Tulip Flowers Glow from Within
June 06, 2023
Photographer: Menashe Davidson
Summary Author: Menashe Davidson
The tulip is a beautiful and delicate spring flower that opens up to reveal its petals to the world. Usually, tulips open during the day and close at night (nyctinasty). Known for their bold colors and beautiful shapes, they have 3 petals and 3 sepals, but since the sepals are almost the same size and shape as the petals, tulip appear to have 6 petals to a bulb (top photo).
The tulip’s varied colors are due to pigmentation in their petals. But pigmentation also occurs in the petal's base cells where they attach to the stem. When light enters these cells, it’s scattered in different directions creating a diffuse glow that seems to radiate from the bottom of the flower (bottom photo). Photos taken in early March 2023 from our home-garden in Rishon LeZion, Israel.
Rishon LeZion, Israel Coordinates: 31.9730, 34.7925
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Video -- tulips glow from within