Native Plants
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Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
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Friday - October 28, 2005
From: TULSA, OK
Region: Southwest
Topic: Non-Natives
Title: Hours of darkness for non-native poinsettia to bloom
Answered by: Joe Marcus and Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
I have a poinsettia from last Christmas still alive. I was told to get it so many hours of darkness. Do you know how many hours? When would be the best time to start displaying the plant again?ANSWER:
The poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) is native to southern Mexico. They are "short-day" plants which means that flowering is in response to long nights. It varies among cultivars, but 16 hours of uninterrupted darkness per night for several weeks is sufficient to induce the flowering response in any poinsettia. Any light at all will delay or stop the flowering response. There are classic stories about automobile lights from nearby highways and even flashlights from night watchmen delaying flowering on greenhouse grown poinsettias. People commonly put their plants in a dark closet each night for a few weeks in the fall to induce flowering and the red bract development (they bring them out each day). It is a little late to get your plant to flower by Christmas, but you can still get it to turn red just the same. If you start now, it may be red in time for St. Valentines Day! You can read more about the care of poinsettias.More Non-Natives Questions
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Different kinds of lantana in Wilmington, NC
July 19, 2009 - I live in Wilmington, NC. I spent a small fortune on three varieties of lantana--Cherry Sunrise, Ham & Eggs and Bandana Red.
I live on a salt water tidal creek and most are in full sun. Some are i...
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Seeking information on Crateeva asiatica, non-native herbal medicine
September 29, 2007 - Dear Mr. Smarty Plants,
I had a look at your website in hope of finding information about the plant Crateeva asiatica. Could you kindly help me to locate the information for the same?
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Problems with non-native Chinese pistache tree in San Jose CA
May 30, 2009 - We have a Chinese Pistache tree that is between 25 and 30 years-old. Over the past couple years, we have observed more and more branches dying. They turn black, and remain leafless in the spring, when...
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Care of non-native Easter lily, Lilium longiflorum
June 03, 2006 - I have a white lily that is in a pot and has already bloomed four flowers. will it bloom again? Can I replant this outside right now or what should I do with it?
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