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TEMPERATE
FLOWERS 3
I would strongly recommend Kalanchoe if you are too lazy even to water your plants. Buying them is one thing, taking care is another. I like orange Kalanchoe a lot but they are rare. Reds and pinks are more common though they are reliable bloomers. Yellows are nice but they will only stand out if put together with the red and orange. 3 pots of orange, yellow and red of Kalanchoe will look like a heap of GOLD from afar. Kalanchoe are succulents. They can withstand short period of droughts and will even rot when you overwater them. Aren't they perfect plants for high rise gardeners since most flats are warm with poor air circulation? Besides, our Chinese New Year is getting warmer each year since 1998 and these plants are suitable to any hot and dry corridors or balconies. They are short-day plants just like the Chrysanthemum.
When to purchase them There are usually two shipments: a month before the Lunar New Year and two weeks before Lunar New Year. Of course, it is better to purchase them in the latter period with a few flowers open so that they will be in full bloom on Chinese New Year. How to select plants Most of these plants are imported from Cameron Highlands and are planted in the ground before they are transferred to pots for sale during Chinese New Year. Thus it is advisable to inspect the main stem for rots and make sure it has a good root system to ensure the flowers will open for you during the new year. Most of them are transplanted hastily and by the time they reach Singapore, there are none or very little roots left. Watch out for slugs underneath the huge luscious leaves and remove them immediately.
Price range $8 onwards. Flowering period Up to 4 weeks.
Care (Rating: 3) They are ideal plants for lazy gardeners. Water only when the top inch of the soil feels dry. Do not overwater. Put them in the sunniest location that you can afford. Sun will enhance the colours of the flowers and new shoots can bloom too. Removing spent flowers will prolong its blooming season. After flowering (Rating: 3) There is no reason why you could not grow them again after flowering but they will only bloom during December when the days are shorter. Do not be surprised if they become less compact since chemicals are used to dwarf them for ease of shipment and aesthetic reasons.
Most of you will be familiar with the moth orchids. These Phalaenopsis hybrids are available almost whole year round and are mainly imported from Taiwan. They have become very popular as pot plants in the recent years here. The ten or more flowers look like delicate fluttering butterflies and can measure up to 12 cm on an arching flower stem. These orchids do not have pseudo-bulbs and are similar to our national flower, Vanda Miss Joaqium except for shorter stems with about 4-6 leaves. Their manageable size and shade loving nature have made them very suitable to be grown in most HDB flats where light and space are concerned.
When to purchase them Grab them as soon as they hit the shelves. How to select plants
Long flower spray with well developed flower buds which is about to open in the next few days. Usually each spray will have about 10-12 buds. Refrain from choosing sprays with underdeveloped buds about the size of a pea as they may blast due to a change in the environment from the greenhouses. Occasionally some may produce two or more sprays but are sometimes compensated by fewer blooms. Do not be tempted to select plants with developing sprays as they seldom mature to give you flowers. Price range $15 onwards. Flowering period Up to 8 weeks. Care (Rating: 3) They are usually grown in a medium known as sphagnum moss which is yellowish brown in colour. Though the top layer of moss may feel dry, the inner ones may still be wet. Caution thus needs to be exercise not to overwater the plant or problems like root rots, leaf rots or even crown rots will set in. Light misting should be done every morning and water only once a week depending on the evaporation rate at your place. Put the orchid in a slightly shaded position without direct sunshine, prefably indoors protected from wind. Our focus here is to prolong the lifespan of the flowers and not so much on its growth. Too much wind will cause the buds and flowers to drop off prematurely though some air circulation will keep the plant free from fungus or rots. Fertilisation is not required at this stage.
After flowering (Rating: 2) When you have finished enjoying all the flowers, you can place the plant near to a brightly-lit area without direct sun. Cut off the inflorescence. Some people cut off the inflorescence to a node where there is an inactive bud and a secondary inflorescence may grow and you are once again able to enjoy the flowers again. However, I prefer the plant to focus all its energy growing vegetatively so that it will be healthy enough to spike next year. Personally I do not like sphagnum moss and would remove all the moss and pot up the plant in charcoal for better water management. One word of caution: this operation may cause your orchid to skip flowering in the first year. I know of friends who are afraid of carrying out the above procedure and prefer to underwater their orchids by misting and they are rewarded with blooms annually. However, a network of roots will soon grow out of the pot and the plant is due for repotting very soon. Roots may rot due to the perpetual wetness within the moss and is only suitable in areas with good air circulation or low relative humidity. Reblooming this hybrids can be challenging as most require cool nights at about 23ºC or less for about two weeks in order to spike. The erratic weather in the past few years has affected the blooming potential of these plants.
Cymbidium hybrids are not as popular as the moth orchids but nevertheless have gained popularity in the local market. They are generally bigger in size and of course more expensive. Sprays of up to thirty flowers in green, yellow, pink, red and brown arise from the base of the pseudobulbs during Spring. Cymbidium hybrids can be divided into large flowered and miniature types. Most species are miniatures. The large flowered hybrids have the showiest flowers which are as wide as 14 cm on arching flower spikes that need to be staked. The miniatures are about 50 cm tall and bear flowers about 5 cm wide or less but are compensated with fragrant flowers which are lacking in the larger hybrids.
When to purchase them It is best to grab them before their flower buds drop as they are very sensitive to heat. How to select plants Choose plants with as many sprays as possible with plump buds. Foliage must be healthy and green. Yellow leaves or buds dropping are signs of stresses and the plant will deteriorate very quickly when it reaches home. Price
range $45 onwards though the better clones can fetch as much as $300 per pot! I am not a strong believer in buying Cymbidium for new year as they are too extravagant to have. Flowering period Up to 4 weeks. Care (Rating: 3) Place it in the coolest brightly-lit area that you can afford. The buds are very sensitive to heat and will drop prematurely so care should be taken to keep it out of sun exposure and sudden swing in temperature. Usually they are potted in pine bark and may not require daily watering. Misting may be sufficed in some occasions since Cymbidium have fat pseudobulbs to withstand short periods of draught.
After flowering (Rating: 1) They are usually discarded after flowering since they need winter rest in order to bloom next year.
Think of any flower and chances are some flower lovers may not like it. But it is difficult to find a flower lover who dislikes peonies. It is difficult to find a flower that can match its huge size, proportions, colour and scent against its exquisite grey green foliage. No wonder they are known as the King of the Flowers by the Chinese and the King of them all, ie the king of kings is the tree peony, Paeonia suffruiticosa known as Mu Dan by the Chinese which can be as huge as a dining plate. The plant is actually not a tree but a soft-wood deciduous shrub about the size of a rose bush which blooms at the end of Spring. Tree peonies are very expensive as they are VERY difficult to propagate and can take up to 4 years before they are big enough to be sold in the market. Peonies are cool temperate plants, requiring winter cold before it can flower. Hmm…have I said enough about this plant? You get my hint right?
When to purchase them Are you sure you want to purchase them? Think carefully. How to select plants Select those plants with open flowers since it is very challenging to flower them here. Price range Exorbitant price! Flowering period Don't know what to say. Care (Rating: 1) Doubt you will be given any chance to care for the plant. Perhaps, think of what to do with the pot. After flowering (Rating: 1) You
know too well by now. Don't ask.
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