Why are the petals of flowers brightly colored?

Answer 1

You'll have to be more specific. Do you mean to humans? Insects? Fish? Flowers that look bland to us are very colorful to bees for example. To best answer your question before knowing the specifics, flowers are colored "brightly" to stand out. If they stand out, they will be pollinated somehow. If standing out to humans does not help them reproduce, in most cases they would seem bland to our eyes. You need to think in terms of the entire spectrum, not just the limited sliver of information that human eyes perceive.

Note:

Evolution is not always for the better- it is not logical, just a happenstance of statistics (just because there is a 90% chance that something will happen does not guarantee that it will.)

Answer 2

The color that you see in flowers is actually the result of reflected light from various plant pigments.

A group of compounds called "anthocyanidins" are the basic ingredients. They are named for the flowers in which they were first found, such as the scarlet "pelargonidin" from the geranium or Pelargonium, the purple "petunidin" from the Petunia, or the blue-violet "delphinidin" from the Delphinium.

It is these anthocyanidin pigments that biotechnologists are studying to change flower colors. For instance, they've taken the scarlet pelargonidin-producing gene from corn and placed it into petunias to give this flower a novel orange color.

The gene for delphinidin (blue-violet) has been placed into carnations to make some blue. Other factors within the cell, such as the acidity (pH) and even cell shape, are making the genetic production of blue mums and roses a bit more challenging.

Combine the anthocyanidin compounds with sugar in plants to produce the more common "anthocyanin" pigments responsible for our fall leaf colors, among other colors. There are other pigments in leaves as well, such as the flavonols (yellow) and, of course, chlorophyll (green). Flavonols, and the colorless (to us) flavonoid pigments, not only affect the color caused by primary pigments (co-pigmentation), but by absorbing ultraviolet light they also are readily seen by insects.

Answer 3

Flowers are not brightly collered for humanbenefitexcept in the cases where a species has beenselectivelybreed toproducea color pleasing to a persons eye. The original, and stillpredominantreason that flower iscoloredis to attract insects upon which the plant relies to land on it and carry it's pollen to other flowers thus ensuring fertilization.

Answer 4

Flower petals are brightly colored to attract pollinators like bees, butterflies, and birds. The vibrant colors and patterns help guide pollinators to the flower's nectar and pollen, aiding in the reproduction of the plant.

Answer 5

Overall brightly colored flowers petals assist in attracting insects, birds and small mammals to the flower for pollination.

Answer 6

To attract bugs and bees to help pollinate the flower

Answer 7

Most flowers are brightly colored so they can attract insects to hep them carry pollen used for sexual reproduction.