Comparison of Philadelphus coronarius 'Aureus' (Golden Mock Orange) in visible light (top), ultraviolet light (middle), and infrared light (bottom).
In visible light the plant has white flowers and yellow leaves.
In ultraviolet light the area around the base of each petal appear quite dark.
In infrared there is not much of a difference (in terms of tonality) in how the flowers and leaves appear compared to their appearance in visible light.
Comparison of a Garden Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) flower under visible light (top), ultraviolet light (middle), and infrared light (bottom).
In visible light the flower has white petals with a yellow centre.
In ultraviolet light the flower has quite dark petals with a very dark centre.
In infrared light the centre is brighter, appearing the same tone as the petals. The leaf of the plant also reflects infrared strongly, appearing brighter than it does in UV and visible light.
Comparison of a Ground Ivy (Glechoma hederacea) flower in visible light (top), ultraviolet light (middle), and infrared light (bottom).
In visible light the flower appears violet with a darker purple colour around the throat.
In ultraviolet light the flower appears very similar, with a darker area around the throat.
In infrared the flower's appearance is monotone. There is no dark area around the throat and the brightness of the flowers is matched by that of the plant's leaves.
Photos comparing the appearance of a Aquilegia caerulea 'Crimson Star' flower in visible light (top), ultraviolet light (middle), and infrared light (bottom).
The Crimson Star cultivar is a star shaped flower with deep red spurs, white corollas, and a tuft of yellow stamens in the very centre.
Under Ultraviolet light the stamens appear darker, and the corolla around the stamens also appears much darker.
In infrared light the distinction between the darker coloured spurs and the brighter corolla is lost, with the whole flower appearing monotone.
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.
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.
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.
