Why can cut flowers thrive for a short period of time in water but usually ultimately die?
In: Biology
Plants have hormones like people, and they are made in different parts of the plant. The hormone auxin is produced at tips of leaves and new growth and travels downward to stems and roots, signaling that the plant is in tact. If you remove the new growth of an apical bud (the top part of the plant that is still growing upward) the plant no longer receives auxin and starts growing in other directions, setting up lateral buds. If a leaf blade is removed, the petiole leading to the blade will fall off, because auxin inhibits sene scence (cell death). So when removed, the tips of plants still produce auxin, signaling the flower to not die.
Cytokinin is the hormone of the plant responsible for cell growth and originates from the tip of roots. When you remove the flowers of the plant, they are no longer receiving cytokinin and will not do cell division or make new plant parts because they no longer receive the molecular signal that allows them to do so.
Source: bio major and molecular/microbiology TA/ grad student
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