丹 Lilium lancifolium, 新疆百合（变种） Lilium martagon var. pilosiusculum, 山丹 Lilium pumilum, 南川百合 Lilium rosthornii, 药百合（变种） Lilium speciosum var. gloriosoides.

Herb use:

野百合 Lilium brownii, 百合（变种）Lilium brownii var. viridulum, 渥丹 Lilium concolor, 毛百合 Lilium dauricum, 卷丹 Lilium lancifolium, 山丹 Lilium pumilum, 南川百合 Lilium rosthornii, 药百合（变种） Lilium speciosum var. gloriosoides, 淡黄花百合 Lilium sulphureum.

And there are researches about the selection of new varieties of edible lilies from the horticultural cultivars, such as ‘Batistero’ and ‘California’ among 15 lilies in Beijing, and ‘Prato’ and ‘Small foreigners’ among 13 lilies in Ningbo.

Japan

Yuri-ne (lily-root) is also common in Japanese cuisine, especially as an ingredient of chawan-mushi (savoury egg custard). The major lilium species cultivated as vegetable are L. leichtlinii var. maximowiczii, L. lancifolium, and L. auratum

Taiwan

The parts of lilium species which are officially listed as food material are the flower and bulbs of Lilium lancifolium Thunb., Lilium brownii F. E. Brown var. viridulum Baker, Lilium pumilum DC., Lilium candidum Loureiro. Most edible lily bulbs which can be purchased in a market are mostly imported from mainland China (only in the scale form, and most marked as 蘭州百合 Lilium davidii var unicolor) and Japan (whole bulbs, should mostly be L. leichtlinii var. maximowiczii). There are already commercially available organic growing and normal growing edible lily bulbs. The varieties are selected by the Taiwanese Department of Agriculture from the Asiatic lily cultivars that are imported from the Netherlands; the seedling bulbs must be imported from the Netherlands every year.

South Korea

The lilium species which are officially listed as herbs are 이 약은 참나리 Lilium lancifolium Thunberg; 백합 Lilium brownii var. viridulun Baker; 또는 큰솔나리 Lilium pumilum DC.

The “lily” flower buds known as jīnzhēn (金针, “golden needles”) in Chinese cuisine are actually from the daylily Hemerocallis fulva.

Taxonomy

Taxonomical division in sections follows the classical division of Comber, species acceptance follows the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, the taxonomy of section Pseudolirium is from the Flora of North America, the taxonomy of Section Liriotypus is given in consideration of Resetnik et al. 2007, the taxonomy of Chinese species (various sections) follows the Flora of China  and the taxonomy of Section Archelirion follows Nishikawa et al. as does the taxonomy of Section Archelirion.

There are seven sections;

• Martagon
• Pseudolirium
• Liriotypus
• Archelirion
• Sinomartagon
• Leucolirion
• Daurolirion

Some species formerly included within this genus have now been placed in other genera. These genera include Cardiocrinum, Notholirion, Nomocharis and Fritillaria.

Sunflower

Sunflowers make up the genus Helianthus. In Greek, helios means sun and anthos means flower, thus Sunflower. The genus, which contains about 67 species, is thought to be native to the Americas (North, South) originally, and were domesticated around 1000 B.C. Although, Sunflowers are now distributed almost worldwide.

Kingdom

Plantae

Division

Magnoliophyta

Class

Magnoliopsida

Order

Asterales

Family

Asteraceae

Genus

Helianthus

Species

annuus

The large, solitary Sunflower blossom, sometimes as large as a meter in diameter, is composed of yellow ray flowers and a central disk.n The Central disk is composed of either yellow, brown, or purple flowers, depending on the species. The flower is actually a head (formerly composite flower) of numerous flowers crowded together. The outer flowers on the Sunflower are the ray florets and can be yellow, maroon, orange, or other colors. These flowers are sterile. The flowers that fill the circular head inside the ray flowers are called disc florets.

Sunflower plants are cultivated in Sunflower farms for their seeds. Refined Sunflower-seed oil is edible, sunflowers have 39 to 49% oil in the seed. Sunflower seed accounts for about 14% of the world production of seed oils (6.9 million metric tons in 1985-86) and about 7% of the oilcake and meal produced from oilseeds. Sunflower oil is generally considered a premium oil because of its light color, high level of unsaturated fatty acids and lack of linolenic acid, bland flavor and high smoke points. Sunflower is the preferred and the most commonly used oil.

Facts About Sunflower

• Sunflower is the national flower of Russia and the state flower of Kansas, USA.
• Sunflower is notable for turning to face the Sun, a behavior known as heliotropism.
• Sunflowers were cultivated by Native Americans well over 1000 years ago.
• Sunflower heads consist of 1,000 to 2,000 individual flowers joined together by a receptacle base. The large petals around the edge of a sunflower head are individual ray flowers which do not develop into seed.
• Sunflower seeds have lots of calcium and 11 other important minerals. They do have 50% fat, but it is mostly polyunsaturated linoleic acid.
• Wild Sunflower is highly branched with small heads and small seeds, in contrast to the single-stem and large seed head of domesticated sunflower. Sunflower perfumes are also popular.
• According to the 1996 Guiness Book of Records, the tallest Sunflower ever grown measured 25 feet 5 and 1/2 inches. According to the 1996 Guiness Book of Records, the smallest sunflower ever grown to maturity measured 2 and 1/5 inches. According to the 1996 Guiness Book of Records, the largest sunflower head measured 32 and 1/4 inches across.
• The Modern Sunflower Kitchens have a large number of sunflower decorated items like sunflower painted crockery, Dinner sets, and living rooms with sunflower wallpaper, S. wallpaper art, S. Wallpaper borders, Sunflower rugs, Sunflower pillows.
• Golden mini Sunflowers herald sunny summer days. The carefree sunflower bouquet sends cheery wishes for all those special occasions – birthday, wedding anniversary, new baby, get well, or to simply say thanks.

 

Food Uses of Sunflower

The edible sunflower seeds can be eaten raw, cooked, roasted, or dried and ground for use in bread or cakes, as a snack. The seeds and the roasted seed shells have been used as a coffee substitute. Oil can be extracted and used for cooking and soap making. Yellow dyes have been made from the flowers, and black dyes from the seeds. The residue oil cake has been used as cattle and poultry feed, and high quality silage can be made from the whole plant. The buoyant pith of the stalk has been used in the making of life preservers.

Growing Sunflowers

 

Sunflowers do best in soil with lots of water holding capacity, drainage and fertilzer. Sunflower roots grow deep and spread a lot, so they can stand a dryspell every now and then. You should not over water a sunflower 20 days before and 20 days after flowering. This might deform the flower heads. If you really want your sunflower to do well, do soil tests. Too high nitrogen is not good, and make sure you have potassium and phosphorus in the soil.

• Start by planting seeds in damp soil 1-2″ deep.
• Seeds should be space 12 inches apart in rows that are 2 to 2 1/2 feet apart.
• If you want your sunflower to have a large head, space further apart and scatter them around the garden.
• They usually start to appear within a two week time frame.
• They should be completely grown in 80-90 days.

Sunflower Plant Care

• Weed control should usually be done by hand-weeding or with the use of herbicides to avoid damging shallow roots.
• Fertilization should be based on the results of a soil test. In the absence of a soil test, apply a complete fertilizer such as 8-8-8 or 10-10-10 at the rate of 1 to 2 pounds per 100 square feet of bed area just before new shoots emerge in the early spring.
• Avoid touching any emerging leaves with fertilizer to avoid leaf damage.
• Many newly planted perennials will not bloom the first year. A few, such as peonies, may take several years to bloom heavily.
• Many perennials should be staked to prevent them from bending or falling over during wind and rain. When staking is done correctly, the plants grow to cover the stakes.
• Remove old flowers to encourage rebloom on perennials. Many perennials should be cut back to ground level after blooming is finished to encourage new leaf growth from the base.
• Remove dead foliage and stems in the fall, and mulch to protect crowns and roots from alternating mild and freezing weather.
• Most perennials eventually become overcrowded and require division. Many perennials are also easily propagated in this way. Other methods of propagating perennials include stem cuttings, root cuttings and seed.

Rose

Roses for the longest time have enjoyed the honor of being the most popular flowers in the world. The reason for popularity of the rose flower may be its wide variety in terms of color, size, fragrance and other attributes.

Kingdom: Plantae

Division:Magnoliophyta

Class:Magnoliopsida

Order:Rosales

Family:Rosaceae

Subfamily:Rosoideae

Genus:Rosa

The rose has been a symbol of love, beauty, even war and politics from way back in time. The variety, colour and even number of Roses carry symbolic meanings. The Rose is most popularly known as the flower of love, particularly Red Rose.

Roses have been the most popular choice of flowers for the purpose of gifting across the world. They also act as a great addition to home and office decor. A bunch of roses or even a single rose works wonders aesthetically and considerably enlivens a place. Besides fresh cut roses, artificial flowers like silk roses in different colors are also widely used as decoration.

Some Interesting Facts About Roses

• The birthplace of the cultivated Rose was probably Northern Persia, on the Caspian, or Faristan on the Gulf of Persia.
• Historically, the oldest Rose fossils have been found in Colorado, dating back to more than 35 million years ago.
• Roses were considered the most sacred flowers in ancient Egypt and were used as offerings for the Goddess Isis. Roses have also been found in Egyptian tombs, where they were formed into funeral wreaths.
• Confucius, 551 BC to 479 BC, reported that the Imperial Chinese library had many books on Roses.
• Ancient Sumerians of Mesopotamia (in the Tigris-Euphrates River Valley) mentioned Roses in a cuneiform tablet (a system of writing) written in approximately 2860 BC.
• The English were already cultivating and hybridizing Roses in the 15th Century when the English War of Roses took place. The winner of the war, Tudor Henry VII, created the Rose of England (Tudor Rose) by crossbreeding other Roses.
• While no Black Rose yet exists, there are some of such a deep Red color as to suggest Black.
• Roses are universal and grown across the world.
• The Netherlands is the world’s leading exporter of Roses.

The Netherlands, with about 8000 hectares of land under Rose cultivation, is the global leader in Rose cultivation. 54 per cent (about 5000 hectares) of the cultivated land in Ecuador is under Rose cultivation!! Zambia, a small nation, had 80 per cent of its cultivated land under Roses.

Classification of Roses

Broadly, Roses are divided into three classes-

Species Roses

Species Roses are often called Wild Species Roses. Species Roses often have relatively simple, 5-petaled flowers followed by very colorful hips that last well into the winter, providing food for birds and winter color.

The most popular Rose species for sale today is Rosa rugosa owing to its superior hardiness, disease resistance, and extremely easy maintenance. Species roses are widely hybridized. Wild Species Roses include many different varieties. Wild Species Roses usually bloom once in the summer.

Old Garden Roses

Old Garden Roses have a delicate beauty and wonderful perfume, not often found in modern hybrid tea roses. Old Garden Roses are a diverse group from the those with a wonderful fragrance and great winter hardiness to the tender and lovely tea roses, which are best suited for warm climates.

Old Garden Roses comprise a multifaceted group that in general are easy to grow, disease-resistant and winter-hardy. Old Garden Roses grow in several shrub and vine sizes. Although colors do vary, this class of Roses are usually white or pastel in color. These “antique Roses” are generally preferred for lawns and home gardens. Several groupings of Roses classified as Old Garden Roses are China Roses, Tea Roses, Moss Roses, Damask Roses, Bourbon Roses, etc.

Modern Roses

Any Rose identified after 1867, is considered a Modern Rose.

Old Garden Roses are the predecessors of Modern Roses. This group of Roses are very popular. The Modern Rose is the result of crossbreeding the hybrid tea with the polyanthus (a variety of primrose).

The colors of Modern Roses are varied, rich and vibrant. The most popular roses found in the class of Modern Roses are the Hybrid Tea Roses, Floribunda Roses, and Grandiflora Roses. Although Modern Roses are adored by florists and gardeners, they do require proper care, and do not adapt well to colder environments.

Popular Hybrid Varieties of Roses

Species Involved	Hybrid Product
Hybrid Perpetual Rose and Chinese Tea Rose	Hybrid Tea Rose
Hybrid Perpetual Rose and Australian Brier Rose	Yellow Permet Rose
R. multiflora and R. chinensis	Hybrid/Dwarf Polyanthas or Poly Pompon roses
Hybrid Tea Rose and Floribundas	Grandifloras
R. wichuriana, R. multiflora & Hybrid Tea Rose	Dorothy Perkins, American Pillar, Excelsa
R. canina and R. gallica	Albas
R. phoenica and R. gallica	Damaskas Rose
R. damascena and R. alba	Centifolia Rose
Autumn Damask Rose and China Rose	Bourbons

Growing Roses

• Roses may be grown in any well-drained soil with optimum sunlight.
• Most Rose varieties are grown by budding on an understock (lower portion of a plant) propagated from seeds or cuttings. Order rose seeds online and let your garden be filled with the marvellous color and fragrance of roses.
• Clay soils, warm temperatures are always preferred, and the rose plants grow best when not set among other plants.
• Cow manure is the preferred fertilizer for Rose cultivation, but other organic fertilizers, especially composts, are also used.
• Rose plants usually require severe pruning, which must be adapted to the intended use of the flowers.
• Trim off all broken and bruised roots on the Rose plant, cut top growth back to 6 to 8 inches.
• Dig planting holes at least 6 inches deeper to accommodate the roots of the Rose plant without crowding or bending.
• Mix 1 tablespoonful of fertilizer with the soil placed over the drainage material.
• Cover this mixture with plain soil, bringing the level to desired planting depth.
• Make a mound in the center to receive the Rose plant.
• Set Rose plant roots over this mound, spread the roots, and fill in with soil.
• Firm the soil tightly 2 or 3 times while filling the hole.

It is extremely easy to buy rose plants online if you do not wish to go to the trouble of actually planting one. They usually come with a care manual and some plant food. An already flowering plant in a lovely container also makes a great gift item. The blooms stay longer and after they fade there is always the next flowering, thus providing the receiver with a lasting and beautiful gift.

Noisette Roses are the only Roses that originated in the United States of America.

Rose Plant Care

• When watering Roses, soak the soil to a depth of 6 to 8 inches, do not merely sprinkle.
• When it comes to fertilizing your roses, Provide a balanced diet to your roses. See what your plant is deficient in and try to include them in the fertilizer. Timing is also an important part to maximize the benefit of your fertilizer so that the nutrients are available to the plant when it needs it most during the active growing and blooming stage.Order your rose fertilizer now to enhance the vigor of blooming in your roses.
• Mulching during the summer will eliminate weeds amonf Rose plants. Mulches should be applied 2 or 3 weeks before the Roses come into bloom.
• Winter mulching with straw, peat moss, or other material is advisable. This mulch regulates the soil temperature and tempers the effects of freezing and thawing on thr Roses.
• Pull soil up around each Rose plant to a height of about 6 inches after the first frost.

Foolproof Guide to Growing Roses by Field Roebuck is a comprehensive book on growing roses ideal for would-be growers who were always afraid of roses, as well as for gardeners who already grow these beautiful flowers and want to learn more.