short-day
adjective
: responding to or relating to a short photoperiod
—used especially of a plant
compare day-neutral, long-day
Examples of short-day in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Too Much Light Unlike most plants that flower during the longer days of spring and summer, Christmas cactuses are short-day plants that form buds and flower only when the days get short in winter.
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Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Nov. 2025
Going to the dark side The Penn State botany department states that poinsettias are short-day plants, meaning that waning daylight triggers the flowers.
—Kurt Snibbe, Orange County Register, 29 Nov. 2024
You’ll be limited by sun exposure since even though active growth is minimal or paused for many plants during our short-day season (anything less than 10 hours of daylight per day), the most colorful options tend to be sun-loving species.
—Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 27 Nov. 2024
Continue short-day treatment for about six weeks or possibly up until Thanksgiving.
—Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 22 Sep. 2023
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Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Nov. 2025
Going to the dark side The Penn State botany department states that poinsettias are short-day plants, meaning that waning daylight triggers the flowers.
—Kurt Snibbe, Orange County Register, 29 Nov. 2024
You’ll be limited by sun exposure since even though active growth is minimal or paused for many plants during our short-day season (anything less than 10 hours of daylight per day), the most colorful options tend to be sun-loving species.
—Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 27 Nov. 2024
Continue short-day treatment for about six weeks or possibly up until Thanksgiving.
—Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 22 Sep. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Short-day.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/short-day. Accessed 17 Nov. 2025.
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