The phrase ‘ephemeral as an Epiphyllum flower’ has always led me to believe that the shortest-lived flower in the world is the Epiphyllum. However, upon closer investigation, I found that this isn’t the case.
Here, I’ve compiled a list of the ten flowers with the shortest blooming times, including wheat flowers, Epiphyllum, morning glory, evening primrose, dragon fruit flowers, cactus flowers, titan arum, Amazon water lily, Rafflesia, flame lily, daylily, and tulip. Doesn’t it feel fascinating to uncover these wonders of the world?
Join me to find out which flower has the shortest blooming period.
1. Wheat Flower – 15-20 minutes
The wheat flower is a bisexual flower, comprised of an outer glume, an inner glume, three stamens, one pistil, and two paleas. Depending on the variety, some wheat flowers have awns while others don’t.
Once wheat begins to spike, under normal temperature, it can bloom after 3-5 days; late-spiking wheat can even bloom in 1-2 days, or on the same day when exposed to high temperature. If it encounters low temperature after spiking, it may take 7-8 days or even longer to bloom.
A single flower generally blooms for about 15-20 minutes, and a wheat spike takes around 2-3 days, with a few taking 3-8 days, to finish blooming, making it one of the shortest-lived flowers in the world.
2. Epiphyllum – 1-2 hours
Epiphyllum is an epiphytic succulent shrub, renowned for its ethereal, beautiful white flowers. This well-known ornamental plant blooms at night to avoid intense sunlight, thereby shortening its bloom time and minimizing water loss, which benefits its survival and prolongs its life.
This has earned the Epiphyllum the epithet of ‘Belle of the Moonlight,’ but it blooms only for a brief 1-2 hours.
As people are still deep in sleep, the clean and fragrant Epiphyllum wilts after a fleeting bloom, hence the phrase ‘ephemeral as an Epiphyllum flower.’ Its unique blooming habit intrigues many flower enthusiasts, myself included!
3. Morning Glory – 8 hours
Morning Glory, part of the Convolvulaceae family, is an annual twining herb. Its trumpet-like flowers have earned it the nickname of ‘Trumpet Flower’ in some places. Generally, Morning Glory is sown in the spring and blooms in the summer and autumn.
Its blooming time is short, opening around 4 or 5 in the morning and wilting by noon, approximately 8 hours later. This makes it one of the flowers with the shortest bloom times in the world. Morning Glory has many varieties and is a common ornamental plant.
Its ovate fruits can be used for medicinal purposes. Its leaves are trifoliate with a heart-shaped base. The funnel-shaped flowers come in white, purple-red, or purple-blue hues. The entire plant is coarsely hairy, with peak bloom in summer. Its seeds have medicinal value.
4. Evening Primrose – 12 hours
Evening Primrose, a species in the Onagraceae family, blooms at dusk and wilts by dawn, which is how it got its name. The blooming time is about 12 hours. Its bracts are leaf-like, with yellow or pale yellow petals, broadly ovate.
The stamens are nearly equal in length, the ovary is green, and the sepals are green, sometimes with a hint of red.
It is one of the most significant nutritional medicines discovered this century, capable of treating various diseases, regulating lipids in the blood, and significantly effective in treating coronary artery occlusion, atherosclerosis, and cerebral thrombosis caused by high cholesterol and hyperlipidemia.
5. Dragon Fruit Flower – 1 day
The Dragon Fruit is an exotic flowering plant and an upscale ornamental with a prismatic form. It has glossy, large flowers, with a corolla diameter of 25 cm and length of 45 cm.
Each flower can weigh 600-800 grams, earning it the title of “King of Large Flowers.” The Dragon Fruit flower begins to open about an hour before sunset, fully blooms between 8-10 PM, and wilts around 7 AM the next day.
Each flower blooms for one day, releasing a pleasing fragrance when in full bloom. Its stunning flowers, especially when potted, give a sense of auspiciousness, hence its name “Auspicious Fruit.” I, the Maigoo editor, have one at home too!
6. Cactus Flower – 1 day
The cactus is a common potted plant that can bloom, and its flowers are quite beautiful. However, blooming cacti are relatively rare due to the stringent conditions required for flowering. Normally, cacti bloom in May.
However, the blooming period of a cactus is greatly affected by its variety, environment, and daily care. Some cacti only maintain their flowers for about a day, while others can keep their flowers for about a week.
7. Corpse Flower – 2 nights
The Corpse Flower, also known as Titan Arum, is a perennial bulbous plant of the Araceae family. It is known for its large tuber which can reach up to 65 cm in diameter and over 100 kg in weight. Its petiole usually stands 3-4 meters tall, with leaf blades over 5 meters in diameter, covering an area of over 20 square meters.
The inflorescence emits a pungent smell resembling that of a corpse when it blooms, but it only lasts for two nights.
Wilhelm Barthlott from the University of Bonn, Germany, explained that the energy consumption required for growth and heat generation could explain why the flower only blooms for two nights.
However, this is enough time to attract insects from all over to pollinate the flower.
8. Amazonian Royal Water Lily – 2 days
The Amazonian Royal Water Lily is a large perennial or annual floating leaf herb that blooms in the summer. Its flowers, which are solitary and often rise above the water surface, are large and beautiful.
On the first day of blooming, the flowers are white and have the fragrance of white orchids.
On the second day, the petals change to light red or deep red. These spectacular flowers are relatively short-lived, lasting only about 48 hours.
9. Rafflesia – 4-5 days
The Rafflesia, also known as the Corpse Lily, is a fleshy parasitic herb, not a real “man-eating plant”. It can sprout at any time of the year due to the lack of distinct seasons in its growth area.
The main growing season is from May to October. It takes two days and two nights for a Rafflesia flower to fully bloom.
Surprisingly, the large flower that the Rafflesia worked so hard to bloom can only last 4-5 days. During these 4-5 days, the flower continuously releases a peculiar smell, similar to that of feces.
Butterflies and bees are not willing to pay attention to it, and large animals will naturally avoid it. Instead, some insects that are attracted to the smell come to pollinate it.
10. Sleeping Fire Lotus – 1 week
The Sleeping Fire Lotus, also known as the Purple Water Lily, belongs to the water lily family and is considered the most delicate flower of the Grantiya. This flower only blooms for seven days each year.
The outside of the Fire Lotus is purple petals, with some golden tentacles in the middle, and an about-to-bloom stamen inside that only opens at the moment before wilting.
Some people say that the tentacles of the Fire Lotus are there to protect the stamen and allow it to sleep peacefully, hence the name Sleeping Fire Lotus.
Each spring, it sprouts and grows, blooms in the summer, and after flowering, the fruit sinks into the water. When the fruit matures, it splits open to release the seeds, which first float on the water surface, then sink to the bottom.
In winter, the above-ground stems and leaves wither, making it a perennial aquatic herb.
Peggie was once a high school mathematics teacher, but she set aside her chalkboard and textbooks to follow her lifelong passion for flowers. After years of dedication and learning, she not only established a thriving flower shop but also founded this blog, “Flowers Library”. Here, Peggie shares the art and science of floristry, offers practical tips for nurturing plants, delves into the captivating histories of various species, and provides insights into running a successful flower shop. She hopes that everyone can take a moment now and then to immerse themselves in the world of flowers. If you have any questions or wish to learn more about flowers, feel free to contact Peggie.
