Flower Identification - Bloomin' Blog

What Is This Huge Purple Bell Flower?

July 14, 2011 by Jamie Jamison Adams 2 Comments

Ask The Expert: What is this huge purple bell flower? It came 2 years after I sowed an area with a seed mix called “Grandma’s Cutting Garden.” It grows in rich, composted soil with other flowers. I live on an island off the coast of Maine, Zone 5. – Marina

Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply: Marina,
I believe the flowering plant is Canterbury Bells (Campanula medium) which is one of the 300 species of the genus Campanula. This biennial species is slow-growing and clump-forming. It is hardy in zone 5-8, and produces bell-shaped flowers in white, pink, purple or blue colors. Florists use this species of Campanula (also called Canterbury Bells, Chimney Bells or Bellflower) in mixed flower arrangements typically in April, May, June and July. This flower was one of the first imported flowers grown in colonial gardens. In fact, Thomas Jefferson sowed this particular flower at Monticello.

It can be grown in part shade to full sun, and need rich, moist soil to thrive. They are great additions to summer perennial gardens, since they natural blooming period is Junish through August.

I hope this information was helpful. Please let me know if you need any other information about this plant.

Have A Good Day
Jamie Jamison Adams

Filed Under: Flower Suggestions Tagged With: Canterbury Bells, Flower Identification

What Is This 8 Petaled, Pink and White Flower?

June 30, 2011 by Mandy Maxwell Leave a Comment

Ask The Plant Expert: What is this 8 petaled, pink and white flower growing in my garden??

Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply: That is a Clematis bloom. Clematis is a perennial vine. Some bloom once a year and some have multiple blooming cycles. It is hard to tell from the picture but it looks like you have a Bees Jubilee variety. which blooms May, June and September.

Filed Under: Flower Identification Tagged With: Ask The Plant Expert, Clematis, Flower Identification

What Is This Sun-Loving Succulent?

June 19, 2011 by Jamie Jamison Adams 1 Comment

Ask The Plant Expert: This plant has almost succulent-like leaves. When I purchased it, I was told that it is an annual that will give beautiful blooms all summer if given enough sun. So far it’s doing well in the sun. Can you tell me what it is and perhaps give me more information about it? – Melanie

Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply:
The plant is purslane. It is probably Portulaca grandiflora a sister to rose moss. The succulent-like plant is drought and heat tolerant. It likes a humid environments and is very low maintenance because it doesn’t require dead-heading. It has a creeping growth pattern and is hardy to 30° Fahrenheit. It is consiered an annual in all zones above 9. However in our area (northeast Arkansas zone 6B), I have seen it preform more like a perennial. It needs to grow in full sun with dry to normal water requirements.

Hope this information was helpful.

Response from Melanie: Thank you very much. I really enjoy the blooms on this plant and wanted to know what it was so that I could properly take care of it. I think I’ll be looking for more of these plants for hanging baskets. This is the 3rd plant that you’ve identified for me, and I appreciate your help and the information you share. I love the blog!

Filed Under: Flower Identification Tagged With: Ask The Plant Expert, Flower Identification

What Is This Flower That Just “Popped” Up?

June 1, 2011 by Mandy Maxwell Leave a Comment

Ask The Expert: This flower “popped” up this year and was not here last year. Any help identifying it?? It looks like it could be in the poppy family but we just don’t know. Beautiful bright orange flower with brown poppy-like center and green jagged leaves with a fuzzy appearance.

Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply: Yes, what you have is a poppy. I believe you have a type of Papaver orientale (Oriental poppy). As for which variety, I am unable to make an exact identification. This species of poppy is a clump-forming type with large cupped shaped flowers and hairy, toothed, lance-shaped leaves. They grow in moist but well drained soil in full sun and can tolerate some shade. These perennials grow best in zones 3 thru 8, where they can be left in the ground year-round. The plant is propagated by seed, root cutting or division.

In the US this species can be found Colorado, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin either naturally or in great numbers. In Canada, you can find it in Ontario.

Since I don’t know where you found the plant, I suspect that the wind or birds dropped the seed in your garden and the conditions were just right for germination.

Hope this information helps. Please let me know if I can do assist with anything else.

Filed Under: Flower Identification Tagged With: Ask The Plant Expert, Flower Identification, Poppy

What Is This Spikey Red Flower?

April 11, 2011 by Mandy Maxwell Leave a Comment

Ask the Plant Expert: What’s the name of this plant? Can it be fed to animals? What’s the nutrient content of this plant?

Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply: Kester, this question was a bit tricky, so a friend of mine, Rick Pudwell at the Memphis Botanical Garden was able to help me identify the plant. Here is his reply:

The plant is Pachystachys coccinea, Cardinal guard. A native of the West Indies and Northern South America. It is a small shrub, probably 5 to 6 feet in the Acanthaceae family which makes it a relative of Shrimp plant, Thunbergia, Ruellia, Stobilanthes and similar plants which are often cultivated as ornamental tropical plants in the United States. I would not think it to be toxic to animals, but can find no literature that would give nutritional value as it is not considered of as a food plant.

We hope this helps, Kester!

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Filed Under: Flower Identification Tagged With: Ask The Plant Expert, Flower Identification, Tropical Flowers, Tropical Plants

What Is This Beautiful White Flower Blooming After 5 Years?

March 22, 2011 by Mandy Maxwell Leave a Comment

Ask The Expert: Somebody gave me this plant around 4 or five years ago. I planted it getting sun from the East. This spring for the first time I noticed this beautiful flower (photo attached) and now I would love to know what is it; an Iris, Lily? If so what is the name? Thanks for your help!

Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply: What you have there is a Dietes iridioides, often called fortnight lily, African iris, or Morea iris. Although it’s called lily, it actually is in the Iridaceae or iris family. The flowers this plant produces are absolutely stunning, however, they usually only last one day. The fortnight lily will produce many flowers from spring to late summer, in groups with a fortnight (two weeks) between the next flowering. Fortnight lilies seem to do best in the light dappled shade of tall, open trees. The flowering stems of fortnight lily are perennial, so don’t cut them back after flowering as you might for most other iris like plants.

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Filed Under: Flower Identification Tagged With: Ask The Plant Expert, Flower Identification, Iris

What Is This Golden Flower Blooming In Massachusetts In September?

October 18, 2010 by Jamie Jamison Adams 2 Comments

Ask the Expert: Can you identify this wildflower?

Picture taken at the end of September in Massachusetts. Plant less than a foot tall. In rich soil – not wet. Rays generally only 3. Looks like wingstem but there are no wings on the stem. Thanks! John Kimball

Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply:

What you have is a type of Solidago commonly known as Goldenrod. The genus Solidago consists of over a hundred species of woody-based perennials. In Massachusetts, you will find the following Solidago are native:

Solidago caesia (blue-stemmed goldenrod, wreath goldenrod)
Solidago canadensis (meadow goldenrod)
Solidago juncea (early goldenrod, plume goldenrod)
Solidago nemoralis (gray goldenrod, old-field goldenrod)
Solidago rugosa (rough-leaved goldenrod)
Solidago ulmifolia (elm-leaved goldenrod)

I’m not sure which of these species is the one in the photo.

A Few Solidago Facts:

All Solidago flowers are always yellow.
There are over 100 species of this woody perennial.
Solidago plant prefer full sun
Solidago is considered a wild flower in many places.
Solidago can be invasive.
Solidago spp is used in fresh flower arrangements as a filler.
Solidago can be dried and used in permanent arrangements.
Solidago has no fragrance.

Hope this information has been helpful.

This flower identification post is brought to you by local Bloomington MN florists. Not in Bloomington? Use Flower Shop Network’s handy directory of real local florists to find a florist near you!

Filed Under: Flower Identification Tagged With: Flower Identification, Goldenrod, Solidago, Wild Flowers

What Is This Yellow Flower With Purple Foliage?

September 1, 2010 by Jamie Jamison Adams 1 Comment

Ask the Expert: Name of the plant we bought today?

Dahlia 'Clarion'

We bought a plant today in one of the private gardens open to the public for the charity. The leaves are dark (blackish purple) with yellow flowers about 5cm and about 1 and half metres. They told us it is called Clarion but alas we can’t find it anywhere online or in the books. We need to know how to take care of it. There are still some closed buds on it so it is just starting to flower at this time of year. Jacqueline

Flower Shop Network‘s Plant Expert Reply: The people who sold you the plant were correct in calling it a Clarion. They just didn’t tell you the complete name – Dahlia ‘Clarion’. What you have is a type of Dahlia. For classification purposes dahlias are divided into various classes according to their form and size. This particular Dahlia is in the single class. This means the flowerheads are composed of a single row of uniform, evenly spaced ray florets.

August is the peak blooming time for Dahlias. To learn more about this wonderful flower, Read Mandy’s August Flower Gets it’s Dues: Dahlia Flower Day post. Once a month she spotlights a flower and this past August it was the Dahlia.

Filed Under: Plant Identification Tagged With: Dahlia, Flower Identification, Plant Identification, Yellow Flowers

What Are These Pink Flowers From Pikes Place Market

August 9, 2010 by Jamie Jamison Adams 2 Comments

Ask the Expert: What kind of flower is this?

I saw this flower at the Seattle Pike Place Market but I forgot to ask what kind of flower it is?

The main color is a light pink with a yellow center and yellow on the tips.

Thanks for any help! Adam Lowe

Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply:I believe what you have is a type of Dahlia. This genus has about 30 different species and a variety of different flower forms: formal decorative, informal decorative, semi-cactus, straight cactus, laciniated, ball, waterlily, anemone, collarette, orchid and single. I am guessing that your Dahlias are informal decorative.

Depending on the form, some species have very open bloom with few petals – while other species have tight blooms with an abundance of petals. Dahlias also come in a variety of colors: red, orange, yellow, pink, bi-color, purple, burgundy and white.

Dahlias bloom in mid-summer and are perennial in zone 9-11. However, the tubers can be lifted in the winter and replanted in the spring in zones that are too cold.

Your local florist probably uses Dahlias in many of their flower arrangements.

Want flowers but don’t have time to run to Pike Place Market? Call your local Seattle Florist. They can deliver flowers any where in the Seattle area.

Filed Under: Flower Identification Tagged With: Dahlia, Flower Identification, Seasonal Flowers

What Is This Vine Coming Out Of My Croton?

July 21, 2010 by Jamie Jamison Adams 29 Comments

Ask The Expert: My croton has a long feathery vine growing out of it. There appears to be sap on these vines. he leaves have also gotten something on them that looks like a white hair. What is this? Do I cut the vine? Do I cut and plant the vine? Marsha

Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply:
When I first received this question, I was a little puzzled. I asked Marsha to send a picture.

Although the picture is a little dark, I believe the vine is the flower stock of the croton.

I found the croton bloom picture on flickr. It was taken by CameliaTWU. As you can see the bloom has a long stalk that looks like a vine. The flowers are fuzzy and white.

Personally, I have never seen a croton bloom. I have a feeling that you need just the right plant and conditions for this to happen.

If you find the blooms unattractive, you can follow the stalk down to its base and cut it off. Or, you can let the plant flower and when the flowers are spent cut the stalk off. Either way, the plant will be happy.

Oklahoma City florists hope this flower identification question was helpful.

Sharon’s Photos

Filed Under: Flower Identification Tagged With: Croton, Flower Identification, Houseplants