Admired for Centuries… the Exotic Iris has it's own Society

If you, like me, have always been stuck with awe when you looked carefully at any one of the 1700 different varieties of bearded hybrid Irises, know that we are not alone.

Over three thousand years ago an artist created the likeness of a king on one of the walls of the great Minoan palace at Knossos. When he finished the figure of the youth in low relief, he painted many irises as the background.

Indian and Egyptian cultures used the flower in art to depict life and resurrection. Thutmosis III (1504-1450 BC) from Karnak in Egypt celebrated the conquest of a large slice of Asia Minor by creating a garden to display plants brought back from his campaign. He chose exotic plants, including the Iris, to be carved in stone on the temple of Anon.
The Iris came to represent the French monarchy, possibly because of two historical incidents. In 496 AD, Clovis King of pagan Franks, abandoned the three toads on his banner in favor of the fleur-de-lis because he promised his Christian Queen Clotilda, that he would convert if he won his battle against a formidable Germanic tribe that was invading his kingdom.

What did the three toads signify?

Shortly before setting out for his ill-fated crusade of 1147, Louis VII of France dreamt that the Iris should represent him. Thus the fleur-de-lis became his symbol on the banner of France, and remained so for another 600 years. The iris was also used by the monarchs of France to decorate and stylize their most luxurious royal costumes, robes, furnishings and walls. This ornamental flower even found its way onto England's coat of arms after King Edward III laid claim to the French crown.

The Iris was so powerful a symbol of the French kings that in 1789 Revolutionaries set out to totally obliterate it. Many an Iris was chipped off buildings and torn from draperies. In fact, men were guillotined for wearing a fleur-de-lis on their clothes or as jewelry!

You can find the American Iris Society at this website. http://www.irises.org/

This month we are pleased to bring you a West Coast Spring Bouquet. Allow me to introduce you to the Hildegard variety of Iris, grown in Vista California, and the Belladonna Delphinium, from Oxnard, CA.

Those of you who have received flowers from Endless Flowers before have seen us use the Wax Flower as a filler before, but never the same variety. Usually they are from Israel or Australia, but this time our Wax Flower is grown in Fallbrook, CA and is called Snowball.

Our green this month is the tried and true Lemon Leaf from Oregon, and we will tell you how to make wine from its berries… should you ever run into them!

Lots of different fragrances going on here. Try crushing the needles from the Wax Flower for a pleasant surprise!


The Hildegard Iris is strong with pale silvery-blue flowers, and will last longer than most other Irises as a cut flower.

So Much Depends On Salal

Whether you call it Lemon Leaf or Salal, so much in the Pacific Northwest depends on this leafy plant, yet few people ever notice its prevalence.

This evergreen with spoon shaped leaves, flowers in late May or early June, and produces berries in autumn. Native peoples have feasted upon its berries for centuries, deer and elk continue to thrive on its leaves, and today, families can purchase houses and cars from wages earned gathering the foliage for florists.

Lemon Leaf loves moist forests throughout the northern coast mountain ranges… from southern California to northern British Columbia. It grows well in acidic soil, such as a redwood forest, and once it takes hold, it sets roots deeply into the soil.

The shrub stands less than 4 feet tall and often grows in clumps. As you can see, the leaves are alternate, evergreen, and the leaf margins are minutely serrated or "saw-toothed." The flowers are tiny candy pink urn-shaped flowers that hang along reddish or salmon-colored racemes. They turn paler, almost white as they age. The fruit is a dark purple berry, and I'm told it tastes somewhat like a blue berry.

Salal (Gaultheria shallon) is a member of the Ericaceae family, along with the familiar heathers. It's related to wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens) and creeping snowberry (Gaultheria hispidula). Salal grows as shrubs, 2-3 feet height in full sun, but 5-10 feet in shade.

In recent years, this plant has become a staple of florist shops across North America because its leathery, glossy dark green leaves go so well with long-stemmed roses and other florist bouquets.

Historically, the leaves were eaten raw to suppress hunger, heartburn, or diarrhea. Today, deer and elk continue to thrive on its leaves. The reddish-blue to blackish berries may be eaten raw, or cooked. Salal berry jam and wines are quite popular.

Wax Flowers Don't Need Accompaniment!

Wax Flowers can be used to complement the main attraction as they do in this month's featured bouquet, or simply enjoyed on their own. They bloom in late winter and may last well into summer. This month's species is called Snowball, and it's grown in Fallbrook, CA. These flowers are quite different from other wax flowers that we have included in past bouquets. The blooms are pure white and are clustered at the very end of the stem. Waxflowers can last for well over three weeks.

The versatile Waxflower is a fairly recent arrival in the world of cut flowers. It was first used as a cut flower in Australia and Israel, which are the two leading exporters of this flower. The green needle-like leaves are more sparse in the Snowball variety (they look similar to rosemary. They are very softly scented. Just bend a few to release the delicate fragrance.

Delphiniums are one of the only truly blue flowers

They are among the hardiest of plants, surviving quite severe Winter conditions. This is a plant that can survive the Winters of the Canadian Prairies or the hottest Summers, and has proved to be one of the most successful garden flowers in Great Britain.

Delphiniums are extremely sensitive to ethylene gas, which causes flowers to fall off or shatter. Care should be taken to keep delphiniums away from ethylene sources such as ripening fruit, decaying plant material. Many growers pretreat delphiniums with a preservative containing silver thiosulfate (STS). This greatly reduces the effects of ethylene gas. With care, vase life can be 8 to 12 days.

Grow the plants where they will be exposed to full sun. Support the flowers stalks to avoid damage.

Delphinium Belladonna was once indigenous to western China and Siberia. The flowers come in light blue and cobalt blue, and their papery petals end in a tail, which is said to resemble a dolphin, from which their genus name is derived.

There is a number of different Delphinium species and hybrids that produce very different looking plants and flowers. The Belladonna species is shorter, with clouds of flowers rather than spikes… other Delphiniums are characterized by their large showy spikes.

Over 250 species of Delphinium are known, and they include all three primary colors in their flowers. I'll bet you didn't know that there are annuals, biennials and… perennials!

Delphinium is an important genus in the family of plants known botanically as Ranunculaceae. This family includes a wide range of important garden plants such as Ranunculus, Anemone, Helleborus, Aconitum, Clematis, Aquilegia.
Called Queen of the Border, some hybrid delphiniums are the result of at least 130 years of breeding expertise

Delphinium Trivia

• Not to be outdone by an Iris, the Delphinium lovers also have their own society. You can find them located at http://www.delphinium.demon.co.uk/
  

• This flower was thought to have a diuretic action, flushing excess water from the system. Delphinium Flowers were used as a remedy for urinary tract infections, appetite loss, and… worms, although the effectiveness remains unproven.
  

• Delphinium cardinale is a red perennial species from western USA, Delphinium zalil is a yellow perennial species from Iran, and Delphinium elatum, is the blue perennial originally from South and Central Europe to Siberia. Its Siberian origins are indicative of the hardiness it has passed on to its gorgeous and stately horticultural descendants.
  
  Warning: poisonous to animals and most likely to humans

SALAL BERRY WINE

The Salal shrub has pink, urn-shaped flowers that give way to bluish black berries the size of blueberries with a mild, pleasant taste.

They are juicy, sweet and aromatic, and they make excellent wine.
· 6 lbs salal berries

· 1½ lbs granulated sugar
· 6 pts water
· ½ tsp acid blend
· 1 tsp pectic enzyme
· 1 crushed Campden tablet
· 1 tsp yeast nutrient
· 1 pkg wine yeast

Boil 3 pts of water and stir in sugar until dissolved. Wash berries, culling unripe and spoiled berries. Put berries in nylon straining bag with tie closed. Then mash berries.

Pour sugared water over berries and add the remaining water to begin cooling. Cover with cloth and set aside until room temperature.

Stir in acid blend, yeast nutrient and crushed Campden. Cover and wait 12 hours. Stir in pectic enzyme, cover and set aside another 12 hours.

Add activated yeast and cover. Stir twice daily until fermentation dies down. Remove straining bag, squeeze to extract maximum juice, and discard pulp. Allow to settle overnight and rack into secondary container. Top up if required, and fit airlock. Rack, top up and refit airlock after 60 days and again when wine clears. Set wine in cool, dark place for 4 months, checking airlock periodically. Stabilize, sweeten to taste (if desired) and set adise for 14 days. Rack into bottles and enjoy.

For more information about making wines, and the chemicals and yeasts involved, check out these two great websites, rjspagnols.com and wyeastlab.com.

Or just join our wonderful wine club!

You will receive two bottles from different vineyards each month, and you may choose reds, whites, or one of each. Count on exploring singular, distinctive vintages, and enjoying them with your friends and loved ones! Your epicurean experience will be further enhanced when you read C&H Wine Cellars, which profiles the vintners and the fruits of their labors, and also includes Tasting Notes and suggested food accompaniments.
www.winemonthclub.com

What must I do to prolong the life of my bouquet?

Just a little care makes a big difference. How long a floral arrangement lasts is completely dependant upon how many days have elapsed from harvest to when you receive them… and the care you give to them!

Your Endless Flowers bouquet is harvested one day prior to being assembled and sent that same day… 2 Day Express. The flowers are cut before they bloom so they will travel at optimum conditions, and open just after you receive them!

Live Flowers Need TLC!

• Immediately re-cut the stems of each flower under warm water. This allows the stems to draw in water, and it prevents air pockets from forming inside the stems and blocking water uptake.
  
  
• Remove any leaves that will be below the waterline and use a clean vase to avoid bacteria growth. This is so important.
  
• Keep your vase filled with warm water and add the flower food included in your shipment. We provide two 10 gram food packs. Use one each time you change the water.
  
  
• Always place your flowers in a cool spot, away from direct sunlight and heating or cooling vents. Avoid places that are under ceiling fans, or on top of appliances or radiators. Appliances like televisions give off heat, causing flowers to dehydrate and loose several days of life.
  
• Check the water level daily and if you need to add water, make sure it is room temperature. If the flower food solution becomes cloudy, replace all of the water, recut the stems, and rub off any decomposed plant material under running warm water.
  
• Re-cut stems every few days by removing one inch each time you change the water. If a stem tends to curl, cut it more often.
  
• Check periodically for dead flowers and remove them… they will promote bacterial growth and kill your bouquet!