Botanical Nerd Word: Aestivation

Hibiscus bloom opening

Aestivation: The arrangement of sepals and petals in a flower bud before opening.*

There are several different types of aestivation patterns. This Hibiscus bloom reveals a typical ‘twisted’ aestivation pattern as it opens.

*Allaby, M. (2006). A dictionary of plant sciences (Revised ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.