A set of 8 Flower (Yellow Cosmos - Cosmos Sulfureus, China Rose - Rosa chinensis, Globe Amaranth - Gomphrena globosa, Chinese Pink - Dianthus chinensis, Pink Lady - Dendranthema morifolium, Dancing Lady Orchid - Oncidium Sw., Strawberry Aster (China Aster - Callistephus chinensis, and Snowland Daisy - Chrysanthemum paludosum) specimen encased in 8 separate rectangular and square indestructible, transparent lucite block. Safe, authentic and completely unbreakable product put real Flowers right at your fingertips!

Anyone can safely explore the specimens from every angle.

It is clear enough for microscope observation.

Size of lucite blocks:

45x30x17 mm(1.8x1.2x0.7 inch), 25 gram -- 3 pieces (China Rose, Globe Amaranth, Chinese Pink)

60x35x21 mm(2.4x1.4x0.8 inch), 50 gram -- 4 pieces (Pink Lady, Dancing Lady Orchid, Strawberry Aster, Snowland Daisy)

Size of square block: 75x75x21 mm(3.0x3.0x0.8 inch), 130 gram -- 1 piece (Yellow Cosmos)

Weight of the whole set: 520 gram.

These are ideal learning aids for students and kids and also very good collectible items for every body.

This is a handmade real specimen craft. Each one will be a bit different (specimen size, color and posture) even in the same production batch.
The pictures in the listing are just for reference as we are selling multiple pieces with same pictures.
 

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Yellow Cosmos - Cosmos Sulfureus

Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Cosmos
Species: C. sulphureus

Requirements

Cosmos sulphureus is also known as Sulfur Cosmos and Yellow Cosmos. Its native habitat is Central America.

This species of Cosmos is considered a half-hardy annual, although plants may re-appear via self-sowing for several years. Its foliage is opposite and pinnately divided. The plant height varies from one to seven feet. The original and its cultivars appear in shades of yellow, orange, and red. It is especially popular in Korea and Japan, where it is often seen in mass plantings along roadsides

Growth characteristics of this plant include:

Germination takes between 7 and 21 days at the optimal temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit; flowering begins between 50 and 60 days after germination

It prefers a soil PH between 6.0 and 8.5, reflecting its native habitat in the alkaline regions of Central America

Flowering is best in full sun, although partial shade is tolerated

The plant is tolerant to drought after germination, and is seldom subject to insect or disease damage; this vigor is attested by its status as a pest in some areas of the United States

The flowers of all Cosmos attract birds and butterflies, including the Monarch butterfly.

China Rose - Rosa chinensis

Scientific classification

Binomial name Rosa chinensis

Rosa chinensis, known commonly as the China Rose is a member of the genus Rosa native to central China in Guizhou, Hubei, and Sichuan.

It is a shrub growing to 1-2 m tall. The leaves are pinnate, with 3-5 leaflets, each leaflet 2.5–6 cm long and 1–3 cm broad. In the wild species (sometimes listed as Rosa chinensis var. spontanea), the flowers have five pink to red petals. The fruit is a red hip 1-2 cm diameter.

The species is extensively cultivated in China as an ornamental plant; numerous cultivars have been selected, with varying flower colour and usually an increased number of petals (semi-double or double flowers). The species is also important in the breeding of many modern garden roses, including the Hybrid Tea roses.

The flowers and fruits are used in traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of irregular and/or painful menstruation, as well as swollen thyroid.

Globe Amaranth - Gomphrena globosa

Gomphrena globosa is commonly known as globe amaranth. It is an annual plant that grows up to 24 inches in height. The true species has magenta bracts, and cultivars have colors such as purple, red, white, pink, and lilac.

Its native range is in Brazil, Panama and Guatemala.

Flowering Season: Late spring to early fall

Light Requirements: Sun to partial shade Flower Color: Lavender, orange, pink, purple, red, white Height: 12 to 24 inches Spacing: 10 to 12 inches Comments: High drought tolerance

Description
Globe amaranth is an annual bedding plant that grows 1-2 ft (0.3-0.6- m) tall with a spread of about 1 ft (0.3 m). The branched stems are erect and stiff and the plant has a bushy appearance. The leaves are opposite, oblong, 4-6 in (10-15 cm) long, and wooly-white when young, becoming sparsely white-hairy as they age. Cloverlike flowerheads, 1.5 in (3.8 cm) long, are borne on upright spikes from summer until frost. The individual flowers within the flowerheads are inconspicuous, but the stiff, papery bracts that form the bulk of the structure are colorful and showy and come in shades of white, pink and purple.

Buddy' is smaller, to 9 in (23 cm) high, and has bright intensely purple flowerheads. 'Cissy' also is smaller and has white flowerheads. Gomphrena 'Strawberry Fields' is a hybrid with bright red flowerheads to 2 in (5 cm) long.

Location
Globe amaranth is native to Panama and Guatemala in Central America.

Culture
Pinch back the tips of young plants to encourage branching. Globe amaranth benefits from mulching in hot, dry weather.
Light: Full sun.
Moisture: Globe amaranth will survive drought, but performs best with regular watering, especially during hot weather.
Hardiness: Globe amaranth is an annual grown as a summer bedding plant. It cannot tolerate frost, but it is quite tolerant of summer heat.
Propagation: Plant globe amaranth seeds in spring after all danger of frost has past. Many gardeners set out 6-8 week old seedlings for a head start on the season. Seeds should be soaked in water for a day or two before planting and will take about a week or two to germinate at 70ºF (21 ºC).

Usage
Gophrenas are used in annual beds and borders. In masses, the round flowerheads produce an interesting texture, and their bright colors last late into the season. Their low stature makes them well suited for edging around taller plantings. Globe amaranth is often grown in containers on the porch or deck. The conelike flowerheads are beautiful in dried arrangements and will hold their shape and color indefinitely. To grow gomphrena for cut flowers or dried arrangements, plant closely together to force longer stems. Cut the stems just as the heads are beginning to open and hang upside down in a warm, dark place to dry.

Features
Gomphrena is an old fashioned bedding plant that just isn't used enough these days. It tolerates poor soils, heat and drought, and was once a favorite in British gardens. It is a true "everlasting" and one of the best flowers you can grow for dried arrangements. As an added bonus, it attracts butterflies.

Chinese Pink - Dianthus chinensis

Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Caryophyllaceae
Genus: Dianthus
Species: D. chinensis

Dianthus chinensis (Chinese Pink) is a species of Dianthus native to northern China, Korea, Mongolia, and southeastern Russia.

It is a herbaceous perennial plant growing to 30–50 cm tall. The leaves are green to greyish green, slender, 3–5 cm long and 2–4 mm broad. The flowers are white, pink, or red, 3–4 cm diameter, produced singly or in small clusters from spring to mid-summer.

It is widely cultivated as an ornamental plant, both in China and elsewhere across temperate regions of the world; numerous cultivars have been selected for garden use.

D. chinensis is the famous Chinese Pink, a native of Asia, and introduced from China the Manchurian coast nearly two hundred years ago. The species is about eighteen inches high, of branching growth, and the reddish flowers scent the winds of summer with their sweet fragrance. It has given rise to a race of showy border plants, which show a wonderful diversity of flower colour and form. Probably the best known is the Japanese variety, D. Heddewigii, a strain of dwarf compact plants, and there is also a section with more deeply cut petals. A. c., var. dentosus (the Amur Pink), is very distinct and pretty, the violet-shaded flowers, each an inch across, with toothed margins and dark spots near the base of the petals, giving the flower the appearance of having a dark eye. The varieties are very numerous, and include single and double forms, the colours varying from the white of albus to the crimson of fulgens.

Perennial growing to 0.7m. It is hardy to zone 7. It is in flower from July to August, and the seeds ripen from August to September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees and Lepidoptera (Moths & Butterflies). It is noted for attracting wildlife. We rate it 1 out of 5 for usefulness.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires dry or moist soil.

The Chinese pink has been used for over 2,000 years in Chinese herbal medicine. The whole plant is a bitter tonic herb that stimulates the digestive and urinary systems and also the bowels. It is also anthelmintic, antibacterial, antiphlogistic, diaphoretic, diuretic, emmenagogue, febrifuge and haemostatic. It is used internally in the treatment of acute urinary tract infections (especially cystitis), urinary stones, constipation and failure to menstruate. It is used externally to treat skin inflammations and swellings. The old leaves are crushed and used for clearing the eyesight.

Pink Lady (Florist’s Chrysanthemum - Dendranthema morifolium)

Category: Perennial Family: ASTERACEA Genus: Dendranthema species: morifolium

Perennial growing to 1.5m. It is hardy to zone 4. It is in flower from August to October. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects. We rate it 2 out of 5 for usefulness.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires moist soil.

Height x width: 1 to 3 feet tall and wide
Growth habit: Mounding
Foliage: Has a rather woody stem rising from a mass of creeping rhizomes, strongly scented, bluntly lobed leaves up to 3 inches long with felted undersides
Flowers: Flower heads that may be anywhere from 1 to 6 inches across, borne on a broad panicle and ranging from white, pink or yellow through various bronze colors to deep red or purple. Most of the larger types are double flowering, lacking disc florets.
Culture: Full sun, well-drained (especially in winter), moist soil. Fertilize during the growing season. Pinch several times in late spring and early summer to promote bushiness. Do not cut back after the first week in August to prevent cutting off flower buds.
Pests and problems: Spider mites, aphids
Propagation: Division, cuttings

Uses: Border, massing, cut flowers. Mums have been classified by enthusiasts and societies into groups, based on the overall form of the blooms and the shape and orientation of the florets. The groups include anemone, daisy (or single), decorative (or pompon), incurved, spider and spoon-tipped.
The flower heads or petals are parboiled and served as a salad with tofu and seasoned with vinegar or soya sauce. They can also be prepared as tempura, pickled, dried or added to soups. The petals contain about 1.9% protein, 0.9% fat, 5.3% carbohydrate, 0.7% ash.
Leaves - cooked. Used as fritters, they are aromatic. Some varieties have been selected for their low bitterness.
An aromatic tea is made from the leaves.
A tangy aromatic tea is made from the flowers or flower petals. For a sweeter tea only the petals are used

Plants have been grown indoors in pots in order to help remove toxins from the atmosphere. It is especially good at removing chemical vapours, especially formaldehyde, benzene and ammonia.

Dancing Lady Orchid  - Oncidium Sw.

Order Orchidales

Family Orchidaceae – Orchid family

Among the easiest of orchids to grow, the "Dancing Ladies" are among the most popular. Members of the Oncidium family, the common name comes from the shape of the flower which resembles a lady with her arms outstretched on the top with a skirt-shaped lip below.

The Oncidiums which make up the "Dancing Lady" group are fairly easy to grow with the exception that they need good humidity. Weekly watering with a good orchid fertilizer is also recommended. A couple of hours of sun each day will keep them happy and once a week watering if grown in the home. Outside plants will need more water during the summer. It is easy to determine if they are getting enough water because the large flattish pseudobulbs will start to wrinkle. If this happens to your plant, water a bit more -- they will plump right back up. Burned or very light leaves will indicate too much light; dark green leaves indicate too little light. The leaf color should be a nice light green in order to give the plant enough to encourage blooming. The inflorescences will appear at the bottom of the new pseudobulbs from the inside of the leaf on both sides of the bulb. If you've treated your plant just right you should get two inflorescences from each new pseudobulb. They should be repotted every couple of years after flowering when the media begins to break down in the pots.

Strawberry Aster (China Aster - Callistephus chinensis)

Place of Origin China (Mainland)

Plant Type: Annual
Family: Asteraceae
Missouri Native: No
Native Range: China
Height: 2 to 3 feet
Spread: 1 to 1.5 feet
Bloom Time: July - September  
Bloom Color: Cultivar shades of white to pink, red, blue,violet, purple and yellow
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium

The family Asteraceae have an estimated 1,150 genera and a huge number of species seen almost all over the world originating from North America, Europe, China etc. The large China Asters are the most common form grown by florists and gardeners. Native to Asia, this lovely flowering annual is worth the little extra effort it takes for growing. It has a wide array of varieties and the height ranges from 6 inches to 3 feet. Most species of Aster are perennial and generally bloom in August. They have daisy-like or star-like flower heads (4-6" in diameter) with a yellow center on leafy, often tall, stems. Their colors vary from white to creamy yellow, pink, blue, red and purple. They do well in beds, borders or pots and are a favorite as cut flowers because of their longevity.

Propagation
Asters need fertile, sandy, well-drained soil and full sun. The propagation is through seeds. Before sowing, sterilize the seeds with organic mercuric compounds to prevent stem rot and damping-off. For sowing of seeds, it is best to use a shallow flat. Add one-forth well rotted manure and enough sand to the soil to prevent the soil from becoming hard. Fill the flat half or two-thirds full, water thoroughly, and finish filling with soil just moist enough to handle nicely. Sow the seed in rows 2 inches apart, cover with fine sand and press firmly. The wet soil in the bottom will furnish enough moisture so that the boxes will not have to be sprinkled until after the seedlings are up.

The seeds will germinate in a little over a week. As soon as several true leaves have grown, the seedlings should-be transplanted. Use rich soil in the bottom of the flats and ordinary soil above as further protection against disease. Set the seedlings 3 to 9 inches apart depending on the variety. The plants will grow to a height of 6-10 inches to 3 feet and a width of 6-18 inches.

Care
Since they are prone to wilt disease, virus diseases, foot rot, root rot, and aphids, avoid planting in the same location year after year. Pinch off faded flowers and yellowing foliage regularly to encourage new blooms. Shading plants prevents injury from the tarnished plant bug and yellows. If plants are badly diseased, burn them and stop growing China-asters for a few years. Water well in dry weather.

Snowland Daisy - Chrysanthemum paludosum

Family: Asteraceae    Genus: Chrysanthemum    Species: paludosum

Annuals: Tropicals and Tender Perennials

Height: 12-18 in. (30-45 cm)

Bloom Color: White/Near White

Bloom Time: Late Spring/Early Summer/Mid Summer/Late Summer/Early Fall/Mid Fall

This plant is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds
Drought-tolerant; suitable for xeriscaping
Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not overwater
Self-sows freely; deadhead if you do not want volunteer seedlings next season
These sun-loving flowers have been garden favorites for centuries. They bloom in summer and fall in all colors except blue, and flowers range from the immense, showy Florists' Chrysanthemum to button-sized. The foliage has divided leaves with a strong scent. Use in borders or containers for cut flowers. The common name 'Daisy' usually refers to some kind Chrysanthemum, and "mums", to the fall-blooming hybrids sold in florists' shops. There are many other types as well, including annuals, perennials and subshrubs. Some of these are not called Chrysanthemums because the genus has been divided and renamed, so ask your local nursery. Shallow-rooted, they need moist soil and regular fertilizing. Pinch tips until mid-summer or when flowering begins. Divide plants in spring, discarding the "woody" parts. Cut back regularly to promote bloom. Leafminer causes unsightly squiggly lines on older leaves.