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I’ve written about flowers changing colour before, so you may be aware that it’s something that intrigues me. This peony, which looks likely to be ‘Coral Sunset’ or ‘Coral Charm’, is a plant that I hadn’t come across until I saw it at Fullers Mill a few days ago.
The progression in colours is the result of aging as the flower matures. As it opens from the bud, the flower starts off as a deep coral colour, gradually lightening to a more peachy colour and eventually turns a pale cream (top photo) before the petals drop. With all the variations in colour together, the shrub makes a spectacular sight.
Flowers can fade in some plants after they have been pollinated. The plant no longer needs to maintain the pigments in the aging flowers and can put its energies elsewhere. The loss of colour may also be a signal to bees to leave these flowers alone and seek pollen in those that are more strongly-coloured, therefore fresher. (Other factors can affect colour in some flowers, such as soil pH, light levels, temperature, and the need to attract different kinds of pollinators.)
The reasons for colour change are based on the needs of the plant, however it has a great attraction for gardeners. Nature’s floral displays are aimed at pollinators but we love them too. (I just wish I’d been able to get a bit closer to this peony, so that I could have photographed some close-ups of the darker flowers…maybe next time!)
Ann Mackay: Inspired by Nature 