Flowering of Rhipsalidopsis rosea in Response to Temperature and Photoperiod

Abstract

Dwarf Easter cactus [Rhipsalidopsis rosea (Lagerheim) Britton and Rose] plants were subjected to temperature and photoperiod treatments to determine their influence on flowering. All plants exposed to 10C at night (NT) and natural daylengths (ND) during winter and spring for 4 or more weeks flowered, whereas some plants grown continuously under 18C NT and either long days [(LD) provided by incandescent irradiation] or ND failed to flower. Days to flowering and number of flower buds per plant increased linearly as the duration of exposure to 10C NT and ND increased from 4 to 16 weeks. The number of flower buds were greatest on plants receiving either continuous 10C NT or 12 to 16 weeks 10C NT, then 18C NT until flowering. Plants receiving 18C NT flowered earlier under LD than ND when treatments followed 4 or 8 weeks-of 10C NT and ND.