Recommended Flower Varieties That Are Both Beautiful and Easy to Grow, Plus Everyday Care Methods
Everyone who loves flowers knows that good looks are not the only standard for judging flowers; flowers that are both beautiful and easy to grow are the ones truly loved by flower enthusiasts. Which flowers in the floral world are both beautiful and easy to grow? Below, the editor will introduce several flower varieties to you.
Confederate Jasmine
Confederate Jasmine, also known as Star Jasmine and Chinese Star Jasmine, is an evergreen woody climbing plant of the genus Trachelospermum. Although Confederate Jasmine is not as world-famous as clematis, it is renowned both at home and abroad. Confederate Jasmine comes in two types, pink-flowered and white-flowered; as long as there is ample light and plenty of water and nutrients, Confederate Jasmine can quickly cover a balcony. Moreover, Confederate Jasmine's flowers are fragrant and pleasant, and the elegant scent it gives off seems never enough no matter how much you smell it. Therefore, there is a saying that Confederate Jasmine is "not jasmine, yet better than jasmine."
Hibiscus
Hibiscus, also known as Mulberry-leaf Hibiscus, Big Red Flower, and Rose of Sharon Hibiscus, among other names. As the state flower of Hawaii and the national flower of Malaysia, the moment you see it, it makes you think of a southern beauty wearing a grass skirt. Common hibiscus colors include red, yellow, white, blue, and orange; plant them together and they look like a mini sea of flowers. As long as the temperature is suitable, hibiscus can bloom from late spring to late autumn. Such a nice flower truly blooms gloriously with just a bit of sunshine.
Wax Begonia
In early April this year, I bought a pot of Wax Begonia online. When it arrived, there were already several small buds on the branches, and before long, bright red small flowers bloomed. Now it is already August, and the branches are still blooming endlessly. As long as the temperature does not fluctuate too much, Wax Begonia has flowers for a long period. Moreover, besides red, Wax Begonia also produces white and pink flowers. The care method for Wax Begonia is very simple; just keep the soil moist and the light abundant.
Stock
Lebanese poet Kahlil Gibran wrote in his famous work "The Violet": "Nature gave you that beauty, that fragrance, and that delicacy which she granted to few other flowers." Stock, famous for its beauty and delicacy, has ornamental value directly proportional to its ease of growing. As a flower of the winter and spring seasons, stock is very cold-tolerant, and everyday care only requires supplementing light and water.
Rieger Begonia
Rieger Begonia, also known as Rose Begonia, has been given the title "Queen of Potted Flowers" thanks to its vivid blooms and rich colors. Flower lovers who like Rieger Begonia are mostly drawn to its beauty; after all, when the flowering season arrives, Rieger Begonia produces double flowers shaped like roses, truly a feast for the eyes. Compared with Calibrachoa and geraniums, Rieger Begonia is somewhat more delicate. But for everyday care, as long as you follow scattered light, water appropriately, and pinch the tips regularly, you can get it to fill out its pot beautifully.
Chinese Ixora
Chinese Ixora, also called Water Hydrangea, is an extremely easy-to-grow flower. Chinese Ixora has an exceptionally long flowering period; in regions with mild weather year-round, Chinese Ixora can bloom all four seasons. With its strong adaptability to the environment, even beginners can easily grow it. Moreover, Chinese Ixora comes in many colors, including red, orange, white, yellow, and more. Plant several colors together and you can harvest a colorful carpet.
Christmas Cactus
Christmas Cactus carries the beautiful meanings of "adding brilliance to what is already splendid," "heaven and earth," and "great fortune." In Western countries, Christmas Cactus is called the "Christmas Cactus." Christmas Cactus has a trailing plant shape, bright and lovely flower colors, and delicate, graceful blooms, making it very suitable for home cultivation. Since the 1980s, China has had a history of introducing and cultivating Christmas Cactus. After decades of local adaptation, Christmas Cactus can safely overwinter and safely pass summer in most regions of China. The care techniques are nothing more than supplementing light and appropriate water and nutrients.
Besides the several potted flowers introduced by the editor above, Crown of Thorns, Lipstick Plant, Firecracker Flower, Geranium, and Chinese Lantern Flower are also flower varieties that are both beautiful and easy to grow. As long as there is ample light and appropriate water and nutrients, they can bloom brilliantly through all four seasons.
Introduction to 8 Kinds of Potted Flowers Suitable for Growing Indoors! Small, Exquisite Blooms with Rich Colors
When it comes to ornamental potted flowers, I believe the first thing everyone thinks of is grand, imposing large-flowered plants such as camellias, peonies, and carnations. However, although large-flowered potted plants are beautiful, there are also some small and delicate flowers that, when in full bloom, have their own distinctive ornamental value, with no shortage of beauty at all. So, which potted flowers have small, exquisite blooms? Let's take a look.
Image: Blue Plumbago
1. Blue Plumbago
Blue Plumbago's flowers are small, one by one, and usually bloom in clusters when flowering. Its delicate little flowers are as dreamy as can be in color, and what is even more commendable is that it is relatively easy to grow. If you could keep such a charming pot of flowers at home, it would certainly add a lot of color! Blue Plumbago is grown from seed; sow the seeds shallowly in special seedling soil, place in a spot with scattered light and ventilation, and mist with a little water from time to time. After the seeds sprout, remember to keep the soil moist and gradually increase ventilation and light to prevent the seedlings from suffocating or becoming leggy. When the seedlings have grown 2-3 pairs of leaves, they can be moved to a pot; during this period, remember to give the seedlings nutrients!
Image: Cypress Vine
2. Cypress Vine
Cypress Vine is also called Five-pointed Star Flower, which suits its appearance very well. This flower is small; it may not be especially outstanding, but it is very pleasing to look at! Friends who want to grow it can prepare flower seeds, generally available at flower shops or online, and can sow from spring to autumn. Place the seeds in a pot, cover with a thin layer of soil, water thoroughly, and generally they will sprout in about a week. After the seedlings emerge, do not water too much, and do not fertilize. If leggy growth occurs, you can add a little soil around the seedlings. When it grows to the point of needing to climb, give it a small trellis (a small twig will do), which can help it grow better.
Image: Baby's Breath
3. Baby's Breath
Everyone should be quite familiar with Baby's Breath; flower shop owners always like to add a few sprigs of Baby's Breath to bouquets. This small flower usually looks unremarkable, but when a pot is densely covered in blooms, or when paired with other flowers, it is especially beautiful. Baby's Breath is generally grown from seed; in southern regions sow in spring and autumn, while in northern regions generally sow in spring. After sowing, cover with a layer of plastic wrap and poke a few small holes with a toothpick. Remember to water on time, water thoroughly, place in a shaded spot away from light, and pay attention to ventilation.
Image: Oxalis
4. Oxalis
Oxalis is a plant with rich medicinal value, but it must be said that its appearance is also truly beautiful! Look at the oxalis grown by expert hands; isn't it quite lovely and charming? Oxalis is generally grown from oxalis bulbs. The bulbs go through a period of dormancy, and when the temperature is suitable they grow sprouts and roots; at this point you can plant them. Spread a layer of medium at the bottom of the flower pot (peat: perlite: vermiculite = 2:1:1) and base fertilizer (bone meal and compound fertilizer), fill with soil to half the height of the pot, place the oxalis bulb with the sprout facing up and the root facing down into the soil, and continue adding an appropriate amount of soil. Water thoroughly, place in a cool, ventilated spot, and quietly wait for it to sprout.
Image: Marguerite Daisy
5. Marguerite Daisy
Marguerite Daisy is a particularly small chrysanthemum with many colors. Looking at a single flower alone you might not think much of it, but its profusion of blooms can instantly win everyone over! Imagine looking up and seeing a whole expanse of Marguerite Daisies; it must be stunningly beautiful. When growing Marguerite Daisy, you can buy small seedlings to plant (if the seedling you receive has buds, remember to remove the buds to avoid consuming nutrients). The soil mix is generally peat: perlite: large-particle vermiculite = 3:1:1, with a small amount of slow-release fertilizer. Marguerite Daisy likes a relatively humid environment, so the potting soil must not dry out, but it must not become waterlogged either. Place it in a spot with as much sunlight as possible, but do not expose it to blazing sun, and absolutely avoid watering after blazing sun exposure!
Image: Viola
6. Viola
Viola also has the name "Little Pansy." Its colors are rich and varied, and there are now quite a few varieties on the market. Although it is small, its colors are very eye-catching. It never studied color coordination, so how does it manage to look so perfectly put together? Viola can be grown from seed, generally sown in autumn. After the seeds go into the soil, maintain ample light, and likewise after sprouting. Before sprouting, remember to keep the soil moist; after sprouting, water according to the principle of "water when dry, stop when wet."
Image: Lewisia
7. Lewisia
I do not know whether everyone is familiar with this flower, but in any case, the first glance at it is stunning, and on closer look it becomes more and more beautiful. It is small and exquisite, yet very comfortable to look at, and its colors are very vivid. The world of flowers is truly colorful! Lewisia is generally grown from seed, and seeds can be bought online (a reminder: generally dark brown, glossy seeds are better). Sowing is generally done in late autumn or early winter. Place the seeds in a dark environment at 10-20 degrees to germinate, then transfer the sprouted, white-tipped seeds to an appropriate medium that requires good drainage (peat + sand or perlite). Water promptly, require good drainage in the flower pot, give plenty of sun, and quietly wait for them to sprout!
Image: Globe Amaranth
8. Globe Amaranth
Globe Amaranth is shaped like small balls, particularly attractive, very refined and small. Before sowing, soak the seeds in cold water for 2 days (or warm water for 1 day) to improve the germination rate. After soaking, wrap the seeds in gauze or paper towels, place in a pot, rinse with clean water 1-2 times a day, and once small white sprouts appear they can be sown. After sprouting, plant the seeds in a flower pot, cover with a small amount of soil, and keep warm and moist. After all the seedlings have emerged, remove the thin, poorly developed seedlings. When the seedlings have grown 7-8 leaves, they can be transplanted into a new flower pot and continue to be cared for.
[Editor's Conclusion]Cypress Vine, Oxalis, Blue Plumbago, and others are all common potted flowers in daily life, with rich colors and small, exquisite forms, possessing high ornamental value. Quickly grow a few pots indoors!
Choose a Pot of Flowers Suitable for You Today
Growing flowers is actually something that requires careful study and persistent effort. Although we cannot compare with professional plantations, whenever we pass by the vegetable market and see the flowers grown by the old men and women selling secondhand goods, don't we always marvel at how well they grow their flowers!
Perhaps we say that older people are retired at home and have time to tend flowers and plants every day, caring for them meticulously, but this is actually only one aspect. Flowers, like clothing fabric, come in easy-care types and types that need careful pampering.
Do not choose only because of beauty; exquisite, expensive flowers are more delicate and harder to keep alive.
Choosing a kind of flower that suits us and is easy to grow is the most crucial step.
Today I recommend several kinds of home-grown flowers suitable for Northeast China; these flowers are not only easy to grow, but also very beautiful.
Clivia
The first one to introduce is, of course, the city flower of our great Changchun.
It does not have high light requirements; as long as strong light is avoided and the temperature is suitable, it does not matter whether the light duration is a little longer or shorter. It is relatively drought-tolerant; water appropriately, as overwatering will cause root rot.
Growing Points:
The optimal temperature for growth is between 18-28°C; below 10°C or above 30°C, growth is inhibited. It likes a ventilated environment and is suitable for growing in loose, fertile, slightly acidic organic soil. It is a famous greenhouse flower and suitable for indoor cultivation.
Roots and leaves have a certain correlation. When new roots grow, new leaves will also emerge accordingly. When old roots are lost (rotted from waterlogging or dried to death, etc.), as long as the leaves are not wilting, pay attention to maintaining soil moisture during care, and remember not to overwater, let it dry out too much, or water too frequently; this can keep the plant alive (with proper care, new roots can be found growing in about 10 days). If the leaves are damaged, this will likewise affect the roots.
When Clivia grows larger, it needs to be moved to a bigger pot, that is, "repotting and changing the soil."
Under normal conditions, Clivia blooms once a year, generally when it has more than twelve leaves. With suitable indoor growing temperatures, it can bloom around the Spring Festival.
Chinese Rose
It looks delicate and lovely, but it is really not delicate at all. It does not have high soil requirements and can survive wherever it is stuck. It is not afraid of wind, sun, rain, or exposure; cut back spent flowering branches severely, and it will sprout small tender shoots again and produce beautiful flowers.
Growing Points: Generally carried out from May to October in summer and autumn, when the temperature is moderate and very suitable for cuttings. Cut a branch segment below the flower that is full and has plump buds to use as the cutting.
Geranium
"Little Geranium" loves to live; this is the common conclusion reached by those who have grown it. It also has a huge number of flower colors, the blooms are gorgeous and charming, and the flowering period is long. Its advantages can be said to be quite numerous. It is also the national flower of Hungary. Fish Geranium and Horseshoe Geranium are its other names.
Growing Points: It is now early autumn, so it can be sown or propagated by cuttings. For cuttings, the top ones are best, with vigorous growth and fast rooting. Take cuttings in October, and they will bloom from February to March the following year.
Spider Plant
The beauty of the Spider Plant is holistic, with flowers and leaves as one, and it also has an outstanding air-purifying function. It is said to live as soon as it touches soil and has no requirements for water, nutrients, or light. The Spider Plant at the old farmer's home is just like this, tossed in a corner of the balcony, watered once every ten days to half a month, and after 5 or 6 years, it is still growing very well.
Growing Points: Propagation is extremely easy; you can divide the clumps or take the small plantlets with roots on the flower stems and pot them separately. Remember: it is Spider! Plant! not other orchids.
Hibiscus
You have all heard the phrase "eastward across the Fusang," right? It means going to Japan to study, because in ancient times Japan was called the "Land of Fusang." In fact, hibiscus originated in China, and the Western Jin dynasty work "Plants and Trees of the Southern Regions" already contains records of hibiscus. Hibiscus has large flowers and vivid colors and blooms in all four seasons. If you like big blooms, then grow it.
Growing Points: The cutting method has a high survival rate and can be carried out from May to October. The best cuttings are one-year-old semi-lignified ones, preferably 10 cm long. They root in 20-25 days.
Jasmine
Fragrant and beautiful, filling the branches, both fragrant and white, praised by everyone; this describes jasmine. It is not only beautiful but also extremely tough. Even when the blazing sun wilts it, after watering, the leaves immediately stand up green and glossy again.
Growing Points: From April to October, choose mature one-year-old branches, cut them into cuttings with more than two nodes, insert them into a pot with half sand and half soil, water to maintain soil moisture, and they will root in 40-60 days.
Bougainvillea
Do you remember what flower was most common in the streets and alleys of Guangzhou back in spring? It was bougainvillea. When it blooms, it covers a large area, brilliant as rosy clouds.
Growing Points: Extremely easy to root from cuttings, generally carried out from March to June.
Cypress Vine
The flowers it produces look like five-pointed stars, and when it blooms, red stars dot the scene. It loves water as if its life depends on it, but watering once every few days also keeps it full of vitality.
Growing Points: Grown from seed; as long as the soil is kept somewhat moist, it can survive. You can collect the seeds formed from September to November and plant them the following year.
Corn Poppy
The line in "Yu Meiren," "When will the spring flowers and autumn moon ever end? How much of the past do I know?" has made countless people deeply sorrowful, and the corn poppy flower is also very charming, somewhat like a poppy, yet different from a poppy.
Growing Points: Sow in both spring and autumn; autumn sowing is more conducive to collecting seeds. In northern regions, it can be direct-sown in early winter, and it will sprout and grow in spring.
Kalanchoe
Its flower colors are rich and clustered into groups, very endearing. It does not have high soil requirements; just place it in a sunny spot. Its flowering period is long, blooming from December to July of the following year. This is also why Kalanchoe got its name.
Growing Points: Cuttings taken from May to June or September to October have very good results. Choose mature fleshy stems, cut 5-6 cm lengths, insert into a sand bed, water, and cover with plastic film. They root in 15-18 days.
Getting to the Root of It
1. Why can't I keep alive flowers that others say are easy to grow?
Friends often say, "I bought flowers that others say are easy to grow, so why can't I keep them alive?"
Getting to the root of it, there are the following 2 issues:
Potting Soil:
When buying flowers already planted in pots, especially when the flower pot is relatively deep and tall, the bottom of the pot may not be filled with soil but with foam, waste paper, stones, bricks, and so on. Some flower vendors also deliberately use "cultivation soil" or nutrient solution to grow flowers; the plants grow well in the short term, but after a while they fail.
Flower Roots:
Some flowers are sold just after the flower vendor has moved them from cultivation soil into new pots. At this time, the roots have not yet grown firmly and the flowers have not yet adapted to the pot, so they are not easy to keep alive.
Or some are simply a cut branch inserted directly into a pot with no roots at all, making them even harder to keep alive.
2. Why do the flower seeds I buy back not sprout?
Fresh flower seeds sprout easily; seeds stored too long will have a greatly reduced germination rate and will not bloom.
3. How do you choose potted flowers?
It is best to buy ones that have been planted in the pot since they were seedlings, the so-called "old pots," and not choose "new pots."
The roots of "old pots" have already extended into every corner of the potting soil, and the soil color in the pot is uniform and consistent. In "new pots," the plant's roots are unevenly distributed, and the color of the surrounding soil differs from that in the middle.
The soil in "old pots" is relatively firm, with no obvious granular feel when pinched by hand. The soil texture in "new pots" is relatively loose, and occasionally there is soil clumping attached to the bottom of the pot.
Lift the flower pot and look at the bottom. Generally, pots have small holes at the bottom. See whether there are flower roots. If there are, it proves that the flower has been in the pot for quite a while and is an "old pot"; otherwise, it is a "new pot."