Specialty Gardening: Spring 2011 - Share your pictures and scents, 1 by astcgirl

astcgirl wrote:
Soilsandup hello again. I'd love to plant flowers for cutting and have a few but most of the cut flowers here that I could use get tall and I also have lots of shade in the front of my house due to a large oak tree taking up a lot of room. I do have lots of Caladiums though, they are actually a great cut "flower" so to say if you could call them a that...more like a leaf but just as pretty as a flower with their beautiful designs. I did buy a lot of Chrysanthemum plants last year that were tiny and this year they are wonderful, although falling over everywhere, I think I need to take cuttings to shorten them once they have flowered.

As for the Grand Duke, I'm not positive it would survive outside in 9a, mine looses all it's leaves and I try to cover it whenever it's getting below freezing here so I have never let it fend for itself, however I don't drag it in during winter, the pot is too big and it is so tall now. I have heard people grow them in a pot in a sunny window though.

I tried rooting the Michelia but as usual with all my rootings, I totally forget about them or water them to death when I do remember them. Sadly I've had no luck so far.

Here's one of the Caladium Leafs