Kissing flowers

 As it's almost  Valentine's Day, I want to post about some amazing flowers that look like loving gifts for Valentine's Day. Some look as if they're going to kiss you! Let us see them:

Conophytum Pagaea

These bunches of lips are native to South Africa and Namibia. Clusters are grown in early summer and they can bloom flowers that emerge from between their "mouths". They can be grown in gardens but they need plenty of sunlight and warm temperatures. They thrive well in the tropics. They're vulnerable to the cold and creatures that feed on them but insecticidal soap can shoo away bugs, snails, slugs, caterpillars and even rodents. Despite them looking so adorable, try to avoid eating them. Don't kiss them because they will cause skin irritation!   

Psychotria elata

This is a bright flower found native in Central and South America, especially in the rainforests of Ecuador and Costa Rica. This plant looks like a glossy red pair of lips in a pouting pose, ready to blow a kiss. They attract wildlife such as hummingbirds and butterflies, drawn to the vibrant shapes of this plant. During the winter months, white fragrant flowers emerge between the lips. The bark and leaves of the plant has been used for medicines to treat skin ailments. People around the regions love collecting thee plants for Valentine's Day.    

Lamprocapnos 

These are also called "Bleeding hearts" flowers because of their distinctive shape. They look like small pink hearts that will hang from green stems during spring and summer. Soon they develop into full blooms. These plants come from China originally and have a place in traditional medicine and old Chinese poems. These plants have some toxicity so avoid eating them. 

I wish you a happy Valentine's Day. 

Storm Valkyrie