In the waterlily world, you will find a sub group of lilies called Night Bloomers, can you guess why? Yes, of course they open at dusk and stay open all night until 9 or 10 am the next day. Each blossom will open and close for the next three days. Can you think of why these particular lilies would choose to bloom in the dark unlike the rest of lily clan? Well, these beauties figured out that by opening at night they could attract night flying insects such as moths to pollinate their flowers. Night Bloomers only come in a red, pink and white, no blues, purples, yellows or oranges among these ladies. And why should this be the case? I’m only guessing here, but probably these are the only colors that bugs can see at night.
For those of you who like to entertain or sit outside at night, these lilies provide entertainment (in slow motion) as they slowly open. The white night bloomer ‘Missouri’ has one of the largest flowers, as you can see here in this picture of Emma Nelson at age 4. Maybe you are questioning why it is daylight when these images were taken, it’s because as I mentioned previously they stay open until late in the morning. Night Bloomers used to be called “Husband’s Lilies” a somewhat sexist term referring to the past when husbands worked and wives stayed at home. Nowadays, I guess you could call them ‘Workaholic’ Lilies.
