amnhnyc:

💘Looking for flowers to “send” your beloved? This Valentine’s Day, we’ve got you covered with some tantalizing options you may not have considered…

1. For someone sweet, how about the true passion flower (Passiflora incarnata)? Bees and ants feed on its nectar, while a number of critters—from butterfly larvae to songbirds—snack on its egg-sized fruit. Humans also munch on its fruits, which can be eaten raw or made into jelly!

2. When love hurts, we suggest bleeding hearts (Lamprocapnos spectabilis). This perennial is originally from regions of eastern Asia. Though its heart-shaped flowers are beautiful, watch out… this plant is poisonous!

3. In the mood for a smooch? Try hot lips (Palicourea elata). This tropical flower can be found in parts of Central and South America. Its distinctive bright red leaves, known as bracts, attract pollinators like butterflies and hummingbirds.

4. Make a statement with the naked man orchid (Orchis italica). The flowers of this plant are endowed with a unique shape: They’ve been said to resemble a man “in the buff!”

5. If you’re smitten, try cupid’s dart (Catananche caerulea). This attractive flower blooms for weeks at a time. It’s said that ancient Greeks and Romans used it as an ingredient in love potions.

6. …and if you just think love stinks, the corpse lily (Rafflesia arnoldi) is the flower for you. Its scent, which has been compared to rotting flesh, attracts carrion flies which spread its pollen from flower to flower. It’s also the largest flower in the world!

#valentines #flowers #biodiversity #amnh #museum
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