By the side of the narrow path to the bamboo grove, I found many hydrangea flowers having various tones of color quietly blooming in the tender sunlight of the rainy season. The tranquil rays descending from the rain-laden sky seemed to harmonize well with the subtle hues and shapes of these flowers.
Hydrangeas are characterized by their amazing coloration in response to the chemical changes in the soil caused by rainwater. In Japan, people also call hydrangeas "Shichi-henge (seven changes)," that means the traditional Kabuki dance where a star actor swiftly changes his colorful costumes seven times in the blink of an eye.
I never know why these flowers change their colors like pure mischief of the creator of all nature. The variation in pH and water content of soil due to falling rainwater causes their colors to keep changing over time as if to please our eyes during the dreary rainy season.
It is said that the color of a flower is an important incentive for attracting pollinators such as insects. The change of colors of hydrangea flowers due to the soil environment may indicate visual diversity to different insects to potentially increase their pollination opportunities.
No comments:
Post a Comment