Farewell-to-Spring


1 entry found.
Picture of Farewell-to-Spring Farewell-to-Spring
Common Name: Godetia, Satin Flower, Farewell-to-Spring
Botanical Name: Clarkia amoena (KLARK-ee-a a-MEEN-a)
Decorative Life: About 10-14 days.
Post Harvest Care:
  • Remove bottom leaves if present, recut stems under water and place into a hydration or bleach solution. One can also use a holding solution (a flower food solution that has less than 0.5% sugar) as sugar often promotes premature leaf yellowing in this species.
  • Leaf yellowing, red spider mites and aphids are all common problems. It is unknown at this time if any of the commercially available anti-yellowing products will delay or prevent leaf yellowing.
Family Roots:
  • Is a member of the Onagraceae (evening-primrose) family.
  • Native to Western North and South America.
  • Two common relatives are evening primrose and fuchsia.
Personality:
  • Flowers are funnel-shaped to 2 inches across in clusters of 4-8 at stem ends.
  • Stems are leafy, 12-20 inches long.
  • Plant is an annual, classed as a dicotyledon, leaves not parallel veined.
  • No flower fragrance.
Availability: Spring through early fall.
Flower Color: White, pink, peach, rose and bicolors.
Storage Specifics: Some researchers state that this species is chill sensitive and therefore should not be stored at 33-38F whereas others state that overnight storage at this temperature range worked fine.
Tidbits:
  • Scientific name in honor of Captain William Clark (1770-1838) of the Lewis and Clark expedition. The specific epithet name "amoena" means charming or pleasing.
  • Single and double flower forms available.
Recent Findings: The antioxidant morin was shown to delay leaf and flower senescence when used as a postharvest dip or spray (Meir et al. 1994).