Welcome February (2008) with Behnkes Houseplant Sale:

Our 50% off “truckload sale” on foliage plants in 10 inch diameter pots continues at our garden centers in Beltsville and Potomac, Maryland. We also have a great assortment of ceramic containers in myriad colors so you can accessorize your jungle. With “outdoor living” and “outdoor rooms” being all the rage, here is your chance to bring the outdoors indoors as well.

Check out Behnke Nurseries’ Remedy for Winter Weather:

We continue to put our best foot southward, as our sale continues on tropical foliage houseplants-those often referred to as “floor plants”– in 10 inch diameter pots.  You’ll find palms, peace lilies, and all sorts of other terrific plants at 50% off the regular price. Use them as houseplants for the winter, and when the weather gets warm, use them on the deck or even in the ground to give a tropical look to the garden. Or, keep them in the house; we aren’t checking up on you.

Finicky Ficus

by Mike Bader, Buyer/Manager, Houseplant Department

Just about everyone that has ever purchased a Ficus benjamina tree (commonly known as the weeping fig), has had to drag out the vacuum, broom, or even a rake to clean up those leaves that have dropped. All too often the concerned plant owner tries to water more, or water less, repot it, feed it, move it into more light, or move it into less light, and simply put, the plant just gets confused and so do we.

I have taken many of your phone calls asking why this happens, and generally speaking you will hear me say: “It’s adjusting to it’s new environment. It’s acclimating”. Acclimating is normally a matter of going from high light to lower light. Just as we have certain expectations when we adopt an indoor plant, plants also have certain expectations of us. Understanding their native habitats can help us to satisfy those expectations.

The Ficus family is quite diverse with over 800 species and 2,000 varieties. They can be found growing in full sun or the heavily shaded dense forest. Contrary to what you may have heard, ficus is a very versatile plant as far as light goes. In the full sun, they will have a thick canopy of leaves; but, in the dense forest, they will grow very open with fewer leaves and thin weeping branches.

If one could measure the actual thickness of the individual leaves, you would find the leaves to also be thicker when grown in the sun and thinner when grown in the shade. This explains some of the leaf loss when your ficus goes from higher light levels (typically our greenhouse) to a lower light level (your home). They are adapting (acclimating), dropping inefficient leaves and producing more efficient leaves for capturing available sunlight.

Just as sure as birds migrate south for the winter season, the Ficus benjamina comes from an area of the world that has always had a very distinct wet and dry season. When preparing for the dry season (like that time when you thought someone else was watering your ficus), they shed their leaves. This reduces the amount of leaves needed to survive, since a decrease in water will not support all of them.

When the rains return (the first time you watered after you noticed all the leaves on the floor), new growth will emerge and the canopy will return. As with light changes, their survival mechanism is leaf drop. Ficus do not like changes, they are truly creatures of habit. What they want, as much as anything else, is a consistent environment.

Once you have decided where you are going to place your ficus (the more light the better), try to keep it in the same location. Although your indoor environment changes with the seasons, develop a watering schedule. The soil should be kept moist but not soggy and should not dry out between waterings.

One of the first keys to having success with your plants indoors is maintaining a good root system. Do not make the mistake of repotting your new plant for at least several months. This would disturb the root system and change the amount of moisture around the roots. Do clean the leaves to remove dust on a regular basis.

You should take your ficus to the shower about every two months, or if you prefer to shower alone a damp cloth will do. When grown indoors, ficus have almost no need to be fertilized; however, any well balanced fertilizer (Jack’s All Purpose 20-20-20) will maintain growth during spring and summer. Ficus enjoy warm conditions between 68-85 during the day. As with most tropicals, they will flourish in almost any well drained potting soil (Schultz potting mixes).

Keep in mind that your ficus tree has been shipped from our Florida growers to our greenhouses and then to your home. The plant is experiencing both light changes and moisture changes. Moisture-stressed ficus tend to drop yellow leaves, while ficus exposed to low-light stress tend to drop green leaves.

Great news! Today, thanks to a rigorous trial process, several new varieties have emerged that are highly resistant to leaf drop. Five of my favorites can be found at Behnke’s in many forms which include standard trees, braided trunks, bushes and bonsai. Ficus ‘Monique’ is an upright benjamina type with a bushy growth pattern. It’s leaves are shiny, bright green and have ruffled edges. To date, ‘Monique’ is the most popular of these new ficus varieties.

Ficus ‘Indigo’ has an open, weepy appearance. It’s leaves emerge deep green and darken with maturity to almost blue-black with a high-gloss. As the outer leaves darken, a slight variegation appears in the leaf’s midrib. Ficus ‘Midnight’ is a sister plant of ‘Indigo’ with extremely dark, bluish to black, glossy leaves. It’s growth pattern is upright and it also displays a compact, bushy habit.

Ficus ‘Amstel King’ has long, banana shaped leaves. New growth tips are a very pronounced pink to red that contrast beautifully against the broad, shiny leaves. And finally there is Ficus ‘Wiandii’. This variety has smaller leaves with branches that zig and zag, often turning at right angles. The free-form growth pattern makes this one ideal for bonsai.

On your next visit to Behnke’s, ask about our “Ficus of the Future” and give them a try.

Bromeliads – an Exotic Look Indoors
by Mike Bader, Buyer, Houseplant Department

Bromeliads are easy-to-grow indoor plants. They are greatly adaptable to air-conditioned surroundings and less-than-ideal light levels, and tolerant of the neglect imposed on them by the hectic pace of modern living.

Bromeliads (Bro-meel-ee-ads) are members of a large family of plants, including the well-known pineapple and Spanish moss -that eerie, draped companion of trees in our southern states.

Bromels, as they are nicknamed, are native to tropical America, and can be found growing wild in the southern United States perched on trees (epiphytes), clinging to rocks (saxicolous), or growing on the forest floor (terrestrials). Epiphytic species are commonly called “air plants” because they grow on trees, love moving air, and have scales on their leaves which are remarkable moisture absorbing organs that pull water out of the air.

Mother Nature spent a great deal of effort designing bromeliads to be pleasing to the eye. These plants have double appeal because many have brilliant blooms as well as ornamental foliage.

Behnke’s offers a unique collection of bromeliads, ranging from the small starlike rosettes of the earth stars (Cryptanthus), to the huge incomparable urn plants (Aechmea), perhaps the most beautiful of all bromeliads.

An exciting introduction is our assortment of bromeliad “trees” ranging from 18 inches to 5 feet tall. These are beautiful, artistic displays as well as functional supports. Many bromeliads are inhabitants of the tree tops, and it is only natural that we should attempt to put them back “in the air” in ways which simulate their native habitats. I have been purchasing tropicals for over 20 years and these asymmetrical arrangements of container, driftwood, and plants are the most delightfully pleasing and eye-catching I’ve ever seen!

Try a fun project with your children or friends by constructing a living mobile. Tillandsias can be hung singly or in a cluster by using nylon fishing line. Simply tie your plants on a single string or make your mobile as complex as you desire.

Make a living-flower vase with your silver vase (Aechmea fasciata), our most popular bromeliad. Once the flower has faded and been removed, the natural cup of the plant will hold sufficient water to keep fresh flowers bright for days.

Come see these remarkable plants in Behnke’s houseplant department. While you’re here, be sure to pick up our bromeliad care sheet to ensure your success!

 Cyclamen for Winter Cheer
- by Larry Hurley and Melodie Likel

One of the pleasures of the transition from summer to fall to winter is that our greenhouses once again are chock full of blooming plants to make your home more cheerful. Although a lot of attention is lavished on the holiday poinsettia plant, there are others that perform equally well yet garner less attention. My favorite is the cyclamen.

Easy to grow, colorful, fragrant and long blooming-what more could you ask for? Okay; graceful. You’ve got it. There are 20 species of cyclamen. They are found in the wild around (but not in) the Mediterranean Sea. Some species are winter hardy, and Behnke Nurseries carries dormant nursery-grown plants in the fall in our bulb section and occasionally as small potted plants in our perennial area.

These species (including Cyclamen coum and C. hederifolium) are great for naturalizing in well-drained soil under deciduous trees in bright shade in urban settings. At my home, I have several patches of C. hederifolium that go dormant in summer, flower in fall, and bear attractive foliage throughout the winter and spring. For more information on the hardy species, visit the website of the English based Cyclamen Society, www.cyclamen.org. The “florist hybrids” are primarily from the species C. persicum, which is not winter hardy in our area.

It is, however used as a bedding or window box plant in the cool seasons of milder climates, similar to how we would use pansies here. One December, when I was in Rome, I observed that it was planted extensively. “Florist cyclamen” (hereafter denoted as just “cyclamen”) are available in shades of red, pink, lavender, purple and white, with some bicolors, fringed, and double-flowered forms as well. The standard type is about 12 inches tall in bloom, with 2 to 3 inch flowers borne like butterflies (or fireworks) above the foliage.

The dwarf or mini form is about 6 inches tall with 1-inch flowers, and there is an in-between size, the “midi”, as well. The leaves usually have a silver overlay with the green that makes them attractive in their own right, resembling a foliage-type begonia. The fragrance seems to vary from plant to plant, so if the lemony scent is important to you, make sure to select a fragrant plant from the start. Fragrance seems to be stronger in the more humid atmosphere of a greenhouse than in the home.

Cyclamen should be in a window in bright light, even a few hours of direct sun in the morning or late afternoon. East windows are ideal. They also do best long-term in a cool room (another reason to go the windowsill route), with day temperatures in the mid-60′s and nights around 50 degrees.

The fastest way to kill a cyclamen is by overwatering. Wait until just before the plant starts to wilt before you water the plant-lift the pot and water the plant when it feels light. (If you wait too long and it wilts badly, you will abort many of the small flower buds. It is best to check about every three days.) The plant may flower for up to several months if everything goes well.

Water the soil, not the foliage, and let the pot drain without standing for any length of time in a saucer of water (this is easiest to accomplish by watering it in the sink.) If the pot has foil around it, get rid of the foil and put the plant in a basket or just in a saucer. Foil tends to reduce air circulation around the base of the plant, and encourages rot. If you lift the pot and the plant, or victim, is wilting and heavy, it has been overwatered and in technical horticultural parlance, the plant is now “toast”. Yellowing leaves and dried-up buds are signs of underwatering, too-warm temperatures, low humidity, or a combination of these.

It can’t hurt to give the plant a little bit of houseplant fertilizer every couple of weeks. As long as the plant continues to make new leaves, it will make new flower buds (one bud per leaf). A little nosh once in a while will help to maintain active growth. We carry a number of excellent brands from which to choose, including Jack’s Classic, which is ideal for cyclamen.

When the plant goes out of flower you can compost it or try to nurse it along to rebloom next year. At that point you may withhold water and allow it to die back to the bulb-like tuber. Most houseplant books will give you the routine. From a quality standpoint, a new plant will generally look better than one you have tried to rebloom unless you have a home greenhouse.

I’m not Mr. Artistic. I tried reading Martha, but it didn’t do any good. I line cyclamen up along the window sill like little soldiers, alternated with rex begonias, kalanchoes, and other cool-season plants. For short-term displays, New Year’s Eve party, birthday, etc. you might tuck several into a basket or a ceramic pot.

Here are a few more suggestions from our Behnke Florist…………. 

Cyclamen Decorating Tips

Evelyn Kinville, Florist Shop Division Manager, shares these tips for showcasing your cyclamen plant:

The bright colors of cyclamen blooms chase away the winter blahs. For home display, be sure to protect furniture by placing your plant in a favorite container with a water-tight liner inside. Remove the plant for watering and draining. For an elegant look, cut a few blooms and place them in a slender bud vase or small pitcher. The blooms resemble orchids when displayed in this manner. (In fact, the cyclamen is sometimes referred to as “poor man’s orchid.”)

Cyclamen can be moved anywhere in your home, like a bouquet of flowers, for a special occasion. Just make sure they are returned to their cool, bright growing environment the next day.

Heart-shaped leaves, and bloom hues in reds, pinks and white make cyclamen a great valentine. Add paper or lace hearts on picks and a couple of tapered candles for the perfect centerpiece for a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner.