This article was originally published on Mako
Taking care of plants has become a popular way to relieve stress in recent years. Some people even refer to themselves as "plant parents," and think of their leafy friends similarly to pets. While not all plants are suited to be kept at home, that doesn't mean they aren't worthy of our attention. Take a closer look, and you'll be sure to see beauty in the shapes, colors, and patterns of plants all over the world. A few of them especially stand out to us - scroll on to check them out.
Fields of Gold
Have you ever seen such a beautiful night tree? It's a ginkgo tree and it's over 1,400 years old! Located within the walls of the Gu Guanyin Buddhist Temple in the Zhongnan Mountain region of China, ginkgo trees are supposed to symbolize hope, peace, and vitality, and we'd say this one is doing a great job of that. There aren't too many other trees that look this gold at any point.
We hope this particular tree is a male ginkgo - female ginkgo trees are notorious for emitting a horrible, almost rotten stench as they shed their leaves and berries.
A Magic Forest
Are these regular trees or a portal to another world? A couple of birches next to this little lake have bowed toward each other to create a picture-perfect, totally symmetrical archway. The angle of the image makes it look even cooler as the trees are reflected in the water, creating the illusion of a complete circle. We're totally tempted to walk through it and see what's lying on the other side.
The bareness of the trees also adds something to the effect. It gives them a kind of mystical feeling that wouldn't be the same if they were covered with leaves.
Movie Star Tree
This tree is a Holm Oak on a property next to Lake Como in Italy that has actually been used as a filming location for many movies. Because of this, the property's owners have to keep it well-pruned; it gets trimmed by professionals about twice a year. They keep it in this perfectly rounded dome shape although we think it kind of looks like a big brain with a trunk.
Does it look familiar to you? Some of the movies that include scenes shot in this location include the James Bond film Casino Royale, Ocean's Twelve, and Star Wars Episode 2.
Tree-Ception
We weren't even sure that this picture was real at first, but sure enough, it checks out. The trees growing here are an example of a Japanese sustainable forestry technique called daisugi, with roughly translates to "platform cedar." It's an ancient technique used to grow straight, harvestable lumber on a base of other trees that are never cut down. It's a way to save space and grow trees more quickly.
The top cedar can be harvested about every 20 years and some base trees have been used in the process for hundreds of years, making it a highly sustainable way to grow lumber.
Curb Appeal
Sure, this tree was probably pruned by a professional who knew exactly which branches to trim at what angles, but that doesn't mean it doesn't look really cool. They did a great job, and it's definitely not something we've seen anywhere before. It's a wisteria tree outside of someone's house in London, and because wisteria is a type of vine, it grabs onto any little crevice it can as it grows.
We also love that the owners decided to keep their house painted white - it helps the purple color of the flowers to really stand out. We wouldn't mind living here.
Muppet Tree
Aesthetically pleasing plants don't have to come in the form of colorful vines outside of a $9 million house in London. This tree in Michigan decided to make the most of the bridge rail next to it by turning it into a little snack. The trunk wrapped around the bar perfectly and created the illusion of a mouth, which some passerby decided to perfect with the addition of googly eyes.
It's a good example of what nature can do when left alone for long enough. The person who shared the picture posted it in a Reddit group called "Reclaimed by Nature."
Fibonacci Succulent
If ever there existed a perfect plant, it's this Aloe polyphylla, also known as the spiral aloe or many-leaved aloe. It doesn't hurt that the photographer was able to capture it close up with such a good camera, either. This would be a perfect picture to have blown up and used as a decoration, but it would also make for a great screen saver. Regardless, it makes us want to go plant shopping.
It may be a beautiful plant, but the spiral aloe is not for the beginning plant parent. It's supposed to be one of the most difficult species of succulent to grow.
Fruity Pebbles
This may look like a little bowl of colored rocks, but they're actually tiny succulent plants. They won't stay in this particular planter for long - they wouldn't survive while so crammed together, and the saturation of the photo is also turned up a lot to make them look brighter than they actually are. But for at least a few minutes, the arrangement of the plants made for a really cool picture.
Most of the succulents here are lithops and lapidaria. The name 'lithops' comes from two Greek words and translates roughly to "living stone," while lapidaria means engraved or inscribed in a gemstone.
Bold and Brash
Look closely at the top part of the cutout in this leaf, and you'll see a tiny green caterpillar in the middle of his lunch. Caterpillars' sole purpose in life is to each as much as they possibly can - sometimes up to 5x their own body weight in a day or 27,000 times their weight in their lifetime! This allows them to eventually transition into a cocoon before becoming a butterfly.
We love the shape this caterpillar left behind as he enjoyed his meal. We're curious to know what went through his little head as he navigated all of those twists and turns.
Desert Bloom
This photo, taken in the San Rafael Swell in Utah, captures just how adaptable and powerful nature can be. The flowers' seeds likely laid dormant under the dry soil for a long time, perhaps months or even years, before enough rain fell that they had what they needed to be able to bloom. Their colorful petals are usually intended to attract pollinators, so there must be some insects in the area as well.
If it weren't for the flowers, we'd think that this picture was taken on another planet. The dryness of the soil along with the mountains in the background make it look a bit like Mars.
Life After Death
Even the smallest things can hold beauty if we take the time to look closely enough. This is a photo of a slime mold reproducing on the body of a dying leaf. While it may have 'mold' in its name, slime mold is actually not a part of the fungus kingdom. There are several different kinds, and what they all have in common is the ability to live freely as single cells.
The blue parts are fruiting bodies that the 'mold' puts out when it's struggling to get its nutrient needs met. The edge of the leaf is probably too tough to penetrate completely.
Magical Mycena
Commonly referred to as the Pixies' Parasol, this blue beauty is found on decaying logs in Australia and New Zealand. We love the way its pattern kind of resembles clouds in the sky or planet Earth from space. Should you come across this kind of mushroom, resist the temptation to touch it. Many members of the Mycena genus are poisonous, and they can also leave stains on your hands and clothes.
This picture may make the mushroom, whose full scientific name is 'Mycena interrupta' look large, but most of them only grow to a height of about 0.8 to 2 cm.
You're the Sunflower
Where's Post Malone when you need him? These sunflower seeds are another example of the Fibonacci sequence in nature at work. As the seeds grow in the center of the flower, they emerge in a perfect spiral in order to maximize the number of seeds that can grow in the given space. Biologically, more seeds mean an increased chance that some of those will go on to grow into more sunflowers.
The seeds look yellow because they're covered in pollen, which is then collected by bees and brought to other sunflowers in order to fertilize them. Depending on the plant, it'll give fruit or more seeds.
Octa-Root
Tree roots typically form underground, but in the case of this one, they've grown along the lines of the pattern of this sidewalk - right down to the littlest bricks. Scientifically, the tree needs nutrients and water found in soil to survive, so these roots must be able to get everything they need through cracks between each stone. It looks especially cool in this case because the cracks aren't just a straight line.
It's another example of how if left alone, nature will grow over things humans have built, or at least alongside them. We wonder what other sidewalk patterns roots would be able to follow.
Hey There, Dahlia
If ever there existed a perfect flower, we'd have to guess this one would be a top contender. It's a dahlia that someone spotted in a local park, and everything from its vibrant color to its perfectly spaced and symmetrical petals are the epitome of everything a dahlia should be. They tend to grow in moist, moderate climates and bloom between late summer and fall when the weather's just started to cool off.
This park must have had a gardener to look after the flowers. Dahlia tubers tend to be a popular snack among squirrels, so it would have needed protecting to get to this point.
Bloomin' Hoya
These flowers are part of a Hoya plant, but in some parts of the world, they're called wax plants due to the waxy appearance of the blooms and leaves. Porcelainflower is another common nickname for the plant, but unlike porcelain ones, these flowers only last for about a week or two. They have a very sweet scent that has been described by some as almost chocolatey, and you can even eat the nectar!
Hoya compacta are supposed to be very easy to take care of if you're someone who likes plants but lacks a green thumb. All they need is a little water about once a week.
Passion Plant
You may have tasted passionfruit, but have you ever seen the flower that the plant produces along with it? It looks almost like something from another planet with all of those squiggly little tendrils. They may be beautiful, but the plant isn't without its challenges. Their vines tend to choke out any other plants growing around them and the sap in their stems attracts carpenter ants who use it as food.
We think it looks like a sea anemone, and like some species of anemone, this flower is poisonous. Best to enjoy the fruit of the plant and admire the flowers from afar.
Play With Your Food
Is it a ghost or is it a vegetable? Eggplants are usually just made up of one long, smooth body, but this one happened to sprout two little arms of the exact same size on either side. They're almost perfectly symmetrical and paired with his round head, it looks like a ghost trying to scare someone by running after them with his arms in the air. We can almost hear him saying "boo!"
Do you see a ghost, or does this remind you of something else? We also tried turning the picture upside down and thought it looked kind of like Darth Vader.
Tomato Art
The perfect tomato ripeness gradient. Each vine contains a number of tomatoes at varying stages of ripeness. When the tomatoes first appear, they contain mostly chlorophyll, which helps plants to absorb energy from the sun. As they mature and the weather turns cooler, the chlorophyll will dissolve and lycopene, which is red, will begin to take its place. These vines show the fruits at every stage from initial bloom to ready-to-eat.
We'd bet the ripe ones taste delicious. Tomatoes eaten fresh from the vine are so much more flavorful than most of the ones you can get at the grocery store.
Pink Lady
Another perfectly round, delicate pink flower, except this time it's a zinnia instead of a dahlia. Zinnias are actually related to sunflowers, and both are part of the daisy family. They're native to the southern parts of the United States and South America and come in tons of different colors like white, orange, yellow, red, or pink like this one. They're also pretty easy to grow and don't need much fertilizer.
Zinnias are annual flowers meaning they germinate, bloom, reproduce and die all within one season. Once they've accomplished their goal of reproducing by producing lots of flowers, they die and don't come back.
Symmetree
These leaves are part of a Hamelia patens tree, also known as scarlet or firebush. It's named for its reddish-orange flowers which are certainly beautiful, but we have to say we think these leaves are much more beautiful in this case. The four larger ones are perfectly perpendicular, while the little ones create a picturesque cross that runs between them. We think this would make a lovely print for an artist.
Symmetry in nature like this is rare because it's actually not the best way for plants to absorb sunlight, which is necessary for them to grow. Spirals tend to be much more common.
The Tri-Corn
Acorns are actually a type of nut produced by oak trees intended to help the tree reproduce. They grow on a tree's branches and fall off as they reach maturity in the fall, and with any luck will end up buried in the right kind of soil and receive enough water to germinate and grow roots so that they can sprout into a tree. Squirrels are largely helpful to this process.
These three green acorns were all connected to the same stick, and when they fell off the tree they remained perfectly attached. Together, they look like a little green top.
Sunset Orange
Another example of gradience in nature, but in this case, the color change is all within one fruit. It's a blood orange, and they're typically dark red in color, but this one doesn't appear to have fully ripened, so one side of it is still a lighter shade of orange. We wonder if each part tastes a little different - it's possible the ripe end is sweeter than the light one.
The color comes from the presence of anthocyanins, a type of antioxidant known for its reddish pigment. Other fruits and veggies high in anthocyanins include blackberries, blueberries, cherries, and eggplant.
Mango Math
Sometimes the simplest things are the most beautiful if we take the time to look at them closely. They're not perfectly symmetrical, but the branches of this mango tree are pretty straight and all about the same length, creating an almost star-like image. If the spaces between all nine of them were more even, the tree could be divided into two radially symmetric halves - just like what a starfish would have.
The tree is only about a year old, so the branches are still young and green, and it hasn't produced any fruit yet. Mango trees start to produce fruit at around 4 years old.
Dewy Beauty
Fibonacci at work if we've ever seen it. This picture is a closeup of a fiddlehead fern covered with fresh drops of dew, giving it a crystal or snowflake-like effect. The curve of the fern follows what's known as the golden ratio (aka the Fibonacci spiral), so it gets wider by a consistent factor for every quarter turn it makes. This ratio is incredibly common in nature, especially with plants.
Fiddleheads are young ferns that have yet to completely unravel. If left for long enough, eventually they will stand straight, though they're often harvested young and used as vegetables in many dishes.
Water Forest
These look exactly like real-life versions of the perfect lily pads you'd see in a cartoon. They're bright green, completely flat, and almost perfectly round. The little bridge and the flowers on the pond don't hurt, either. We can just imagine a happy little frog hopping from one to the next as he waits to catch flies. Lily pads are incredibly strong and if large enough can support up to 140 pounds.
This picture was taken at Mizunomori Water Botanical Garden in Kusatsu, Japan, should you ever want to check it out. Mizunomori means "water forest" in Japanese, which seems like an accurate title.
Just Dandy
Dandelions are common plants that have 'roots' (see what we did there?) in Europe and Asia but are now found throughout much of the world. There are many factors that may have contributed to their migration, and the way their seeds spread is definitely one of them. Dandelions are so common that in some places they're considered to be more of a weed than a flower, although botanically they are an herb.
This photo captures the intricate beauty of something that we often overlook. It just goes to show that the right lighting and angles can turn even the most mundane things into art.
Pretty in Purple
Succulents typically have a color somewhere between green and purple, but we've never seen one quite so vibrant. This one almost looks like it was sculpted out of clay, between its super consistent color and the smooth shape of each leaf. The true color of each leaf is actually visible at the bottom - see that dark spot? The lighter color is the result of its farina, a protective waxy coating.
The farina helps keep the plant at its ideal moisture level as well as protect it from insects. You can think of it kind of like the waxy coating on an apple.
Evenly Split
Monsteras have become popular houseplants in recent years as they're easy to take care of making them perfect for the beginning plant owner. Their leaves are most commonly green but can often contain spots or stripes of white. Rarely are the two colors displayed on one leaf like this, though. They're divided almost perfectly down the middle - one side green, one side white. It's caused by a genetic mutation within the plant.
This type of Monstera is called Monstera Albo, because Albo is a word of Latin origin meaning white. They're much more expensive and more difficult to find than other Monsteras.
Quirky Cactus
We wish we could have found the common name for this pretty little cactus, but it doesn't seem to have one, and so we'll have to go with its mouthful of a scientific name 'Echinopsis tubiflora' instead. It's a rare type of cactus mostly found in the grasslands of Argentina, and we love the way its spikes look like little white dots. It also produces lovely white flowers when it blooms.
They aren't too difficult to care for and may make good plants for anyone without a green thumb, but their needles are quite sharp so it is important to be careful.
Look, Don't Touch
In theory, this is a photo of a flower produced by the burflower tree, which is commonly found in Asia and Australia. The original poster of the picture said they thought the flower resembles a disco ball, but we think it looks more like a close-up image of a certain virus. The way those white proby parts surround the orange clusters in the center is just a bit too suspect.
Then again, even if it's not COVID, this picture was taken in Australia, where nearly everything is deadly. Have you seen what kinds of snakes and insects they have there?
Ice, Ice Baby
While it isn't the flowers themselves that caught our attention in this picture, we'd have been remiss not to share it. They became perfectly encased in ice after a storm, and we think it looks kind of like that enchanted rose in a jar from Beauty and the Beast. Fortunately, the ice shouldn't have much effect on the flowers as long as they don't get crushed while they're inside it.
If the plant were to be stepped on while frozen, it could cause the cell walls to break and kill the plant. If not, the ice will melt and the flowers will be fine.
Pucker Up
We have to wonder why someone decided to call the other flower a "tulip" when this plant existed the entire time. Instead, it's called Palicourea elata or more commonly (and easier to remember), 'girlfriend kiss,' which does not roll off the tongue (again, see what we did there?) anywhere near as well. The 'lips' are actually not flowers, but the leaves of the plant and can come in a variety of shapes and colors.
The plant is found in South America and is extremely sensitive to climate. Its sensitivity combined with being overharvested for its appearance and medicinal properties have left the plant endangered.
Pattern Clash
This must be what it would look like if a bar code or QR code (or both) could suddenly become a plant. We'd be curious to scan it and see what comes up. It's actually a tropical pitcher plant, also known as a monkey cup, and a type of carnivorous plant commonly found on the island of Borneo in Asia. There are over 170 different species within the plants' genus.
They do eat insects, but they also produce a sap that can be used as a food source for many insects as well, so they end up helping to create more insects than they kill.
Sacred Geometry
We kind of want to see this plant a little less close up. It certainly looks cool, but it's just a bit too trippy - kind of like one of those screensavers we all had in the '90s where the stars bounce around the screen. The plant is a Crassula capitella, a type of succulent with triangle-shaped leaves that grow around the stem. The picture includes several plants next to one another.
They're typically more on the greenish side, but with lots of light and minimal water, plant parents can achieve this pretty purplish hue. Crassula capitella are also called 'Red Flames.'