Oxalis tetraphylla (Four-leaved Pink Sorrel) flowers [Vis UV IR]

Oxalis tetraphylla (Four-leaved Pink Sorrel) photographed in visible light (top), ultraviolet light (middle), and infrared light (bottom).

In visible light the plant has pink flowers with a green centre. The flowers are quite strongly veined, with the veins leading in towards the centre of the flower. The leaves appear green with a darker, red-green coloured area at the base of each leaf.

In ultraviolet light the centres of the flowers are quite bright, with a much darker centre. The veining present in visible light is also visible in ultraviolet. The leaves are a single tone.

In infrared light the flowers have little variation in tone. The same veining present in visible and ultraviolet light is visible, but only just. The leaves are a single tone, and also appear brighter than they do in visible or UV light.

Gladiolus × hortulanus 'Priscilla' flower [Vis UV IR]

Gladiolus × hortulanus 'Priscilla' flower photographed in visible light (top), ultraviolet (middle), and infrared (bottom).

In visible light the flower is pale pink with a yellow centre and deeper pink edges.

In ultraviolet light the area near the edge of the petals appears quite dark. The centre of the flower (roughly corresponding to the pale yellow area in visible light) also appears dark.

In infrared light the flower does not have much difference in tone across its petals, appearing very plain.

Buddleja davidii (Butterfly-bush) [Vis UV IR]

Buddleja davidii (Butterfly-bush) flowers photographed in visible light (top), ultraviolet (middle), and infrared (bottom).

In visible light the flowers are purple with an orange centre. There is a slightly lighter area around the edge of the orange centre.

In ultraviolet light the flowers appear as roughly a single tone, with no lighter area around the centre.

In infrared the flowers also appear as roughly a single tone, with no lighter area around the centre.

Achillea ptarmica 'The pearl' [Vis UV IR]

Comparison of Achillea ptarmica 'The pearl' flowers photographed in visible light (top), ultraviolet (middle), and infrared (bottom).

In visible light the flowers appear white with a pale yellow centre.

In ultraviolet light the flowers appear darker. The flowers were photographed when still covered with morning dew, the small water drops very noticeable in UV.

In infrared the flowers appear much the same as they do in visible light in terms of tone.

Cornus alba 'Elegantissima' [Vis UV IR]

Comparison of a Siberian Red barked Dogwood (Cornus alba 'Elegantissima') flower in visible light (top), ultraviolet light (centre), and infrared light (bottom).

The plant has variegated leaves, but the variegation is not easily apparent in ultraviolet and infrared. In infrared the leaves appear much brighter.

The flowers appear much darker in ultraviolet. In infrared the flowers have a similar tonality to how they appear in visible light, except that the ovaries appear as bright as the petals.

Iris sibirica 'Tropic-night' [Vis UV IR]

Comparison of a Iris sibirica 'Tropic-night' flower in visible light (left), ultraviolet light (centre), and infrared light (right).

In ultraviolet light the flower's throat has clear dark markings along the centre, acting as a Nectar guide to bees and other insects that can see UV light.

In infrared light the flower appears quite monotone, lacking the contrasting patterns on the petals that are present in visible and ultraviolet light. The veins on the petals are just visible in infrared.

Orange Welsh Poppy (Meconopsis cambrica var. aurantiaca) [Vis UV IR]

Comparison of a Orange Welsh Poppy (Meconopsis cambrica var. aurantiaca) flower in visible light (left), ultraviolet light (centre), and infrared light (right).

In ultraviolet the anthers and stigma appear much darker than they do in visible light. There are also UV markings at the base of the petals. These are known as nectar guides, and are thought to help bees and other insects that can see ultraviolet light to hone in on the area of the flower where the nectar and pollen are located. In turn, this helps the flower get pollinated.

In infrared light the poppy appears much the same (in terms of tone) as it does under visible light.

Orange Hawkweed (Pilosella aurantiaca) [Vis UV IR]

Comparison of a Orange Hawkweed (Pilosella aurantiaca) flower in visible light (top), ultraviolet light (centre), and infrared light (bottom).

The flower appears slightly different in ultraviolet compared to visible light. In UV the flower gets darker towards the centre of the flower, with an area quite a bit darker than the rest of the flower around the centre. The very centre (possibly the tips of petals that have yet to unfurl?) is quite bright.

In visible light the flower gets lighter towards the centre, while the very centre is darker.

In infrared light the flower does not have much tonal variation other than a slight dark ring around the centre of the flower (also present in visible light).

Yellow Day lily (Hemerocallis lilioasphodelus) [Vis UV IR]

Comparison of a Yellow Day lily (Hemerocallis lilioasphodelus) flower in visible light (left), ultraviolet light (centre), and infrared light (right).

In ultraviolet light the flower's throat has clear dark markings, acting as a Nectar guide to bees and other insects that can see UV light. The anthers also appear darker in UV.

In infrared light the anthers appear brighter than they do in visible light. The foliage behind the flower appears brighter as well.

Wisteria flower [Vis UV IR]

A Wistera flower photographed in visible light (right), ultraviolet light (centre), and infrared light (right).

In visible light the flower appears white with a yellow colouration around the middle of the banner.

In ultraviolet light the base of the banner has a darker area (nectar guide).

In infrared light the flower does not seem to have any markings visible.

This image is free for you to use and is licensed under the Creative Commons licence CC-BY-SA 3.0. If you use this image please credit Dave Kennard / www.davidkennardphotography.com.

Wild Strawberry (Fragaria vesca) [Vis UV IR]

Spectral comparison of a Wild Strawberry (Fragaria vesca) flower in reflected visible light (top), ultraviolet light (middle) and infrared light (bottom).

The flower has a clear UV nectar guide pattern, with the petals appearing darker at the base in ultraviolet. The centre of the flower also appears much darker in ultraviolet.

In infrared the centre of the flower appears much brighter than it does under visible light.

This image is free for you to use and is licensed under the Creative Commons licence CC-BY-SA 3.0. If you use this image please credit Dave Kennard / www.davidkennardphotography.com.

Clematis montana cultivar flowers [Vis UV IR]

Spectral comparison of the flowers of a Clematis montana cultivar. The top image shows the flowers in visible light, the middle image in ultraviolet light, and the bottom image in infrared light.

The petals do not have any UV markings visible, but the centre of the flower does appear much darker in ultraviolet.

The leaves and flowers both reflect similar amounts of infrared light.

This image is free for you to use and is licensed under the Creative Commons licence CC-BY-SA 3.0. If you use this image please credit Dave Kennard / www.davidkennardphotography.com.

Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum) [Vis UV IR]

Spectral comparison of Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum) using reflected visible light (top), ultraviolet light (middle), and infrared light (bottom). In ultraviolet light the flower's UV nectar guides) are visible, being darker near the centre of the flower than the edges.

This image is free for you to use and is licensed under the Creative Commons licence CC-BY-SA 3.0. If you use this image please credit Dave Kennard / www.davidkennardphotography.com.

Daisy flower (Bellis perennis) [Vis UV IR]

Spectral comparison of a Common Daisy flower (Bellis perennis) photographed with reflected visible light (top), ultraviolet light (middle), and infrared light (bottom). The flower does not have any ultraviolet markings on its petals, but the centre appears much darker in ultraviolet. The tonality of the flower is much the same under infrared light as it is in visible light.

This image is free for you to use and is licensed under the Creative Commons licence CC-BY-SA 3.0. If you use this image please credit Dave Kennard / www.davidkennardphotography.com.

Forget me not flowers [Vis UV IR]

Wood Forget-me-not (Myosotis sylvatica) flowers photographed using visible light, ultraviolet light, and infrared light. The flower has a clear UV pattern (nectar guides), being darker near the centre than the edges. The old flowers appear much brighter than new flowers in ultraviolet.

This image is free for you to use and is licensed under the Creative Commons licence CC-BY-SA 3.0. If you use this image please credit Dave Kennard / www.davidkennardphotography.com.

Yellow Pansy [Vis UV IR]

A Pansy (Viola tricolor) flower photographed in visible light, ultraviolet light, and infrared light. There do not appear to be any UV visible nectar guides, but damage to the flower's petals is more obvious in UV. The markings around the centre of the flower are most prominent in visible light, but can still be seen in ultraviolet and infrared light as well.

This image is free for you to use and is licensed under the Creative Commons licence CC-BY-SA 3.0. If you use this image please credit Dave Kennard / www.davidkennardphotography.com.

Red Gerbera flower [Vis UV IR]

Photos of a Gerbera cultivar taken with visible light, ultraviolet light, and infrared light. This flower has red petals and a red centre when viewed in visible light.

This image is free for you to use and is licensed under the Creative Commons licence CC-BY-SA 3.0. If you use this image please credit Dave Kennard / www.davidkennardphotography.com.

Chrysanthemum yellow quill flower [Vis UV IR]

Photos of a Chrysanthemum cultivar taken with visible light, ultraviolet light, and infrared light. This flower has quill type tubular petals and appears yellow under visible light.

This image is free for you to use and is licensed under the Creative Commons licence CC-BY-SA 3.0. If you use this image please credit Dave Kennard / www.davidkennardphotography.com.

Chrysanthemum cultivar white-yellow flower [Vis UV IR]

Photos of a Chrysanthemum cultivar taken with visible light, ultraviolet light, and infrared light. Under visible light the flower has a yellow centre yellow-white petals.

This image is free for you to use and is licensed under the Creative Commons licence CC-BY-SA 3.0. If you use this image please credit Dave Kennard / www.davidkennardphotography.com.

Chrysanthemum cultivar white with green edged petals [Vis UV IR]

Photos of a Chrysanthemum cultivar taken with visible light, ultraviolet light, and infrared light. Under visible light the flower has a yellow centre and white petals with green edged tips.

This image is free for you to use and is licensed under the Creative Commons licence CC-BY-SA 3.0. If you use this image please credit Dave Kennard / www.davidkennardphotography.com.