Question

Why do white flowers bloom at night?

Answer 1

Light and dark colors are a good contrast. Combination of light colored flowers and the fragrance of night, commonly occur in nature. Pale color flowers shine and glow in the moonlight so that the pollinators can easily find them. Flowers are adapted in a way to maximize visual effects.

Complete answer:
- Flowers have different tactics to attract the pollinators. Bright colored flowers are usually preferred by the pollinators.
- Significance of flower colors also depends on specific pollinators. There is a symbiotic relationship between the creatures flying at night (bats, moths) and the plants blooming at night which needs to be pollinated just as the other plants. Pale colored flowers like white, glow in the moonlight at night so that the pollinators can easily find them without any hassle.
- There are insects that cannot see such flowers but they have a characteristic fragrance. Therefore the insects get attracted by them. White color is an excellent reflector of light because it contains all wavelengths of the visible spectrum.
Hence, white is a better shade for night time visualization.

Note: White light is a combination of all colors tentatively in equal amount. White objects appear to be white due to their capability of reflecting back all visible wavelengths of light that come upon them. White color absorbs least heat whereas the black color is responsible for absorbing most of the heat. The color of a mirror is also white as it reflects back all the colors. Most of the heat is radiated by black bodies.