A flower bud, or "square" is produced at every node on the fruiting branches of the cotton plant. The first square can be seen 35 to 45 days after the plant begins to grow. The mature flower needs 25 days to fully develop, the buds that are lowest on the plant develop first.

The petals of the flower appear to be a light yellow or white when open. After one day, the petals turn dark and the flower closes. The flower is usually self pollinated. Pollination usually occurs within that first day, and the ovules are fertilized about 30 hours after pollination.

To learn about cotton floral development...

To learn about cotton floral anatomy...




Introduction     Flowers&Fruit        Roots             Stems            Leaves