Tragedy Chez Horse

@TheHorse (205753)

Walnut Creek, California

June 26, 2018 1:19pm CST

The sunflower I showed the other day is recovering nicely, but no sooner did I get home that a sudden windstorm BROKE my other sunflower plant, the one that was starting to flower. I am continuing to water it, but I don't know if it can continue to flourish with its xylem and phloem (I'm going back to high school bio here) broken. I'll attach a picture of my friend, broken neck and all, laid gently on my balcony railing. It's trying to survive.

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26 responses

@AKRao24 (27424)

• India

26 Jun 18

So sad...but the plants have very string will power just give some support to the stem by using a splint and and some thin rope or string! This will act as the splint that is used in the case of fractures! Thanks!

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@GardenGerty (157551)

• United States

27 Jun 18

I did not think of splinting with sticks, but I believe you have something here.

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@AKRao24 (27424)

• India

27 Jun 18

@GardenGerty , I am sure that will work dear friend!

@andriaperry (116860)

• Anniston, Alabama

27 Jun 18

@GardenGerty I have done this before to support the long stems of Tomatoes when I raised them inside.

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@RubyHawk (99425)

• Atlanta, Georgia

27 Jun 18

Oh, poor thing. I hope it can survive but I'm afraid it's too broken.

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@TheHorse (205753)

• Walnut Creek, California

27 Jun 18

I'm not going to give up!

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@TheHorse (205753)

• Walnut Creek, California

28 Jun 18

@RubyHawk As of this afternoon, it's still alive, but only half of the flower is showing yellow. Quite interesting.

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@RubyHawk (99425)

• Atlanta, Georgia

28 Jun 18

@TheHorse Good on you It might surprise us. I've killed two of my orchids by giving them Too much sun.

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@1hopefulman (45123)

• Canada

26 Jun 18

Can you patch up, stand it up, put a pole to support it from falling?

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@1hopefulman (45123)

• Canada

27 Jun 18

@TheHorse I'm sorry to hear that.

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@TheHorse (205753)

• Walnut Creek, California

28 Jun 18

@1hopefulman It's still trying to generate a flower. We'll see what happens.

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@TheHorse (205753)

• Walnut Creek, California

27 Jun 18

I taped it together with duct tape, but It's not quite working.

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Valerie J. Routhieaux

@just4him (306239)

• Green Bay, Wisconsin

27 Jun 18

It showed so much promise too.

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@TheHorse (205753)

• Walnut Creek, California

27 Jun 18

It's still trying to throw a flower. I'll keep watering it and see what happens.

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@TheHorse (205753)

• Walnut Creek, California

28 Jun 18

@just4him I just took a picture of what it looks like as of this evening. All sorts of stuff is going through my head.

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Valerie J. Routhieaux

@just4him (306239)

• Green Bay, Wisconsin

27 Jun 18

@TheHorse I hope you get a nice flower from it.

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@responsiveme (22926)

• India

27 Jun 18

Sunflowers and dahlias are prone to wind attacks

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@TheHorse (205753)

• Walnut Creek, California

27 Jun 18

Do you have a dahlia photo?

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@responsiveme (22926)

• India

27 Jun 18

@TheHorse no, the dahlias are winter flowers.Quite like a sunflower except they come in all sorts of gorgeous colours but the first gust of wind they snap

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@Jessabuma (31700)

• Baguio, Philippines

27 Jun 18

Ohh that's sad, poor sunflower. it looks it will going to bloom.

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@TheHorse (205753)

• Walnut Creek, California

27 Jun 18

It's still trying to bloom. But only half of it is coming in. I'll try to take a photo.

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@Jessabuma (31700)

• Baguio, Philippines

27 Jun 18

@TheHorse thanks. I would love to see the picture.

@GardenGerty (157551)

• United States

27 Jun 18

Hmm, I would be the type to try to wrap it gently with something to hold it in place, like maybe brown paper or put sphagnum moss and plastic wrap around it. I would find myself wondering if something would come up from the base. It is worth a thought to me.

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@TheHorse (205753)

• Walnut Creek, California

27 Jun 18

I taped it up with duct tape. But it's still hunched over.

@celticeagle (159058)

• Boise, Idaho

26 Jun 18

They are hardy. We had one out on the alley that flourish in next to no soil and very little wattering.

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@TheHorse (205753)

• Walnut Creek, California

27 Jun 18

There was one in the middle of my friend's yard last weekend that grew from chicken seed mix!

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@celticeagle (159058)

• Boise, Idaho

27 Jun 18

@TheHorse .....Interesting. They are determined.

@vandana7 (98827)

• India

27 Jun 18

I think it will survive...

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@TheHorse (205753)

• Walnut Creek, California

28 Jun 18

I could not make it stand up straight. But the flower is still growing!

@LadyDuck (458091)

• Switzerland

27 Jun 18

If it's broken there is nothing you can do. The wind last week broke my most beautiful gladiolus.

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@LadyDuck (458091)

• Switzerland

27 Jun 18

@TheHorse I have tied my gladioli to garden stakes, so that the wind cannot break them.

@TheHorse (205753)

• Walnut Creek, California

27 Jun 18

The wind has been a culprit here the last couple of days.It blew over my recovered sunflower last night, but it appears to be OK.

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@andriaperry (116860)

• Anniston, Alabama

27 Jun 18

Those poor, poor sunflowers!

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@TheHorse (205753)

• Walnut Creek, California

27 Jun 18

The one that looked wilted is recovering nicely. But the other looks like a 100-year-old man with a bad back--all hunched over.

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@NJChicaa (116001)

• United States

26 Jun 18

Oh no! Poor sunflower. Yeah, with the vasculature busted, I don't know if it has a chance.

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@TheHorse (205753)

• Walnut Creek, California

28 Jun 18

Good word. Xylem and phloem, right? I'm going back 40+ years here. The flower itself is still growing. Do you think the damaged vasculature is still providing SOME water and nutrients? Or is it living off of what's above the break? I'm thinking it's the former, as watering DOES make things perk up, even near the top.

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@NJChicaa (116001)

• United States

28 Jun 18

@TheHorse yes. The xylem transports water and phloem transports sugar and nutrients. I think some water is probably moving via osmosis but I don’t know if it will be enough to keep the part above the break alive for long.

@Hannihar (129470)

• Israel

27 Jun 18

@TheHorse I am glad about the one being fine but not happy about the other one not doing good.

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@TheHorse (205753)

• Walnut Creek, California

27 Jun 18

At least it's being faithful and trying to throw a flower.

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@Hannihar (129470)

• Israel

27 Jun 18

@TheHorse I guess so.

Louise Crisologo

@mlgen1037 (29886)

• Manila, Philippines

26 Jun 18

Hi Colin. I hope it does. It is beginning to bloom.

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@TheHorse (205753)

• Walnut Creek, California

28 Jun 18

Here's a blurry picture of what the flower looked like early yesterday. It's beginning to fill in as of this morning.

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Louise Crisologo

@mlgen1037 (29886)

• Manila, Philippines

28 Jun 18

@TheHorse That sunflower is wonderful. I hope it will grow its other petals.

@caopaopao (12395)

• China

27 Jun 18

I hope it'll survive.

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@TheHorse (205753)

• Walnut Creek, California

27 Jun 18

Thank you. We shall see!

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@amadeo (111948)

• United States

26 Jun 18

the wood chuck been having a field day with ours.Think we have this control?

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@TheHorse (205753)

• Walnut Creek, California

27 Jun 18

Would you like me to stop by with my .22? Kidding--I don't shoot animals.

@DaddyEvil (137145)

• United States

29 Jun 18

As long as the xylem and phloem are not completely severed, your sunflower still has a good chance of continuing to live and flower, pony. Plants with a circulatory system are hardier than humans. If part of our circulatory system is damaged, chances are good that we will lose an appendage without quick medical intervention. A plant isn't quite as dependent on every bit of it's circulatory system being in great shape. I think you will find that the flower will still develop, bloom and probably go to seed, as long as the plant develops a good scar where it was broken, although it is possible that some of the seeds won't be viable. Good luck with it!

@Marilynda1225 (79731)

• United States

26 Jun 18

Awww your poor sunflower. Hope it survives

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@TheHorse (205753)

• Walnut Creek, California

27 Jun 18

Thanks! I'm going to keep watering it.

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@JohnRoberts (109857)

• Los Angeles, California

26 Jun 18

You are having ill luck with sunflowers.

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@TheHorse (205753)

• Walnut Creek, California

27 Jun 18

The one at the preschool are doing well. And the wilted one on my balcony looks fine now. It looks like it's going to throw a small flower, but that's OK.

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Frederick Espiritu

@simplfred (20608)

• Philippines

26 Jun 18

Ouch, The flower is almost showing its beauty. Hope it will stand the test of time. Anyway, I'm happy that the other one is recovering. Enjoy your day.

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@TheHorse (205753)

• Walnut Creek, California

26 Jun 18

Thank you!