HYB: CULT: help -flower size/stalk height
- Subject: HYB: CULT: help -flower size/stalk height
- From: L* M*
- Date: Sat, 18 May 2002 07:44:39 -0400
Apologies if we've talked this subject to death before, but one of many
questions while hybridizing this year:
How is flower size inherited? Recessive, dominant, too complicated to
figure out?
Flower size seems to be strongly affected by weather/climate in some
cultivars and not at all in others.
Some examples: DUSKY CHALLENGER has flowers and stalks pretty much the
same size no matter what.
WAR CHIEF, PLAY WITH FIRE have flowers in proportion to stalk height -
if the stalks are short, the flowers are proportionately smaller. Size
seems to be related to preceeding late freezes.
TIDE'S IN has flowers the same size no matter what, but late freezes can
stunt the stalks almost to nothing, so big flowers are almost on top of
the rhizome.
Quite a few cultivars (can't think of a well known example cultivar at
the moment) will start out with normal sized blooms but if it turns hot
and dry, later flowers will be smaller and smaller.
Hmmm.. now that I've written this, it seems like the light blues have a
tendency to have normal sized flowers, but stalks are susceptible to
stunting with late freezes, & the reds seem to 'miniaturize'. Other
color classes seem more variable?
Then there is regular flower size - some flowers are bigger than
others...maybe inheritance of optimal (?) bloom size is known?
Now that I have a lifetime supply of pollen & seed pods <g>, maybe I can
start taking more detailed notes on which cultivars do what, do some
pedigree chasing, & answer my own question in another 4 years....
Any speculations, answers, observations appreciated.
Linda Mann east Tennessee USA zone 7/8
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