A gardener planted large, healthy flower bulbs in her garden. When spring arrived, green shoots emerged from the bulbs, and some of them, but not all, produced flowers. She decided to dig up a few bulbs that flowered and a few that didn't to see if she could see what the difference was. She was stunned to find that none of the bulbs looked healthy; they all appeared much smaller. What had happened?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Bulbs act as a storage organ for nutrients, including sugars, which are mobilized to support the growth of shoots and flowers in the spring. The phloem transports these sugars from the bulb (source) to the growing parts of the plant (sink), leading to a decrease in the bulb's size as its stored resources are used up.

A Gardener Planted Large, Healthy Flower Bulbs in Her Garden