A tasty spin on seasonal plants
Film character Forrest Gump famously said: “Life is like a box of chocolates.”
Well, so are seasonal flowering plants. Here are the plants we think match the attributes of a selection of chocolates: Orchids: chocolate vanilla cream. Everyone likes them, the taste lingers on the palette.
Orchids are not hard to grow (there’s one myth dispelled!). In fact, we find many people who are good at ignoring their plants can grow orchids very well. The most common orchids are epiphytic and lipophilic-type cymbidium orchids — which means they grow in trees or on rocks in tropical climates. In their natural environment, they derive their nutrients from the trees and rocks on which they grow, as well as rain water. It is best to let the roots get dry between waterings and to soak the roots by leaving the pot in the kitchen sink overnight when you do water.
They prefer indirect light and cool (not cold) temperatures; 17 C to 24 C is best. A cool, bright window works well. Fertilize once a month with an orchid fertilizer. Sweet finish! Cyclamen: maraschino cherry bomb. An explosion of colour enrobed in chocolate (chocolate people love this word, “enrobed”), as a cyclamen enrobes its foliage in knock-out colour.
Cyclamen is Mark’s favourite for brilliant, long-lasting colour. Easy to grow, cyclamen don’t demand much attention. Like orchids, they enjoy cool temperatures and indirect but bright light. Fertilize with 20-20-20 once a month. Available in pink, red, white and a variety of lipstick-bright colours. Can continue to bloom for up to four months. Poinsettia: solid chocolate. Who doesn’t like pure chocolate? Straight, clean, original.
The No. 1 seasonal flowering plant this time of year, poinsettia is originally from Mexico and they like to be dry between watering applications. They do not like drafts from open doors and mostly they enjoy the brightest natural light you can offer. Note that the bright red “flowers” are not flowers at all, but coloured leaves. The flowers are smallish and yellow, appearing in the middle of a leaf cluster on the top of the plant. When you buy a poinsettia, look for one that is not in “flower” to ensure the longest possible bloom time. Solid. Amaryllis: chewy caramel. A longlasting delectable, but worth the effort.
You may buy amaryllis as a bulb or a flowering plant, depending on the time of year. Right now, both are available at most garden retailers. The bulbs are fun and very easy to grow. Plant the amaryl- lis bulb in a pot about two centimetres wider than the bulb, using quality, well-drained potting mix. Place in a bright room near a sunny window. Warm temperatures hasten blooming. When it does bloom, usually about six-to-eight weeks after you pot the bulb, pull the plant back from bright light to prolong the blossom time.
Don’t lose patience if it takes its time to push up a stem and bloom. Sometimes they are a bit lazy.
Remember to look for a quality bulb: The larger the bulb, the greater the number of flowers and flower stems. Make sure that it is firm, like a good onion. A long, sweet journey. Why chocolates? Like chocolates, there are mass-produced plants that you find at the grocery or drugstore. And there are those found at purveyors of fine plants, often grown locally by a small grower. The difference can be subtle and you might pay a bit more for the locally grown varieties, but we doubt that you will regret the investment. Kind of like the chocolatier who really knows their stuff.
Chocolates and flowering plants make great gifts, almost everyone loves them, they don’t last forever — though plants usually last longer — and they are an affordable indulgence that give you a lift.
But there is one category where plants have it over chocolates: Calories. Guess which has none?