What Is Cauliflory and Why Does It Matter?

Garden Caregarden TriviaPlant Health CareUncategorized
Written By Peter Morris

NO... this is not about cauliflower !  Cauliflory is an evolutionary adaptation in which flowers and fruit develop directly from the trunks and woody branches of plants.

 Cauliflory means “ stem flower”.  It occurs in a distinct vertical zone below the forest canopy.  Its found throughout  the world.  It is most prevalent in the tropical rain forest. 

There are many different animal species that visit these flowers.  Because of this it is difficult to generalize about any particular group that specializes in cauliflory.  Marsupial and placental animals that climb on trunks are a large group.  Perching birds, fruit bats, and small crawling or flying insects are also included.

Some examples of cauliflory plants you may know are:

Fig

Papaya

Cacao (chocolate)

Cacao flower

Soursop (guanabana)

Soursop flower

There are also many super exotic ones you probably never heard of : 

A brilliant red-flowered Brownea macrophylla

A bottlebrush tree called Calothamnus validus

Halleria lucida - related to snapdragons !

Google the subject ! You will be fascinated for sure !

 For us here in New York City only redbuds would survive.  But they are spectacular and come in several shades of red and even a white ! Twelve different varieties -  who knew !!! 

Redbud - Cercis canadensis

Ask any one of our Plant Specialists Designers for help in finding you one !    Or all Twelve for that matter !

my favorite – Cercis canadensis 'Pink Pom Poms' – check it out !

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

Understanding and Treating Cedar Apple Rust
Next

MORPHOLOGY