Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Order fresh orchids via HexagonOrchids mobile apps. Simple, Fast and Easy.

Order fresh orchids via HexagonOrchids Mobile Apps. Simple and Easy.
Hexagon Green moving one step ahead. Introducing our new Hexagon Orchids mobile apps. Easiest way to purchase fresh orchids bouquet online. Stay tune with our mobile apps for latest update on our product, tips, orchids clinics, event and many more about orchids. Only available on Google Play. Coming soon we will release to Apple Apps Store.






Monday, April 29, 2013

Orchid Colours




The best thing about orchid flowers are the array of colours and varieties available for any kind of occasion. Most notably, orchid flowers are often chosen by the bride and bridegroom to adorn the main table and the reception area. While it is true that orchids can be used virtually anywhere during a wedding celebration, it is mainly used as wedding bouquets and as centerpieces at the wedding table.

Why Do Orchids Make Such Lovely Wedding Bouquets?

One of the main reasons why orchid flowers are a sure favourite with regards to bouquets for a wedding is its colour. You will find that most wedding bouquets containing orchids would have a shade of white or near white in them. Colour is everything when it comes to a wedding, and is often the central theme. Another reason why orchids are a sure favourite is its scent. Bear in mind that bouquets are often held close to the bride's nose which is why not just any old flower will do, but an orchid. The soft scent that it gives off makes it ideal as a wedding bouquet.

When you think of the variety of colours present in orchids, you cannot help but think of the meaning of flowers in general. Roses resembles love, daisies and lilacs mean innocence, blue hydrangeas stands for friendship, while orchid would resemble beauty

Every wedding couple wants to show their guest how wonderful and beautiful their relationship is, and what better way to demonstrate this than using colourful orchids.

Orchids as Table Centerpieces

Besides wedding bouquets, orchids are used to design table centerpieces. While some might be concerned about allergies, they need not be too worried as orchids gives of a pleasant welcoming smell.

There are several reasons why they are the preferred choice as table centerpieces:

  • Orchids prove to be tough flowers and are great for use during summertime due to being resilient against loss of moisture and heat

  • Found all year long, orchids can be depended on for use in centerpieces

  • Just their height alone make orchid plants the ideal flower to use for table centerpieces

It might be a good idea for wedding couples to purchase orchids in bulk seeing that it will be used as centerpieces and as wedding bouquet. Any left over orchids can be put to use for decorating purposes both at church and at the reception hall. The soft colours of orchids make it the ideal way to decorate the entrance hall of at your wedding reception as it will serve a useful purpose in making guests feel right at home.

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Have Fun with Orchids




What kind of visions come into your mind when you hear someone speak about orchids? Most people would recall one or the other wedding celebration where the brides table were brimming with orchids. But that is not the only thing you could use it for.

There is so much more that can be done with orchids. Just think how nice it will look if you had a photo frame adorned with two to three beautifully pink orchid flowers. It sure adds an exotic touch both in your home and garden. When home grown, you will know when your lovely orchids are ready to be picked as they would produce beautiful colorful blooms.

How Do Orchids Reach Full Bloom?

Admiring lovely orchid flowers are one of the few luxuries we get to enjoy. Having fun in using these beautiful flowers, coming from the orchid plant, for all types of decorations is a privilege indeed. But do anyone think how long it took for the orchid flower to reach full bloom?

What if you were told that it may take the orchid plant a few years to produce beautiful flowers. Especially if it was propagated from seeds. Lets take a closer look at the different stages of the orchid plant when grown from seeds:

  • Orchids grown from seed would take a couple of months before it would develop leaves that would be hardly visible at first.

  • Should you propagate orchids from a back-bulb, then you can expect any roots or leaves to start appearing in about 3 to 4 months time.

  • Orchids would reach full maturity within a period of three to eight years, depending on which variety or orchid you are growing.

  • Once the orchid flowers are there it would only be natural for its seeds to be transferred to other areas thanks to natural pollinators such as birds, bees, flies and moths

Ensuring Healthy Growth in Orchids

For anyone to have fun with orchids it would require that one takes good care by providing orchids with an environment that will help ensure strong growth.

Amazingly, each orchid variety would have their own unique seeds where the individual seeds would prosper under 40 to 60 percent humidity under indirect sunlight

Flushing of the orchid plant would be encouraged at least once a month to ensure that there is no chance of any salt building up. Many are fascinated by the lovely flowers orchids produce, and are amazed at the way the orchids would bend at the top as if the plant is planning on getting closer to you. When asked, each orchid lover will have a different answer. It should not come as surprise as the orchid species sports well over 30,000 different plant species and over 800 genera.

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Pineapple in Medical Uses




The sweet and tangy, slightly spike-stemmed and hulled pineapple is not only tasty, it has some medical uses which further its commercial value and have made it a fruit which is prone to tissue culture.

Pineapple contains bromelain, which is most often used for its digestive aid properties. Bromelain is a proteolytic enzyme, which breaks down the protein in food into useable amino acids. This is how it aids in digestion. There is bromelain in the meat of the pineapple, but it is really only present in the raw fruit or whole fruit pineapple juice. Commercial juicing tends to remove the pulp or meaty portions of the pineapple behind, which removes much of the beneficial enzyme from the juice. Cooking the pineapple also tends to dampen the potency of the bromelain.

Most of bromelain in pineapple is found in the stems and as a result, the extract from the stem of the pineapple is used to create bromelain supplements. That is where the further commercial value of the pineapple comes in. Often bromelain supplements are blended with papain, which is the enzyme found in papaya. Together these two enzymes work better to aid digestion, since the papain helps the bloodstream to absorb more of the bromelain than it would without the papain. Bromelain also has properties which allow it to fight off food borne parasites. It helps to combat congestion derived from sinusitis. Bromelain also helps to wrestle with diabetes and it is an anti-inflammatory.

Bromelain's popularity as a supplement has led to tissue culture growth from the stems of pineapples. This method can help to grow pineapples more quickly in certain situations. Those who suffer with diabetes often take 250mg-500mg of 3 times a day, before meals. Athletes often take bromelain to help to ease aches and to aid in recovery from certain injuries. Bromelain is also used with those who take Vitamin B17 supplements as part of a controversial alternative cancer prevention or treatment method. Pineapple has also been used to help with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), and with the treatment of Lupus.

Pineapple also contains manganese and Vitamin C. Vitamin C is a very helpful antioxidant. It is necessary for everyday growth and development. Vitamin C helps to maintain and mend teeth, cartilage, and bones. It assists in the healing of wounds and formation of scar tissue. This vitamin also forms a protein which builds ligaments, tendons, blood vessels, and skin. Vitamin C can help to prevent some of the damage caused by harmful free radicals. Free radical buildup is considered to be largely responsible for aging, and may be a factor in heart disease, arthritis, cancer and other similar conditions. Manganese helps enzymes function properly in the body. It makes sense that a food which contains a digestive enzyme would also contain a mineral to help the enzyme perform well.

So all in all, the pineapple has some medicinal uses. It may be considered to be a strange looking fruit, but it's build is beneficial. Its stem lends itself to tissue culture and contains the most of the useful enzyme bromelian. The raw meat of the fruit still has effective amounts of this enzyme, Vitamin C, and manganese. It also tastes great. Ah, the pineapple may be strange, but it is mighty.

Friday, April 12, 2013

Planting Orchid at Your Backyard




Who would have thought that you could grow orchids in your backyard. You can start out by making your selection from some of the varieties that are not as fussy, and that can easily adapt to the growing environment that you have available in your garden. Some of these are seen to be very rare, and consist of the second largest family among flowering plants. The leaves of some of the orchids suitable for planting in your back garden would be like blades of grass or even like the foliage of irises and lilies.

The key to growing orchids in your backyard would be to observe its habitat in the wild and then foster similar conditions at home. Some of the orchids would originate from the acidic Cedar bogs from the North to the Oak forests of the the South. While others could be found near Door County's limestone swales.

Gardeners are surprised to find that many of the orchids suited to their back yards would bloom in humid spots with other orchid species doing better in dry habitats. In most instances it is the pH level as well as the condition of the soil that is most important to ensure proper growth. Orchids such as moccasin flower, autumn coral root and rattlesnake plantains would do well in drier habitats.

In all cases, you should take the necessary care to prepare your backyard using tree bark, cork, coconut husk chips as well as granite chips. You would even be advised to mix it with different potting media where possible. Bear in mind that most orchids prefer to grow among rocks and near trees.

In addition, you should ensure that your orchids stay clear from direct sunlight at all times. Even though most of the plants love sunlights, it should not be placed directly where it can be burnt. Gardeners are more than happy that they can experiment with different variants of orchids for the backyard.

Sunday, March 31, 2013

What is Vanilla Orchid?




The Vanilla planifolia commonly referred to as the vanilla orchid, is the most popular of the orchid species commercially due to the fact that it produces vanilla flavoring. We are referring to the well-known vanilla bean of course. This is where the flavoring stems from which is actually the orchid's seed pod. When growing in the wild, it is often pollinated by one of kind bee species, but in cultivation you will see that it gets pollinated by hand. The Vanilla Orchid is native to Central America as well as nearby areas like Mexico, the South of Florida and certain parts of South America.

Biologically speaking, the Vanilla Orchid's subfamily branched off from the rest of the orchid family. There are not many genera within the subfamily, but Vanilla are the most notable ones. Due to the symbolic relationship between the vanilla orchid and the natural pollinator (Melipona bees), first attempts to cultivate vanilla outside the borders of Mexico and also Central America did not work out.

Where Does Vanilla Orchid Get Its Name From?

Its been said that Vanilla is a known genus that contains roughly around 110 described species of orchid. The most popular is the Vanilla planifolia. It is interesting to note that the name vanilla is derived from the Spanish word vainilla which is a diminutive form of a word vaina that means sheath. In turn the word vaina comes from the Latin word vagina that means "scabbard" or "sheath". Everyone appreciate the Vanilla Orchid as it is famous for its taste and aroma that gets used in food and also perfumes.

Amazingly, the orchid coming from the Vanilla genus grows monopodially as vines which makes them very unusual among orchids. Therefore, it is good to make use of a trellis or, a tall tree fern to offer support for the Vanilla orchid. It is a known fact that they can grow many meters in length. You could even pot the orchids in sphaghum moss within a plastic pot. As long as you are aware that the Orchid plant will soon grow way beyond the confines of the pot after which it will rely on aerial roots.

As a matter of interest, the preferred way to water the Vanilla orchid is through misting it frequently, and growing it where it is fairly humid. In addition, the orchid should only be watered when it approaches dryness as it does not have the means to store water effectively. This could be the reason why the Vanilla orchid is often grown in greenhouses once tissue plant culture methods have been used to ensure they get a solid foundation. Generally warm growing conditions are best, normally in the upper 70 to lower 80 degrees Fahrenheit. It is good to note that individual vanilla orchid flowers do not last very long; you will find that one day per flower is typically how long it will last. It goes to show how intricate some of these vanilla orchid flowers are.

Thursday, March 28, 2013

The Health Benefits of Consuming Vanilla Orchids




Amazingly, vanilla gets used in everyday products like candles, food, and even cosmetics, all coming from the vanilla orchid plant. These are fairly easy to grow, but it is often hard to get them to flower and provide fruit.

The Vanilla Orchid is native to Mexico and it was recorded that the actual plant was handed to the Spanish by a certain Montezuma leader of the Aztecs back in 1518, then shipped later on to Europe. Even though the Vanilla Orchid plant can be grown in other countries, the fruit and flowers from the plant could not be attained. For more than 300 years, Mexico was the only place where the Orchid flowers could be pollinated by the Melipone bee. Then, in 1841 people developed a hand pollination method that is still being used today.

Interestingly, the Vanilla orchid plant is graded as a epiphyte orchid that lives in the very humid rain forests of South America and Mexico. Vines of the orchid would grow in lenght to about 40 feet with leaves as long as 4 inches. It would take the Vanilla Orchid Plant between 7 and 8 years to fully mature. The fruit would often be referred to as vanilla beans that would grow in pods. It should be noted that a healthy vine can produce as many as a 1000 flowers over a period of 20 days.

The Benefits Experience from Consuming Vanilla Orchids

The medicinal benefits of vanilla would include using it as treatment of various fevers, it is also considered to be mildly addictive and is often described as an aphrodisiac.

The main forms in which vanilla would be used is in commercial preparations such as whole pods, powered form, and as an extract.

Foods would be flavored with vanilla in that it would be added as an extract or through cooking vanilla pods as part of a liquid preparation. You would be able to obtain a stronger aroma by splitting the pod into two pieces as you would expose more of the vanilla pod's surface area. In doing this, you would prepare the pod seeds for flavoring of food. Amazingly, natural vanilla would either give of a yellow or brown color when preparing it which also depends on the strength of the concentration. When off a good quality, it normally has a strong aromatic flavor which is good. In the majority of cases, vanilla is used for flavoring ice creams.

Even though vanilla is quite a rich flavoring agent, it is also being used to improve the flavor of things like custard coffee, caramel and so forth. Within the cosmetic industry, vanilla is used as a scent and perfume. Due to this, it is therefore imperative that vanilla pods arer graded properly to ensure the best yield.