Plant Variation Explained: What Makes Each Species Unique

Design and InstallationGarden Caregarden TriviaLighting and IrrigationPlant Health Care
Written By Peter Morris

THE BASICS

 This is a natural process which shows itself as slight differences in flower and fruit size and shape.  It may lead to the misunderstanding that the plant may have a disorder or that something is wrong. And sometimes something is wrong !Many times it is simply a combination of growth factors and the availability of nutrients.  In fruit many times its all about which ones on the tree are getting more of the sugar!  But genetic variation, temperature extremes, wind, age, competition for space and resources, and the amount of sunlight available all affect size and shape. 

NATURAL GENETIC VARIATION

Genetic variation in leaves on one plant is quite common.

Natural genetic variation in ears of same corn variety!

Naturally occurring size variations in Mango !

AGE OF PLANT

The age of the plant itself affects its leaf shape – see here from older (left) to younger (right) in Oak.

POSITION ON THE TREE (LIGHT CAPTURE VARIATIONS)

Inner shaded leaves (wider) vs outer leaves in sunnier locations

SOIL NUTRIENTS AND PH

Color variations in hydrangea - from difference is soil acidity (pH) and uptake of nutrients

Differences in size caused by nutrition deficiencies – not enough food for all !

Guess which apple got to eat more sugar!

TEMPERATURE

Pansies grow better in cold temperatures !

Here they are all stretched out in the summer heat !

POLLINATION

This is what happens when we don’t have enough bees to pollinate flowers!

Did you know – tropical Hibiscus flowers left outside get smaller and smaller  as the temperature drops below 55*F in the Fall

BUT...

Osteospermum produce less and smaller flowers as the temperature rises above 85*F in Summer!

For a garden full of flowers (with or without variation)  

Call Plant Specialists TODAY !

We have a Team that can do that for you ! !

Don't delay – the sooner the better !

GREENING NEW YORK FOR OVER 51 YEARS !

Article written by our Staff Horticulturist, Peter B Morris, BSc, MSc, MBAAll photographs used with permission @SHUTTERSTOCK

Peter Morris

Peter was born and raised on a beautiful green island in the midst of a tropical rainforest. He was introduced into the world of plants at the age of six when his grandmother, an avid Spanish gardener herself, asked him to help her grow seeds for her pepper garden. He was hooked! By the time he was a teen, he had his own rose and orchid collection numbering in the hundreds. Botany was in his blood, and that is what he set out to study.

His passion brought him to NY in the late seventies to further his education. His tenacity allowed him to work full time at Plant Specialists while he completed a MS in Plant Biology. As a manager at the time he felt unsatisfied with his knowledge of business and business processes. Peter felt compelled to learn, so he then pursued and completed an MBA in Quality Management within a few short years.

Peter’s other passion is teaching. His natural ability is quickly consumed by our staff in all subjects in Botany, Horticulture, and Landscaping. He created an immense reference library of more than 3,500 plants providing an invaluable resource for our staff.

Peter’s breadth of knowledge and wisdom allows him to effectively diagnose the needs of plants. Sometimes just by walking into a garden he can create a prescription that fixes even the hardest issue. He is our Staff Botanist, Diagnostician, and all around Mentor. Recently, he has put his immense knowledge and skills into developing a new department that focuses on Plant Healthcare. As he puts it, “Magic through Science”. The PHC staff that surround him have avidly consumed his teachings. Substantially developing their own plant wisdom, many have taken on difficult plant health issues with spectacular results.

Plant Healthcare has been an instant success with customers! The proper treatment of insects and diseases including Organic methods has made pest control a necessity for every plant. Correcting hormonal imbalances caused by planting in containers or refurbishing soils leached of nutrients by irrigation systems are big challenges PHC has become quite comfortable addressing. The scientific approach to the complex demands of keeping plants healthy in our harsh city environment has made many a customer say WOW!

Previous

SEPALS !
Next

LIGHT ENERGY