How can you determine if a plant has been properly flamed?

Determining if a plant has been properly flamed involves understanding the intended outcome of the flaming process. The goal is to effectively eliminate unwanted vegetation by delivering enough heat to kill the plant without causing excessive damage, which can manifest as undesirable signs like charring or smoldering.

Selecting the presence of no visible char or smoldering indicates that the flaming has occurred effectively; the plant tissue has been subjected to enough heat to achieve the desired level of control without leaving behind burn marks that would signify overexposure. This absence of visible damage is a key indicator that the flaming was executed properly and that the plant's biological systems were disrupted while minimizing collateral damage.

In contrast, the other options signify inadequate execution of the flaming process, such as the presence of char and smoke, which suggests overflaming or incomplete combustion, and leaves remaining on the plant, indicating that the flames did not effectively reach all parts of the plant. Discoloration of plant stems can be a result of improper heat application and not necessarily an indicator of successful flaming. Thus, the absence of these negative signs confirms that the flaming process was appropriate and effective.