Everyone loves flowers. They have become a big part of every society today. Flowers are a symbol of love and deep concern. A flower is a perfect gift for a dear friend, family member, or partner.
When it comes to décor, nothing works better than flowers or paintings of flowers. You could plant flowers in your home or put some in your living room.
There are thousands of flowers on the planet, and there is a need to know and understand them. Taking care of flowers is something that needs a careful hand.
Both plants and animals are living things. This brings up the question about a flower. So let’s jump right into it;
Is a flower a living thing?
Yes, a flower is a living thing. A flower is a part of a plant that grows to develop into a fruit and produce seeds. Flowers grow and develop; they are made up of cells; they reproduce, respond to environmental stimulus, and die. You can learn more about caring for flowers and other plants at GIY Plants.
All these factors make flowers qualify to be living things. That is why they need water and sunshine to flourish.
Development Of Flowers
Mature plants develop flowers. The development of a flower is a vital part of the lifecycle of flowering plants. For flowering plants, it is the reproductive organ.
This means that without flowers, these plants would be unable to self-replicate. So how do flowers develop to help in reproduction? In what order are the internal organs formed inside the flower.
Most plants start their life cycle as a seed. The seed will get the right conditions, break dormancy and start growing.
The seed needs water, oxygen, and warmth to germinate.
The seed will develop a root on the bottom and a shoot on the top. The shoot will eventually come out of the ground with small green leaves. It is this upper part that will ultimately develop a flower.
The leaves start the process of photosynthesis to make food for the development of flowers. Photosynthesis is when green plants use sunlight, carbon IV oxide, and water to make food.
The roots will continue to grow to provide anchorage for the plant. The shoot is positively phototropic; it will therefore grow upwards towards the sun.
After some time, flower buds will develop. Some pants will take days to flower, while others will take months or even years.
Inside the bud, a small but complete flower is formed. Sepals form around it to protect the flower before it is formed. The sepals will stay there until the flower gets stronger and close to maturity.
They will eventually get off and form the little green leaves you see at the flower’s base. At this point, the petals will be fully developed. The petals are what make flowers beautiful.
They are brightly colored and strongly scented to attract insects and birds for pollination. The flower would also be developing the organs necessary for reproduction at this time.
The flower will develop the pistil and stamen. The pistil is the female reproductive part, and the stamen is the male organ.
A fully developed pistil has four parts, the ovary, stigma, ovules, and style. The male part (stamen) consists of a filament and anthers. The anthers are where pollen grains are formed.
The style is the long slender tube you see in the middle of the flower. It goes down to a rounded sack that is the ovary, and it contains the ovules.
On top of the style, there is the stigma. Its purpose is to catch pollen grains on the wind or vectors. The stigma is adapted for this function; therefore, it might be sticky or hairy.
The filament holds the anthers up to allow for the movement of pollen grains. Once all these features are fully developed, a flower is mature. It will get pollinated and form fruit.
The Process Of Pollination And Fertilization
As it has been established, flowers are the primary reproductive organ in plants. Flowers form fruits that contain seeds that will eventually grow to form more plants of the same kind.
The filament holds the anther, which has pollen grains which are the male reproductive cells. The filament is flexible to allow for the anther to get shaken easily, thus releasing pollen grains.
Pollens get carried from the anthers to the stigma by wind, insects, birds, or animals. Flowers are brightly colored and have nectar to attract these vectors to help in pollination.
For a wind-pollinated flower, the anthers stick out and are loosely held to make it easy for the wind to carry the pollen. The pollen itself is light so that the wind can carry it further away.
When the pollen lands on the stigma, it has two nuclei, and it germinates to form the pollen tube. It has a generative nucleus and a vegetative nucleus.
The vegetative nucleus is responsible for the formation of the pollen tube. It will therefore degenerate when the pollen tube reaches the ovule.
The pollen tube drives down into the style towards the ovary. The pollen takes nutrients from the style as it goes. The generative nucleus will divide mitotically in the pollen tube to produce two male gametes.
The pollen tube grows and reaches the ovary at the bottom of the style. It will then release the two male gametes into the embryo sac.
This release causes the gametes to fuse with the female eggs forming a diploid zygote, giving rise to an embryo. The male and female parts start to wither, and they eventually fall off.
After fertilization, the ovaries begin to swell and develop into a fruit with seeds in it.
The fruit will, later on, release the seed either after it has been eaten or if it falls and rots. The seeds could also be taken and replanted by humans.
Common Types Of Flowers In The USA
There are flowers that you can’t miss in the US. You will have a neighbor that has planted them, or you will get them as a gift.
Begonia:
The begonia is a beautiful perennial flower used as a symbol of a peaceful connection between people. They are tropical plants and will therefore bloom during summer.
Tulips:
Tulips come in a number of colors and will be noticed at the beginning of summer. They symbolize the passion and enduring love we have for each other.
Gerbera Daisy:
This flower is most prevalent in California. They bloom at the start of spring and during autumn.They are a symbol of delightful life.
Daffodil:
They are also called Narcissus, and they are famous for their cheerful appearance. They are most popular in South Carolina, predominantly yellow ones.
Carnations:
A carnation is the state flower for Ohio. It would be a perfect gift for mother’s day. They are perennial, so that you can find them any time of the year.
How To Take Care Of Your Flowers
Flowers can be a fantastic option to decorate both inside and outside your house. You need to take great care of your flowers for them to look healthy and beautiful.
Water the flowers regularly
Plants need water to photosynthesize. You, therefore, have to povide enough water for your flowers to grow well.
Water is critical during summer. Plants lose a lot of water during this time, and they will wither pretty fast if they are not watered regularly.
In the cooler seasons, you can skip a week before watering the plants. The amount of water you use will depend on the species and age of the flowers.
Use safe watering methods that won’t damage the plants or flowers. Apply water directly to the soil to minimize damage to the foliage.
Too much water could cause fungal infections. You will have to be careful with the amount of water you use. If it rains a lot, don’t add more water to the plants.
Sunlight is also a vital part of any plant’s growth. Ensure that your garden is located in a place with adequate sunlight. The deficiency of sunlight will make the plants dull, and they may die altogether.
Use the correct amount of fertilizers
Gardening soil tends to lose fertility over time. The ecosystem is limited; thus, refreshing the earth has to be done artificially. When you notice any signs of nutrient deficiency in your soil, you need to apply fertilizers.
For flowers, the best fertilizers would be liquid or water-soluble ones. You can dissolve them in water then administer them to the plants in the correct amount.
It is advisable to use the manufacturer’s directions on how to use the fertilizer. This is because misusing fertilizer may scorch the flowers.
Regularly weed the garden and mulch your flower
Flowers need gentle care, and they will die if resources are scarce. Even if you water them, they will still die because of weeds.
Weeds use up water and minerals in the soil. To ensure your flowers grow well, ensure you remove all the weeds in your garden. You could dig them out or uproot them if it is a small garden.
Mulching refers to covering the soil with other materials. Mulching will help keep moisture in the ground.
It will also help in controlling weeds and soil temperature.
If you decide to mulch, use something that will not ruin the look of your flowers. You could use wood chips since they resemble soil, and it is a good look on its own.
Mulching will also control pests for you. You will, however, need to use pesticides to kill all the pests that might get onto your flowers.
Conclusion
Flowers are suitable for decoration or gifting. You can buy flowers, or you can grow your own. If the flowers grow well, you might even start your flower shop and earn from it.
Flowers are vital in reproduction, so they are a good sign for farmers. If your plants produce flowers, then it means that the fruits are close to forming,
You need to take care of your flower since they are very fragile. Please treat them with pesticides and fertilizer whenever the need arises. Water is an integral part of being a successful florist.