Flower Delivery UK 

A - Z of Cut Flowers - A

Agapanthus

 Common name: African lily.
Description: Tall stem with umbel (a rounded flower cluster) of funnel shaped
flowers on a leafless stem.
Origin: South Africa
Colour: Various shades of blue to white.
Availability: The main season for agapanthus is the summer but some varieties are
available as early as April and as late as December.

Allium

 Common name: Garlic or onion, including ornamental varieties.
Description: Tight or loose, round clusters of small, star-shaped flowers on long smooth
leafless stems. Both flower head and stem length varies according to the variety.
All alliums have a slight onion smell.
Origin: Central Asia
Colour: Purple, pink, green and white
Availability: Summer and autumn
Family: Liliaceae
Varieties: Allium giganteum 'Purple Sensation' is the most popular flower variety
 with a big flower head of tiny star-shaped flowers. Other varieties are Allium sphaerocephalon
which has a smaller egg-shaped head. Allium aflatunense and Allium neopolitanum (white flowers)
 have a much looser cluster of flowers. An unusual and relatively new variety Allium 'Hair' has loose
green hair (or stems) which can grow to 14cm, from its tiny purple/red sphere in the centre.
Stunning varieties are Allium schubertii and A. christophii, which looks like a firework,
 with long stalks bearing delicate star shaped pink flowers.
Care Tips: A long cut life of 12-20 days. Alliums are suitable for drying.

Alpina

 Name: After Prospero Alpinio, a doctor-botanist of the 1500s.
Also known as Pink Ginger or Shell Ginger.
Care Tips: The prawn-like flower will open in warmth.
Colours: Clear pink or red
Family: Related to the ginger used in cooking

Alstroemeria

 Common name: Sometimes called Ulster Mary (a corruption of the botanical name),
 or Peruvian lily from the country of origin. Pronounced Alstro-MARY-ah.
The flower is named after Claus Alstroemer, a pupil of the great botanical classifier
 Linnaeus who went to South America and sent back seeds of species of this flower.
Description: The flowers are like miniature lilies, with spotted or striped markings,
shaded colour, or contrasting patches.
Origin: Peru, Brazil and Chile where where they grow in cool mountainous regions.
Colour: Breeders in the UK and Holland have developed a huge range of hybrid varieties,
all with quite different colours and markings. You can buy them all year round,
 in red, pink, orange, white, cream, yellow, peach and purple!
Availability: You can buy them all year round.
Care Tips: Leaves wilt before flowers, so remove all foliage before putting in an arrangement.
 They will last about two weeks in water. Take care in transporting the flowers
as the stem joints are brittle and easily broken.

Amaranthus

Common name: The dark red Amaranthus caudatus is commonly called 'love lies bleeding' .
Description: Amaranthus are not well-known as cut flowers in the UK, but have no other
rivals for looks and have a very exotic appearance. Their upright or trailing flower spikes
have an unusual texture like chenille.
Origin: Native to South America
Colour: There are two main colours, a dark red and a lime green. The same colours are
found in the upright varieties, though these reds can also have dark brown tints.
There is a new bronze version too called "Hot Biscuits".
Availability: The main season is June to October
Family: There are two main forms, an upright version A. hypochondriacus which has almost
millet-like textured flower spikes, and a dramatic trailing version A. caudatus which is like a
long fluffy tail, with many smaller tails attached to the main stem.
Care Tips: Remove leaves as these fade quickly and are not very ornamental.

Amaryllis

Common name: Pronounced AMMA-rillis, Amaryllis is sometimes called Hippeastrum,
which means "knight star".
Description: Amaryllis have large flamboyant starry trumpets which spring from huge papery bulbs.
 Thick smooth leafless stems, often more than half a metre tall, are topped by four or five
of these outsize blooms, making an impressive display.
Origin: South and Central America and the Caribbean
Colour: Pure white, pillarbox red, candy pink, peach. There are also striped varieties and ones
with frilled or coloured edges to the petals.
Availability: The main season is September to April.
Varieties: Christmas red varieties include "Liberty", "Red Lion", and "Hercules".
Care Tips: The flower heads are often so large the stems cannot support them.
 Insert a thin stick inside the hollow stem for support. Buy Amaryllis when still in bud so
you can transport them without damaging the flowers. The meaty stalk of an Amaryllis
sucks up a lot of water, which means the flowers have a water supply within the stalk.
 This means you can use the Amaryllis as a dry decoration for a limited period.
 A few stems with fully blown flowers can be placed on a dinner table, or hung upside
down above the table, without becoming instantly limp.
Trivia:
Zodiac: Associated with the star sign Aries, being flamboyantly red.
Greek Mythology: Amaryllis was a popular woman's name in ancient Greece.
Medicinal: Contains poisonous substances - but perfectly safe to handle.
Language of Flowers: Amaryllis means "splendid beauty" or "pride".

Ammi

Common name: Ammi majus, sometimes called Queen Anne's Lace
Description: Ammi has the same flower shape as dill - a large umbrella-shaped head made
up of lots of tiny flowers - but creamy white. The stems are more slender and smooth,
and the leaves less feathery, more ferny. Ammi also has very little smell.
It is mainly available in high summer.
Origin:The plant is native to the Mediterranean, but is cultivated in major growing
areas including Holland, Israel and the UK.
Availability: All year round.
Family: Like dill, it is a cousin of the humble carrot.

Anemone

Common name: Comes from "anemos", the greek word for wind. Sometimes called the windflower.
Pronounced a-NEM-o-nee
Description: The outsize anemones, which growers have managed to produce in the last
few years, are remarkable, and perfect for placing singly in display vases, to show off their
fragile beauty. Their ferny leaves make a perfect frame for the flowerheads.
Origin: Eastern part of Mediterranean area and Asia Minor.They are now grown across Europe,
particularly Italy and Israel.
Colour: Vibrant shades of red, purple and pink, with jet black hearts ringed with white.
The all-white anemone is rare, it has a yellow-green heart.
Availability: Main season September to May
Family: Anemones belong to the buttercup family. The best cut flower varieties are
 "Mona Lisa" forms, which have large flowers and long, strong stems.
Care Tips: Anemones do not like being out of water for any length of time and take water
in quickly, so water levels should be checked regularly. However they should not be placed
in water that is too deep
Trivia:
Mythology: It is said that the goddess Flora was jealous of her husband's attentions
 towards the nymph Anemone and so transformed her into the wind flower and left her at the
 mercy of the North Wind.
Medicinal: Used for cramping pains, menstrual problems and emotional distress.

Anigozanthos

Common name: Pronouned ANNY-goz-an-thoss, the word means 'plant with unusual flower'
and is commonly known as kangaroo paw, kangaroo's paw or monkey paw.
Description: It has long furry, velvety buds that open at the tip of the stems producing
 tubular-shaped flowers.
Colour: Ranging from bronze, orange and yellow-green to pink and red.
The black kangaroo paw is Maropidia fulginosa.
Origin: Western Australia
Family: Haemodoraceae
Care Tips: It can last up to three to four weeks.
 Re-cut the stems once a week to aid water uptake.
Availability: All year round.

Anthurium

Common name: Anthurium, pronounced an-THOO-ree-um, are once-seen,
 never-forgotten flowers! You may have come across them on Caribbean holidays or in the Far East.
Common names include painter's palette, flamingo flower.
Description: Their unmistakable glossy heart-shaped flower bract (which gives them their
popular name of painter's palette) surrounds the true flowers, which are in the form of a spike
(or spathe) at the centre.
Colour: Anthuriums come in shades of reds, pinks, white, lilac, green and chocolate brown.
Availability: All year round.
Care Tips: They last three weeks or more. The flowers should not be chilled.
The bracts are fleshy and very easily bruised - take care when transporting
or arranging these fabulous flowers.

Astrantia

Common name: Astrantia major, maxima and carnicolica are commonly known
as masterwort or Hattie's pincushion.
Description: Astrantia has clusters of tiny, delicate, starlike flowers.
Colour: From greenish white to rose pink and red.
Origin: Central and S. Europe, West Asia. First cultivated in Belgium in 1574.
Availability: Summer, autumn
Care Tips: Choose when the tiny flowers on the cluster are open.
Give them a long drink before use. Their vase life is about 5-10 days.
 

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