Tag: flower delivery

Flowers: The Feel-Good Medicine Series. Part One: Color

Many theories have been put forth trying to explain the relationship (the cause and effect) between flowers and the blissful emotions they generate.  Today we begin a blog series that will take us on a journey through the therapeutic world of flowers in search of the answer to the question.  Why do flowers make us feel good?

Seeing flowers in every color is an uplifting experience!

COLOR:

The first theory of why flowers make us feel so good is rooted in the psychological effects of color.  Several ancient cultures (the Chinese, the Egyptians) believed they could heal ailments using color.  This is known as Chromo-therapy.  Still used in today’s holistic medicine, color has been shown to have  an impact on one’s mood…

Blue brings calmness and serenity.  There seems to be a mental association between night and the color blue.  Several municipalities have even seized on the theory and installed blue street lighting.  In 2000 Glasgow installed blue lighting to improve its landscape.  It was later reported that the crime rate was reduced in areas that had blue lighting!  In a similar effort to reduce agressive driving, Tokyo installed 152 blue lights on a stretch of highway in 2001.

Pink is associated with love and romance.  There is even a shade of pink called Drunk Tank Pink.  Click on this link to read all about this shade of pink!

Green is the color that symbolizes nature and the natural world.  Researchers have found that green can invoke feelings of good fortune, health and tranquility.

Red is a  bright, warm color that evokes strong emotions.  Red is often associated with love, warmth and comfort.  Red is also considered a strong, even angry color, that creates intense feelings, even excitement.  Consider the many ways that the color red is used in a phrase or colloquialism: red-neck, red-hot, red-handed, paint-the-town-red, seeing-red, the-red-eye.

Every color imaginable is represented by one flower or another. Although it is clear from study after study that color has an effect on people’s moods, these effects are not always positive.  What is certain is that any flower in any color will have a positive effect on those who receive and enjoy them.  It might be a bit of a leap to say that flowers of one particular color have a more positive  effect than flowers of another color.

The moral of the story?  Send someone flowers! If you know their favorite color, then that is great! If not, all the colors are beautiful and you can send those.  Flowers do make people happy and the bright vivid colors bring us joy and happiness.  They lift us up, the help our spirits rise and most of all they make us smile. Send someone flowers today and sit back and wait for the phone to ring.  The enthusiasm that comes through the telephone line will astound you!  What other research do you really need in order to prove  the point?  That loud over-the-top, super-giddy “thank youuuuuuuuuu!” is research enough!

No matter the reason, no matter the occasion, no matter the moment, all of us at Starbright Floral Design are standing by waiting to hear from you  and ready to help lift someone’s day.  We are the feel-good experts!  Helping people smile all over the world every day.  Starbright Floral Design (that is us) is  located in the heart of New York City (in the historic flower district) and because of our ties to hospitality in our great city we have been dubbed “The Official Florist of the City that Never Sleeps”.

You can visit our second floor loft at 150 West 28th Street (Studio 201), you can call us at 800.520.8999 or you can learn all about who we are by going to our website at www.starflor.com.  No matter where or how you reach out to us… We would love to be of service.

Happy Days to All!

The Official Florist.

Starbright Floral Design

www.starflor.com

To place an order on-line, visit the e-commerce portal of our site at: www.starbrightnyc.com

You can also find Starbright on Facebook by CLICKING HERE.

 

 

June’s Birth Flower: The Rose its history and secret language decoded

The Rose of June - Brought to you by Starbright Floral Design
The Birth Flower of June

The rose, June’s birth flower is rich in symbolism and myth.  Its image has been utilized  throughout history on such diverse topics as love, war, politics and beauty.

 

The Myths

The first rose of record is said to be in ancient Greece.  The Gods had a tendency to find beauty in tragedy.  It was one of these tragic moments that created the rose.   Aphrodite, Goddess of Love, created the rose when her tears mixed with the blood of Adonis, her lover.  The Romans, not fearful of copying the Greeks like a Xerox machine, created their own legend of the rose’s creation.  According to Roman legend, there was an incredibly beautiful maiden named Rhodanthe.  She was relentlessly pursued by suitors. Exhausted by their pursuit, Rhodanthe sought refuge in the temple of Diana.  Diana was jealous of Rhodanthe and when the suitors broke down her temple gates to get near Rhodanthe, she became furious. Diana’s rage led her to turn Rhodanthe into a rose and her suitors into thorns.    The rose’s appeal was farther reaching then just the west.  The Persians had their own tale of creation.  The Persian legend explains the creation of the red rose as well as the origin of the nightingale’s beautiful voice.  According to legend all roses were originally white and nightingales were ordinary birds who can only chirp.  One day the nightingale met a beautiful white rose and fell in love.   The nightingale’s love was so intense and his need to express his love so great that he was inspired to sing for the first time.  When the nightingale made his moves on the rose and pressed himself up against it the thorns pierced his heart, coloring the rose red.  If you are like me (Greek), clearly the Greek mythological tale is more appealing.  However, fossil evidence suggests that roses existed 35 million years ago, well before any of these myths suggest.

Symbolism

The rose’s symbolic value is not exclusive to England but was most widely used and popularized there.   The rose was first looked upon as a symbol of war.  A civil war that raged on from 1455-1487 between the House of York and the House of Lancaster.   The House of York adopted a white rose, the House of Lancaster was represented by a red rose. The war has been dubbed “The War of the Roses”.  The winner of this war, Tudor Henry VII (The Tudors), merged his Lancastrian rose with the rose of his York bride and thus the creation of the Tudor Rose, the Rose of England.

In later years the rose evolved into a form of language creating a secret means of communication between lovers.   In the mid 18th century the wife of the British ambassador in Constantinople described this language in her letters.  Largely due to the publication of her letters after her death, we have the code necessary to decipher the intricate language of roses.  For example if you want to ask your love interest “will you love me?”, send an open white rose.    Want to ask  “Don’t you love me any more?” , send an open yellow rose.      Want to say “I respect and look up to you” then send a bouquet of white roses.   Red roses signify  “forever I Love You”.  However a bouquet of red and white roses state “Together we are one and united”.  Want to declare your attraction to someone but don’t want to go as far as declaring your undying love, then purple roses are the way to go.  Colors alone aren’t enough to deliver the complex messages of love.  In combination with the colors, the number and degree of bloom of the roses have also been assigned meaning.  A dozen roses says  “Be Mine”.   Thirteen roses tells someone we’ll be friends forever.  Three dozen roses expresses “I’m head over heels in love!”.  Six dozen roses or more says “my love for you is limitless”.  In addition to its Victorian assigned message, this last one says “I’m a Starbright Gold club member”.

Regardless of its diverse assigned meanings, the one constant is the rose’s undeniable beauty.  The recipient of a beautiful arrangement of roses is always appreciative.

This and most scribes on this web log is brought to you by Starbright Floral Design.  We are a full-service florist located in the heart of New York City’s Historic Flower District.  We deliver inspired floral compositions throughout Manhattan, all of New York City and everywhere beyond.  We invite you to visit our website at www.starflor.com.  Here you will be able to gain a broader perspective on our organization and on the work that we do.  You may CLICK HERE to visit our e-portal where  you may place an order for designer-inspired flower vases and arrangements, our orchids, plants and so much more.  We offer  same-day delivery to most parts of the United States.

We will be honored to be of service to you now and for a long time to come… Warm regards from all of us at Starbright, “The Official Florist of the City That  Never Sleeps”.

Flowers, Festivals and Celebrations – It is what we do!

Starbright Floral Design

150 West 28th Street – Studio 201, New York City

800.520.8999

www.starflor.com

 

Lily of the Valley: The May birth flower and possibly Robert Plant’s inspiration to the 70’s song “Stairway to Heaven”.

The lily of the valley is a low-growing perennial plant that usually has two large oblong leaves and small fragrant nodding bell-shaped flowers that grow evenly up the stalk forming what appear to be steps.   Perhaps Mr. Plant, observed the Lily of the Valley’s configuration and penned the song “Stairway to Heaven” (probably not).  However, medieval monks having lots of time on their hands and keen observation skills, viewed the flowers configuration and labeled the flower the “ladder to heaven”.  The flower was considered a symbol for the steps to heaven.

The Victorian era, with its strict rules of etiquette regarding verbalizing feelings of affection, was the golden age of the language of flowers.  When the lily of the valley was given as a gift to a love interest its meaning was said to be “you made my life complete”.  Today its meaning is said to be happiness, humility, purity and sweetness.

Through the years the flower has gained popularity in wedding bouquets.  The reason for this is open to debate.  Some would say it’s the flower’s fragrance and beauty.  Opponents offer that many flowers equal its beauty and fragrance.  The marriage cynics amongst us, point to the flowers’ herbal use as a poison antidote as the reason for its wedding bouquet popularity.   Statisticians claim that polls of brides are flawed.  Many brides are embarrassed to admit fear of poisoning by their groom as the driving force behind the choice of the flower.  Perhaps we’ll never know.

Similarly the origins of Lily of the Valley is open to debate.  One Christian bible story has it that the flower first grew where Mary’s tears fell at the foot of the cross.   Another has the flower first sprouting from Eve’s tears after she was kicked out of the Garden of Eden.  Whatever its origins, the flower provides a beautiful fragrant and visual accent to any floral display.

This post is brought to you by Starbright Floral Design (www.starflor.com).  Sometimes we like to bring out “the fun side of flowers” by injecting some humor into our scribes.  We truly hope you enjoy our reads and get to see flowers from a little bit of a different perspective.  We sure do.

When you have some time, please visit our website and tell us what you think of the work that we do.  If you would like to order a gift for someone, you can visit our e-commerce portal we always recommend Designer’s Choice as a great option to take the guess work out of ordering flowers for a friend, a loved one or a parent. We deliver flowers on a same day basis (open seven days a week) in the United States.  Worldwide delivery is available  (except war zones, jungles, desserts and merchant marine vessels in the open sea) within 48 hours.

We would love to hear from you!  An alternative to our website is to call us (800.520.8999) or you may visit us at 150 West 28th Street (Second Floor).  We are in the heart of New York City’s Historic Flower District.  Pop on in! We would love to meet you!

Starbright Floral Design – The Official Florist of the City that Never Sleeps.

“Flowers, Festivals & Celebrations… It is what we do!”

Starbright and the Community: Women Mean Business

Every now and again we have the opportunity to work with a partner to sponsor an organization whose contribution to the community is exceptional and where  the great work done is desperately needed.  Here is just such an opportunity.  This Tuesday the 12th of April we are proudly sponsoring the floral decor for the 17th Annual Women Mean Business Luncheon which is to benefit the Coalition for the Homeless.  The event will take place  this Tuesday  at the Pierre Hotel in New York City.  We asked the program chair to pass along some information about the event to our audience…

Women Mean Business

Please join us at the Coalition for the Homeless’ 17th annual Women Mean Business Luncheon on Tuesday, April 12, 2011 at the Pierre Hotel in New York City.  All proceeds from the Women Mean Business Luncheon support the Coalition’s First Step Job Training Program.

First Step is a 14-week career readiness program for homeless and low-income women that emphasizes computer, literacy, and communication skills required for today’s tough job market.  We place our students in internships with major corporations or nonprofit organizations, provide them with mentors and job coaches, and help our graduates find and retain full-time, living wage employment. Since the majority of our students have faced domestic violence or incarceration, we also provide comprehensive social services to help them with emotional and personal issues outside of the classroom.

As chronic joblessness and the lack of affordable housing push families with children out of their homes and into the public shelter system, First Step is more vital than ever.  Nearly 10,000 families in New York City – the majority headed by single mothers – have no place to call home tonight. But graduates of First Step have the tools, confidence and greater self-esteem to become financially independent and break the cycle of homelessness.

We are very pleased to announce that this year’s floral arrangements have been donated by Starbright Floral Design, a new and exciting partner of the Coalition for the Homeless. Their support has helped ensure the success of the Women Mean Business Luncheon and the First Step Job Training Program. Thank you Starbright Floral!

Tickets for this year’s luncheon can be purchased online at www.coalitionforthehomeless.org/wmbl.

Hope to see you there!

Designer’s Choice – Making a case for the ONLY choice in flowers!

Sending someone flowers?  Having a hard time selecting from all the choices on all the websites?  Too many pictures? Confused?  We sure are!

Uninformed consumers constantly are placing orders for flowers from pictures online and then complain that the flowers do not “look like the picture”.  They never will and it is an unrealistic expectation to think that they should.  Here is why:  Flowers are natural living blossoms that are not all made from a mold.  The pictures were taken in a studio under the perfect conditions and designed to entice you to place an order by screaming “me! me! buy me!”.  Some websites are so dishonest that they will “photoshop”  adding colors and emphasis to the flowers so as you will buy something that really is impossible to recreate.

Florists are artisans.  They are artists, they design, they have attitudes (like a chef in a kitchen cooking with a dose of imagination).  Floral designers learn to imagine, create and combine colors and textures to make something bespoke (unique, custom) just for you.  Florists are trained to make compositions that are one of a kind (not from a mold) and are made once  and never to be made the same again.  It goes against the grain of a true designer to ask him to copy a picture.

Can you ask a designer to copy the flavor and design style of a photograph? – Yes… all day long.  To copy and recreate with exactness?  hardly ever and with ZERO job satisfaction.  Do you really want flowers for your loved one made  by someone who hates what they do? Pictures to be copied (especially the ones in the silly little containers with smiley faces) take away the art, the creativity and the spontaneity that the designer has trained an entire lifetime for.

Starbright Floral Design, like every other florist these days, has a million photographs on our e-commerce portal for you to choose from and “yes” we will always do our best to recreate the photo (always adding some spunk, spontaneity and our own style) .  It was a business decision that we had to make and we have offered flowers in the photo-catalog format displaying options for the past ten years… BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU that we did not become the highest rated (by Citysearch and others) florist in Manhattan by being the best at copying photos!  Rather, in the crowded and highly stylized island that we live on where there is a new “in style” every afternoon, we committed ourselves to impeccable  customer service and amazing styles with fresh blooms.

Designer’s Choice goes viral online!!!!

We are now offering that very creativity to our online clients with a twist… We are  taking the leap to ask you to trust us.  Let the inspiration of the moment dictate the flowers that your bouquet will have.  Don’t stress over the decision of “do I like the Sunset Blooms or the Pretty Paradise?”.   What really matters is  that your special someone receives flowers that are fresh, last a long-long time are stylized but not contrived.  They should remind the person of you and your great taste.  It is like having your own personal chef in the kitchen cooking just for you .  You never know what he will come up with, but you know it will be good!

Designer’s Choice Modern and Designer’s Choice Traditional are two new categories on our website that are designed to intrigue, surprise and give  you our very best.  Even if Starbright Floral Design (that is us) is not your florist, if you know someone who has built a name and has a reputation for flair, then PLEASE do not cripple their creativity with a picture.  Just tell them:  “Whip me up something great! She loves pink and green flowers!”

Designer’s Choice is a matter of trust and trust has to be earned.  We invite you  to give us a call and take a leap of faith!

Starbright Floral Design was started in 1994 and is  the most reviewed florist on-line by all the major review sites.  We deliver amazing flowers all over the place and at times that you would not think it is possible to get flowers on a same-day basis.  Give us a call, visit our online event gallery or pop on by!  We would love to meet you!

Cheers,

 

The Official Florist

 

“On the Fun Side of Flowers” – April Fools

Hi there! I am Nic, Senior Partner at Starbright Floral Design.  Sometimes I scribe on this page as The Official Florist.  That name came as a short version of “The Official Florist of the City that Never Sleeps” – a tag line that seems to have stuck pretty well over the years.

I have always been intrigued by the innocent fun that people have  with each other on April Fools Day.  I have followed the holiday with some interest over the years and I have been inspired by the fun that people and  companies have with each other on this one day when we invent the craziest things to say…

Why Google told us only a couple of days ago that they have developed an email program that works on hand signals.  Remember when Taco Bell convinced us that they bought the Liberty Bell (to help with the deficit) and they were renaming it? Or when Burger King told us all that they had created a Whopper specifically for the southpaw? The condiments were turned 180 degrees to accommodate left-handed people.  Sure.

We decided to have some fun this year and participate in the holiday (it is a holiday, right?).  A lot of planning went into what we were going to do.  Many nights of meetings, creative sessions and ideas were thrown around.  We were new at this “hoax thing” and we put a lot of man hours learning how to spoof.  Next year we think it will be easier.  We are Fool Experts now!

So “The Official Florist of the City that Never Sleeps” issued a press release late at night on the 31st of March (as a decoy) that basically stated that we funded research that was led by Dr. Aprilia Anoitou (Greek translation for April Fool) in which we were able to genetically engineer a rose so that it would behave like an oyster and produce pearls.   We were endorsed by a non-existent Dutch society that promotes flower buying.  To top it off Poisson D’Avril (French for April Fool) from a fictional tourism board in New York City endorsed this high-end rose as a gift for someone who clearly has everything.

I got congratulatory calls and emails from far away places.  Flower growers from Holland and importers from South America reached out to express their good wishes (the experts were dumfounded!).  A New York City radio personality wanted an interview (I declined) and several on-line publications carried the story.  Friends were even google-ing “The Pearl Rose” because they wanted to be in-the-know.  The spoof was supported by our social media outlets (Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn)

Most marketers would call this a marketing success.  I suppose it was.  We set out to have some fun and did we ever!  The planning, the execution, the fooling, having to answer emails and queries.  It was all about The Pearl Rose.  On most holidays we work ourselves to the point where  work is tyranny.  We never get to celebrate Mother’s Day, Valentine’s, Christmas or anything else.  So finally we have found a holiday on a day that we are not so busy and we can enjoy a day of fun with the rest of the world.  This too will be ruined when some floral industry consultant decides to create a holiday around people sending one another Foolish Flowers! For now we are relaxed and looking forward to April Fools 2012.

The Pearl Rose is history for now.  Maybe someday someone will be able to cross-breed oysters and roses and pearls will be come from roses. Until then life is normal and we can all go back to being true romantics by wooing our honeys with vases and vases of the most gorgeous long-stemmed roses…

It really was The Fun Side of Flowers!

Starbright Floral Design is located in “The Heart of New York City’s Historic Flower District”.  We deliver the most amazing blooms and the coolest floral compositions imaginable to anyone, anywhere  and at any time (except in the overnight hours and to uninhabited places, war zones and to merchant marine vessels while sailing the high seas).

Give  us a call at 800-520-8999 or better yet visit our website at www.starflor.com or our e-commerce portal (where you can buy really great flowers) at www.starbrightnyc.com.  Stop by and  meet us, give us a call or drop us a line.  Tell us you want a dozen pearl roses and we will all smile!

Flowers, Festivals and Celebrations – it is what we do!

 

 

 

News Press Release

Starbright Floral Design Kicks Off the “Pearl Rose”.   The Most Significant Product Launch since the advent of air travel and genetic engineered plants.

NEW YORK — March 31, 2011 — At a press conference at Starbright headquarters in the heart of New York City’s historic flower district,  Nic Faitos , Starbright’s Managing Partner,  in association with the Dutch Flower Marketing Association (an industry group whose mission is to promote flower buying throughout the world), announced the availability of the “Pearl Rose”.  A new rose varietal conceived by creative minds and designed through many years of collaboration between the finest botanists in the world with Dr. Aprilia Anoitou as the lead scientist.

Today’s announcement that the “Pearl Rose” is available to retail customers of Starbright and volume licensing customers marks the beginning of the most significant product launch in our company’s history and perhaps since Barbara McClintock’s discovery of “Jumping Genes”.  The “Pearl Rose” will be available to retail customers effective immediately.  Availability to NYC organizations with volume license agreements will begin shortly as well.  However, initial supplies are limited to retail customers.  Volume customers will be supplied for orders FOB New York City for delivery before Mother’s Day and beyond.

Through chromosome engineering and radiation mutation, more fully discussed in the science section herein, Greece’s premier botanist Dr. Aprilia Anoitou was able to develop a rose with mollusk traits.  The result is the growth of a white pearl within the pedals of a red rose.  Different varieties of roses have yielded different levels of pearl quality.  Currently the Pearl Rose is limited to the Darling Flame variety of rose.  Accordingly, the price of the Pearl Rose is for upscale clientele.

Customer feedback through Starbright’s web site, starflor.com , guided product development.  “This is a game changing product,” Faitos said.  “It’s an incredible step forward in the floral industry with ramifications that are yet unknown but undoubtedly far reaching.  Accordingly, in a press release under separate cover, we’ve announced the formation of a joint venture between Starbright and The Dutch Flower Marketing Association to fully explore the wide ranging uses of this exciting innovation.” Said Faitos.

First Users See Clear Business Value

Joining Faitos at Starbright’s headquarters was Poisson D’Avril, the president of the Hospitality and Tourism Association of Greater New York.

“In the highly competitive and fast-moving hospitality industry, our advantage comes first from our people and second from everything NYC has to offer.  You can add the Pearl Rose to the list of incomparable NYC attractions.” Said D’Avril.  “Nic has allowed several of our higher end venues offer the Pearl Rose prior to its official release.  The response has been extraordinary.  Finally, something to give to that person who has everything!”

Original Science

“The ovules of a rose are megasporangia and typically develop into female gametophytes.  These gametophytes give rise to egg cells which, in a typical rose holds the pollen.”  Said Dr. Aprilia Anoitou.  “In the transgenic rose, called the Pearl Rose, through chromosome engineering and radiation mutation, our team was able to develop a rose that behaves like a typical mollusk.  The mature egg cells are split through chemical mutagens. The mature egg cells from radiated mollusks are combined with rose egg mutations through protoplast fusion.  The genetic recombination leads the rose to secrete nacre similar to that emitted by mollusks.  “  Dr. Aprilia Anoitou said.  Transcripts of Dr. Anoitou’s full procedures are available by request to Pearlrosepress@starflor.com.

On the Road to the Future

“During the last decade, Starbright has built an impeccable reputation in the floral industry with unsurpassed customer service.” Faitos said. “Although we have been at the forefront of technology, the new product announced today is the most innovative product we’ve ever been involved with, and I believe it signals the beginning of a new wave of innovation that will have a profound impact during the next decade.” Said Nic Faitos, President of Starbright Floral Design.

Located in the heart of NYC’s flower district and founded in 1994, Starbright Floral Design has established the gold standard for customer service within the floral industry.  The Company has grown steadily every year since its inception.  The Pearl Rose and other innovative products being worked on currently, has Starbright on the threshold of exponential growth for the coming years.

Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may since have changed. For additional assistance or information, journalists and analysts may contact pearlrosepress@starflor.com.  To become a volume licensee, kindly contact pearlrosedealers@starflor.com.  Visit us on the web at starflor.com.

 

Pre-Press Conference Release

A major announcement will be made by Starbright Floral Design at 7PM today.  The event will be covered by industry and fashion editors.  Press coverage  will be extensive.

Starbright Floral Design has funded horticultural research in varietal roses.  These varieties will be introduced at the press conference  and will be posted on this blog as a press release immediately afterwards.  Stay tuned for more details.

Roses will be available to our retail clients by tomorrow for purchase and to volume buyers for pre-Mother’s Day ordering.

Hope you  visit back late this evening for the exciting news….

These thoughts are brought to you by The Official Florist.

The Official Florist is the blogging arm of Starbright Floral Design.  We are a full-service corporate and retail florist located in the heart of New York City’s Historic Flower District located at 150 West 28th Street (Studio 201).  To learn more about our organization and about the type of work that we do, please visit our website at www.starflor.com.

You may also order a gift by visiting our e-portal at www.starbrightnyc.com. Starbright is open seven days a week and we deliver flowers and other gifts in Manhattan and worldwide.  We invite you to give us a call or visit our website.

Thank you for visiting our blog.  Always “at your service”,

The Official Florist – Starbright Floral Design

“The Official Florist of the City that Never Sleeps”

t.800.520.8999

starflor.com

In the News: Starbright Floral Design

From an industry newsletter, we are sharing a bit of press coverage that we received recently.  Our Creative  Director, Tom Sebenius, worked with the production team of the Rachael Ray show to create some really fabulous bridal bouquets…

Read the post and click on THIS LINK to see the Rachael Ray excerpt!

 

These thoughts are brought to you by The Official Florist.

The Official Florist is the blogging arm of Starbright Floral Design.  We are a full-service corporate and retail florist located in the heart of New York City’s Historic Flower District located at 150 West 28th Street (Studio 201).  To learn more about our organization and about the type of work that we do, please visit our website at www.starflor.com.

You may also order a gift by visiting our e-portal at www.starbrightnyc.com. Starbright is open seven days a week and we deliver flowers and other gifts in Manhattan and worldwide.  We invite you to give us a call or visit our website.

Thank you for visiting our blog.  Always “at your service”,

The Official Florist – Starbright Floral Design

“The Official Florist of the City that Never Sleeps”

t.800.520.8999

starflor.com

Ficus Trees: Moody but Gorgeous

Ficus Trees...
Take special care of your ficus and you will have years of enjoyment!

Ficus trees are perhaps the most popular indoor decorative trees grown.  The ficus benjamina – weeping fig – in particular is one of the most popular of the 800 species available. Their popularity is certainly not as a result of its easy care but rather, its beauty.  Ficus trees are very temperamental requiring constant vigilance in its care.  Ficus trees can become stressed by simple actions such as moving from one room to another or even from one end of a room to another.  Proper ficus tree care is essential to keep these plants healthy.  The ficus’ popularity, coupled with their temperament, was a motivating factor in launching Starbright’s exclusive Plant Care Maintenance Program.

Ficus Tree Care:

The ficus tree is a true creature of habit.  It does not like change.  Consistency is the key factor in its care.

Sunlight: Bright sunlight during the day, but should not be in full sun all day.

Temperature: The optimum temperature is between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.  Consistency is key-ficus trees should not place next to heaters or vents that create varied temperatures.

Watering: The soil should be kept moist but not wet, in a well draining pot to prevent root rot. The rule of the green thumb is to water after the top inch or two of soil has dried. Avoid overwatering your ficus! The most common mistake people make is to add more water once the leaves begin to turn yellow. This is the opposite of what you should do.

Humidity: Misting the tree frequently while it is young or adjusting to a new location, can help it maintain its humidity.  Helpful time saving hint is to make a humidity tray by filling the plant saucer with gravel.  The runoff water will evaporate through the plant, providing additional humidity.

Fertilizer: During growth periods, feed the plant every three to four weeks. Use a regular liquid fertilizer for indoor plants diluted to half the strength recommended on the package label. Decrease fertilizing in autumn and do not fertilize during the winter.

Trouble shooting leaf loss: Proper ficus tree care can help minimize leaf loss. Ficus trees commonly lose up to a quarter of its leaves after an environmental change. Diligent care can help mitigate additional stress. If leaves turn yellow just prior to dropping off, it is a sign of over-watering. Dull leaves may indicate a need for fertilizer.

These tips are brought to you by The Official Florist.  The Official Florist is the blogging arm of Starbright Floral Design.  We are a full-service corporate and retail florist located in the heart of New York City’s Historic Flower District.  We are at 150 West 28th Street (Studio 201).  To learn more about our organization and about the type of work that we do, please visit our website at www.starflor.com.

You may also order a gift by visiting our e-portal at www.starbrightnyc.com. Starbright is open seven days a week and we deliver flowers and other gifts in Manhattan and worldwide.  We invite you to give us a call or visit our website.

Thank you for visiting our blog.  Always “at your service”,

The Official Florist – Starbright Floral Design

“The Official Florist of the City that Never Sleeps”

t.800.520.8999

starflor.com