Post-harvest vase life of cut flowers of three cultivars of kangaroo paw

Abstract

The vase life of cut flowers of three commercial cultivars of kangaroo paw ( Anigozanthos sp., cultivars ‘Regal Claw’, ‘Harmony’ and ‘Gold Fever’) was determined in relation to sucrose and sodium thiosulphate (STS) pulsing and dry storage. The vase life of ‘Gold Fever’ was extended from 3.5 weeks following pulsing in water to 5 weeks following pulsing in 2.5% sucrose. There was no extension of the 5 week vase life of ‘Regal Claw’ by sucrose pulsing, as assessed by floret darkening, but a 20% sucrose pulse reduced the incidence of floret fading. Flowering stems of ‘Gold Fever’ and ‘Harmony’ were pulsed in 20% sucrose, 1 mM STS or sucrose plus STS, and were then packed into a flower carton and dry stored at 1–2°C for 1,3 or 5 days. Vase life following dry storage was prolonged by sucrose pulsing, but STS had no beneficial effects.