Fire, Smoke, Past PBS posts
Alberto Castillo (Wed, 31 Aug 2005 08:32:47 PDT)

Hi:
The Dutch has been researching for years (although results did not turn
out as expected) on a method to obtain from a fat adult bulb all the flowers
such a bulb would produce along its whole life during a single season.
Amaryllids, for cut flowers, that is. Since the process of bud elongation
and production takes place under certain temperatures, they reasoned that
if under artificial conditions they would maintain soil temperatures during
the narrow range required, flower after flower would be produced within a
short period (perpetual flowering). But, it is not perpetual as the aim was
to empty the bulb of all buds and flowers to have it discarded after it was
over.
Smoke treatment of Mexican species of Zephyranthes produced the same
"perpetual" flowering. This is, the flowers were produced over a long period
non stop. And, the bulbs were empty for several years afterwards. Hence, it
was obtained through the action of smoke only without controlled soil
temperatures.
Unexpectedly, in the last couple of years a sort of perpetual flowering
in Mexican Zephyranthes was also obtained when the plants were moved to 5
gallon containers. This was a complete surprise but the flowering season
lasted for three whole months and even more in a few species. Here no
smoke, no soil temperature but lots of root run was the single stimulus.
All the best
Alberto

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