Gibberellins are a group of plant hormones that promote stem elongation, seed germination, leaf expansion, flowering, and fruit development. They are produced mainly in young tissues such as shoot tips, developing seeds, and emerging leaves.
Gibberellins stimulate cell elongation and help break seed dormancy by activating enzymes that mobilize stored energy for growth. In many plants, high gibberellin activity produces taller, more stretched growth with longer internodes. Low gibberellin activity contributes to compact or dwarf growth forms.
Environmental conditions influence gibberellin production and response. Low light often increases stem elongation through gibberellin-related pathways, contributing to leggy growth in indoor plants. Commercial growers sometimes use gibberellin inhibitors, called growth retardants, to maintain compact growth in ornamental plants.
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