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| | Bloom (Latin: anthésis) is a set of physiological processes of sexual reproduction (generative development), occurring in flowering plants during the period from initiation of flower upto fertilization. Flowering process is divided into two phases: 1) Initiation of flowering primordiums; 2) development of primordiums till their fully opening-up.
Development of flowers:
Development of flowers in various plants begins during various periods of their life. Few plants, mainly annual, blossom very early: sprout, which has barely come out of seed, embeds into the soil & develop some leaves (for example, blind weeds (Capsella bursa-pastoris), types of watercress (Nasturtium), alyssum (Lepidium) etc). Other plants blossom much later, when young plant develops strong root system & some leaves, in short, when it firms-up sufficiently stronger, grow in strength, stores reserve nutrients, necessary for development of flowers & seeds.
This process of growing in strength can take long irrespective of growth conditions, not equally long. In some plants (perennial & annual), maturity period, that is blooming, happens already after 2 months of germination & after 1 year in others (in many biennial plants), after two & several years (in perennial woody plants & shrubs).
After growing-up, few plants bloom only once in their lives (such as, all annual as well as biennial plants & some from perennial plants, so-called one-period, for example, aloes, some palm trees); such plants spend their entire energy, all the reserve nutrients, accumulated sometimes for tens of years for the development of flowers & seeds and having exhausted the reserves, these plants perish.
Other plants, after attaining maturity, bloom every year (perennial plants) till extreme old age.
Appearance of flowers & presence of them in abundance depends, of course, to no small degree on growing conditions. Poor quality nourishment and sometimes excessive nutrition (rich with nitrogen) delays the blooming & considerably lowers the quantity of flowers.
In addition, degree of blooming depends on climatic conditions. For example, it is noticed, that polar & Alpine plants develop huge quantity of flowers than plants of temperate latitudes. Some polar & Alpine plants are completely covered with bright flowers, which possibly is in connection with short vegetation period. Humid climate also lowers blooming & has on effect on brightness colors of flowers.
Blooming starts, actually, from the moment, when pollination (& fertilization) possibility appears in the developed flowers, i.e, when parts of flower, which are taking part in pollination, become more or less free & accessible to factors of pollination (wind, insects, water). This implies that blooming is obviously not observed in the plants with cleistogamous flowers, particularly with subsurface cleistogamous flowers.
Blooming method, actual blossoming of flowers, depends on structure of flowers & on their location. In most simple flowers, consisting of only one stamen or pestles, blooming includes breaking-up of covering leaves, which cover the flowers (floral bracts) thus baring the flowers, i.e, making free anthers & pestles (in coniferous even ovules). In more complex flowers, having even perianth (floral envelope), this floral envelope one way or the other unfurls not only not representing obstacles and more often promoting pollination factors.
If perianth (floral envelope) is simple & green, i.e, if its purpose is only to protect young fertilization organs in the beginning & young seeds later on, then it simply blossoms, whereas, parts of its partly or completely break up from one another, resulting in more or less easy access to internal parts of flower & sometimes such perianth (floral envelope) is even shed (in grapes, flower-cup in poppy). If perianth (floral envelope), except protection, has even an application as organ, attracting insects & in general, pollination mediators, i.e, when perianth (floral envelope) is bright (whether it is simple or not, for example, in lily or corolla), then it more or less enlarges during blooming & and its form is in connection with the form, size & other features of pollinators. |
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March 1 marks the beginning of spring - the time of the year to blossom, bloom, and fall in love.
