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The onion genus, allium has more than 600-750 species plus and still counting within its genera in the Alliaceae family. Allium is a perennial bulbous plant with members like such as onions, shallots, scallions, leeks, garlic, chives, etc. Although alliums are mostly regarded as a vegetable or a herb crop, there are a few species grown for large bright colored flowers too. This article is about these species. Native to the Northern hemisphere, mainly in Asia, ornamental flowering alliums can be grown in most suitable regions around the world.

Allium
It is very difficult to describe allium species, as each varies in height (about 5 to 150 cm), growth habits, with foliage that can either be long and narrow or slightly curled up. The only thing common are the flowers, only in the way they grow, as each species has a different color as well as may vary in flower density on each stalk. The flowers form an umbel produced at the top of a leafless flowering stem known as scapes mostly shooting from the base. It is amazing to watch an inflorescence umbel flower, with the outside flowers blooming first and progressing to the inside. Read about growing more members of the allium family; how to grow garlic bulbs and growing shallots.

Although, all alliums bear flowers, it’s species and hybrids such as Allium pulchellum, Allium senescens, Allium oreophilum, Allium caeruleum, Allium cowanii, Allium nigrum, Allium karataviense, Allium unifolium, Allium siculum, Allium hollandicum, Allium Firmament, Allium Globe Master, Allium schubertii, Allium rosenbachianum, etc are the ones that have a high ornamental value and can be easily found in most plant nursery stores.

Allium Bulbs Planting
Flowering onions as sometimes these species are called, can be propagated through allium bulbs as well as seeds. However, bulbs are preferred more than seeds, as they take long to seed and have a higher failure rate. They look better when mass planted in flower beds, borders and edgings than in pots. When to plant allium bulbs - do it around late fall or early spring.

Prepare flower beds by digging deep and apply bulb fertilizer or organic compost such as bone meal, peat moss, well rotted manure, etc. Make sure you choose a sunny spot or at least one that receives 4-6 hours of sunlight everyday. Plant allium bulbs four inches deep in grouping of 4-5 bulbs spacing them about six inches apart, leaving the tip lightly covered in soil. Water adequately. Mulch heavily with dried barks if there is fear of extreme frost and snowfall. The tall varieties can be stalked as it gets heavy during a full bloom. Allium bulbs flower mid summer through late summer and in certain conditions even in early fall.

Allium bulbs do not need much feeding, a single application when the flower buds begin to appear should suffice. There aren’t many pests that attack onion, the pungent smell of onion bulb mostly keeps away troublemakers. However, a few diseases like damping off, botrytis, onion smut, downy mildew can damage the plant. But they can all be taken care of with effective and timely pesticide applications. It is recommended that allium bulbs be left undistributed in the ground, and divided every 3-4 years.

Add more bulbous flowers to your landscape:

Angel trumpet is a flowering plant which belongs to the Nightshade family. It is the same family as that of tomatoes, potatoes, petunias, etc. The average height of these shrubs are 3 to 5 feet. Its leaves are oval shaped and are 7 - 8 inches long. Angel trumpet flowers are exotic consisting of 5 large lobes and are most commonly found in white color. In some varieties, yellow, blue or red colored flowers are found too. Its fruits are covered with spines and hence referred to as thorn apple. The native land of these plants are southeast Brazil. Today, it is propagated in various parts of the Untied States and Mexico. The best way to propagate them is by planting angel trumpet seeds.

How to Plant Angel Trumpet Seeds?

The ideal time to plant angel trumpet seeds is the spring season after the cold winter is gone. Planting angel trumpet seeds is quite an easy task. When it is done under right condition, then you can find the seedlings started growing in no time. The step by step instructions are as follows:

Step#1:The first step involves picking of the seeds. You have to pick up the dry seeds in the early part of the year. Select those seed pods which have dried up completely. You can identify this when you see that the outer shell of the pods have split because of dryness. If you do not find these kind of pods, then take some pods that are almost matured and then dry them off the tree. Store these seeds in refrigerator till the right time for planting them arrives.

Step#2: Angel trumpet seeds take a lot of time to germinate. For this reason, you have to prepare the seeds well in advance in order to facilitate faster germination. Before you plant them, take out the flat and yellow colored seeds from the pod and cut their surface with a knife. Then soak them in a bowl of water overnight. On the next day, drain out the water and use them for planting.

Step#3: Take a large sized pot or container for planting the angel trumpet seeds as these plants grow really fast. Fill it up with a potting mix covering about four inch of the container. Select a light potting mix for this purpose as it provides a good drainage. Heavy potting soil should be avoided as it retains large amount of water which in turn can rot the seed much before germination. Mix some compost into the soil to improve its quality.

Step#4: Give some water to the soil so that it can settle into the pot properly. Now sow the prepared seeds directly into the pot. For this, you have to make an indentation into the soil which should be about one fourth inch deep. Place a seed into it and cover it up putting some soil over it. Do not press too much of soil over it. Then add some more water into the pot.

Step#5: Theses seeds require humid condition with warm days and cool nights for germination. Keep the container in one such area where it will receive partial sunlight. The soil should be watered in such a way that it remain moist but do not get flooded. If the weather condition in your area is hot and dry, you need to water the soil everyday. Usually, germination of the seeds begins within 2 - 3 weeks of planting the seeds.

Thus you can grow this amazing ornamental plant from its seeds. When the young plant has emerged out of the angel trumpet seeds, you have to take good care of it to keep it healthy. It requires a lot of water and nutrients to produce those attractive blossoms. Add some common fertilizers to the soil after a gap of 2 - 3 weeks. Keep the area surrounding the plants free from weeds by mulching regularly. Finally, I would like to say that various parts of the angel trumpet are poisonous. Hence, you should not plant them in your flower garden if you have small children and pets at home.

Tulips are elegant, bright colored, cup-shaped flowers with a smooth, green stem. It belongs to the family of liliaceous plants. They are the first flowers that bloom during the spring. Tulips have been cultivated for about 500 years. A number of hybrid varieties of tulips are available today. Tulips are classified into 15 classes on the basis of parentage, season of bloom and various floral characteristics. There is a huge demand for tulips in the flower market throughout the globe.

How to Take Care of Tulips?

If you are thinking about how to take care of tulips, then you should know about its planting and watering. You need to be very careful right from planting stage of tulips.

• Planting the tulips: The tulips should be planted in the sunny location. You should plant the tulips in mid to late October. A well-drained, airy, loamy soil is recommended for cultivation of tulips. Clay or heavy soil needs the addition of sand in order to increase the water drainage, since tulips can’t tolerate standing water. Dig individual holes or trench of 6-8 inches deep and place the tulip bulbs in the ground with pointed side upwards. After planting, water the tulip beds until the soil is completely moist in order to enhance root formation. Cover tulip beds with 1-inch mulch of bean straw, which protects the soil and makes it to hold water.
• Watering: The tulip beds require watering after planting in the fall or during early spring, as well as before blooming and after blooming. Tulips need additional watering in long dry periods during winter. When the tulips bloom, keep the beds watered to prevent the surface soil from cracking.
• Protection of tulips: You need to protect the tulips from little critters. You should spray the tulips with an animal repellent spray in order to protect them from small animals such as squirrels, rabbits or gophers. Otherwise, you can build some kind of barrier around the tulip garden. Voles or squirrels can damage the tulip plants by digging and eating the tulip bulbs. You can sprinkle a blood meal on the top of the soil around the tulip bulbs. Or, you can install a chicken wire over the top of the garden in order to protect the small shoots of tulips. Don’t allow the fallen petals stay in the tulip bed. Keep the garden clean in order to prevent blight.

Care of Potted Tulips

The potted tulips can be kept in living room or bedroom, which offer a very fascinating look and refreshing touch. Indoor tulips should be planted during September and October. A pot should have a drainage hole and a saucer to collect the excess water. You should keep the potted tulips in bright, indirect light. Keep it away from any kind of heat sources such as stereos, heating vents, etc. Never place the potted tulips on the top of a television. Keep the pot moist but not excess wet. Alternate watering is recommended for potted tulips. You can place the pot in a cool room in order to slow down the flowering period.

Care of Cut Tulips

You can place the cut tulips in your drawing hall or bedroom, which creates a magnificent look and refreshing environment. However, you need to take great care of the cut tulips to prevent them from drying. Remove any foliage, leaves from part of the stem that would be under water in the pot. Cut off the white portion of the stem, this helps for better water intake. You need to change the water frequently as clean and fresh water is essential for a long lasting cut tulip. Re-cut the stems every 4-5 days, which would promote the intake of water. You should keep the cut tulips in a cool place so that the blooms last longer.

Aster flowers derive their name from the Ancient Greek word ἀστήρ, meaning a star, this is attributed to the shape of the flower, but to me, this flower is really a star, a star found in most flower gardens as they prepare for the fall flower show. Aster flower varieties include over 600 species and not to mention the countless numbers of hybrids and cultivars developed, this fall flower is a very popular genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. With some dedicated aster flower care, you can have a wide range of rich colors blooming happily in the garden. Read more on fall flower garden.

Aster Flowers
One of the most amazing aster flower facts is that a single aster flower is not really a single flower! Confused, well so was I, when I read about this flower for the first time I planned to grow them. A single aster flower is actually a cluster of about 100 tiny yellow-orange tubular flowers, surrounded by colorful petals. The tubular flowers are known as disk flowers, and the long petals as ray flowers. So there you have it, a single aster flower is like a hundred flowers! You will never come across a bright yellow aster flower (ray flowers are never yellow) as it would just merge with the disk flowers. Asters come in a variety of colors; white, cream, red, pink, blue, lavender, purple, etc. Pollination takes place between the bisexual tubular flowers, as they contain both; a pistil and stamens, while the ray flowers are mostly sterile. They mostly grow as flowering shrubs, with coarse looking leafy stemmed plants, slightly more woody at the base. The leaves are dark green, alternate, simple, long, narrow and pointed. Most asters are perennials, but a few cultivars are annuals and biennials. Click here to find aster flower meaning.

How to Grow Aster Perennial Flower Plants
Asters can be grown from both; seeds as well as division of roots. Annuals and biennials are usually started from seeds, while perennials through divisions, every three to four years. Sow the seeds indoors in pots or containers, about 15-20 days before the last frost. The seeds are big enough to be sown directly in the intended location, which can be done after the soil begins to warm in the spring. Sow them in light soil, cover them lightly and water just enough to moisten the soil. If it’s division you plan to use for propagation, then dig up the plants and separate into 3 to 4 clumps, and plant them immediately. Water them well, and regularly until well established. Plant your aster in soil that is well drained and mixed with plenty of organic compost for a healthier bloom. Asters grow well in zones from 3 to 9. Make sure they get full sun. In a flower bed, space asters four to six inches apart, this will give them enough space to spread.

Aster Flower Care
Once transplanted, give them time to establish themselves by regularly watering them. Caring for aster flowers includes watering, fertilizing, pruning and keeping an eye out for pest and diseases. Pinch off the main stem to make way for lateral shoots, to give it a more compact and bushier look. For established plants, prune off tall gawky stems before it’s time for the buds to appear. Feed the aster with some water soluble fertilizer when you see the buds appearing. If you want large and a few flowers, pinch off excess growth, else let all buds bloom. Remove all flower deadheads after the flowering season is over. As far as insects and diseases are concerned, asters are quite resistant. It is mostly the foliage that gets infected with rust and powdery mildew, which can be taken care of with a spray of germicide. Winter care is essential to asters, reduce watering, and give the plants a hard prune. Mulching will help protect your plant from extreme winters. Read about the types of mulch.

Aster flowers care as you must have realized is quite minimal, but what you get in return for this little effort is the enormous pleasures of seeing these blooms, bloom well!

The purple passion plant or Passiflora Incarnata is a fast growing, perennial plant that is commonly found in the southern parts of the United States. Although the purple passion vine is a wild plant it is often found in gardens growing as exotic houseplants. It is one of the hardiest species of the passion flower group. It is also the state wildflower of Tennessee.

Physical Characteristics

The purple passion plant has long and trailing stems that bear many tendrils. Stems can be pubescent or smooth that bear palmately leaves with 3 lobes. The leaves have an alternate arrangement over the stem.

Purple passion flowers have a characteristic bluish white petals. The plant gets its name from a comparison of its flowers with the elements of the crucifixion of Christ. The purple passion flower has five petals and sepals each of which are compared to the 10 apostles of Christ (excluding Judas and Peter). The 3 styles are believed to symbolize the nails of Christ’s cross and the stemmed ovary is compared to the Lord’s Goblet. The comparison with Christ does not end here. The 5 stamens of the purple passion flower is believed to represent Christ’s 5 wounds, whereas the filament located at the top of the flower is is considered to symbolize the Crown of Thorns placed on Jesus’ head.

The purple passion plant bears oval, yellowish, fleshy fruits that are about the size of a hen’s egg. Also known as Maypop, the fruit is initially green. However, as it matures it takes on a yellow color.

Growing Purple Passion Plant

Purple passion plants can be grown inside the house as a houseplant, or as an annual in the garden. It will thrive in either condition. Propagating these plants is generally very easy specially when it is pruned. One just has to take the cuttings, that should be 3″-5” in height, and bury them in the soil, vermiculite, or simply in fresh water.

Sunlight: Despite not being very fussy about the growth conditions, these plants require bright sunlight which helps the plants to maintain their characteristic purple color. However, very strong sunlight can be damaging for the plant. Hence, if grown inside, plant the vine in an east or west window or in a south window covered with a transparent curtain. If you are growing it outside, provide partial shade to it. Take special care that the plant is well protected from the scorching heat of the afternoon sun.

Soil and Water Requirements: Passion purple plant prefers moist soil. They grow well in soil which has 50% peat moss added to it. If the plant is grown as an outdoor plant, it should be watered everyday. However, when grown inside, adding water to the soil once a week would meet its water requirements.

Trimming: One important aspect of this plant while growing it in the garden is trimming. Trimming the ends of the stem of this plant will ensure that stems branch and the plant bears a full look.

Uses of the Purple Passion Plant

Although the fruit is edible, other parts of the plant may be toxic. The juicy fruit makes a delicious but seedy snack. The juice from the pulp that cling to the black seeds of the fruit are used for making jellies, pies, syrups, ice cream puddings, and cakes. Traditionally, the fruit was very popular among the settlers of the South as well as among the Native American tribes.

Recent studies have shown that this plant contains flavonoids that help in bringing a calming and relaxing effect. This has made this plant useful for treating anxiety symptoms and insomnia.

The purple passion plant is a bright exotic houseplant that is a favorite of many with a passion for gardening. This hardy species requires little care. Just plant it in your flower garden and see the vine adding to the glory of your garden.

With over 1,500 species, begonia plant blooms will offer you an amazing number of varieties to light up your garden. Begonia is a genus in the flowering plant family Begoniaceae, and all species under this genus are known as begonia. Begonia flowers are very popular spring flowers as they come in some dazzling to soothing colors. The flowers can be large or small, single or double petaled, male and female flowers borne on single plants and the foliage of some types are highly valued for their ornamental value. The plants can be shrubby or trailing, which makes them perfect for pots and containers, as well as flower beds, edgings and borders. Read more on flower bed ideas and flower bed border.

Types of Begonia Plants
Begonia plant species are divided broadly into different categories, with each type having distinct root systems, stems, foliage and flowers.

Canes: This type has the most spectacular flower show and the maximum number of colors too. The variety in it can have very large leaves; up to 14 inches. The flowers are borne in large clusters and do quite well as both indoor and outdoor plants.

Shrubs: The multi-stemmed, shrub variety is grown for it’s ease of growing, beautifully shaped green leaves and quick growth. Some within this variety bear small white, pink or red flowers. The shrubs can be miniatures or nearly ten feet tall.

Scandent: This is a trailer variety, with some having the ability to climb upwards like a creeper. The trailers bear large flowers in smaller clusters. Their roots tend to hold on to trees, rocks and walls for support as they climb or trail.

Thick Stemmed: Not a very popular species among the begonia genus, these thick stemmed varieties don’t branch much but shoot up new growth from the base. The leaves tend to shed, making this variety an unusual plant to have. New hybrids have stems that range in colors of green to a brown to even a cream.

Rex: Rex begonia are grown more for their foliage that comes in different shapes, sizes, patterns and vivid colors. It does bear flowers but they are quite inconsequential. The foliage needs lots of care as temperature and other environmental conditions can dampen their foliage show.

Tuberous: The tuberous variety is very popular as they can be started each season with ease and the availability too is not an issue. Some in this type are grown for their small to large flowers, while some for foliage. The tuberous variety can be of a trailing type or sturdy upright plants.

Semperfloren: A widely grown begonia, Semperfloren can be treated as annuals as well as perennial shrubs. The leaves come in colors of green bronze and in some variegated variety, white. The flowers too come in shades and hues of red and pink, and white.

Rhizomatous: Rhizomatous begonia offer an endless variety of leaf shape, color and texture, with a huge flower display that in some varieties bloom only in the spring, while some bloom all year long. Their rhizomes do not go deep in the ground, but spread along it.

If you are wondering how to care for begonia plants, just leaf through begonia care. With so many options it should not be difficult to plant an entire garden based on begonia plants.

There are around a million different types of seeds, so division of a specific type of seed is a bit difficult. There are also some seeds which fall into more than one category, like coffee beans, which are used for edible purposes and also for plantation purposes. Seeds are very significant to our lives, whether it is to growing cereals, herbs, fruits or vegetables, or using them for culinary purposes like using kidney beans for making enchiladas. No matter which category the seed falls under, it is important to select healthy seeds to get the maximum benefits from the seeds. Given below are the two major categories of seeds; seeds used for plantation and seeds used for eating; and some tips on selecting the seeds.

Types of Seeds for Plantation

With organic farming gaining popularity day by day, the planters are left with two choices: whether to go for genetically modified hybrid seeds or to opt for organic seeds to get an organic yield. In my opinion, organic seeds are a better choice, as they are more safe and natural. However, while selecting a particular type of seeds for sowing make sure the variety of seeds, whether organic or hybrid, has been used before and given a healthy yield.

Seeds for Growing Cereal Plants: You can find these plant seeds for sowing at a farmers market, or order them online. Select good quality seeds to grow your cereals, and seek advice from the supplier for the care instructions. Examples of cereal seeds: bran, wheat, rice, maize, etc.

Seeds for Growing Fruits/Flower Plants: Fruit and flower seeds are easily available at a nursery; again make sure you select good quality fruit tree seeds, and select the variety of fruit you want to grow; there are various varieties of apples, try to get your hands on the seeds that are native to your region. Examples of fruit and flower plants grown using seeds: peaches, apricots, nectarines, roses, sunflower, etc.

Seeds for Growing Vegetables & Herb Plants: Again, you can find seeds to grow vegetables or herb plants at your local nursery. Pick out healthy, non-bruised and big sized seeds to get a healthy yield. Examples of easy to grow vegetables and herbs grown by using seeds: tomato, squash, beans, cucumbers, spinach, etc. and herbs like coriander, basil, sage, etc.

Seeds for Growing Grass: To grow beautiful grass you can buy seeds from online suppliers or at your local nursery. It is okay if you go with the quality grass seeds which are non-organic varieties, as the grass is only for decorative purpose. More on when to plant grass seed.

Types of Edible Seeds

Some of the above types of seeds also fall in the edible seeds type, for example cereals and many fruit and vegetable seeds are edible suck as cucumber seeds and tomato seeds. Given below are the types of edible seeds used in the kitchen and the ones used to feed birds.

Seeds That Can Be Eaten Raw: Many seeds can be eaten raw, and can be found at a supermarket. Make sure you select a packet of good quality ones. Some examples of such seeds are: mung bean seeds, peanuts, radish, sunflower, clover, etc.

Seeds That Need to Be Cooked Before Eating: There are many seeds which need to be soaked for many hours to get the sprouts and then eaten, and certain seeds are soaked and then cooked before they become edible. Some examples of such seeds are pinto, kidney beans, white kidney beans, broccoli, etc.

Seeds to Feed Birds: For feeding the birds there are various kinds of seeds used. However, certain bird seeds attract specific group of birds. The seeds used to feed birds are sunflower, millet, cracked corn, thistle, wheat, oats, etc. Read more about bird feeders.

These were the different types of seeds explained. So no matter what type of seeds you are looking for, ensure you select the good quality seeds to get the best out of them.