48 



CIRCULAR 2 78, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



The average freezing points of some flower petals, foliage, bulbs, 

 corms, etc., are given in the following tabulation : 



Foliage : Temperature (°F.y 



Amaryllis 31. 



Asparagus fern 24. 2 



Aspidistra 24. 9 



Caladium, spotted 30. 6 



Carnation 27. 4 



Chrysanthemum 29. 6 



Columbine 29.1 



Daisy, Shasta 30. 



Delphinium (hardy lark- 

 spur) 29.2 



Dracaena 28.0 



Fern, dagger 23. 6 



Gladiolus 26.8 



Hemerocallis 30.0 



Holly (Ilex opaca) 26. 3 



Iris: 



Dutch 29. 



German 27. 6 



Japanese 28. 7 



Lily, Easter 29. 2 



Pandanus 30. 4 



Rubber, variegated 30. 3 



Violet, sweet 27.4 



Vinca major 28. 6 



Petals: 



Anemone 28.1 



Carnation 28. 4 



Chrysanthemum 28. 4 



Columbine ' 31.1 



i Many of these figures are based on previously published work by Wright (118) and are subject to revision 

 whenever further investigation makes this necessary. 



Petals — Continued Temperature (° F.) 



Daisy, Shasta 29. 3 



Delphinium (hardy lark- 

 spur) 26. 6 



Gardenia 28.3 



Gladiolus 28. 7 



Heath 28. 7 



Hemerocallis 30.8 



Hyacinth 28. 7 



Iris, Japanese 30. 5 



Lily, Easter 27. 5 



Narcissus (daffodil) 30. 1 



Orchid (Cattleya) 30. 8 



Peony, common 29. 



Poinsettia 29.2 



Ranunculus 28. 6 



Rose, hybrid tea 30. 



Tulip 28.0 



Violet, sweet 28. 5 



Bulbs, corms, etc.: 



Calla 27.5 



Dahlia 28. 3 



Gladiolus 26.8 



Hvacinth 28.7 



Lily, Regal 27. 1 



Narcissus: 



Daffodil 26 



Paperwhite 28 



Tulip. 



1 

 9 

 25. 4 



Cut Flowers 



The best prestorage handling of cut flowers not only includes the 

 selection of species and varieties known to be good keepers but also 

 provides for the use of well-grown blooms only. Well-grown flowers 

 are those that have developed under near-optimum water, nutrient, 

 temperature, and light conditions and that have received no mechani- 

 cal or other damage while on the plant. Flowers of such quality are 

 "firm" and are said to have "substance,'' terms which probably could 

 be justified on the basis of total solid matter, as contrasted with soft 

 blooms that usually develop under conditions of forced growth. Well- 

 grown flowers do not have hard, or excessively woody, stems for the 

 species; hard stems make water uptake difficult. 



In preparing cut flowers for storage the proper cutting stage, dis- 

 cussed under individual species, is of prime importance. Most cut 

 flowers are benefited by a freshening period of a few hours (in water) 

 at about 50° F. immediately after being cut, unless intended for dry 

 storage. Bunching is usually done before storage. Flowers should 

 be bunched and tied firmly but not too tightly or in too large bunches. 

 Wrapping the bunches with waxed paper with an opening at the top 

 prevents tangling of the blooms during the handling of such species 

 as delphinium, columbine, and lilies-of-the-valley ; of course, in the 

 case of roses wrapping of the bunches is customary. If intended for 

 storage in water, cut flowers should be stored at the proper tempera- 

 ture soon after thev have been freshened at 50°. 



