Tulips continue to grow after being cut, which is why their stems bend toward light in a vase.

The longer version

Cut flowers are still living tissue, and a tulip stem keeps elongating after it is separated from the bulb. Cells on the shaded side lengthen more than those facing the light, so the stem curves until the flower head turns toward the brighter side of the room.

Water moving up the stem keeps the tissues firm enough to bend, and warmth speeds the whole process. The effect is most noticeable where one side receives far more light than the other over several days. The bloom is drawing on reserves stored in the bulb, which is why it eventually stops.

Where this entry sits

Plants and Trees gathers ordinary and surprising details about how green things live, from the tallest forest giants down to the moss on a garden wall. Expect notes on flowers, seeds, roots, leaves, fungi, and the quiet tricks plants use to spread and survive. The full list sits on the Plants and Trees page, where every entry is listed in order.

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