Flower Petals

flowers · plants · pollination · nature

Petals are modified leaves. Petals started out as leaves but evolved into special parts of flowers with bright colors and interesting shapes. They're basically leaves that got a major makeover to help flowers do their job.

They attract pollinators. Bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other creatures are drawn to petals because of their vivid colors and sweet smells. When these animals visit flowers for nectar, they accidentally carry pollen from flower to flower, which helps plants make seeds.

Called the corolla. All the petals on one flower together are called the corolla, which is just a fancy science word for that colorful ring you see when you look at a flower from the front.

Come in many colors. Petals can be red, pink, yellow, blue, purple, white, or even spotted and striped patterns. Some flowers have petals so bright and beautiful that humans grow them just to enjoy looking at them in gardens.

Show ultraviolet patterns. Many petals have patterns that only insects can see because they show up in ultraviolet light, like secret maps guiding pollinators right to the flower's center.