With their rich green foliage and brightly colored leaves, alexandrinas are the most attractive sight in any space in winter. With proper care, this lovely winter plant will last through the holidays, and even longer, as long as you choose the right one when you visit the florist or nursery. The Stars for Europe experts explain to us how to identify fresh and healthy Alexandrina and what to look out for before buying it.
Dense foliage and rich flowers
You can identify fresh and healthy alexanders by their lush blooms, bright, unmarked foliage that has no discolouration or misshapen leaves. If a plant has already started to lose its leaves, you better find another one. Another important indicator of the freshness of the plant is its flowers. They are small and discreet, in the center of the colorful leaves. On fresh alexandria the flowers will be full and have a yellow-green color.
Find a bright, warm and sheltered place
Alexandrian plants need light to bloom. They don't like the cold or drafts. In sales stores, plants should be placed in a bright, warm place protected from cold drafts. Stay away from alexandria located at the entrance of the store that has electricity, outside in air or temperature below 15°C, or even in dark corners of the store. There is a chance that they have suffered damage that will show up later when the leaves fall.
Proper watering is important
The soil of the alexandrines should not dry out completely, but neither should it have too much water. Too much water can cause long-term damage to alexandria. It's easy to check if your alexandria is properly watered: Just lift the pot for a while. If it is too light or quite heavy, you better avoid buying it. Also, it is better to avoid plants that have stagnant water in the saucer, because it may have caused damage.
Proper packaging when transporting home
To be sure that your alexandria will last until you get home even in extreme cold, you should wrap it well for transport. The stores you will be shopping at should have suitable transport packaging, such as paper for proper wrapping.
To find many different decorative ideas, as well as information and photographic material about the Alexandrian you can visit www.starsuniteeurope.eu and the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/StarsForEuropeGreece
via: Enimerotiko