It’s no coincidence that pink is associated with Mother’s Day. While a bunch of flowers may last a week or two, a flowering plant for Mother’s Day can bring pleasure for even longer. Most flowering houseplants have an extended flowering season, and some like Zantedeschia, scented pot carnations and calathea can transition to the garden or outdoor pots. The most enduring of all are roses, many of which can be grown in patio pots.
Here’s a pick of pink flowering plants. Some new, and others timeless classics.
What’s new?
Cyclamen ‘Illusia’ is like no other cyclamen and it’s grabbing attention world-wide. Unlike other cyclamen, ‘Illusia’ has open petals with a deep pink eye. In fact, each flower has double bearded petals and the compact, rounded plant produces a mass of flowers above the variegated green and white leaves.
It is a long flowering winter indoor plant that likes a bright, cool position. To keep it in flowering mode, quickly remove faded flowers by carefully removing the stem at the base of the plant. Keep the soil slightly moist and feed regularly with a liquid fertiliser for flowering plants.
For positive vibes at home, pot carnation ‘Aura’ is the perfect gift for mum. This bushy little plant can start its life in a pot and then be planted out in a sunny spot, in soil that drains well. Carnations don’t like heavy soil and wet feet. Cut back after flowering for new growth and another set of flowers.
‘Kings and Queens’ is a regal rose, growing up to shoulder height, and producing clusters of buds that open into full petalled old fashioned blooms that exude a strong perfume. It flowers non-stop during the growing season.
Perfectly pink
‘Manuela Crabbia’ is named after a ‘very special wife, mother and grandmother’ whose beautiful Johannesburg garden features roses as its centrepiece. The huge old-fashioned blooms are carried on strong, straight stems and the vigorous bush grows easily to shoulder height. It is a powerful, disease resistant rose.
Calathea ‘Princess Jessie’ is typical of the rose painted Calathea type, but with a deeper pink band towards the edge of the leaf. Its new leaves are cream and green before aging to pink. It likes bright light, even filtered morning sun, and moist but not soggy soil.
Phalaenopsis (Moth orchids) come in all sizes, from micro and mini to large blooming plants. They all do best with bright, indirect light, and can cope with some morning filtered sun. They only need a small amount of water once a week. Plants enjoy a humid atmosphere but will tolerate a dryer one as long as their potting mix doesn’t dry out.
Gerbera ‘Revolution’ is a pot gerbera hybridised from our original Barberton daisies. It is happiest on a patio or outdoor living area where it receives bright light, even some morning sun. Let the plant almost dry out before watering and don’t let it stand in water as the roots will rot. Remove dead blooms to stimulate new flowers.
There is nothing more elegant than pink Zantedeschia (an offshoot of arum lilies) with their trumpet like blooms on slender stems. Plants can bloom for up to six weeks. They like bright light and a warm room and can take some morning sun. Keep the soil moist but don’t over water. Remove spent blooms to encourage new blooms. Zantedeschia are associated with new life and beauty.
‘Missing You’ is the ideal picking rose as it has pleasantly scented blooms on thornless stems. It grows neatly upright to 2m, making it suitable for large pots as well as in the garden, against a fence or wall.
For more info on the above, visit Ball Straathof, Ludwig’s Roses and LVG Plant
Article and images supplied by Alice Coetzee.
For more on gardening, visit Get It Magazine.
