Hybrid flowers can give you the best of different worlds. Whether they come in unique colors like the red-orange pansy or the rare blue hibiscus, or resist certain diseases like black spot or powdery mildew, hybrid flowers are a spectacular addition to any home or garden. These genetically designed specimens are worth the uncertainty for the possible certainty of perfection.
Let’s learn a little about the science of hybrid flowers and plants and why people are fascinated with them.
The Scoop on Hybrids
Hybrid plants and flowers can happen naturally in nature, or artificially by manual pollination. For example, if two completely different plants are close in proximity, nature could pollinate them and create hybrids naturally. Wind, bees, flies, hummingbirds, or even moths could do the pollinating.
A hybrid plant or flower is genetically different from their parent flowers. This isn’t such a rarity in life, because technically we are all hybrids, as we are genetically different from each of our parents.
When natural hybridization occurs, it encourages genetic diversity and better adaptation of their existing or new environments. This is why many hybrids are growing in between the cracks in the sidewalk and survive rather nicely. What we see is what we call weeds, with maybe a nice flower growing within the weeds as part of the plant.
On the other hand, manual artificial hybridization can only produce a populous that is superior in selected traits. These can yield beautiful combinations of colors and characteristics not otherwise produced by nature.
The Breed of Uncertainty
Here’s a couple of more facts about hybrids that you may not know:
- Hybrids do not breed true to type.
- The hybrid plant or flower could be sterile, but if they do produce “seed” that seed might not produce the same plant next year. The reason is that the seed contains a mixture of lesser unpredictable characteristics from the grandparent plants instead of being similar to the parent plant.
- The hybrid could lack in vigor because of the lesser degree of genetic diversity.
- Their life spans are short simply because they are more delicate.
- F1 hybrids are the first generation hybrid seed or plant that occurs after a successful cross-pollination has occurred. These F1 seeds can take 7-8 years to obtain, and are more expensive because of the pollination process.
Presenting the Beauty of Hybrids
There are many ways to obtain these beautiful designer flowers. You can get cut flowers, or buy the seeds to grow the flowers, garden plants, or potted plants.
The unique beauty of these designer hybrid flowers and plants has to be presented and housed appropriately. This isn’t any different than having your hair and make-up done exquisitely, and then just wearing your old painting clothes! The material of the planter, the color, and of course the size is very important.
These designer hybrid flowers and plants also deserve the correct planter arrangement. Many flower and plant enthusiasts use the grouping of one or more terra cotta planters in such a way that adds to the textures and colors of their designer flowers or plants. There are many planters with designs that give various essences that would otherwise be hard to convey.
So whether you are a naturalist who feels that beauty is in the imperfections that nature creates, or a perfectionist whose talent is creating what others can only imagine, we can all agree that flowers and plants enhance our lives with their beauty and grace.
If you want to spruce up your home with the beauty of a plant but want certain special characteristics, why not consider a hybrid flower or plant, and bring those unique features alive!
