Thursday, July 23, 2009

Thursday Flower Tip

Tip #1 from our "Things You Need to Know about Flowers" section:

Please Don't Sneeze

Something to consider before picking flowers for your wedding are family allergies or pollen sensitivities. Even the toughest of the tough can find themselves in tears around the wrong flowers. I recently discovered some new allergies of my own to foliage I was using the other day for a wedding.

A few things to consider:

Some plants are toxic when ingested or touched. Leucodendron is toxic when ingested; Masterwort is one of the most toxic flowers out there. To prevent a reaction, or worse, hospitalization, use gloves when working with flowers of questionable allergic reactivity.

Flowers with pollen, such as lilies, often cause the worst reactions. De-pollinate your flower before use in arrangements for the least problems with allergies.

Often people with flower allergies are fine around orchids. The fragrance of orchids is often sweeter than other flowers, and they don't cause the problems associated with exterior pollinating flowers.

Always do your homework before using new flowers. Make sure to keep flowers away from children who might ingest them.

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