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Scientific Name:  Papaver somniferum L. Family:  Papaveraceae (Poppy Family) Oriental poppy plants (Papaver orientale) have remained a garden favorite ever since. Once planted, they require no special care and will last for many years. Their original vibrant red-orange color is still the most popular for growing, though oriental poppies come in a variety of colors that will match or blend any garden’s color scheme. How to Care for Oriental Poppies When asked how to care for oriental poppies, the rules are few. Careful placement is essential. Once planted, these beauties don’t like to move. Don’t plant them in soggy ground. They hate wet feet. Do fertilize them, but only once a year. Do plant them with favorites whose growth habits will cover the garden bald spots when your poppies go dormant in the heat. Oriental poppies relish the cool temperatures of early spring and fall. Their bright blossoms open just as most spring bulbs are finished and before the summer f...

Common Names:  needle palm, porcupine palm Family:  Arecacea/Palmae (palm Family) Description The needle palm is a terribly talented plant that is beautiful, rugged, extremely cold hardy, fast growing and one of my landscape favorites. Rhapidophyllum hystrix is a small shrubby fan palm that grows to about 6 ft (1.8 m) in height. It produces suckers freely, these multiple stems creating an ever widening rounded clump of indeterminate width. Over time the tightly packed stems will form an impenetrable thicket. The needle palm doesn’t form a trunk but instead has a slowly lengthening crown that may grow to about 4 ft (1.2 m) long and about 7 in (17.8 cm) in diameter. The stems are composed of old leaf bases, fiber and long slender spines. They are usually erect but in older clumps they may lean or grow prostrate along the ground as they compete for light and space. As each stem matures, more slender spines grow from from between the leaf attachments. These “needles” are dark ...

Common Names:  Majesty (TM) Palm Family:  Arecacea/Palmae (palm Family) Description This is a beautiful feather-leafed palm whose symmetrical form and smooth, flared trunk combine to create living sculpture for the landscape. For the same reason Majesty palm has become a popular plant for indoors as well. Smaller specimens are vigorously marketed as houseplants while larger plants are common inhabitants of office and shopping mall interiors. This palm is such an item of commerce that even its common name, Majesty®, is a trademark. Alan Meerow, author of Guide To Landscape Palms reports that there is confusion as to the identity of Majesty palm. Usually identified as R. rivularis, he suspects that this palm is actually R. glauca, a smaller palm growing to less than 20ft (6m) in height whereas R. rivularis grows to about 40ft (12m). Location Native to Madagascar where it, like much of the island’s unique plant life, is rapidly disappearing. Culture Tolerant of many diffe...

THE beauty, complexity and incredible diversity of orchid flowers are unrivalled in the plant world. These exotic beauties comprise the largest family of flowering plants on earth, with over 30,000 different species, and at least 200,000 hybrids. Orchids can be found in the equatorial tropics, the arctic tundra, and everywhere in between. The reason for this diversity lies in the orchid’s amazing ability to adapt to its given environment. With so many different orchid varieties that thrive in so many different growing conditions, it is relatively easy to find an orchid that is well suited to the conditions that you can provide — whether it is a kitchen window or a full-size greenhouse. Most cultivated orchids are native to the tropics. In their natural habitat, they attach themselves to the bark of trees, or the surface of other plants. Their thick, white roots are specially adapted to absorb moisture and dissolved nutrients. Because these tropical orchids usually grow high in the ...

Common Names: Joey Palm Diamond Joey Family:  Arecaceae Origin:  This palm is native to  Southeast  Asia. Appearance:  This evergreen has no trunk. Striking diamond shaped fronds emerge right from the ground. The leaves are large and can get up to 10ft long. Flowers/Fruits:  It produces creamy flowers that are followed by fruits. Growth Rate:  Slow to Moderate. Joey Palm Tree can grow up to 10 – 20 ft tall and 10 -15 ft wide. Good quality  fertilizer  can accelerate the growth. Outdoor/Indoor Use:  Both. Cold Tolerance:  Joey Palm Tree can tolerate cold temperatures down to 25F. The root system is very sensitive to the cold and should be protected if temperatures drop below freezing. Light Req:  Shade to partial shade. Water Req:  Moderate.  It loves high humidity. It is very easy to overwater it so make sure to provide good drainage. Maintenance :  Easy. To prevent nutritional deficiency,...

Latin Name: Adenium obesum Common Name: Desert Rose , African Succulents Plant family: Apocynaceae (the dogbane family) Indoor/Home/Office Cultivation Information Light requirement: Bright sunlight. Adenium will not flower under low light conditions. Soil preference: Rich, organic peat or bark-based, bagged potting soil. Water requirement: Water regularly but do not allow soil to become waterlogged. Drought tolerant: Yes. Fertilizer requirements: Apply a low dose of liquid fertilizer according to manufacturer label recommendations weekly during summer growing season. Salt tolerant: Some salt tolerance. Temperature preference: Hot, tropical 75°F–95°F. Chill tolerant (55°F–35°F): Yes, but leaf yellowing and leaf drop may occur. Freeze tolerant (below 32°F): No. During cold winter months, withhold water from Adenium and let the plant rest for 3–4 months. All leaves and flowers will drop, but that is part of their natural cycle. DO NOT let them freeze. When temperat...