Uses of Hydroquinone on Flowers

Description of the Plant

• The plant is sold at nurseries as Kinnikinnk, which is an evergreen, low, spreading shrub. It bears pink flowers and red berries. The plant is an alpine plant found in temperate and cooler climates. The tiny oval leaves and 1-foot-tall habit make the plant ideal as a ground cover. The red berries are edible but not very flavorful; however, birds and some animals enjoy them. The part of the plant used is the leaves.

Uses With Flowers

• Hydroquinone and an associated compound, arbutin, have astringent and antibacterial effects. It is this property that is useful in the floral industry. Cut flowers are exposed to bacteria and fungi that will hasten the demise of the blooms. Antibacterial agents such as hydroquinone help arrest the decline of the cut stem tissue to allow the plant to persist a little longer. The hydroquinone is considered a bacteriostatic, which means it will stop bacteria from reproducing but will not kill the existing cells.

Hydroquinone Effects

• As a biological agent, hydroquinone is safe to use on plants but it can become toxic if allowed to build up on skin. A study for the International Conference of Quality Management in Supply Chains of Ornamentals finds that roses bathed in hydroquinone and stored in a solution of the bacteriostatic had few characteristics different from those in distilled water. The only change was the length of time the roses lasted. The hydroquinone roses lasted two days longer than the distilled water flowers.

Appearance and Other Uses

• Hydroquinone is a fine white powder that is highly soluble in water. The compound is most commonly harvested from Uva Ursi but is also found in other plants. It can also be formed by chemically reducing benzoquinone. It is often used in cooking oils and fats as a preservative. It has long been used as a chemical in traditional film developing. Hydroquinone is a common ingredient in dermatological products because of its antioxidant qualities. The product is harvested and synthesized in small batches that must be properly stored and handled to preserve the antibacterial properties.