Alstroemeria | Aster | Carnations | Chrysanthemum | Delphiniums | Freesias
Gerberas | Iris | Lily | Limonium | Lisianthus | Rose | Snapdragon | Sunflower

Alstroemeria - Download pdf

Origins
Of South American origin, alstroemeria--also known as Peruvian lily--is a member of the Amaryllidaceae family and is related to the onion, daffodil, agapanthus and nerine. Brought to Europe in the 18th century to be named by the renowned botanist Carl Linnaeus, alstroemerias are now grown internationally.

Availability and Vase Life
Readily available in ample supply year-round, alstroemerias come in a wide range of colors, including white, pink, yellow, salmon, red, lavender, orange, bronze and bicolors.

They're ethylene-sensitive flowers, but with proper care and handling, alstroemerias may attain a vase life of 6-14 days, depending upon the cultivar. Avoid buying flowers with yellowing or transparent leaves; these are signs of ethylene damage.

Care and Handling
Trim stems under water. Place flowers in a clean container containing a properly prepared solution of fresh flower food. Avoid using water with high fluoride levels, if possible, since alstroemerias are susceptible to fluoride damage.

Design Uses
Alstroemerias are exceedingly versatile flowers--in terms of both color and form. Always a perfect color highlight for seasonal vase arrangements, they also serve as lovely line flowers in more contemporary arrangements, and--in a short-stemmed cluster--as vivid focal areas. Stripping the foliage is often advisable, since it will yellow long before the flowers fade.

Aster (Aster spp.) - Download pdf

Origins
A member of the Asteraceae family, the aster takes its name from the Latin word meaning "star" and refers to the flower's starlike head. The popular cut flower is actually a herbaceous perennial indigenous to all continents except Australia and, of course, Antarctica.

Availability and Vase Life
Known alternatively as the Michaelmas daisy, starwort and frost flower, the aster usually blooms in late summer or fall, although the flower is commercially available year-round from various sources.

There are more than 600 known aster species, but just a few varieties enjoy popularity as cut flowers. Asters are available in almost every shade except clear yellow and orange, although the white, blue, purple and violet shades predominate. With proper care, asters will enjoy a vase life of 5-10 days.

Care and Handling
Asters are generally easy-care flowers, although pains must be taken to avoid water stress. Process asters immediately upon receipt by recutting their stems under water and stripping away leaves that will fall below their container's water line. Place the asters in a clean container holding a properly prepared solution of fresh flower food.

To avoid water stress, thoroughly soak the floral foam into which asters will be inserted. Display asters away from direct sunlight and drafts.

Design Uses
Asters are frequent additions to a variety of bouquets and floral arrangements due to their abundant flower clusters and wide range of hues.

Carnations (Dianthus caryophyllus) - Download pdf

Origins
Thought to be a native of the Mediterranean region, Dianthus caryophyllus is known to North American florists as the carnation. Carnations are one of some 300 species of annual, biennial and perennial herbs in the genus Dianthus, which means "flower of Zeus" in Greek. Common relatives of the carnation, a member of the Caryophyllaceae family, include sweet William, gypsophila and chickweed.

Availability and Vase Life
Carnations are available year-round in a plethora of colors and sizes, and new cultivars frequently become available. Some highly scented cultivars are used to make perfumes, while other cultivars are void of any fragrance. With proper care, carnations can last two weeks.

Care and Handling
Remove any foliage that will fall below the water line of the carnations' container before recutting the stems under water. Place the carnations to a clean container holding a properly prepared fresh flower-food solution. Recut the stems underwater and remove foliage that may be submerged before inserting the stems in a vase or design.

Design Uses
Carnations' diversity makes them suitable for many uses in floral designs, ranging from traditional arrangements to body flowers.

Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum x morifolium) - Download pdf

Origins
Native to Europe, Asia and South Africa, chrysanthemums are aromatic annual and perennial herbs or subshrubs that are members of the Compositae family that includes some 100 to 200 species.

The common names used to describe these flowers--pompons, spiders, Fujis and daisies, to list a few--reflect the genera's diversity of shape and size. Any effort to list the most popular of these white, yellow, orange, pink, red and purple colored species would be incomplete.

Availability and Vase Life
Modern growing techniques make chrysanthemums available year round, and with proper care these flowers can last from 7-14 days.

Care and Handling
Upon receipt, recut chrysanthemums under water, removing about 1 inch from the stem, along with foliage that will fall below the waterline or that is yellowing. Although fresh flower food may cause foliar yellowing, it extends the blooms' lives. Avoid pounding or splitting chrysanthemum stems.

Design Uses
Because of their diverse sizes and shapes, chrysanthemums may be used as either form or filler flowers in floral designs.

Delphiniums (Delphinium spp.) - Download pdf

Origins
The Delphinium genus, part of the Ranunculaceae family, includes more than 300 species of flowers native to the northern hemisphere. Delphiniums belong to the same family as larkspurs.

Availability and Vase Life
Most delphiniums are available year-round from domestic and international sources. The flowers are usually blue or lavender, but they also come in white, red and yellow. Delphiniums' vase life ranges from 7-14 days, depending on care-and-handling practices.

Care and Handling
Upon receipt, cut delphiniums' stems under water in a clean underwater cutter or sink. Delphiniums are particularly ethylene sensitive, so keep them away from fruit and other ethylene emitting material.

Design Uses
Delphiniums make ideal additions to garden-style arrangements. Their shapes give them a nice look when gathered in a simple glass vase, or used as an accent to other garden flowers.

Freesias (Freesia x hybrida) - Download pdf

Origins
Freesias are native to South Africa and are named for Friedrich Heinrich Theodor Freese, a German student who studied African plants in the 19th century. They belong to the Iridaceae family.

Availability and Vase Life
Most freesias are available year-round, depending on their variety. Their colors include white, purple, yellow, red and orange, and their average vase life is 4-7 days.

Care and Handling
Upon receipt, cut the flowers' stems in a clean underwater cutter or sink. Freesias are both ethylene-sensitive and fluoride-sensitive. Also, avoid using fluoridated water throughout the care-and-handling process, and do not mix freesias with freshly cut narcissuses or daffodils, which emit a substance that can shorten freesias' vase life.

Design Uses
Freesias' unusual, appealing shapes make them suitable line flowers for any arrangement, and their wide range of color varieties increases their versatility. They also make fragrant additions to bouquets and body flowers.

Gerberas (Gerbera spp.) - Download pdf

Origins
Large, disc-shaped flowers carried atop long, fuzzy, leafless stems are hallmarks of the gerbera, a bloom native to South Africa and Asia, now cultivated by tissue culture. Gerberas are members of the Compositae family. These flowers are available in many colors, with light- or dark-colored centers, and in standard or micro sizes. Spider forms of gerberas are also offered.

Availability and Vase Life
Gerberas are available year-round from domestic and international sources. With proper care, gerberas can enjoy a vase life of 4-14 days.

Care and Handling
Any container used with these flowers should first be sanitized, as the frequently hollow-stemmed gerbera is especially susceptible to bacteria. Gerberas are also sensitive to fluoride, so use nonfluoridated water when processing gerberas if possible. Cut gerberas' stems under water before placing them in a clean container holding a properly prepared fresh flower-food solution.

Design Uses
Gerberas are versatile blooms that are often used as mass flowers in designs. They're also popular in monocultivar bouquets, particularly when one seeks a retro 60's look.

Iris (Iris spp.) - Download pdf

Origins
Native to southern Europe and the Mediterranean region, irises are bulbous perennials. The popular blooms are members of the Iridaceae family and take their name from the Greek goddess who transported messages between mortals and the Mount Olympus deities.

Availability and Vase Life
Although traditionally considered a spring bloom, many iris cultivars are available year-round from growers. Irises are delicate, however, and have one of the shortest cut flower vase lives at just 3-6 days.

Care and Handling
Irises are thirsty flowers, so process them immediately upon receipt to guard against dehydration and water stress. Remove foliage that will fall below the water line and recut iris stems under water.

Keep irises in a cool location away from drafts and excessive heat to maximize their longevity.

Design Uses
Because of their distinctive shapes, irises are frequently used as form flowers in floral designs so their graceful silhouettes can be fully appreciated. Their height also makes them ideal for use as line flowers to help establish designs' shapes and sizes.

Lily (Lilium spp.) - Download pdf

Origins
A member of the Liliaceae family, lilies are fragrant, bulbous, herbaceous perennials that are native to the northern temperate zones. About half of the lily species originate in continental Asia, while the remainder are native to Europe, North America and Japan. In ancient times, many cultures considered lilies to be signs of fertility and a pure life, and the flowers were used as offerings to appease the gods.

There are four main lily categories: longiflorum, Asiatic, Oriental and longiflorum x Asiatic. Longiflorums have a strong, sweet fragrance and feature large, funnel-shaped flowers that are usually white. Asiatic hybrids have smaller flowers and are less fragrant, but they're available in a wide variety of cultivars and colors. Oriental hybrids are available in fewer colors, but they have larger flowers and stronger fragrances than the Asiatics. Cultivated by crossing longiflorums with Asiatic lilies, the longiflorum x Asiatic category includes mostly apricot- or salmon-colored varieties that exude a light fragrance.

Availability and Vase Life
Most lily varieties are available year-round. It's best to buy lilies when a few of their lower buds have slightly opened and show some color. When properly processed and treated for ethylene sensitivity, cut lilies have a potential vase life of 7-14 days.

Care and Handling
Cut stems under water and remove lower foliage that will fall below the water line. To avoid difÞcult stains, remove pollenbearing anthers before use.

Design Uses
Lilies are strong form flowers with equally strong lines, so even a few stems in a vase make a dramatic statement, and their look can range from country to English garden to avantgarde.

Limonium (Limonium spp.) - Download pdf

Origins
Of Mediterranean origin, limonium--commonly called statice--gets its name from the Greek word for "meadow," and belongs to the Plumbaginaceae family. Now grown internationally in a range of colors, textures and weights, limonium is a popular, hardy filler flower that's used in both fresh and dried bouquets.

Familiar varieties include: annual statice (Limonium sinuatum); caspia (L. ferulaceum), the 'Misty' series or Siberian statice (L. gmelinii), sea lavender (L. perezii), and Russian or rattail statice (L. suworowii). Annual statice, the heaviest and most well-known variety, is cultivated in a wide color range, including a number of popular shades, such as white, pink, rose, yellow, apricot, peach, lavender, blue, red, carmine and purple.

Availability and Vase Life
Limonium is available year-round and offers a generous vase life of 1-2 weeks in water.

Care and Handling
A hardy cut flower, limonium requires only basic care. Process flowers by cutting an inch off stems under water and placing them in clean containers filled with a properly prepared flower food solution.

Design Uses
Thanks to the range of colors and textures available--from the lacy 'Misty' varieties to the heavy-tufted, papery L. sinuatum--limonium is an attractive filler in both traditional and garden-style arrangements. Limonium makes a perfect filler for wreathes or fresh-to-dried "keepsake" arrangements due to its ease in drying.

Lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum) - Download pdf

Origins
The lisianthus, a member of the Gentianaceae family, is known for its many color varieties--especially its blue tones--and long vase life. Originating in the West Indies, Mexico, and Central and South America, the flower is known botanically as Eustoma grandiflorum. The common name comes from the Greek words lysis, meaning "dissolution," and anthos, meaning "flower," and alludes to the bitter quality of some medicinal species.

Availability and Vase Life
Lisianthuses are available from April through October in domestic markets, and may be available slightly earlier in the spring and later into the fall when purchased from international sources. They come in single-, double - and triple-petaled varieties, and in colors including white, red, purple, pink and blue. With proper care and handling, the colorful blooms can have a vase life of 10-15 days.

Care and Handling
Cut the stems under water and remove their lower foliage. Keep away from friut and other ethylene prodcing items. Use commercial flower food.

Design Uses
Because of their broad-ranging colors, lisianthuses make beautiful additions to almost any design. Their delicate, round blooms add mass while maintaining a soft texture. Lisianthus florets are often used in corsages.

Rose (Rosa spp.) - Download pdf

Origins
Flowers in the Rosa genus belong to the Rosaceae family, which includes more than 20,000 cultivars of the world's most popular cut flowers--commonly called roses. These timelessly beautiful blooms originated more than 4,000 years ago, growing in the fertile land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in the Middle East. Today, roses come in many shapes, sizes and colors, including three popular types: sweetheart, spray and tea.

Availability and Vase Life
Because of their widespread cultivation, roses are available in many different colors and sizes year-round. Vase life ranges from 6-12 days, depending on the cultivar and the care-andhandling quality.

Care and Handling
Remove any leaves that will fall below the water line. Then provide a fresh underwater cut about one inch from the stems' base. Place them in a fresh flower-food solution, which will provide nourishment and prevent bacterial growth. Cut rose stems under water and add fresh flower food to vases.

Design Uses
Roses are versatile flowers, often associated with romance and elegance. They make beautiful vase arrangements and singlestem gifts. They're often used in bridal bouquets, corsages and boutonnieres, and other special-occasion arrangements. Their broad appeal is enhanced by the wide variety of rose colors and styles available on today's market.

Snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus) - Download pdf

Origins
A highly versatile, spiky flower that comes from the Mediterranean area, the snapdragon belongs to the Scrophulariaceae family and rivals the carnation in its usefulness to the retail florist.

Holding between six and 15 florets on 18- to 36-inch stems, snapdragons are properly known as Antirrhinum majus--which in Latin means "like a nose or snout"--and were christened as such for the lush blooms' resemblance to a mythical dragon's snout.

Availability and Vase Life
Snapdragons are available year-round in a wide spectrum of colors, including white, ivory, pink, yellow, salmon, red and magenta. Variegated cultivars are also available, such as the salmon- and ivory-colored "Apple Blossom" snapdragon. Vase life varies by cultivar, but snapdragons will generally do well for 5-8 days in water. With proper care and handling, their vase life may even be doubled to 10-16 days.

Care and Handling
Snapdragons are ethylene-sensitive flowers that require proper treatment and flower food for optimum vase life. Upon receipt, cut stems under water and remove lower foliage that will fall below the water line. Place stems in a clean container of properly prepared flower food. Display snapdragons in indirect light and away from heat.

Design Uses
With their strong line forms, interesting texture and color versatility, snapdragons make wonderful additions to multicolored and monochromatic mixed bouquets. For a mass effect, use multiple stems cut short.

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) - Download pdf

Origins
Ancient Peruvian sun worshippers revered the sunflower, which derives its name from the Greek words helios, meaning "sun," and anthos, meaning "flower." A native of North America, Helianthus annuus, the best-known of these bold, cheery flowers grows as an annual, and is a member of the Asteraceae family. Popular cultivars include 'Abendsonne,' with its 7- to 8-foot-tall bronze-centered yellow flowers, 'Full Sun,' a gold-yellow 3- to 4-foot flower, 'Goldburst,' a 3- to 4-inch-wide double-flowered golden bloom, and 'Sunbright,' a long-lasting variety with 4- to 5-inch-wide flower heads. Minature varieties such as 'Sonia,' pictured at right, are also available. Helianthus decapetalus, a smaller-flowered species, is also useful in floral design. Although sunflowers can reach diameters as large as 1 foot, the varieties used by florists average about 6 inches across.

Availability and Vase Life
Sunflowers are available year-round, with supplies peaking in June through October. Sunflowers have a vase life of 6-12 days when properly cared for.

Care and Handling
Water stress and aging, evidenced by foliage deterioration and leaf yellowing, are the flower's most common problems. Cut sunflower stems under water. Remove leaves that will fall below the waterline. The flowers' weighty heads require special attention in floral design. Select vases of sufficient size and depth to support the stems.

Sunflowers dry well. Prop several stems in a vase, or hang them in a well-ventilated, warm area and allow them to air dry.

Design Uses
Sunflowers' bright colors and attention-getting blooms make them perfect mass or focal flowers in a variety of designs. They're particularly nice additions to garden-style bouquets or arrangements with a rustic flavor.

Information courtesy of Extra Touch Florist Association, www.etfassociation.org
Images courtesy of Colombia Flower Council, California Cut Flower Commission.