Articles
USE OF HELICONIA POGONANTHA AS CUT FLOWER AND IN LANDSCAPE DESIGN
Article number
1000_13
Pages
115 – 121
Language
English
Abstract
Heliconia species are widely used as ornamental plants for landscaping and cut flowers due to the tropical beauty of the leaves, and the varied inflorescence colors and forms.
The objective of this study was to evaluate the Heliconia pogonantha ornamental characteristics and management for garden and cut flower use.
The study was carried out at Federal Rural University of Pernambuco (UFRPE) using the Heliconia Germplasm Collection, from January 2007 to July 2011. Values presented are the means from four clumps.
Characteristics that were identified as desirable for use as an ornamental plant were the grouped growth habit of the clump and shoot emergence in the internal part of the clump.
The plants present dark green leaves and dark red pendent inflorescence, with spiraled bracts arrangement and the partial visualization of the inflorescences in the clump.
The flowering began at 30 MAP (month after planting) with seasonal inflorescence production mainly from May to November.
There were six inflorescences per clump at 41 MAP (May 2010) and 194 cumulative shoots per clump at 54 MAP (June 2011). To assess the inflorescence for cut flower use, the flower stems were harvested with three or four open bracts and the postharvest durability was 13 days.
It took 396 days from shoot to inflorescence emergence and 19 days from inflorescence emergence to harvesting.
Stem diameter was 37 mm, stem height 1.44 m, inflorescence length and width was 0.47 and 0.25 m, respectively.
Stem fresh weight was 0.46 kg in stems with 0.80 m height.
This species represents a good option as ornamental plant due to the pendent inflorescence with dark red bracts.
Nevertheless, as a cut flower, the stem is too heavy especially for transport.
Furthermore, during postharvest, the red bracts changed to black very quickly decreasing the visual quality of the inflorescences.
The objective of this study was to evaluate the Heliconia pogonantha ornamental characteristics and management for garden and cut flower use.
The study was carried out at Federal Rural University of Pernambuco (UFRPE) using the Heliconia Germplasm Collection, from January 2007 to July 2011. Values presented are the means from four clumps.
Characteristics that were identified as desirable for use as an ornamental plant were the grouped growth habit of the clump and shoot emergence in the internal part of the clump.
The plants present dark green leaves and dark red pendent inflorescence, with spiraled bracts arrangement and the partial visualization of the inflorescences in the clump.
The flowering began at 30 MAP (month after planting) with seasonal inflorescence production mainly from May to November.
There were six inflorescences per clump at 41 MAP (May 2010) and 194 cumulative shoots per clump at 54 MAP (June 2011). To assess the inflorescence for cut flower use, the flower stems were harvested with three or four open bracts and the postharvest durability was 13 days.
It took 396 days from shoot to inflorescence emergence and 19 days from inflorescence emergence to harvesting.
Stem diameter was 37 mm, stem height 1.44 m, inflorescence length and width was 0.47 and 0.25 m, respectively.
Stem fresh weight was 0.46 kg in stems with 0.80 m height.
This species represents a good option as ornamental plant due to the pendent inflorescence with dark red bracts.
Nevertheless, as a cut flower, the stem is too heavy especially for transport.
Furthermore, during postharvest, the red bracts changed to black very quickly decreasing the visual quality of the inflorescences.
Authors
V. Loges, T.L.A. Lima, K.P. Leite, A.S. Costa
Keywords
flowering period, ornamental tropical plants, tropical gardens
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