Remember watching those nature movies when you were small? Where spring comes to someplace, and the flowers all open with time lapse photography? Well, this flower looks just like that, except that no time lapse photography is required. The sepals were moving so fast that they’re blurred once the first flower starts to open!
This plant is a native evening primrose (Oenothera hookeri) that grows in disturbed areas, gets about one meter tall, and blooms from night to early morning. The flowers are a nice, clear yellow and about 3″ across – although the plant is a bit rangy and better suited to the back of a border. What’s interesting is that once a flower decides to open, it happens fast. Before your very eyes, just like time lapse photography. The only catch is being there right when it happens, since if you turn away for a minute, you’ll miss it. Luckily the flowers open in succession on the plant.
These photos were generally taken seconds apart once the flowers started to open. The first flower, taken from the side, began to swell up from the sepals, then opened rapidly. The other flower bulged in the middle, then stopped, then opened within about 30 seconds once it started up again.
This process is so wonderful. Thank you for sending and for sharing the actual moment. See you tonight.
Joan and Tom