Pakistan Gardening Forum

Do some factors influence the colour of blooms?
I have observed that a Hippeastrum bulb blooming off season in summer is always light in colour; even the same bulb has brighter colours in winter bloom then late spring bloom.
I bought two Crosendra plants having pure yellow flowers, considering them of a different variety than mine golden, planted in the rose bed, now their flowers have the same orange ting.
Any opinions
Arif

One factor which is the most obvious is the soil pH - which in turn also determines mineral availability. Most flower pigments are pH sensitive and there are a number of pigments present in a single coloured flower. If you have time you can easily see it. Boil our desi red Hibiscus in water. Add a drop of vinegar, the solution is bright pink, add a small drop of lime it turns instantly green. Add too much of alkali, it becomes yellow. The classic case of mineral availability is that Hydrangeas which change their colour provided soluble aluminum is present in the soil (low pH).

A readable account of factors controlling flower pigments is here: http://www.hiddenvalleyhibiscus.com/misc/colors.htm

i have observed this factor in day lilies. when my one day lily bloomed second time in July its color was totally different.so i think heat is responsible for color change same happens with petunia plants when heat increases in April,may petunia changes its color even red star petunia becomes total red without white strips.

pH , temp, amount of sun light, fertilizer, all these play a key role in the color of blooms as well as the hight of the plant.Black Baccara is the darkest red hybrid tea but in full sun & with plenty of fertilizer its color is normal red. If planted indirect sun with less fertilizer the color is the darkest. Petunia Hullahoop & Star series are temp sensitive.They need the exact temp which the breeders recommend for the color pattern other wise they will either become complete white or will become complte red or purple. Size of bloom & hight also depends on temps.This year due to prolonged hi temps the Mari gold Inca is not gaining the max bloom size & also gaining the hight more than 2 ft like it does in summers. Zinnia Dream land, Short stuff & Magellan are of compact size but if planted in partial shade they gain hight more than 2 ft. Amaryllis Nymps have very large flowers but if they bloom in summer months & it happens they bloom un expectedly but the bloom size is small with dull colors.

UMARKHANMARDAN wrote: pH , temp, amount of sun light, fertilizer, all these play a key role in the color of blooms as well as the height of the plant

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