Before flowering, a plant must attain the ripe-to-flower condition. To attain this condition, the plant must complete a period of vegetative growth. Attainment of this condition does not automatically lead to the initiation of flower primordial.

Certain environmental condition must follow. Temperature and the duration of light and dark periods within the 24 hours cycle are the two important environmental factors that influence the initiation of flower primordial in a plant that has attained ripe-to-flower condition.

The response of a plant to this aspect of light is called photo periodism. When appropriate photo period is given to a plant that has attained the ripe-to flower condition, the metabolism is altered.

This result in the formation of flower stimulus, which may be hormone. When Kurinji flower stimulus is trans located to the shoot apex, the vegetative shoot apex is transformed to reproductive shoot apex which results in the initiation of flower primordial.

In natural conditions, the period taken to attain the ripe-to-flower condition, and the period taken to obtain appropriate photo period differ widely among different plant species.

Kurinji needs a period of 12 years for having to be subjected to cycle conducive to flowering.

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