word "flower" comes from the word "color", "a little bit of color."Indeed, these amazing plants hit an incredible variety of colors!Why are flowers of different colors?And why their petals painted like this?Let's try to understand this.
Where does such a variety of colors?
plants are responsible for the color of flavonoids - organic compounds, present in large numbers in each flower.It is their combination and combination give the plant its unique look and color.They are completely utilitarian in nature, that is designed not only for you and enjoy the beauty of flowers.Flavonoids protect plants from excessive ultraviolet radiation from the temperature difference, the external chemical attack and, of course, attracted by bright colors insect pollinators.There is an enormous amount of flavonoids, related in chemical structure to multiple groups.
For anthocyanin gives the colors purple, blue, purple, red and other colors.And, for example, green, orange and yellow appear due to other pigments which include chlorophyll, carotene and similar substances having various chemical structures too.Yellow pigments absorb ultraviolet color is good, and the plants do not fade from the sun.Incidentally, high flowers, usually colored exactly in this group.
Why the colors of different colors can be explained by their level of acidity.The higher it is, the stronger the flower tends to red shades.If you will drop on a blue petal vinegar, it will take the red color.In the autumn, by the way, the level of acidity in the plant increases, so even the foliage begins to delight us with amazing shades of red, yellow and orange.Yes, and most of the colors that appear in early autumn, have the same color of the sun.
If the cells of the corolla have no pigment, it turns white.Since pigments flavonoids perform as the primary protective function, and their presence in the flower increases its resistance to the external environment, and the complete lack of them gives a flower vulnerability.Perhaps that is why so gentle white flowers.
flowers with unusual coloring
That is why the flowers of different colors, determined by the presence in their cells of different chemical compounds.As a rule, all the petals of the flower are painted the same type, but there are exceptions.For example, a three-colored violet (pansy) and lady's slipper differently colored petals, often in contrasting colors.And some colors corolla changes color during flowering.So, lungwort bud when it opens, the petals of pink.And over time, they gradually turn blue until after flowering corolla is not blue or blue.There are plants that are spotted or striped petals, and even with a color border on the edge of the corolla.Garden flowers, photos of which you can see in this article, confirm their surprising variety.
Knowing why the flowers of different colors, many breeders are experimenting, displaying amazing color and persistence domestic plants not only by crossing and using and acidification of soil and special fertilizing.For example, calcium and magnesium will help to create a more intense blue, and potassium - red.Thus, out of bricks, created by nature, man can build a world of amazing beauty.
