Tropical Flowers Blooming Later Amid Climate Change

Study finds flowering periods shifting by weeks or months over past decades

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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A study of over 8,000 tropical flower specimens collected between 1794 and 2024 has found that climate change is causing the flowering periods of some species to shift, in some cases by as much as 80 days later than they did in the 1950s. The researchers say these changes could threaten the dependent relationships between plants, pollinators, and fruit-eating seed-dispersing animals in tropical ecosystems.

Why it matters

Shifts in flowering times can have wide-ranging ecological consequences, particularly for pollinators and herbivores that rely on the predictable availability of flowers. While this issue has generally been considered less of a concern in tropical regions, this study contradicts the hypothesis that tropical flowers are less susceptible to climate-induced changes to their reproductive habits.

The details

The researchers compiled museum collections data for more than 8,000 flowers representing 33 tropical species. Comparing the collection dates revealed that the flowering periods of these species have shifted over time by an average of two days per decade. The most extreme examples include Ghanan rattlepod shrubs whose flowering period shifted 17 days earlier between the 1950s and 1990s, and Brazilian amaranth trees which now flower 80 days later than they did in the 1950s.

  • The study analyzed flower specimens collected between 1794 and 2024.
  • Ghanan rattlepod shrubs shifted their flowering period 17 days earlier between the 1950s and 1990s.
  • Brazilian amaranth trees now flower 80 days later than they did in the 1950s.

The players

Skylar Graves

Researcher at the University of Colorado-Boulder.

Erin Manzitto-Tripp

Researcher at the University of Colorado-Boulder.

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What they’re saying

“We have found tropical plants are not insulated from the impacts of climate change.”

— Skylar Graves, Researcher (Mirage News)

“I hope our work can support conservation initiatives by providing more data on the impacts of climate change on these ecosystems.”

— Skylar Graves, Researcher (Mirage News)

“Tropical latitudes are the most biodiverse ecosystems on earth, and yet they are the most understudied.”

— Skylar Graves, Researcher (Mirage News)

“This work highlights herbarium specimens as more than taxonomic tools. Herbarium specimens make up a massive source of data, far greater in both geographic and temporal scale than any one researcher can hope to achieve in their lifetime. I hope studies like mine can be persuasive for increased funding of herbaria and their digitization worldwide.”

— Skylar Graves, Researcher (Mirage News)

What’s next

The researchers hope their findings can support conservation initiatives by providing more data on the impacts of climate change on tropical ecosystems.

The takeaway

This study contradicts the assumption that tropical flowers are less susceptible to climate-induced changes, highlighting the need for increased research and conservation efforts in these highly biodiverse but understudied regions.