…..how flowers know when it’s time to bloom?
I, myself, haven’t actually. I’ve just taken it sort of for granted. Until now. I just happened to stumble over an article on the web that tells me the advanced, but yet so “simple” answer. As if we could call anything in the nature for simple…
I’m not the only one that haven’t known the answer to that question – it’s only in May 2005 a Swedish researcher, Ove Nilsson, found the precise gene that is in charge of the flowering!
What exactly is it that makes flowers open then?
“We discovered that the genes that determine when flowering occurs are active in the leaves, not in the tips of the shoots where the actual flower opens. The gene that we found produces signal molecules that are conveyed from the leaves to the tips of the shoots, where they control the formation of proteins that in turn are responsible for the actual flowering.”
This signal molecule is neither a sugar molecule nor a protein (as they guessed earlier), but a type of messenger RNA (mRNA), a tiny piece of the genetic material that controls the formation of proteins. The point in time at which flowering occurs is thus pre-programmed in plants’ genetic code in the same way as when humans and other animals reach sexual maturity.
Source: A Linneaus page that is not available any more
So, how about that? The expression that we humans bloom in the puberty isn’t that far away from the truth, is it?
And what about this Tulip about to bloom, it does remind us about it, doesn’t it? *lol*
Argentina
Austria
Brazil
Czech Republic
Denmark
England
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Monaco
The Netherlands
Norway
Paraguay
Portugal
Scotland
Slovakia
Spain
Sweden
United States
Beautiful, absolutly beautiful. Georgia O’Keefe revisited.
Lifecruiser: Yes, isn’t it? Very interesting. Nature is grand.
Luckely, it’s a long way from bud to full blossom:))
Have a fun Sunday afternoon and evening
Lifecruiser: Not to mention the withering
Interesting discovery and great pic, Mrs. L *wink*
Lifecruiser: Yes, it sure is!
I didn’t know it either. For me a flower is beautiful or has to be and that’s it. I don’t care about names, where to plant them why they bloom or whatever. They are there and I look at them with pleasure. I am already happy to be able to distinguish a rose from a tulip, lol ! But I have another question, how does a bee know when a flower is ready ??
Lifecruiser: How would I know, I’m no scientist! Or bee… *lol* Actually I think they follow the scent and the colors to navigate to the flowers, just like the butterflies does, but I don’t think they know that it’s gonna be any nectar there for them for sure since I sometimes can see that they leave at once again.
Beautiful picture…
I didn’t know that about flowers. Cool! Thanks for sharing!
Lifecruiser: Thanks Froggie
Wow, great information. I didn’t know that either. Love the tulip. I grow some that are very similar – I think the ones I grow are called “Texas Flame”.
Lifecruiser: I’m glad to be able to share it
I don’t think this is the same Tulip, it had some different name, I just don’t remember it….
It’s perfect, no matter how it works. Just like our puberty stages. Nature is grand. Now the reference to the flower/puberty —well, with my mind in the gutters always, I won’t go any further!!!
Hope your weekend has been filled with happiness and sunshine.
Lifecruiser: I agree and I know what you’re thinking
*giggles* Happiness yes, but sunshine? Only in my heart, outside it’s been very grey and boring.
Interesting stuff!
Lifecruiser: Yes, isn’t it…?
That was almost as educating as the story about the birds and the bees for me. Your an eyeopener to a lot in life for sure!
Wishing you a lovely week ahead
Lifecruiser: I’m glad to be at your service
I hope you’ll have a good week U 2!
I have always wondered, but was too lazy to do the work. Funny how the computer gives us the ability to do this research.
I will start my vegetable garden seeds in another month, watching their growth. I’ll be thinking of this article.
Lifecruiser: Yes, I’m like that too. until sometimes when i have an outburst of something strange, energy i think it’s called
I never knew that flowers were so complicated. Or frisky, ha,ha..
Lifecruiser: Well, they’re all for sex, aren’t they? *lol*
If you have some time to spend and want to see a lot of pictures from the New Atomium in Brussels they are on my blog “countries & cities”. I have been there yesterday and they really did a very good job with the renovation !
Lifecruiser: Wow, that sounds very itneresting, you know I love all things like that! I’ll pop over as soon as I can between my meals…. Or even better, I’ll eat in front of the computer!!!! Solved!!!
Lifecruiser: Thanks. Good