Certain flowers have the remarkable ability to change colour during their lifecycle, creating a visually striking transformation in gardens. This colour shift occurs for various reasons, including changes in soil pH, temperature fluctuations, light exposure, and the flower’s age. Hydrangeas , for instance, can change colour depending on the acidity or alkalinity of the soil, while flowers like morning glories and hibiscus shift shades as they age or in response to environmental conditions.
These changes are not just for aesthetic appeal—many flowers use colour shifts to attract pollinators or signal that they’ve already been pollinated. This captivating process demonstrates the complexity of nature, as flowers adapt their appearance to better survive and reproduce, providing an ever-changing beauty to those who observe them. How do flowers change their colour? The phenomenon of colour-changing flowers occurs due to a combination of biological, chemical, and environmental factors.
Here’s how these fascinating transformations happen: pH levels Many flowers, such as hydrangeas and butterfly peas, change colour in response to the pH levels in the soil or other environmental conditions. In hydrangeas, acidic soil (with a pH below 6) produces blue flowers, while alkaline soil (pH above 7) turns them pink. The pH alters the availability of aluminium ions, which in turn influences the pigments in the petals, called anthocyanins.
Age of the flower Some flowers, like hibiscus a.