# Flower (*Magnoliophyta*)

Flowers are beautiful plants that come in many colors and shapes. They grow from seeds and need sunlight, water, and soil to bloom into pretty petals that attract bees and butterflies.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Various habitats

![Flower](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Magnoliafraseri_rt1.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Richtid, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Magnoliafraseri_rt1.jpg)

## Appearance

The Flower is often brightly colored with delicate petals arranged in a captivating pattern around a central reproductive structure. It can display a range of hues from vibrant reds and yellows to soft pastels, often with intricate markings that guide pollinators to its heart.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Heterokontophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida

## Interesting facts

- Did you know sunflowers actually track the sun's movement across the sky?
- Some flowers can change their color as they age to signal pollinators.
- The world's largest flower, Rafflesia arnoldii, smells like rotting meat!
- Tulips were once more valuable than gold in 17th-century Holland.

## Special abilities

- **Scent Signals:** Flower can release unique perfumes that act as advertisements to attract specific insect pollinators from far away.
- **Nectar Rewards:** Flower has sweet nectar glands that offer a sugary treat, encouraging pollinators to visit and carry pollen.
- **UV Guides:** Flower can display patterns visible only under ultraviolet light, creating 'nectar guides' for bees and other insects.
- **Mimicry Masters:** Some flowers can mimic the appearance or scent of female insects, tricking males into pollinating them.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 5-150 cm
- **Spread:** 10-100 cm
- **Flower Size:** 1-15 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Spring-summer
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** Mild
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects pollen & nectar
- **Pollinates:** Common Eastern Bumblebee (*Bombus impatiens*) — buzzes for pollen
- **Pollinates:** [Monarch Butterfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/monarch-butterfly) (*Danaus plexippus*) — sips sweet nectar
- **Pollinates:** White-tailed Goldenthroat (*Colibri serrirostris*) — feeds on nectar

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.
- [Symbiotic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/symbiotic): Describes a relationship between two different species where they live in close association, often benefiting one or both.
- [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces.
- [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants.

## Collections

- [Flowers](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/flowers)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Enjoy looking at flowers in nature but avoid picking them to help them grow and be enjoyed by others.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Flower?

Count the petals where you can, then compare the flower's center, its symmetry, how the blooms are grouped and the leaves below. Color varies between garden varieties and shifts with the light. Flower Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Flower?

5-150 cm

### How wide does Flower spread?

10-100 cm

### How big are the flowers on Flower?

1-15 cm

### When does Flower bloom?

Spring-summer

### Is Flower edible?

Yes

### Is Flower toxic?

Mild

### What is Flower's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Discovery Island Marine Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/discovery-island-marine-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

---

Source: [Flower: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/flower)