10 most unusual and interesting facts about flowers

Flowers have had a great influence on the development of a huge number of world cultures. Somewhere they are used simply as a decor item, somewhere they are used to provide a sign of attention, and somewhere they are treated as a deified object.

In fact, a flower is just a reproductive organ of plants, but thanks to the natural sense of aesthetics inherent in most people, humanity over the many centuries of its existence has managed to turn them into a real cult. We have collected 10 interesting facts about flowers that everyone should know.

10 There are no white flowers – in fact they are colorless

Contrary to popular misconception, white petals are not painted white. They just do not have a coloring pigment in their structure.

By the way, black is also not found in the plant world: the shades closest to it are dark red or dark purple.

9. In Hinduism, flowers are widely used for sacrifices.

In one of the world’s most widespread religions, Hinduism, people often flowers are used in various ceremonies and rituals. In addition, they are often sacrificed to Hindu deities.

It is believed that the Gods feed on pleasant aromas, therefore, during this ritual, incense is always lit and fresh flowers are sacrificed.

According to the views of Hinduism, freshly cut flowers are the personification of life, interrupted at the peak of its heyday. A dead flower could later become a fruit. The fruit would have produced the seeds by which the species would continue to exist.

By picking fresh flowers, a person interrupts the natural cycle of nature. It kills the life of the plant in its most beautiful phase. Because of this, a plucked flower is often compared to a young girl who died at the peak of her beauty and strength.

For the same reason, in cultures where human sacrifice was regularly performed, the most suitable victim was considered to be a young girl who had not had time to marry and give offspring.

8. The oldest rose on the planet has adorned the German town of Hildesheim for 1000 years.

At the moment, the famous Millennium Rose is not just a city landmark, but also a kind of shrine, which is revered as an eyewitness to the birth and development of the state.

Once upon a time, Emperor Wilhelm II was presented with a cross made from a branch of that same rose. And the Archduchess Elisabeth of Austria donated to the cathedral a priest’s costume, which she made with her own hands, in gratitude for the fact that the townspeople had previously presented her with a sprout of the Millennium Rose.

7. In Australia, the Riesentella orchid does not bloom on the surface, but underground

It is difficult to believe in this for a simple layman who does not have deep knowledge in botany, but in the world there is flower that lives on the ground. The size of this unusual plant usually does not exceed 8 cm.

Since the risantella cannot absorb solar energy like other plants, it receives nutrients and carbon dioxide from a neighboring shrub, to which it is attached with a special mushroom. It performs the function of a kind of conductor through which all the necessary substances enter the flower to maintain its normal life.

6. People have bred about 50 roses and their hybrids

The love of people for these flowers knows no measure. They can be presented in almost any situation: for a birthday, wedding, date, concert of your favorite artist, etc.

therefore mankind throughout its history, tried to breed as many species of these beautiful plants as possible. Thanks to this, at the moment we can enjoy an amazing variety of roses and give them to our loved ones.

5. The world’s largest water lily Victoria Regia reaches 2 meters in diameter

This is not only the largest water lily in the world, but also one of the most popular greenhouse plants in the world. In addition, Victoria Regia is considered the national flower of Guyana and is even depicted on the coat of arms of this country.

4. Scientists have proven that flowers react differently to people depending on how they treat them.

There is an opinion that flowers do not have the ability to carry out the thought process and the manifestation of emotional reactions. However, recent scientific data make us look at this issue from a completely different angle.

The fact is that scientists have proven that all living organisms, including flowers have a biofield that helps them transmit emotions and information to each other.

Therefore, when starting a houseplant, pay attention not only to the watering regime and air temperature, but also to the emotional climate in the room.

3. The most expensive flower in the world (golden orchid) can be bought for about 5 thousand dollars

The high cost of a flower is primarily due to the fact that it begins to bloom only when it is 15 years old.

2. The tallest flower on Earth is called amorphophallus titanic and rises about 3 meters above the ground

This plant has the largest inflorescence in the world, which can reach a height of 2,5 m and a width of 1,5 m.

It is noteworthy that the flower of the amorphophallus titanic exudes a very sharp unpleasant odor. Also a characteristic feature of this tropical plant is that it begins to “smell” only when it is touched.

The vast majority of amorphophallus species are endemic. They grow mainly on disturbed bases, such as secondary forests, rocks, etc.

Amorphophallus tubers are often used in traditional Japanese cuisine when preparing first courses or when stewing meat. It can also be used to make flour for noodles and a gelatin-like mixture, from which special tofu is subsequently made. In addition, this plant is used as a raw material for the production of products for people with diabetes.

1. The world’s first flower clock was planted in 1720 in Switzerland.

The very first flower clock appeared in the 20s of the XNUMXth century. They were invented by the outstanding naturalist Carl Linnaeus. Through careful observations, he found out that the flowers of different plants always open and close at a certain time, which allows them to set the clock.

However, this natural mechanism has its drawbacks – the accuracy of such watches directly depends on the weather.

Until now The most famous flower clocks were considered Japanese and Swiss. The capital of Russia also boasts of having a similar attraction – the diameter of the clock on Poklonnaya Hill is 10 meters.