FLOWER FORMATION IN EUCHARIS AMAZONICA LINDEN EX PLANCHON

The bulb has one terminal growing tip. At 21°C it changes from vegetative to generative, and a vegetative lateral growing tip is being formed. All flowers of the inflorescence (two helicoid cymes) are completed after 28 days at 21°C. The vegetative lateral growing tip is morphologically complete after 19 days at 21°C. After 56 days at 21°C it can be induced to flower formation, if plants are exposed again to 4 weeks at 27°C, followed by 21°C. After 90 to 95 days at 21°C the plants will then flower again. Generally, a temperature drop of about 6°C is a prerequisite for floral induction. The low temperature should, however, not be too low (13°C), to avoid growth arrest. Temperature-controlled flower formation in Eucharis amazonica allows the production of 4 cut flowers per plant per one year.

Flower formation is also induced after drying out to wilting and then rewatering the plants. As a result, only 25% of the plants flower, 95 days after withholding water. Stress is thought to be the common cause for the induction of flower formation after a change in temperature or after wilting.

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