Temperature and Flower Color

[ronaldhanko]

The flower shown, Slc. Dream Catcher, has just bloomed for the third time this year. When it flowers during the summer the flowers are a light orange with none of the red veining that is evident in these flowers. During the winter they are a dark orange with considerable red veining. This is typical of flowers (not only orchids) that are in the yellow to red range. Temperature affects the production of anthocyanins and carotenoids, the chemicals that produce these colors. At higher temperatures lesser amounts of these are produced and the flowers are paler in color. At lower temperatures the opposite happens, and the flowers can appear very different in color.