Mimosistes like Reynaud are masters of their art, their ability to manipulate the plant developed over a lifetime of harvests. Nowhere is this more evident than in the forcerie – a temperature-controlled room where branches of yet-to-open buds are "forced" into flowering in hot, humid conditions, for anywhere between six and 36 hours. The technique extends both the life of the cut flowers by up to 10 days and the growing season. The talent of the mimosiste is knowing exactly how long to leave the flowers in the forcerie – "if we leave it too long, there is a point of no return and the flowers fade," she said.