Flowering pot plants
Flowering pot plants, often called 'florist' or 'gift' plants, play an important role in modern living. During the cold, dark, winter months they provide a very gratifying splash of colour at a time when there are no garden flowers to cut and those available in the florists' are too expensive for many people to buy. There are, in addition, plants that bloom in the spring and summer. It is therefore possible to maintain a form of colour accent in the decor of a room throughout all the seasons.
As has already been explained, the essential difference between house and pot plants is that the leaves of the latter fall and thus, after the flowers fade, they have no decorative value. Many of them are discarded at this point but many with care and attention can be preserved to be attractive once again the following year. Although this is much more difficult for flat-dwellers and those who have no gardens, it can be achieved if storage space is available, particularly if boxes of moderately moist peat, into which the pots can be plunged can be provided and stored in a light, but not sunny place.
The most crucial period in the life of a flowering pot plant is during the days after it has been bought. If the supplier has not kept it under house conditions or in a greenhouse, it is a mistake to bring the plant immediately into a warm room. For about a week, it should be kept in a cool, light place, where the temperature is about 50°F (io°C), with very little watering, although it might be beneficial to spray it with tepid water. If it begins to wilt after this, when put into a warm room, it should be given a few more days under these conditions.
Achimenes (Cupid's Bower) is a tuberous, summer-flowering plant. Its funnel-shaped flowers, which may be white, red or violet, grow from the axils of the leaves. Its slender stalks require staking. It must be kept in a warm, light room, but not in direct sunshine, and watered with moderation, keeping water off its flowers and foliage. It likes, however, a moist atmosphere and does best if its pot is plunged in a second container filled with moist peat. Once it has flowered, it should be allowed to dry out, its stems cut down and, if desired, the tubers removed for re-potting in spring. The latter need a temperature of 65°F (i8°C) to start them into growth.
Astilbe (Spiraea). These plants bear large plumes of white, pink or red flowers, which rise above their light-green foliage. They are not difficult to grow if they are placed in a room where there is plenty of sun and are watered freely when coming into flower. After flowering, the more hardy astilbe, such as Astilbe rosea, and the varieties 'Peach Blossom' and 'Queen Alexandra' can be transferred to the garden and dug up and re-potted in early spring. The more tender A.japonica should be plunged into the soil and brought indoors again before the frost comes.
Azalea indica. The many varieties of Indian azaleas are the most valuable of all flowering house plants, because they are laden with red, pink or white blooms during the winter months. Many people find them difficult to grow in the house, but success can be attained if they are kept in a well-lit, airy spot, out of direct sunlight. They need to be kept fairly warm and out of draughts. It is advantageous to surround the pot with damp peat (see page 132-3). They require to be kept continuously moist and are best watered by allowing the pot to stand up to the rim in water. It is also beneficial to feed them regularly during the blooming season. If the dead flowers are removed without any delay, the flowering season is lengthened.
A. indica can be preserved by plunging the pot into the soil out of doors in May, after the danger of frost has passed. Here it can remain until autumn. When it is necessary to re-pot, a good medium is lime-free, sterilized soil containing a proportion of pine-needle peat.
Begonias. Most of the hybrid begonias with their large, colourful flowers provide a splendid summer and autumn display. Christmas Begonias, Gloire de Lorraine varieties (see page 68), are winter flowering. Begonias are fairly easy to grow if they are kept in a room with good light, at a temperature of not lower than 55T (i3°C) and are watered freely when in flower. They object to gas fumes.
Calceolaria (Slipper Flower). Grown in pots, calceolaria usually flower in spring and summer and, after fading, are discarded. They are dwarf plants with large clusters of red, orange or yellow flowers, with distinctive markings and large, oval-shaped, pointed, rich green leaves. They need cool, airy, well-lit conditions, out of direct sunlight. A shady windowsill is ideal. They should be watered freely and fed with liquid manure occasionally when in flower.
Camellia. These evergreen, hardy shrubs with their handsome, glossy, dark-green leaves and delightful, wax-like flowers will grow for many years in quite small pots. They like much the same conditions as Indian azaleas. They benefit quite considerably from being stood out of doors in a shady spot from early summer onwards. They have, of curse, all the qualities of a flowering house plant, but they are included in this section because in one respect they can be regarded as 'expendable'. It is an excellent plan to buy a well-budded plant just after Christmas and have the pleasure of it in the house for about two months. After this it is kept in a cool place and ultimately planted out, after it has been hardened off, when there is no more fear of frost.
Chrysanthemums. Because of modern lighting techniques, the potted chrysanthemums are nowadays available in flower throughout the year. Many of them are usually garden varieties, that have been treated with dwarfing compounds to make them short-growing, bushy and compact. They all need to be stood in cool, well-lit, but sunless places, where there is a good air circulation. They should be regularly watered so that the soil does not dry out. It should be remembered that if any chrysanthemums that have been artificially dwarfed are subsequently planted out in the garden, they grow to a normal height.
Cineraria (Senecio cruentus) is a popular shrub with' daisy-like flowers of almost every colour except yellow, which appear in winter and spring. It is difficult to surpass them for their decorative beauty. It is not a difficult plant if it is put in a cool, draught-free room with a good light away from direct sun. It should be well watered and given an occasional feed when it is flowering. It is thrown out after flowering.
Coleus (Flame Nettle). This is a plant that is usually expendable. It has the most beautiful multi-coloured leaves. It is difficult to grow because it needs to be kept in well-lit, draught-free rooms, at a temperature never below 55°F (13°C) in a continuously humid atmosphere.
Cyclamen persicum (Persian Violet). This winter-flowering plant, with its heart-shaped, grey, green, silver or mottled leaves and profusion of white, pink, salmon-pink, crimson or cerise flowers, ranks with azaleas for beauty among flowering pot plants. It prolongs the display of winter colour for some weeks after the latter have faded.
Unfortunately, not everybody finds it easy to grow, because it dislikes a dry atmosphere which does not rise above 50T (io°C) in temperature. It should be regularly watered, but always by standing the pot in water so that the crown is not wetted, otherwise it will rot. It likes to be fed regularly during flowering; and to be dead-headed continuously while in flower.
It is possible to make C. persicum available the following winter. After flowering, the watering should be lessened and feeding stopped. In the spring the pot should be put out into the garden in a shady position and brought into the house in late summer. If it has to be re-potted, the corm should stand out slightly above the surface. The soil used should be lime-free compost.
Erica (Cape Heath). There are several very colourful cape heaths that appear as pot plants in the winter, representative of several hundred that flourish in S. Africa. Unfortunately, they are not hardy enough to withstand the winter out of doors and are difficult to grow indoors because they drop
their leaves when the conditions do not suit them. They must have good light, a cool situation away from draughts, and plenty of water, preferably rain or soft water, so that the soil never dries out. The atmosphere surrounding the plant must be kept moist (see page 132-3).
Gloxinia. Being essentially a greenhouse plant, gloxinia growing in a house needs to be put in a warm spot, out of the full sun, with a moist atmosphere and soil that is always kept moist. Watering should always be done from the bottom so that the flowers and foliage are not damaged. It likes regular feeding during flowering. It has large trumpet-shaped flowers, which, according to the variety, are rich crimson, deep red, white, violet and various combinations of such colours, and very beautiful, long, broad, pointed, downy, mid-green leaves.
Hydrangea. This plant, which has large heads of white, pink or blue flowers and pleasing green leaves, is a very attractive adjunct to the interior decoration. To be at its best, it likes to be in a room which is well lit, but away from direct sunshine. There should be no draught, and it should be kept fairly warm. During its flowering period, it should be given abundant water and an occasional feed. When it has ceased to flower, it is usually discarded by being planted in the garden, but when this is done it often does not bloom for about two seasons.
Pelargoniums. The most popular and easiest to grow of these is Pelargonium zonale (Geranium), of which there are many varieties of the different colours and leaf patterns with which most people are familiar. Their needs are pure air and a place in a warm, sunlit, dry, airy room. A window-sill facing south is ideal. Usually they are discarded after flowering.
Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima). This is a difficult plant to grow in most rooms and one that is never very successfully kept from one year to the other. This is unfortunate because it is such a beautiful creation. Its great feature is the large star-shaped groups of scarlet bracts that surround its insignificant small yellow flowers, and that contrast so vividly with its dark-green, pointed leaves. It is usually at its best at Christmas-time. It requires a moist, fairly warm atmosphere, to be free from draughts and gas fumes, and to stand in a good light. It benefits appreciably from its pot being surrounded with damp peat and occasional spraying of its leaves. An improved form is Poinsettia mikkelrochford.
Primula is a very popular flowering pot plant. There are a number of attractive species, all of which have a lengthy flowering season. There is quite a range of colours among the more common ones. Primula kewensis has small, scented, deep-yellow flowers; those of P. malacoides are also small and light purple in colour; P. obconica has large rose, blue, red, white or salmon-pink blooms; and those of P. sinensis are large and either pink, lilac or white. It should be noted that some people are allergic to P. obconica, which can give rise to skin trouble.
To be successful, primulas should be placed in a well-lit, draught-free room, away from heat and direct sun. They need plenty of water during flowering. Dead-heading ensures a long succession of brilliantly coloured blooms. They also react well to regular feeding.
Normally primulas are discarded after flowering, but P. obconica and P. sinensis can be kept from one season to another if they are allowed to stand in a cool, bright room. Roses. (See page 87.)
Solanum capsicastrum (Winter Cherry). This gay, delightfully coloured shrub, with its pointed green leaves, and intriguing shiny orange or red berries, brings great cheer to any room, particularly in the winter, when it is in great demand. If it is kept in a cool atmosphere, free from draughts and gas fumes, the berries will stay on the bush for months. Great care must be given to watering, because the leaves will fall if the soil dries out completely or becomes waterlogged. Its leaves should be regularly sprayed. Doses of liquid manure, at intervals during the time the shrub is berried, are advantageous. |
