Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
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
Ways to eliminate non-native bermuda grass from West Columbia SC
July 01, 2010 - Could you kill bermuda grass by heavy over-fertilizing it? Or black, solid plastic cloth?
Thanks
view the full question and answer
Care for non-native plumeria in Inverness FL
October 05, 2009 - I have several plumeria plants that I planted in the ground this spring. I will soon need to dig them up and store them in the garage for the winter, as I left some last year that died with the frost...
view the full question and answer
Problem with non-native Houttuynia cordata (chameleon)
January 30, 2012 - I have a Houttuynia cordata chameleon plant in a clay pot. My zone is 9b and my yard is partial sun. Up until January, it was thriving. Now, it is dead. I think the cold killed it. I kept it moist at ...
view the full question and answer
Invasive non-native mulberry and groundcover in Jacksonville FL
October 02, 2011 - Northeast Florida (Jacksonville) inland. My mulberry tree provides dense shade in the summer and filtered light the other seasons, leaving sand in its growing area. What fast growing ground cover woul...
view the full question and answer
Problems with non-native impatiens in Denton, TX
May 19, 2009 - Dear Mr. Smarty Plants,
4 weeks ago I planted a shady bed (2'x10') with impatiens for the third year in-a-row. Previously, the plants thrived & bloomed till November. Three weeks ago, something ...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |