Physiological process in the plant by which the shoot apical meristem

Meristem

A meristem is the tissue in most plants consisting of undifferentiated cells , found in zones of the plant where growth can take place....

 becomes competent to develop flowers. Biochemical changes at the apex, particularly those caused by cytokinins, accompany this process. Usually flower induction is followed by flower differentiation

Flower differentiation

Plant process by which the shoot apical meristem changes its anatomy to generate a flower or inflorescence in lieu of new nodes with leaves. Anatomical changes begin at the edge of the meristem, generating first the outer whorls of the flower - the calyx and the corolla, and later the androecium...

, with some notable exceptions such as in kiwifruit

Kiwifruit

The kiwifruit, often shortened to kiwi in many parts of the world, is the edible berry of a cultivar group of the woody vine Actinidia deliciosa and hybrids between this and other species in the genus Actinidia....

, where the two processes are separated.

Flower induction can be reversed, but flower differentiation

Flower differentiation

Plant process by which the shoot apical meristem changes its anatomy to generate a flower or inflorescence in lieu of new nodes with leaves. Anatomical changes begin at the edge of the meristem, generating first the outer whorls of the flower - the calyx and the corolla, and later the androecium...

is irreversible, because anatomical changes are in place.