The flowers of some plants only bloom for one day. That short-lived beauty can make them even more valuable, though. This book talks about some of the most well-known bright flowers whose blooms only last 24 hours.
What Makes Flowers Only Last a Day?
Most flowers are programmed to bloom and then fade quickly. This serves an evolutionary purpose – the goal is to attract pollinators to enable reproduction. Once pollination occurs, the flower fades away. Flowers meant to attract night pollinators like moths may only bloom at night. Others time their blooms to the active hours of bees and butterflies.
In most flowers, there are internal processes at work that cause the bloom to fade. For example, some flowers have cells that swell up and force the petals open for display. Over hours, those cells lose moisture and shrink up, causing the bloom to wilt. The loss of moisture and breakdown of components like sugars and proteins in the petals also contribute to the ephemeral nature of some flowers.
Bright Blooms Of The Day
A lot of flowers with bright colors and complex shapes make the most of their short 24-hour show. Here are some of the popular options:
Morning Glories
This classic vine offers blooms in shades of purple, blue, pink, and white. The trumpet-shaped flowers unfurl in the morning and fade by nightfall. Morning glories grow quickly, filling trellises and garden structures with their temporary blooms.
Moonflowers
These night-blooming flowers are related to morning glories and open their fragrant, white flowers at night. Large and gently shaped, they are sometimes called evening glories. When the sun comes up in the morning, the flowers shrink and close up.
Daylilies
Known for their diversity, daylilies produce a profusion of bloom stalks. Each flower only lasts a day. But during peak season, fresh buds open each day for an extended display. Daylily hybrids offer blooms in almost any color except blue.
Four O’Clocks
Also called marvel of Peru, these old-fashioned annuals produce flowers that stay shut until late afternoon. This flower earned its name by only blooming for a few hours around 4 pm. The flowers come in bright shades like red, pink, yellow, and white.
Portulaca
This low-growing succulent has satiny blooms in bright colors. It is also known as a moss rose. Common colors include red, orange, yellow, white, and pink. They open up during the day and close up again at night.
Caring for Daylong Blooms
To enjoy ephemeral flowers to their fullest potential, provide good care while they are in bloom:
-
Site them in full sun to maximize the duration of blooms.
-
Avoid overwatering which can cause rotting in some quick bloomers.
-
Deadhead spent blooms to encourage new buds.
-
Use trellises and stakes to support floppy vines and tall stalks.
-
Amend soil with compost to encourage growth and flowering.
-
Control weeds which compete for sunlight and soil nutrients.
Enjoying Temporary Beauty
The transitory nature of 24-hour blooms is part of their allure. Take time to truly appreciate the details you can only observe for a day. Look closely at the patterns of the flower, its array of colors, and intriguing textures. Savor the uniqueness before it is gone. Consider photographing short-lived blooms at their peak to preserve the memories. And if you miss the show one day, remember that another equally beautiful flower will open tomorrow for your enjoyment.
What to Look for When Buying Jasmine
When you go to get your jasmine flowers, here are some important signs that they are fresh and of good quality:
- Avoid flowers that are already open and blooming if the buds are very close together. Tighter buds last longer.
- Bright white petals—Jasmine flowers should be pure white and bright. Yellowing or wilting suggests age.
- Intact blooms: The flowers should be whole on the stem and not broken or crushed.
- Ample fragrance – Fresh jasmine is highly fragrant. Give flowers a sniff to check aroma.
- No browning—The leaves and buds should be bright green and not turn brown.
- Good stem length—Stems that are longer give you more options for how to arrange and decorate your flowers.
- Correct storage—The seller should keep the flowers cool and in water to keep them fresh.
The Significance of Jasmine in Indian Culture
In India, jasmine flowers (also known as ‘chameli’ or ‘mallige’) have tremendous cultural importance. They are considered sacred flowers in Hinduism and are often used to adorn deities in temples. Indian weddings are full of jasmine garlands and loose flowers. During the ceremony, the bride and groom exchange and wear jasmine garlands. The flowers represent purity, fertility and auspiciousness for the couple’s new beginning. After religious ceremonies, festivals and celebrations, devotees will shower jasmine petals on the deities’ statues or idols as an offering.
The sweet scent of jasmine is also believed to have healing and calming properties in Ayurvedic medicine. Indians will often string the flowers together to make fragrant jasmine garlands to wear in their hair. So you can see why having access to fresh jasmine is so integral for Indian diaspora communities abroad. With the proper care the blooms can stay fresh for up to a week after purchase.
Make your flowers last longer #shorts
FAQ
What is the name of the bright flower lasting 24 hours?
These are all names for the same flower: the daylily. It is in the genus Hemerocallis, which is in the family Asphodelaceae and the subfamily