- Joined
- Oct 28, 2019
- Messages
- 244
- Reaction score
- 146
- Location
- Northern Ireland
- Hive Type
- National
- Number of Hives
- too many for one apiary
Hi all
I stumbled across a piece of research about Calluna vulgaris (Ling Heather),
https://www.academia.edu/17745231/I...r_Climate_Stresses_on_Calluna_vulgaris_L_Hull
it mentions the (Growing) Degree Days (you can wiki it) needed for the Winter dormancy to end, or failing that a higher temperature could trigger the new years growth (important if the Winter is very mild, think global warming), I was surprised as it found that day light hours didn't seem to be an influencing factor!
It got me wondering about other Heathers such as Erica carnea, which grow during Summer BUT starts flowering during Winter, but I was unable to find any research on this.
Do Erica carnea bloom due to shortening days, but that wouldn't explain why some years the same plant in my garden can bloom a month early; is it's blooming triggered by low temperatures, which would mean it can't bloom indoors.
Does anyone know of any links with info. on Heather plants, in particular what triggers the various seasonal growth, flowering etc. I've done numerous searches and mostly come up with Heather Sales sites for gardens, or what little research I have found is about the Calluna.
It's a very popular plant (especially in Germany apparently) and important for many beekeepers (again traditionally in Germany northern Europe... and Scotland), so I thought there would be more easily available info. out there!
I stumbled across a piece of research about Calluna vulgaris (Ling Heather),
https://www.academia.edu/17745231/I...r_Climate_Stresses_on_Calluna_vulgaris_L_Hull
it mentions the (Growing) Degree Days (you can wiki it) needed for the Winter dormancy to end, or failing that a higher temperature could trigger the new years growth (important if the Winter is very mild, think global warming), I was surprised as it found that day light hours didn't seem to be an influencing factor!
It got me wondering about other Heathers such as Erica carnea, which grow during Summer BUT starts flowering during Winter, but I was unable to find any research on this.
Do Erica carnea bloom due to shortening days, but that wouldn't explain why some years the same plant in my garden can bloom a month early; is it's blooming triggered by low temperatures, which would mean it can't bloom indoors.
Does anyone know of any links with info. on Heather plants, in particular what triggers the various seasonal growth, flowering etc. I've done numerous searches and mostly come up with Heather Sales sites for gardens, or what little research I have found is about the Calluna.
It's a very popular plant (especially in Germany apparently) and important for many beekeepers (again traditionally in Germany northern Europe... and Scotland), so I thought there would be more easily available info. out there!
