Blue Cupflower

This small flower grows up to 4 inches (10 cm) tall. Its green stem is very thin, and the tiny, gray-green leaves are pleated with smooth edges. 29 leaves grow at the base of the stem.

Hundreds of giant flowers grow in bunches along the stem. The flowers are 1 cm (0.4 inches) wide, with petals that are sky blue on the edges and beige at the center. The flower head is shaped like a cup made up of several raised, narrow petals. They detach easily.

It has a faint scent that smells like mango, and it has very little pollen; it can cause severe allergic reactions. It is pollinated by insects and is visited by a large variety of them.