Introducing The Union Square Florist Shop

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September 8, 2020

 

Introducing

THE UNION SQUARE FLORIST SHOP

 
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For four evenings in September, the Union Square Florist Shop materializes in the lobby of the Union Theatre (currently the headquarters of the Velaslavasay Panorama). The storefront tableaux invites visitors to observe the day to day workings of a robust floral syndicate. 

Master Florist Gladys Chantrelle Peckinpah specializes in celebratory bouquets,  memorial arrangements, funeral sprays and floral headdresses for debutante balls and society dances. The Union Square Florist Shop creates custom pieces filled with charm for special occasions year round or for simply the daily pleasure of gracious living.

The Union Square Florist Shop storefront will be available for perusal:

    7:00 pm - 10:00 pm

On the evenings of:

  •     Thursday, September 17th
  •     Friday, September 18th
  •     Saturday, September 19th
  •     Sunday, September 20th
1122 West 24th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90007

Visible from a distance on 24th Street, additional directions for the “visit” will be given onsite through the window.  Visitors are invited to drive by and view from their vehicles, or park in the area and walk past the shop window on the specified evening hours.   Maintain a distance of 6 feet from anyone else viewing the storefront of the Union Square Florist Shop and wear a mask when outside in public. Street parking can be found in the area or a 24/7 public paid lot is available at the corner of 25th & Hoover.

The Union Square Florist Shop is part of Maiden LA 2020

This project is supported in part by the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts

 

 

SELECTIONS FROM THE GARDENS
OF THE VELASLAVASAY PANORAMA

Monstera deliciosa

 
Monstera deliciosa

--Monstera deliciosa hails originally from wet forests in Central America and is a member of the arum lily family.  Lacy holes in the large green leaves prompted a common plant name of “Swiss Cheese Plant.” Sometimes called “Mexican Bread Fruit,” it produces an oblong cob-like fruit known as the ceriman. This green delicacy takes a full year to ripen and the flavor has been compared to that of a pineapple or jackfruit.
 
Citrus maxima
 
Citrus maxima
Citrus maxima is a tree that produces the largest citrus fruit from the family Rutaceae and is native to mainland Southeast Asia as well as Borneo. Depending on the region, the fruit is commonly known as “pomelo” “pummelo,” “shaddock,” “jambola” and “jabong.” Citrus maxima was crossed with sweet orange to obtain the grapefruit and is commonly used as a rootstock for citrus grafting. With the peel ranging from yellow to bright green, “pomelo” fruit enjoys popularity in Asian countries including China where during Chinese New Year it is considered a sign of prosperity and good fortune if eaten.
 
Aristolochia gigantia

Aristolochia gigantea
 
The gardens at the Velaslavasay Panorama feature a variety of hanging vines from around the world, including the remarkable Aristolochia gigantea - native to Brazil and sometimes called "Dutchman's pipe." While many are taken by the bat-like beauty of the blossoms of this curious flower, one visitor remarked that it appears to be “cirrhosis in vegetal form.”

The name “Dutchman’s Pipe” comes from the pipes that are used in the Netherlands (reminiscent of those seen in Dutch Master’s Paintings of the 1700s), which look like the flowers that grow from the vines before fully opening. The common name “Pelican Flower” likely refers to the bulbous protrusion of the blossom prior to opening, similar to the bulbous pocket present on pelican beaks.

These flowers emit a smell akin to carrion or rotting meat to draw in the flies that pollinate them.

Note: Californians, and those from many other regions are encouraged NOT to plant the gigantea species of Aristolochia as it too closely resembles other species of Aristolochia vines frequented by the Pipevine Swallowtail Butterfly (Battus philenor).

The Missouri Botanical Garden informs us:

“Although Aristolochia vines native to the U.S. are considered to be hosts for the pipevine swallowtail butterfly larvae, tropical vines such as this species have toxic leaves which are in reality a threat to this butterfly. Pipevine swallowtails lay their eggs on the foliage of genus plants, the eggs will hatch, and the tiny larvae will begin to crawl around the plants, voraciously eating the leaves, but the larvae typically die after about three days because the leaves of A. gigantea are simply too toxic.”
 
The Velaslavasay Panorama regrets planting this vine and is looking into alternative garden scenarios to keep the Battus philenor butterfly safe.