ISHS Acta Horticulturae 397: New Ornamental Crops and the Market for Floricultural Products
YEAR AROUND PRODUCTION WITH HIGH YIELDS MAY BE A POSSIBILITY FOR HELICONIA CHARTACEA |
| Authors: | R.A. Criley, S. Lekawatana |
| Abstract:
Although year-round flowering of H. chartacea is potentially possible in Hawaii as new shoots develop regularly, flowering is low in the period of late March to early June. The shoots which should flower at this time are produced 40 to 48 weeks earlier in June-August. Floral initiation occurs after shoot emergence when four leaves have unfurled with 2 to 3 still within the enclosing pseudostem. This places flower initiation in the October-December timeframe for these shoots. In contrast, fall-winter shoots initiate flowers during January-March and average one leaf fewer than summer shoots. The greater leaf count and low flowering percentage of spring shoots suggest fall conditions are favorable for leaf initiation and unfavorable for floral initiation. An attempt to promote flower initiation during the fall with light break lighting was thwarted by disease. | |
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