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Climbing plants
Joyce Goldenlily
Posts: 2,933
in Plants
In the early hours of this morning I listened to a program on the radio. I think it was called World Science, around 1.30am..
A listener in New Zealand sent in a question asking how do plants know where to go to find a support to climb up. He had a wisteria which was hell bent on growing across a 10ft gap between the wisteria and a nearby tree, how did it know which way to go?
It was a fascinating explanation, the main reason being plants grow towards light, 2 spectrums in particular, red light and another whose name I missed, which the human eye cannot see, and plant hormones being triggered into action. The presenter was in the hot house in Kew and several botanists were consulted on the initial question. Climbers will even reject a support if it is not the right thickness for its particular requirements. There are still so many unanswered questions such as why do some plants twine clockwise and others anti clockwise.
There was no suggestion plants have brains or reasoning but they are living things. The program kept me awake and listening instead of going to sleep.
A listener in New Zealand sent in a question asking how do plants know where to go to find a support to climb up. He had a wisteria which was hell bent on growing across a 10ft gap between the wisteria and a nearby tree, how did it know which way to go?
It was a fascinating explanation, the main reason being plants grow towards light, 2 spectrums in particular, red light and another whose name I missed, which the human eye cannot see, and plant hormones being triggered into action. The presenter was in the hot house in Kew and several botanists were consulted on the initial question. Climbers will even reject a support if it is not the right thickness for its particular requirements. There are still so many unanswered questions such as why do some plants twine clockwise and others anti clockwise.
There was no suggestion plants have brains or reasoning but they are living things. The program kept me awake and listening instead of going to sleep.
1
Posts
https://forum.gardenersworld.com/discussion/996828/climbing-beans-always-anti-clockwise#:~:text=When the mutant protein is,twist in the opposite direction.
Cambridgeshire/Norfolk border.
"Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
When I tried to add the link, I got the message "not combatible".
Red light is what chlorophyll absorbs (hence the complementary green colour of reflected light). Leaves react to this to orientate to the optimum position. And obviously growing points also. I don't know where other wavelengths fit in.
A plant has evolved to grow vertically. With weak stems they can't do that on their own.
"Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."