Is a spathiphyllum flower with a double petal unsual and can it be reproduced to have all double flowers?
All of the flowers on my spathiphyllum have single petals except one that has just opened and it has two distinct petals of equal size. Can this be cloned or duplicated to produce a plant that will always flower with double petals?
You can clone spathiphyllum. It is the way that most commercial growers are making new spathiphyllums these days. They use a method called "tissue culture", also known as "microcuttings".
You put a small piece of the parent plant tissue on sterile nutrient jelly.
I don't know about spathiphyllums specifically but I know that for other plants you can use stuff like moistened potting soil and you pin the little pieces of leaf to it. And then you cover the whole thing in a mini greenhouse (like a plastic bowl or plastic wrap).
The sterile nutrient jelly probably produces winners by inhibiting competing growths and disease. Some people even disinfect the piece of plant before they put it on the rooting medium. And successful growers probably even tailor make their nutrients to reflect the needs of spathiphyllum in particular.
If you don't get some kind of sterile nutrient jelly, then you could make your own by using agar. Agar is used for jellies and ice cram so you might find some at a store that sells supplies for those things. There are lots of suppliers online.
Add enough agar to water to make it like jello. generally agar acts just like jello/gelatin and you can add it in the same proportions as those recipes.
Then add some miracle grow or other fertilizer so that your solution will have a content of 2-2-2 or so. That means approximately equal amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus and potassium.
You can put in it canning jars (about $8 at walMart) and use a pressure cooker on low to sterilize the whole shebang. Takes 15 on low. or you can cover each jar with a couple layers of aluminum foil and put in a regular covered pot with enough water to be level with the amount of nutrient solution in each jar. med to low boil for 15 minutes. Let cool on the counter, maybe overnight. Maintain as sterile conditions as you can when putting on the micro-cuttings. Putting them right into the jars would probably work. and then you could use the jars for mini greenhouses. Either way. make sure there is good contact between the plant tissue and the growing medium.
They might need airing occassionally. But some growths do not<< so i'm not sure about spathiphyllums.
maybe a breeder would give you a few pointers.
I didn't see anything that refered to double flowered spathiphyllums so you might have a unique situation going on there. Since the plant only produced one flower out of many like that then, well, I don't know what to tell you there. maybe just try to get the cuttings from the leaves that seem to be feeding that flower. And it might be possible to get roots to grow from the flower stalk it's self. You could try "air layering" too.
Air layering is wrapping a rooting medium around a stalk (like moistened sphagum moss) and then covering that medium with something to prevent the medium from drying (like plastic wrap).
here is a link to tissue culture:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant_tissue_culture
Even if the resulting plants do not exhibit the double flowers, they would still make decent candidates for interbreeding. Spathiphyllums can produce seed. Breed one to another and perhaps, eventually, one of those babies or grandbabies or cousins would display the recessive trait that cause the double flower; if indeed it is a recessive trait and not an enviromental factor. And even if it is an environmental factor, you might have bred a plant that is susceptible to that particular environmental factor<
Flowers are one of the most delightful creations that nature has to offer but not all flowers need to grow at ground level. In fact, the flowering crabapple tree offers a gorgeous cascade of flowers right at eye level.
Crabapple trees are very popular for being able to provide aesthetics throughout the year. They give delight in all four seasons. During springtime, the delicate colors of the buds and leaves of crabapple trees can be very pleasant. The buds can be of one color and the opened flowers can be of a different hue.
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The flowers of crabapple tree are to be expected in full bloom during late April up to middle of May. There are classifications of the flowers of the crabapple tree. There is the single type with only five petals in it and the semi-double has six to ten petals. The double type has more than ten petals. Double-flowered crabapple trees will be able to keep the flowers longer but the fruits are not abundant. The colors of the flowers can range from the almost pearly white, delicately fine pinks or even a deep red. Some can even grow crabapple trees with flowers having coral or salmon color.
Given all these wonderful things about a flowering crabapple tree, it is only expected that one will aim to have one in his or her own yard. Crabapple trees, like any other trees, have peculiar characteristics and needs that will require certain responsibilities from the owner. Here are some pointers to take note in growing your own flowering crabapple tree.
1. Size of the Flowering Tree
Flowering crabapples can differ from one another in their sizes.
On the average, most crabapple grows at 15 to 20 feet height while some types average eight feet. There are certain cases when they reach up to 40 feet.
Taking this consideration seriously will help you utilize well the space in your yard. At the same time, it will ensure that your crabapple gets enough space to maximize its growth.
2. Shape of the Crabapple
The crabapple tree can take on different tree shapes. The crabapple can have a weeping, horizontal, columnar, rounded, pyramidal or vase-shaped structure.
The kind will generally depend on the growth habit of the tree.
3. Type of Soil
The growth of the flowering crabapples will depend largely too on how well the owner selected the site where it will be planted.
It is best to check the nutrient and ph levels of the soil that will best suit the crabapple.
Crabapples can best grow in rich loam. A loam basically is a combination of sand, clay and salt.
This flowering tree can also grow in other soil types. Just make sure that it gets a good drainage.
Maintain good moisture in the soil but avoid getting it excessively moisturized.
Acidic soil best supports the crabapple like with a pH ranging from 5.0 to 6.5. If needed, make the proper adjustments to make the environment favorable to the tree.
4. Exposure to Sunlight
Flowering crabapples require direct exposure to sunlight throughout the day to ensure the development of the flowers, as well as the fruits.
This means the trees must be planted on locations where they can access the sun for at least eight hours every day.
5. Avoiding Plant Stress
Crabapples are very sensitive to stress. Unfavorable environmental factors can affect the development of these trees.
The stress can result to a very unhealthy disposition of the plants like poor color of the leaf or scorches.
Some of the factors that can stress the crabapple include insects or pests, lack or excess in water supply, insufficient sun exposure or even kids who may damage the tree.
Conclusion
Flowering crabapple trees are delightful addition to your garden. Make sure that you plant and tend it well to ensure the beauty of this creation in your landscape.
About the Author
Lee Dobbins writes for http://floweringtrees.garden-g8way.com where you can learn more about flowering trees like the flowering crabapple tree.
