Spathiphyllum Cultivars Vary in Flowering Response after Treatment with Gibberellic Acid

• Published in: HortTechnology (Alexandria, Va.) Va.), 1999, Vol.9 (2), p.177-178
• Main Authors: Henny, R.J, Mellich, T.A, Norman, D.J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1063-0198; 1943-7714
• DOI: 10.21273/horttech.9.2.177

Thirty-one spathiphyllum ( Spathiphyllum Schott.) cultivars were evaluated for flowering response following treatment with gibberellic acid (GA 3 ). Greenhouse-grown plants were treated once with 250 mg·L -1 (ppm) GA 3 applied as a foliar spray. Within 16 weeks after treatment all GA 3 -treated plants had flowered but none of the untreated controls produced flowers. `Vickilynn' (14.1 flowers/plant after 16 weeks), `Piccolino' (12.8), `Mascha' (12.6), `Chris' (11.7), `Alpha' (11.7), and `Daniel' (11.0) produced significantly more flowers than other cultivars. The cultivars producing the fewest flowers per plant after 16 weeks were `Sierra' (2.5), `S1008' (3.2), `Rica' (3.4), `Sonya' (4.3), `Vanessa' (5.1), `S18' (5.5) and `S4002' (5.6). `Alpha,' `Textura,' `Daniel,' `Mascha,' `S1007', and `Showpiece' had significantly better flower quality. `S1008,' `Codys Color', and `Petite' had poor flower quality. `Mascha' was the earliest cultivar to bloom producing maximum flower counts during weeks 9 to 10 after treatment while `Vanessa' was the latest to flower with peak bloom occurring 15 to 16 weeks after treatment. Most cultivars reached peak bloom at 11 to 13 weeks after treatment. Results indicate sufficient genetic variability in spathiphyllum flowering response to GA 3 treatment exists to permit cultivar selections based on differences in flowering time, number of flowers and flower quality.