Frost flower

A frost flower is formed when thin layers of ice are extruded from long-stemmed plants in autumn or early winter. The thin layers of ice are often formed into exquisite patterns that curl into "petals" that resemble flowers.

For the hoar-frost like crystals that grow on thin sea ice, see Frost flower (sea ice).
Frost flower in the Ozark Mountains, USA

Types

Frost flower formations are also referred to as frost faces, ice castles, ice blossoms, or crystallofolia.

Types of frost flowers include needle ice, frost pillars or frost columns, extruded from pores in the soil, and ice ribbons, rabbit frost or rabbit ice, extruded from linear fissures in plant stems. While the term ice flower is also used as synonym to ice ribbons, it may be used to describe the unrelated phenomenon of window frost as well.

Formation

The formation of frost flowers is dependent on a freezing weather condition occurring when the ground is not already frozen. The sap in the stem of the plants will expand (water expands when frozen), causing long, thin cracks to form along the length of the stem. Water is then drawn through these cracks via capillary action and freezes upon contact with the air. As more water is drawn through the cracks it pushes the thin ice layers further from the stem, causing a thin "petal" to form.

The petals of frost flowers are very delicate and will break when touched. They usually melt or sublimate when exposed to sunlight and are usually visible in the early morning or in shaded areas.

Examples of plants that often form frost flowers are white crownbeard (Verbesina virginica), commonly called frostweed, yellow ironweed (Verbesina alternifolia),[1] and Helianthemum canadense. They have also been observed growing from fallen branches of conifers and contain enough hydraulic power to strip the bark off.

  • Example of the hydraulic power of capilliary freezing
  • Frost flower closeup
  • Frost flower on a yellow ironweed stem in southern Missouri
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See also

References
  1. Missouri Conservationist Magazine Oct. 2000 issue
  • Coblentz, W. W., "The Exudation of Ice from Stems of Plants", Journal of the Franklin Institute, Nov 1914, 589-621
  • Means, D. Bruce. "Blossoms of ice: these delicate "flowers" sprout only in winter, but you won't find them catalogued in any herbal". Natural History. February, 2004.
  • Means, D. Bruce. "Mysterious Ice “Flowers” " American Gardener. Jan-Feb 2005, p. 34-8.
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