10 Fascinating and Surprising Facts About Flowers You Didn’t Know

Have you noticed how important the flowers are in the daily life of most people? A bouquet delivered right to your door just to say “I’m thinking about you” makes your day, some wildflowers brought to you by your child make your heart melt, your plants on the windowsill let you breathe easier, and surprise you with their flowers when blooming. 

We use flowers for decoration at home and at work, on various occasions and just to make a simple place look special, some nations worship flowers while in some countries people have turned them into a real cult. For many hundreds of years, a bouquet of flowers has been a universal gift in most parts of the world. You might think humanity already knows everything about flowers, but what if they still can surprise you? Let’s learn some of their secrets – fun facts about flowers that might seem unbelievable but finally turn out to be fantastically true.

Roses And Their Secrets

The oldest rose on the planet has been decorating the German town of Hildesheim for 1000 years. Even though this respectful age impresses the flower keeps on blooming every year. It was officially registered in 1873 and has been through tough times. During the Second World War, the rose bush suffered from the fire, but the stones that fell hid the roots of the plant so it survived. And in case you ever want to find this rose bush in Hildesheim, you won’t find it difficult – just follow the special route, marked with a rose symbol on the old road. 

By the way, roses are not only one of the most popular flowers but also one of the most surprising ones: 

• There are about 50,000 types of roses and their hybrids. It is the most popular flower for bouquets and the most common inflorescence depicted on coats of arms.
• Rose hips (a type of rose) have only 5 petals, while artificially bred varieties can have up to 128.
• It has taken humanity 14 years and almost 30 million dollars to get a rose of blue-violet color. To get this blue delphinidin pigment, breeders used genes of violets and irises. 

Size Extremes & Color Misconceptions

Flowers are indeed incredibly diverse representatives of the plant kingdom. They come in all colors and what is fascinating – in all sizes and colors. 

1. There is a flower that is only 1-2 mm in diameter. Asian watermeal, growing on the surface of water, is considered to be the smallest in the world.
2. In contrast, the largest flower on the planet is the tropical plant Arnold’s Rafflesia with a diameter of 91 centimeters, it weighs about 11 kilograms.
3. There are no truly white flowers – in fact, they are colorless, meaning that they do not have any color pigments and simply reflect sunlight.
4. Similarly, there is no black pigment in the world of flowers either – the color can be either dark red or deep purple.

The Most Expensive Flower

The most expensive flower in the world can be bought for about 5,000 dollars. It is a golden orchid that grows in the mountains of Malaysia and blooms for the first time only at the age of 15.

Unique Pollination

Another fascinating process is pollination – when flowers use different strategies to attract the pollinators, for example: 

1. In Australia, the Rhizanthella orchid blooms underground, not on the surface. Those are beetles that pollinate this orchid – not bees. 
2. Bees can distinguish between flowers with and without nectar thanks to their ability to see ultraviolet. They use various spots, lines, and patterns on the petals as a guide.

Human Connection

Scientists have proven that flowers react differently to people based on how they are treated. In Hinduism, flowers are widely used in rituals – they are burned in a ceremonial fire to drive away diseases and purify the environment.

Giant Water Lily

Victoris Regia is the water lily flower that is considered to be the largest in the world. It reaches 2 meters in diameter and can support the weight of an adult. Its lower part has spikes that protect the water lily from fish.

Tallest Flower

The tallest flower on Earth is the pride of Indonesia – it is called Amorphophallus Titanum, and it can grow up to 3 meters tall. Its underground tuber weighs about 50 kilograms, and the thickness of the petiole is up to 5 meters. This giant flower resembles decomposing meat and emits a strong odor similar to rotten eggs.

Flower Clock

Switzerland was the first country in the world that planted the flower clock back in 1720. The dial was divided into 12 sectors planted with different types of flowers that bloomed at different times of the day. The clock performed its task well, allowing the time to be determined with an accuracy of half an hour. Unfortunately, on cloudy days, the citizens of the town had to do without it, as some of the flowers did not open at all without the sun.

Forget-Me-Not Legend

In most countries people tell the same story when explaining how forget-me-not flower got its name as its name doesn’t change in many languages. According to the legend, on one of the days of Creation, God was naming all the flowers. One of them asked: “Don’t forget about me,” and the Creator replied: “Very well, this will be your name.”

Unexpected Relatives

Jasmine is a relative of the olive tree, although they look nothing alike. Lilacs, with their beautiful white flowers and delicate scent, are often mistaken for jasmine, although these plants belong to different families.

From the smallest duckweed to the huge Amorphophalis titanum, flowers impress us with their beauty and diversity. We uncover more about them every single day. And the more we learn, the more we love them. They speak to us, they tell their stories. And those stories are worth being listened to!