Flower Delivery UK 

A - Z of Cut Flowers - H

Helenium

Name: Helenium get their name from the Greek word "helios" meaning sun, a
nd from Helen of Troy. Commonly named sneezeweed.
Description: Daisy-like flowers with brown centres. The buds and immature flowers are
attractively striped and the flowers last up to two weeks.
Colour: A warm colour range of yellow, gold, tan, rust and terracotta.
Availability: Helenium have a short natural season during late summer and early autumn

Heliconia

Name: Common names such as lobster claw and parrot flower reflect their beak-like shape.
Colour: Red, orange yellow, pink.
Availability: all year round.
Description: The real flowers are tiny and inside the "beaks". Some less-common species
 may have furry beaks. The variety shown here has upright facing flowers; some forms,
called hanging heliconia, have flowers which dangle down from the main stem.

Helleborus

Name: Pronounced HELL-e-bore and also called Christmas Rose the botanical
name is Helleborus.
Description: The flowers' translucent petals and dotty stamens, combined
with delicately pointed leaves, give the flower the appearance of a wild dog-rose.
 Smooth olive-green stems only reach around 20cms and give the flower a very dainty appearance.
Colour: H. niger is either bright purest white, or a warm deep purple. H. corsicus has green
or cream bell-like cups in clusters, while H. orientalis has speckled and streaked
flowers in unusual shades of cream, green, purple and pink.
Availability: November to January.
Varieties: As cut flowers hellebores come in three main species - Helleborus niger,
 the Christmas rose; H. orientalis, the Lenten rose and H. corsicus
Care Tips: Hellebores are short-lived flowers but very beautiful nonetheless.
They benefit from a long drink before arranging and keeping them cool will prolong their life.
Despite its beauty, the black roots of H. niger are extremely poisonous , so although it is
safe to handle, hands should be washed after handling it.
Trivia:
Facts: The flower is used for winter decorations particularly in Scandinavia
Folklore: The cornish refer to the Christmas rose as "The Virgin's Mantle".
In medieval times it was said to be good for breaking bad spells and curses and was
often planted near the front door.
Medicinal: H. niger was first described in a "herbal" in 1597, it was then known as the
Christmas Herb or the Christmas Flower. Nicholas Culpeper's legendary 17th century
herbal refers to it. It was regarded as a suitable treatment for insanity and depression.
It was first referred to as the Christmas Rose in the 18th century because of its
resemblance to the single wild rose (dog-rose)

Hyacinth

Name: The word hyacinth comes from the Greek Hyakinthos, a handsome young man
 who in Greek mythology was loved by the sun god Apollo. One day they were practising
throwing the discus but the jealous god of the West Wind, who was also in love with
Hyakinthos, blew the discus back and it fatally wounded him. From his blood grew a
flower which the god Apollo named after him.
Origin: It was brought to Western Europe in the 16th century and was first cultivated
in Austria in the 1500's. During the 17th and 18th centuries, like the tulip, it was to be
found only in the collections of very rich flower collectors. Because of the hyacinth's pervasive
perfume, the bulbs were exorbitantly expensive. The bulbs are now grown in Holland and Great Britain.
Colour: Usually white, pink, peach and blue. More unusual colours to look for include
 dark wine purples , rosy reds, navy, egg-yolk yellows and soft oranges.
Availability: November to April
Family: Hyacinthus orientalis belongs to the Liliaceae family
and so grows from a bulb.
Varieties: Varieties come in all colours including pure white "Carnegie", salmon "Anna Marie",
delicate pink " Splendid Cornelia" and baby blue "Delft Blue
Trivia:
Facts: Nowadays the cut flowers are sold with roots intact at the bottom to make the
flowers last longer. Don't cut these off, but just give the stems a good rinse.
 

Hypericum

Name: Pronounced hy-PERRI-cum, common name St John's Wort.
Origin: Native to the Himalayas and China, the plant has been cultivated in the UK since 1594
originally for its medicinal properties but now also grown commercially for its ornamental berries.
Colour: Berries in shades of red, orange and brown as well as golden flowers like giant buttercups.
Variety: Hypericum has increased hugely in popularity over the past five years.
Then there was only one general variety of hypericum widely sold. Now there are at
least six or seven named varieties available, all with different characteristics.
Availability: all year round.
Care Tips: Remove the leaves as these fade quickly and are not as ornamental as the berries.
Trivia:
Medicinal: Hypericum has also become better known for its medicinal properties.
Under its common name, St John's Wort, hypericum is sold as a herbal antidepressant.

Contact Flower & Gifts Delivery UK

       UK callers please call us on: 01691 624 555

    International callers please call us on: intl code + 44 1691 624 555

You can call us between 9.00am to 4.30 pm Mon to Fri and 9.30 to 11.30 am on Saturdays - UK time.