April is the season of new beginnings, especially for plant-lovers. Outdoors, spring-flowering bulbs, shrubs, and trees dot the landscape. Indoors, seasonal plants enliven and brighten dreary rooms.
Figure 1 An arrangement of cut stems of pink and white tulips and daffodils.
Crocus, daffodil, hyacinth, and tulips are harbingers of spring with their foliage emerging from the soil very early in the year, especially when temperatures rise above 50°F. Crocus and daffodils bloom first in the landscape, followed by hyacinth, and then tulips. Flowers of these bulbs are prized as they are often the colors associated with Easter. The purple flowers of crocus and hyacinth symbolize penance and is a color often associated with the season of Lent. Gold and yellow colors of daffodils are also associated with Easter celebrations. White daffodils and tulips represent joy, love, and virtue in secular and religious traditions.
Figure 2 Early blooming purple crocus (left) and yellow daffodils (right) in the home landscape.
Unfortunately, freezing temperatures often occur outdoors during bloom in Missouri that injure cold-sensitive flowers. However, daffodil, hyacinth, and tulip stems can be cut as soon as the buds show color and brought indoors. When placed in a container partially filled with water, the buds will continue to open, and the flowers can be enjoyed in a couple of days. Cut stems of flowering daffodils and tulips usually last about a week indoors, but hyacinth have a shorter vase-life.
Figure 3 Potted hyacinths are colorful indoor plants that can be planted outdoors after flowering.
Because of the danger of spring freezes, spring-flowering bulbs are often sold as potted, flowering plants at retailers. The flowers of these potted plants can be enjoyed longer than those on cut stems. After the blossoms fade, remove the container, and set the root ball in soil in a flower bed outdoors to enjoy the colorful blooms next year.
Other plants, such as the Easter lily, Easter cactus, and the resurrection plant have spiritual significance. Flowering, white Easter lilies often are prominent in the observance of Easter and symbolize purity, rebirth, and hope. Each beautiful bloom on a plant lasts only a few days, but flowering usually persists for up to two weeks when pots are placed in bright light and the soil is kept consistently moist. After blooming is completed, Easter lily plants can be maintained much like potted daffodils and tulips.
Figure 4 Easter cacti are low maintenance plants when grown indoors.
The Easter cactus is a tropical plant that has white, pink, lavender, orange, peach, or red-colored flowers. This plant is similar in appearance to Christmas and Thanksgiving cacti. However, the Easter cactus has slightly larger flowers, rounded leaf margins, and requires 8 to 12 weeks of short days to produce its spring flowers. After this period of short days (less than 12 hours of light per day), the flower buds develop, and plants can be placed in bright, indirect light. Allow the potting mix to dry out before watering. After bloom, fertilize the plants with a low nitrogen product (10-10-10). Plants thrive in a pot-bound condition, but change the potting mix every other year.
The resurrection plant (Selaginella lepidophylla) is a member of the spikemoss family of plants and is native to the Chihuahuan desert in northern Mexico. These plants are drought tolerant and can survive with only 5% tissue moisture without damage. This non-flowering plant is sold as a brown, sphere of curled-up, fern-like foliage in a dormant condition. When plants are placed in a container filled with pebbles and distilled water at room temperature, the foliage begins to unfurl within four hours, and it turns completely green within a few days. To maintain these plants, add water to the container as needed and fertilize them with a dilute solution (1/10 strength) of a product sold for houseplants in early spring and in mid-summer. Should the water source in the container evaporate, the plant will begin to return to its dormant state until it is revived with moisture. Plants can also be stored in a cool, dry place until it is resurrected with water.
Figure 5 A dormant resurrection plant (left) and the same plant 48 hours after placing it in a pebble-filled container with water (right).