It is without a doubt that flowers play an essential role in gift giving across the world. Roses, lilies, peonies – each one of these flower species each have their significant backstories as to why they are gifted for a certain occasion. As many people would agree, flowers are listed highly among the types of gifts commonly given, whether it be Valentines’ Day or Mothers’ Day. Florists providing flower delivery are like the conduit connecting flowers to the masses.
Most people would be able to identify flowers by their appearances. However, if one were to stop and think for a moment – how much do they actually know about these colorful blooms?
The extremities of the Titan arum
Did you know that the Titan arum, more frequently known as the Rafflesia, was crowned the largest flower in the ecosystem? Native to Sumatran and Bornean rainforests, the Rafflesia flower trumps every flower in size. Apart from its characteristic large, orange petals, each measuring as large as 1 meter in diameter, it also has a smell that sets it apart from the others. Given how it is often referred to as the ‘corpse flower’, it isn’t difficult to infer that the flower has a somewhat putrid scent to it, many linking the smell of the flower to be akin to ‘dead flesh’. Apart from its unique characteristics, there are claims made that the Rafflesia is able to provide some sort of medicinal usage for birthing women, among others.
Rare colors in the wild
Chlorophyll is a green pigment found in leaves of a plant. Its ability to give leaves its characteristic light or dark green color is common knowledge for many. However, how do flowers get their colors that stretch across the spectrum? Well, the simple answer to this question is that they obtain their respective color through evolution and natural selection. How often is it that one encounters blue flowers as compared to red ones in a garden or on a walk in the forest? It might be a common sight to see these colors equally as often, ridden all across green fields, but researchers have discovered that the colors blue is the rarest one in nature, and that does not exclude the pigmentation of flowers.
Flowers worth more than gold
For a flower to be worth more than gold, it definitely has to hold extreme significance. That was true in the case of the tulip flower, where they were highly regarded in Holland due to their vibrance, and scarcity due to its slow propagation. These blooms were initially introduced by the Ottoman Empire into Europe in the 16th century, and quickly skyrocketed in popularity soon thereafter, eventually spreading its influence into the Netherlands. Multicolored tulips that were wildly popular in the 17th century.
Scientific names and their origins
Occasionally, flowers are addressed by their scientific names in journals and articles. How did these names come about, and what is its significance to the flower? As a general rule, flowers are named in Latin, as it was once a universally understood language. The flowers follow a naming system where the first name is its genus, followed by the second name, which is its species. For instance, the white lily’s scientific name, Lilium candidum, follows this naming system. Lilium refers to the genus of the plant, and is used as an ‘umbrella term’ for all species of lilie. Next comes candidum, the species of the lily, termed the ‘differentiator’ between the different lily types. The lily is widely known to be presented as wake or funeral flowers, as they signify peace, innocence and purity.
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