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Waitakere New Zealand

just wondering how common are 5 lobe flowers

2/3/2007 12:00:23 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Very common.

2/3/2007 12:31:47 AM

Farmville, Virginia (mfowler@hsc.edu)

Does the more lobes in a female increase the chances of successful pollination? Does it have any effect on the pumpkin shape? Does a female with 5 or 6 lobes tend to grow bigger pumpkins than a 4 lobe?

2/3/2007 8:42:00 AM

Gays Mills,WI

Mark, A 5 and 6 lobe flower have a better chance of being more semetrical than a 4 lobe flower. I dont think having more lobes will increase the chances of a successful pollination just means you have extra lobe to worry about, trying to get pollin evenly distributed on the flower in early morning is the key. Each one of these lobes will become a seed pocket. So my understanding is if you have two
pumpkins the same size but one has an extra lobe the one with the extra lobe would problably weigh more but the one with less lobes could be loaded with seeds. Each grain of pollin will result in one seed that is why many growers try to use 3 or 4 males per flower. The aborted pollinations are mainly caused by the high temps. Using a shade cloth or bags of ice around flower will better your chances of a successful pollination on those warm days. Hope this helps.

2/3/2007 11:56:46 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

I just checked the list of the pumpkins at AGGC. From top down:

1502 Wallace = not reported
1469 Checkon = 5 segments
1458 Whittier = 5 segments
1450 Wallace = not reported
1446.5 Werner = 6 segments
1446 Eaton = 5
1443 Palmer = 4
1432 Carlson-Petersen = 4
1420.5 LaRue = 5
1407.3 Wolf = 5
1385 Deletas = 5
1373 Duek-Papez = 5
1370 Rose = 5
1368 Slusarek = 4
1367.5 Rose = 5

Descending down to 1300 lbs the rest are mostly 5, lots of 4's & two with 6 segments.

If there is a trend worth noting it is that 5 segmented flowers are the most commonly found. Since a flower segment eventually grows into a set of seed rows inside the fruit this might influence the seed count to a degree (assuming all else is equal).

2/3/2007 11:59:03 AM

Waitakere New Zealand

its interesting that of the 15 pumpkins 10 are 5/6 lobe 3 are 4 lobe 2 unreported [can the wallaces shed any info]so are 5/6 lobe going to have heavey pumpkins? seems so on a small sample but how do the smaller fruit compere? the percentage would be informative. I think some of my pumpkins had 4and5 lobe flowers some only 4 lobe flowers, got to keep records.

2/3/2007 6:58:43 PM

Picton,ON (j.vincent@xplornet.ca)

I have observed that the first female flowers are usually 4 lobers. As you get further out, the instance of 5 and 6 lobe flowers seem to increase. I have had problems with pollinating those first flowers, getting a pumpkin set, then not being able to set another, further down, on a five or six lober flower.
Any one elce notice this?

2/4/2007 9:47:29 AM

SF Bay Area, California

I usually see the opposite. The first few flowers to open are usually six lobers, then fives, then fours. This may be a trait specific to the genetics of the seed planted.

The 670 was different for me. The first female on the main was a 5 lober which didn't set and the second was a perfect six lober that took off like it was shot out of a cannon.

My other three plants last year from my own seeds all started with six lobers in the first flower and went downhill from there.

2/4/2007 11:10:09 AM

Long Island,New York

Im with Dianna...MOST of the 6lobers ive had were the first females on the main vines...then to 5's and 4's on main. Most 4 lobers in my experience were on sidevines and further on the main.

2/4/2007 1:20:47 PM

President - GPC

I noticed that the first flowers out were difficult to set and get growing but the seconds took off OK. We had very hot very early last year so that didnt help. Also noticed that on the verticle cage growing next to the bricks, mother nature had no problem with setting babies. I would of expected the heat to be a problem here but it was not....

2/5/2007 8:47:53 AM

Syracuse, NY

personally, i wouldn't worry tooooooo much about the
number of lobes a flower has when determining whether
or not to pollinate one, unless you're crazy enough to
NOT pollinate it because it doesn't have the "right"
number lof lobes on it, lol;
i am sure that it could play a large part in some growers'
technique(s) but i guess i have always NOT worried about it
since i had read that the 1140 Stelts WR had 4 lobes.

i also simply think that 3-lobe flowerws are cool!

i would concentrate more on (he he i said "more on")
the amount of POLLEN used on these flowers, as the more pollen that is used, the more seeds that are created inside the fruit, seeds DO weigh something, weight is what it is
all about, and so on....

2/6/2007 3:52:41 PM