“Oh my! Those petals are translucent — why is that?” It was eerie.
Once again, I was visiting my friend and enjoying the array of plants in her garden. She had something new to show me, something uncommon.
“Diphylleia grayi.” I could always count on her to be technical in answers, especially when it came to her garden. “The skeleton flower. It doesn’t usually grow here, because it prefers cooler, wetter environments — but I thought I’d try.”
“You do like unusual plants.” I crouched down to have a closer look. “But why is it translucent?”
“Because we’ve just had rain,” she explained. “Water makes the flowers translucent.” She pointed to some plants sheltered beneath a canopy of trees. “Look. Those flowers are drying out quickly and their color is returning.”
“白色”,我观察到。
“That’s their natural color.”
“Except when it rains.”
“Exactly. Another mystery of Mother Nature.”
And another plant for me to research. “Any chance of a cutting to contribute to my garden?” I asked.
“In the early autumn,” she said, and smiled — pleased to ‘wow’ me once again.
Skeleton Flower Name Origin
Skeleton flowers are also known as the umbrella plant or the Asian umbrella leaf. Why those names? The flower turns translucent when wet (making it look like a skeleton) and the leaves are large and shaped like large, fuzzy umbrellas. Hence the different common names. Interestingly,Diphylleia grayiis of Chinese origin which means glass flower or skeleton flower.
Meanings aside, it signifies both affection and happiness. It can also be defined as a mystical flower. And finally, it’s often referred to as the chameleon of the woods because of its changing appearance. Why does this happen? It’s not a hide-and-seek act, but more like a trick of Mother Nature. The flower petals have a loose cell structure. When it rains, the water droplets stick to the veiny structure, and fill the cells which increases light reflection (like water). It makes the flower appear transparent.
Appearance Varies Throughout the Season
This rare flower first makes its appearance in the early spring as the leaves, initially folded up, slowly unfurl. The flower then appears, a delicate, white bloom that becomes translucent when wet. When they dry up, the flowers turn to a faded white while the plant prepares itself for its fall show of reddish seed stalks covered in clusters of bright blue berries (they do look something like blueberries).
Skeleton Flower Natural Habitat
Skeleton flowers grow well in moist, wooded, mountainous areas, preferably in a colder climate. The flower is native to some regions of Japan, China, and even the United States, particularly in the Appalachian Mountains. It’s considered a rare woodland perennial and only blooms during June and July, dying back during the colder, winter months.
How to Grow Skeleton Flowers
虽然骨架花在其本土的寒冷地区生长得最好,但只要考虑到它的敏感性,这种罕见的美可以包括在花园,包括容器花园。想象一下,在一个阴凉的森林环境中,最好是在落叶树下,落叶后会分享有机废物。这种植物对阳光很敏感,所以它应该种植在远离中午强烈阳光的地方。它对强风也很敏感,所以森林地区肯定会提供保护。理想情况下,部分或完全遮荫是最好的,土壤应该是富含腐殖质和湿润的,但排水良好。沙质的土壤可以很好地排水,而堆肥的庭院废物可以帮助保持足够的水分,而不会让环境太潮湿。然而,比起炎热干旱的环境,它更喜欢炎热潮湿的空气,所以在干旱时期最好保持充足的水分。
Give it some space. It grows up to 16 inches in height and spreads about 2 to 3 feet.
Once you’ve chosen the best location in your garden for the skeleton flower, prepare the soil. Planting should be done either in early fall or early spring. Since each flower is both male and female, there’s no need of two plants for pollination. That being said, the plant does better in groups rather than individually. It makes for an attractive groundcover in clumps of large, green foliage. If the location is right, the skeleton flower is pretty low maintenance. Throughout the season, remove any dead foliage to encourage new growth and in the late fall, mulch with leaves to add some protection to the extreme cold temperatures of winter.
If you’re worried about wintering this rare flower, perhaps planting it in containers is the best option. Containers can be brought indoors during the severe cold winter months. Winter will still be its dormant season, so decrease the watering. Once spring is in the air, gradually increase the watering to prepare for another growing season. Acclimate the plants like you would your seedlings, allowing them some time outdoors during the warmer hours of the day until it is safe to leave the containers permanently outside for the summer months.
Pests and Diseases
Actually, there are none. Not really. Skeleton flowers are not much affected by any pests or diseases, making this plant a very easy-care addition to any garden.
Skeleton Flowers Propagation
Skeleton plants are difficult to start from seeds. Germination is painfully slow and requires a cool weather cycle to help it along. The growing from seed process can take up to a year or even longer. Since it grows its stem from thick underground rhizomes, the best way to propagate skeleton flowers is to divide existing plants.
Skeleton Flowers Edibility
Well, skeleton flowers are herbs — herbaceous perennials. After a spectacular showing of flowers, which when wet, transform into transparent petals that appear to have intricate lines much like a human skeleton, the flowers dry up, becoming a faded white remnant of their initial blooming stage. Then comes the fall display of reddish stalks full of blue berries that are both ornamental and edible. However, not being able to find much on the edible intel of these berries, I have decided to just enjoy their beauty and allow birds to enjoy the edible bounty.
秋天来了,我朋友的骨骼植物也来了。干枯的花和枯萎的叶,没有什么可看的,但我勤奋地把它们种植在一个良好的,荫凉的地方,用我的落叶林的天然覆盖物覆盖它们。天然地膜中有很多有益的营养物质;当我有自己的小森林来供应时,就不需要购买准备好的护根材料。我们将看到明年春天会发生什么。我总是满怀希望,梦想着花园的乐趣让我度过漫长的冬季。
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