Past Newsletters

Vol 3 No 1

Black Magic Lily

Robust, enduring, and so elegant in its simple lines… when Mies van de Rohe described his architectural paradigm, Less Is More, he could just as well have been referring to this magnificent product of evolution!

Black Magic is a wonderful cut flower. You can make sophisticated arrangements with very few flowers, and if you recut the stems often so they don't curl up, it will last a long time. This variety of Calla Lily was introduced early in the 20th Century, and is one of the most sought after flowers imported from New Zealand. Its golden exotic flowers emerge from rolled and flaring 4 to 6 inch specialized leaves called spathes. Rising from the base of each spathe is a pencil-shaped spike, or spadix, bearing the plant's male flower. Their usual height is 24”.

Calla lilies, native to South Africa, are easy to grow bulb or rhizome plants. Their thick leaves, up to 8 inches long and 5 inches wide, are shaped like arrowheads. This particular variety has white markings on its leaves, and its yellow flowers are 6 inches long. Other varieties come in shades of white, pink and black. The whites are usually larger and the pinks are smaller and more difficult to grow. The black calla, found in Palestine and Syria, has exquisite black-purple flowers.

New Zealand’s Second Largest Exported Flower

Calla Lilies make great houseplants if a sunny window is available, although they may need a little protection from the midday sun. They do best in night temperatures of 50° to 65° and day temperatures of 68° or higher. Plant the tubers in early fall, setting them 3 inches deep in the potting mixture. Keep the earth barely damp until the first shoot appears, then keep moist and feed monthly with a standard houseplant fertilizer.

Outdoors, Calla Lilies look majestic in mass plantings or in clumps, like some ancient foliage you would expect to find in Queen Cleopatra’s gardens. In fact they look lush even without their flowers, so you don’t have to feel guilty when you cut and arrange them!

Callas due well in areas that are too wet for other bulbs, as long as the soil is well drained. Their flowers open widest in full sun but will tolerate some shade. They will bloom year round (peak times around spring and summer), providing you with dramatic, graceful and chic arrangements.

Plant the bulbs in the fall 4" to 12" apart, pointed end up. Loosen the soil and add fertilizer. Cover bulbs with soil, water well and fertilize monthly with 5-10-5 fertilizer. Add mulch in cold climates. This species of Calla Lily, Black Magic, is hardy outdoors in mild climates and will begin flowering in early spring. To encourage flowering, allow the foliage to whither and turn yellow naturally as the bulbs go dormant. Leave the bulbs undisturbed through the summer.

Apply fertilizer again in the fall. If the temperature drops below 30 degrees F, start the bulbs indoors in early spring and plant outdoors after danger from frost has passed. Dig up the bulbs after the foliage withers and store them over winter in a cool, dry place above freezing.

Black Magic needs a period of dormancy after flowering, so gradually withhold water until the leaves wither away. Start plants growing again later by moistening the soil. Propagate by dividing the tubers in late summer or early fall. Seedlings usually bloom during the second year.

Scientific Classification: The genus Calla belongs to the family Araceae. The water arum is classified as Calla palustris. The golden calla is classified as Zantedeschia elliottiana, the white calla lily as Zantedeschia aethiopica, and the black calla as Arum palaestinum

Adding the cool, starry glow of a winter’s night to the bouquet are the white Cushion Mums. Part of the Chrysanthemum family, this sparkling flower with its vibrant display of neat foliage mounds is one of the most popular styles of mum. Perfect as a vase flower, its twinkle and shine is the highlight of the garden in late summer and fall when many other flowers have lost their luster.

Alstroemeria

Shaped like a horn of plenty, the Alstroemeria (pronounced alstro-MARY-ah) is a graceful flower that originates in South America. The flower, sometimes called Ulster Mary, or Peruvian lily, is named after Claus Alstroemer, a pupil of the great botanical classifier Linnaeus who went to South America for extensive study of this species. Grown natively in Chile and Brazil, this flower is a beautiful component of our bouquet with a medium-sized bloom and delicate anthers. It opens up showing off its multicolored velvet petals reminiscent of a spotted leopard. The main stems of these cut flowers are 2 to 3 feet long and branch into four to six short pedicels; each holding two to four flower buds giving it a clustered look and making it a perfect complement to larger flowers. This breed of flower is rather new and was considered quite unusual four or five years ago, however, international interest in this bloom grows every year because of its easy cultivation, unique beauty and lasting vase life.

Lemon Leaf

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.

How the Pros Cut Flowers

Flowers and foliage are always cut in a cool part of the day… early morning, late afternoon, or in the evening. If you must cut material during the day, be sure to shade it immediately.

Avoid undue delays between picking and cooling. Plant material should be cooled as soon as possible after harvest to minimize deterioration. Cooling does this by reducing respiration rates, water loss, ethylene production, and Microbial development. For example, cooling Geraldton Waxflowers from 20 to 10ºC reduces the respiration rate by about 71 per cent. Further cooling from 10 to 0ºC reduces the respiration rate by an additional 77 per cent!

Geraldton Wax, One of Australia's Most Famous Wildflowers

The versatile waxflower is a fairly recent arrival in our world of cut flowers. Widely used as a cut flower in Australia and overseas, Geraldton Waxflowers last for well over a week. Each one of the small waxy petals includes many colors and hues. And because of the flowers’ intricate construction, dark centers, and the different ways the blossoms look as they very slowly open, each cluster has it’s own personality. The green needle-like leaves (they look similar to rosemary) are ever so softly scented… just bend a few to release the delicate bouquet.

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. The colors of the varietals vary from pure white to pale pink, variegated white and pink through to dark purple. The variety we have featured is called Revelation. The flowers are cut from a medium to large shrub, typically6 to 9 feet high. They appear in late winter and may last well into summer.

How well do you know your Mum?

How many Chrysanthemum varieties are available in the US? The world? We’ve researched this topic and still don’t know… no one has dared to take a stand! New brawny, disease resilient and more exotic varietals are being born daily! And of course they are all pending patterns.

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 harvested before they bloom so they will travel at optimum

conditions, and open just after you receive them. You actually receive them several days before you would get them from the local florist!

Here are a few tips to extend their life… and yours too! Stop and smell the flowers! These gifts from our Earth can bring so much comfort to our lives.

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 in each shipment. 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 in your vase. 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!