08/07/2026
We’ve been getting lots of questions about our Curcuma also known as Siam Tulips. First a little bit of botany. These tropical plants, we are calling “flowers” are actually modified leaves called bracts. That form little cups at the top of the stem. Inside these bracts The small delicate flower blooms.
We grow these corms in a very hot greenhouse watered on drip irrigation.
So how does these bracts get filled with water? It’s one of the really interesting phenomenon about these plants. My understanding that the water serve as protection so that the delicate flower does not dry out and prevents insects that can’t swim! It also has a role in pollination. The water & plant sap attracts butterflies, bees who are in search of water and while drinking pollinate the plant! Cool, right?
We have been pouring this water out during harvest, but in further research, I’ve read that keeping the water in them. They can last 2 to 3 weeks instead of the 10 days. We are currently running an experiment with one that has no water and the other we added water much like you would do at home. Will we will report our finds. With harvesting and the short 2 mile trek to market it’s hard to imagine not losing the water. We’re good ,we’re not that good!
For maximum stem length we harvest the stems by “pulling” them. This gives us more stem length by pulling parts of the stem, that clipper could never reach. Demonstrated in the photos above. We will have these amazing flowers and more tomorrow Tower Grove Farmers' Market and Sunday The Boulevard Farmers’ Market We love your curiosity!
if you can add more let’s talk about it in the comments! See you this weekend!
