The present invention provides genetic identification and use information about a family of genes, the FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC) genes, that is part of the regulate the timing of the onset of flowering in plants. This information enables creation of transgenic plants in which the timing of the flowering of the plants has been selectively altered. Since these genes natively act to delay the time of flowering in plants, enhancing activity of the FLC protein delays the timing of flowering initiation while inhibiting the activity of FLC advances the timing of the start of flowering. A representative number of samples of the gene family are described. Members of the gene family are demonstrated to work in other plant species as well.