The Big Yearly Event - The Pa Flower Show a Must See !

2011  Theme was  "Spring time in Paris"

Every year in Philadelphia there is a Huge Event called "Philadelphia International Flower Show".  This is a must see at least once during your life time.  There is a different theme each year coming in March 4-12, 2012 the theme is "Hawaii Island of Alhoa".  This place blooms in all kinds of colors, from black to yellow.  The flower show doesn't just feature native pa flowers, but flowers from all over the states.  If you are planning to attend allow yourself a minuimum of 4 hours, and that may not cover the whole set up.  Here is the link http://theflowershow.com/home/index.html .  Here are just some of the beautiful sites to take in at the flower show.

Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)

	Cardinal flowers produce tall spikes of bright red flowers, and a dark green leaf, with a jagged shape.  These beautiful flowers grow August through September. Growing to a height of 30"-36", Cardinal Flowers are a must for every hummingbird gardening enthusiast! Hummingbirds feed on the flowers sweet nectar.

The Dwarf Crested Iris (Iris cristata )

This diminutive 4-6" native Iris thrives in lightly shaded gardens. Light blue flowers with fringed yellow or white crests appear in early spring, followed by attractive miniature foliage throughout the growing season. These beautiful flowers occur  naturally on rocky wooded slopes and along bluffs in  limestone soils and along sandy stream bank.

The Mountain Laurel

A variety of blooming native flowers herald spring and summer in Penn's Woods. Chief among them is the evergreen Mountain Laurel, Kalmia latifolia.

Governor Gifford Pinchot decided the choice of the official State flower in the 1930s. The General Assembly had passed two bills each naming a different favorite shrub-(Mountain laurel and the Pink azalea). Governor Pinchot chose the former and signed the bill into law on May 5, 1933.
Mountain laurel in Pennsylvania normally begins to bloom late in May and its pink and white blossoms are in evidence well into June. Thousands of tourists from the Commonwealth and surrounding states are attracted to the mountains each spring to view this colorful display.

Mountain laurel is a shrub, which varies from four to ten feet in height, although specimens 40 feet tall are found in some southern states. It is commonly found growing on rocky hilltops.


There is a persistent myth that the designation of State flower affords Mountain laurel a protected status. This is not true. No one may remove any plant from public or private land without the landowner's or land manager's permission. But there are no legal restrictions on the cultivation of Mountain laurel. And there are many good reasons to grow and enjoy Pennsylvania's beautiful State flower.