Why do white flowers bloom at night?

Not all white flowers bloom at night, but those which do,need nocturnal pollinators like bats f.e.


Flower colors evolved to attract pollinators, and so a flower designed to attract a bat - which can't see colors even in the day, much less at night - needn't be colorful.


Instead a lot of night blooming flowers scent to attract pollinators.





Details about night flowering plants:


http://www.ext.colostate.edu/PUBS/COLUMN...

Why do white flowers bloom at night?
Think about your question. it's not that white flowers "bloom" at night (not all white flowers open only at night by the way),





I think what you meant to ask was: "Why are flowers that get pollinated at night (usually) white?"





Answer to this would be that colours are not as clearly visible at night as they are during the day, therefore to attract nocturnal pollinators, flowers use other attractants (smell). You could also argue that large white petals reflect more light - a good idea to stand out in low light conditions.
Reply:they can be seen better in the dark than flowers of other colors, by bees and other insects ....the flowers have a better chance of being pollinated...less competition from other flowers for attension

tvs