This strange 'skeleton flower' turns translucent when it rains
Mother Earth is so creative and imaginative.
She never fails to surprise us with the unique properties of millions and billions of plant species all over the world.
And she has done it again with this crystal clear flower.
They’re called Diphylleia grayi.
They’re also skeleton flowers or umbrella plant.
These Skeleton flowers become transparent when it comes in contact with water. So when it rains, it goes from white to crystal clear.
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Isn’t that amazing?
These are extremely rare flowers. They only grow in the moist mountain areas in the Appalachian Mountains, Japan, and China, particularly in the Honshu, Hokkaido, and the Yunnan province. These areas provide the right habitat for skeleton flowers to grow.
The Skeleton flower is recognizable by its white petals and a yellow center. And it’s even more recognizable by its crystal clear transformation with water. The white flower’s loose cell structure makes this transformation possible.
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“Apparently, the flower’s ability to change from white to translucent in contact with water has nothing to do with pigmentation, but rather with the loose cell structure in the plant petals. Apart from wowing both flower enthusiasts and scientists with its ability to change color, the skeleton flower has also inspired nanophotonics researchers to develop a transparent underwater surface that stays clean by repelling oil,” according to Techeblog.
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Skeleton plants from rhizomes and can grow up to 16-inches tall.
These flowers are also sensitive to sunlight so they must be grown in places where they can get complete sun protection.
Skeleton flowers live and thrive through the constant supply of organic material from upper story plants and consistent moisture.
Do you want to grow skeleton flowers?
Make sure that your soil has good drainage but still moist and in full or partial shade from the sun. You can plant them in the ground or in containers. Make sure you add compost or peat moss.
These skeleton flowers bloom from May to July and die in the winter.
“Plant it in early spring or early fall. Skeleton flower has both male and female flowers so you don’t need two plants for pollination. However, the skeleton flower is best planted in groupings and not as an individual specimen. The clumps of large, green foliage are an attractive groundcover,” according to The Spruce.
And these flowers are very low maintenance.
You just need to add diluted plant food in the early spring. And be sure to remove any dead parts so that new leaves can grow uninterrupted.
And the best part about the skeleton flowers? They’re not very affected by common pests.
Skeleton flowers need a constant water supply or moisture. If there’s a dry spell, water it slowly and deeply by drip irrigation.
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When it’s no longer humid and the petals are dry, their original white colors return.
The YouTube channel, alwaysartzone, has successfully captured the skeleton flower’s appearance change on video, which is captivating.
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Would you like to watch the transformation of a skeleton flower when it rains? Watch the video below.
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Source: alwaysartzone, Goods Home Design, My Modern Met, Gardening Know How, Techeblog, The Spruce