Send a long-lasting heart planted with love this Valentine’s Day
WE are now getting used to this western tradition of celebrating Valentine’s Day, which offers the chance to show one’s appreciation and affection. Often in Kuching we see temporary stalls set up throughout the city offering flowers and other gifts.
The original floral gifts were red roses, pink and red lilies, as well as calla lilies. The unique ones are purple roses, red daisies and blue hydrangeas. These gifts would be packed as bouquets or gift baskets.
The problem with cut flowers in our climate is most do not last for very long unless kept in an airconditioned room. These lovely gifts on Valentine’s Day may look quite sad in just a day or two if they are not well looked after.
How about a long-lasting gift for your loved ones instead? A Valentine’s Day plant will continue to bring smiles long after Feb 14. Ideal plants as gifts include bonsai, bromeliad, exotic orchids and classic miniature potted roses. Gifts of lovely flowering plants will supply delightful fresh flowers for long periods.
This week I would like you to consider one of these long-lasting plants as a gift for your loved ones this Valentine’s Day. How about a plant that bears striking and long-lasting red heart-shaped flowers? This would be an ideal way to demonstrate your love in a lasting way.
Background
Anthurium’s heart-shaped flowers are actually modified bracts known as spathes. The minute flowers line the inner spike attached to the bracts, which is known as the spadix.
The plant is said to symbolise happiness and abundance. The red flowers symbolise love and passion, the pink flowers are said to represent compassion and motherly love, while white anthuriums represent innocence and purity.
How to plant with love
Prepare a mix using a coarse and well-drained soil of equal parts peat moss and gravel.
When pot-planting, do remember to provide good drainage with some pebbles at the bottom and not to overfill the pot as the plants can actually grow on the top few centimetres of the medium.
For mature plants, the roots should be given coarse materials such as small pieces of bricks. This will make the soil mixture more porous and thus help with aeration for the roots.
This flower originates from South America, making it native to tropical rainforests like ours in Sarawak.
It is sensitive to high temperatures and humidity so should be kept in a shady area that has indirect sunlight, where the plant will not be subject to heavy downpours. Ensure access to indirect sunlight, which will encourage it to bloom.
In Sarawak, cases of failure to grow anthurium are mostly due to the poor choice of planting site and the medium used.
As high humidity is good for the plant, you can generate damp conditions by using a saucer with pebbles for the pot to sit on. Alternatively try to spray the stalks with a light mist once a week during dry and hot weather to simulate rainforest conditions.
Do note that when overwatered, the leaves might turn yellow but not brown.
Feeding
When it comes to feeding, fertilise the plant cautiously. New plants should not be given fertiliser for several months initially.
You will need to apply fertiliser to encourage vivid colours and growth.
A good choice would be to use a slow release 3:1:2 fertiliser mix and dilute to a 25 per cent solution before applying.
Propagation
Seeds taken from the ripened spikes can be used for propagation. Remove the pulp surrounding the seed that might be mouldy and disrupt the germination process.
You can clean the seeds by dipping them in a cup of water until the pulp separates and floats up, leaving the heavier seeds at the bottom.
Seeds can be germinated in a mixture of fine fluffy material such as chopped sphagnum moss with some sand or charcoal.
The seeds will only sprout after a period of 30 days. After that let the seedlings grow until they are strong enough to be transferred into a larger pot.
Hopefully this has given you some ideas for a Valentine’s Day gift with a difference. Do send me an email if you have any questions, comments or suggestions.