This fast grower is common in Sweden. In bloom, the acacia displays white clusters of fragrant flowers. The Acacia is called ‘’födelsedagblommor’’ or ‘’beställ blommor’’ in Swedish.
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Characteristics: Striated Bark, Odd Oval Leaves & White Flowers
The acacia robinia is a fast-growing tree that you often encounter in the Dutch streets. You can immediately recognize the tree by its trunk. It has a strong and deeply furrowed bark. The leaves, composed as in the true acacia, are odd-pinnate with many oval leaflets with smooth edges. The twigs and young branches have axillary leaf thorns, which are actually the stipules of the leaves. The flowers are white and fragrant, strongly reminiscent of Lathyrus, they hang from the tree in large, fragrant racemes. The fruits are 5 to 10 centimeters long pods that turn dark gray-brown as they ripen. They often remain on the tree until late winter. They contain small, hard seeds.
Where does the Acacia come From?
The acacia is native to North America. It has been introduced in Europe since 1600 and can now also be found in Dutch deciduous forests.
The robinia is an exotic species and has an enormous germination capacity, but this depends on the climate. New trees emerge from the roots at lightning speed. Due to the rapid emergence of new trees, the tree is seen as invasive in the wild and controlled.
Carnation
The carnation is a striking flower and comes in countless bright colors. The flower has a long shelf life and a light fragrance. You can style endlessly with this flower, loose in a vase or in a bouquet: everything is possible!
Types of Carnations
Carnations are perennial or occasionally annual herbaceous plants with long, narrow leaves. They are gray-green or blue-green in color. In the wild, the flowers are bright purple-pink in color, but cultivated they can now also be found in red, white, yellow, salmon, green and various two-tone varieties. The plant is found throughout Europe and Asia and flowers in May and June. They are mainly grown in France.
The Carnation as a cut Flower
With a beautiful bunch of carnations you bring color into your home, and we can always use that. Carnations do not have a strong odor and that is an important consideration for many people. The cut flowers can be roughly divided into single and spray carnations, it depends on your taste which one you prefer.
Carnation care advice
if you bring a fresh bouquet of carnations home, let them acclimatize for a few hours in clean water, after which you cut off an inch off the stems with a sharp knife. carnations are very sensitive to ethylene gas, so place them far from a fruit bowl. the same care tips apply as with other flowers.
The Carnation as a Garden Plant
Carnations are not demanding plants. They like a sunny or partial shade in the garden. Prefers moist, slightly calcareous soil. If the soil does not hold moisture well, you can add some compost or mix a little clay soil into the garden soil.
If the soil becomes very dry, you will need to water, and it is good to fertilize the carnation about once a month. The plant is perennial, but not very hardy. If it really starts to freeze, you will have to help the plants with, for example, a layer of straw over the ground.
You can also choose to plant your carnations in large garden pots. That way you can safely put them indoors in severe winter weather.
If the carnation becomes too big, or if you want to move it to a different location, it is best to wait until autumn.
