How Do Flower Petals Get Their Color?

A flower's color attracts more than admiring glances.

Flowers bloom in many shapes, sizes and colors. Although most gardeners grow plants for this colorful display, a flower's primary purpose is to attract pollinators. Pollinators, such as bees and butterflies, are vital to a plant's reproduction by carrying pollen from one flower to another.

Pigment

Although flowers generally bloom in one color or another, each flower contains several compounds called anthocyanidins. The primary anthocyandin, or pigment, determines the flower's color, but other pigments influence shade and hue.

Light

All color, including colors found on flower petals, are created from reflected light. Light bounces off anthocyanidins and also other compounds such as flavonols to create the color we see. Because the color of a flower is the light reflected off the petal, any change in the light, such as intensity or time of day, affects the color of the flower to some degree.

Plant Health

Healthy plants produce healthy, vigorous flowers. If a plant is under stress, insect attack or is not receiving the nutrients it needs, the flowers suffer. Flower petals colors fade and become dull as the plant concentrates on survival instead of producing pigment.

References

• University of Vermont Extension: Color in Flowers; Leonard P. Perry, Ph.D.; Jan. 2, 2001
• U.S. Forest Service: Celebrating Wildflowers
• U.S. Department of Agriculture: Cracking Nature's Color-Code for Flowers