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Symmetry is usually defined as a sense of "balanced proportions" or "the quality of having parts that match each other," especially in an attractive way. And, when you think about it, it is all around us. Whether we look at human beings, architecture, art, or biology, there’s nothing more fascinating than seeing how the world is full of perfect forms and harmony.

So if you’re a true symmetry lover who loves flawless patterns and wants some order back in their lives, we've got you covered. Today, Bored Panda brings you a list of perfectly geometrical plants that reveal the true beauty of Mother Nature and let us appreciate how special it is.

From the most vivid colors to satisfying shapes, here are some eye-catching images for you to enjoy. Continue scrolling, upvote the ones that soothed your soul, and let us know what you think about them in the comments below! When you’re done with this list, don’t forget to check out Part 1 of this post right here.

#1

My Neighbor's Tree Has The Perfect Fall Gradient

My Neighbor's Tree Has The Perfect Fall Gradient

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    #2

    Nature, This Is Some Nice Symmetry

    Nature, This Is Some Nice Symmetry

    Iwokeupdeadthismorning Report

    #3

    The Symmetry On Aloe Polyphylla Is Crazy

    The Symmetry On Aloe Polyphylla Is Crazy

    randownasics Report

    To learn more about plants and why they grow in such a mesmerizing way, we reached out to Johan Gielis, a Belgian scientist, professor, and author of The Geometrical Beauty of Plants. He was kind enough to have a little chat and share some insights about the balance and harmony we see in the natural world. Gielis started by mentioning that there are several variants of symmetry, but the most common ones are radial and bilateral (mirror) symmetry. 

    The radial pattern consists of circular symmetry. When we look down from the top at such a plant, we can see that we could cut it equally from a central point, like you would cut a pie into the same-sized pieces. 

    The bilateral pattern means that the plant is equal on both sides if we cut it down the middle. In other words, it resembles a mirror effect. If you want to picture it, draw an imaginary line right down the middle of your face and follow it down your spine. You’ll see that your body looks just about the same on both sides, except for some minor scars, moles, and freckles. 

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    #4

    Chemistree

    Chemistree

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    DUN DUN (she/her)
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    And just when I thought I've had enough of benzene rings for this year!

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    #6

    The Night Sky Petunia. A Real Flower Whose Petals Resemble Galaxies

    The Night Sky Petunia. A Real Flower Whose Petals Resemble Galaxies

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    Wesley Lucas
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I had 2 pots of these a few summers ago. They're gorgeous! Just don't let them get full sun because the flowers will become all white. They need a good amount of shade to stay looking galactic.

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    Environmentalist and microbiologist Swanandee Nulkar wrote that flowers alter their appearance because of their need to attract pollinators. "Evolutionary biologists have observed that floral symmetries have changed over many generations from being radial or bilateral to even asymmetric," she wrote. "Scientists have also found that bilateral flowers facilitated pollinator landing."

    Nulkar mentioned a study performed on bumblebees, where "the results showed that bees preferred these more symmetric flowers, owing to their greater nectar-producing capacity." It seems that insects prefer symmetry because of its appeal. "A diverse genome is nature’s most favored pick," she added. 

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    #8

    These Leaves In This Tree

    These Leaves In This Tree

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    Loty
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That's a crazy effect. Makes me want to put my glasses on even though I know it wont help.

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    #9

    Perfect Flower I Came Across While Hiking

    Perfect Flower I Came Across While Hiking

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    #10

    Hala Fruit: The Fruit That Looks Like An Exploding Planet

    Hala Fruit: The Fruit That Looks Like An Exploding Planet

    KrushnaK1974 Report

    When asked about why plants grow geometrically, Johan Gielis told us that there are both genetic and developmental components. He provided an example: "On the genetic side, one has Antirhinnum majus, which is the very standard flower for the common snapdragon. One variant—A. majus cycloidea—has a symmetrical flower."

    He continued that during the evolution of the plant, deviations may also become prevalent. However, "one of the plant groups with almost no deviations during [their] development is the wonderful Asclepiad," otherwise known as milkweed. 

    #12

    A Flower I Found In Hawaii A Few Months Ago

    A Flower I Found In Hawaii A Few Months Ago

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    #13

    This Absolutely Perfect Flower Is Right Around The Corner From My House

    This Absolutely Perfect Flower Is Right Around The Corner From My House

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    When you walk around in the natural world, you see patterns everywhere you look. It is often said that the Fibonacci sequence rules the growth of the plants and connects all living things. While it may sound confusing, the Fibonacci sequence is actually not that difficult to understand. It is a series of numbers where each one is the sum of the previous two. Starting from 0 and 1, the sequence looks like this: 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, and continues to infinity. 

    #15

    This Mushroom Photographed From Down Below

    This Mushroom Photographed From Down Below

    cocaineandcakepops Report

    #16

    Underside Of Victoria Amazonica's Lilypad (Up To 200 Cm In Diameter) — Satisfying Ant Terrifying At The Same Time. Veiny Alien Plant-Flesh

    Underside Of Victoria Amazonica's Lilypad (Up To 200 Cm In Diameter) — Satisfying Ant Terrifying At The Same Time. Veiny Alien Plant-Flesh

    kinujiki86 Report

    #17

    Sunflowers Are Actually Made Up Hundreds Of Smaller Flowers In Near-Perfect Symmetry

    Sunflowers Are Actually Made Up Hundreds Of Smaller Flowers In Near-Perfect Symmetry

    Unknown_author69 Report

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    This sequence is extremely persistent in nature and can be easily noticed in the placement of leaves along the stem, in pine cones, sunflowers, and pineapples. Plus, if you’ve ever heard of the Golden Ratio, it is tightly connected with this sequence. When thinking about the origins of this number, "Leonardo of Pisa [Fibonacci's full name] did not actually discover the sequence," Keith Devlin, a mathematician at Stanford University, said. "It's been around forever."

    #18

    Nature’s Geometry

    Nature’s Geometry

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    #19

    Found This "Veiled Lady" Mushroom On A Hike This Morning Near Seoul, South Korea

    Found This "Veiled Lady" Mushroom On A Hike This Morning Near Seoul, South Korea

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    #20

    A Simple Plant With A Satisfying Shape

    A Simple Plant With A Satisfying Shape

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    PandaJon
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Fiona opened her eye only to realize she had been captured by the enemy

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    #21

    This Diseased Leaf That Looks Pixilated

    This Diseased Leaf That Looks Pixilated

    Kraynix Report

    "Fibonacci numbers are a very popular subject of research and recreation, and one can find innumerable articles in mathematics, science, architecture, and the arts," Johan Gielis told Bored Panda. 

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    "Especially in the latter fields, they have achieved an almost divine status, because of the relation to the golden mean. From a scientific point of view, however, one needs to be very cautious in the application of the series to actual natural or cultural phenomena."  

    He continued: "For example, in the arrangement of leaves, the Fibonacci numbers relate the number of spirals going in one direction, to the number of spirals in the other. In a large-scale experiment of popular science, with over 600 sunflowers only 3 out of 4 of the parastichies on sunflowers were direct Fibonacci numbers. The other 1/4 were approximate or modified Fibonacci and Lucas numbers, derived series, or irregular."

    #23

    It's Hard To Tell Where One Plant Ends And Another Begins. Crassula Capitella Is A Geometric Wonder

    It's Hard To Tell Where One Plant Ends And Another Begins. Crassula Capitella Is A Geometric Wonder

    littleprincetogo Report

    #24

    These Forget-Me-Not’s Grew In A Heart Shape

    These Forget-Me-Not’s Grew In A Heart Shape

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    #25

    First Prize Winning Dahlia, Grown By My Dad

    First Prize Winning Dahlia, Grown By My Dad

    felix_rae Report

    So it seems that nature and math go hand in hand. "As humans, we build models of nature, and our language is indeed mathematical," the professor said. "Mathematics is the ultimate human language," he added, saying that without humans, there would be no math.

    When asked why we enjoy looking at geometrical and symmetrical plants and find them incredibly pleasing to the eye, Gielis told us that it’s because of our preference for symmetry. But it also has a cultural component: "Different cultures may have a different idea of beauty. What we learn is what we will prefer later," he concluded. 

    #28

    Anyone Else In Love With This Flower Or Is It Just Me?

    Anyone Else In Love With This Flower Or Is It Just Me?

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    #29

    Flower I Found This Morning

    Flower I Found This Morning

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    So while we try to grasp how such incredible patterns in nature are formed, we can also take our time to appreciate the many wonders it can offer. Whether flowers are symmetrical or not, they are still mesmerizing to look at. So we hope that with posts like these, you will be reminded of how beautiful nature really is.

    #30

    The Inside Structure Of This Plant

    The Inside Structure Of This Plant

    cheesecake2686 Report

    #32

    This Nearly Perfect Dahlia I Spotted At A Local Park

    This Nearly Perfect Dahlia I Spotted At A Local Park

    duchess_of_nope Report

    #34

    The Rare Purple Cauliflower. Its Signature Color Comes From The Same Antioxidant Found In Red Cabbage And Red Wine: Anthocyanin

    The Rare Purple Cauliflower. Its Signature Color Comes From The Same Antioxidant Found In Red Cabbage And Red Wine: Anthocyanin

    eenachtdrie Report

    #35

    The Perfect Symmetry Of This Plant

    The Perfect Symmetry Of This Plant

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    #37

    Found That In My Garden - I Think It's Pretty

    Found That In My Garden - I Think It's Pretty

    Dornenkraehe Report

    #38

    The Lines And Symmetry Of This Plant Is Just Mesmerizing

    The Lines And Symmetry Of This Plant Is Just Mesmerizing

    the_traveling_greenhouse Report

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    PandaJon
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The aliens waited patiently to mesmerize it's victims before opening their maws to engulf their pray

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    #39

    Lapidaria Margaretae, Looks Trippy, We're Gonna Collect All The Geometric Looking Succulents Now

    Lapidaria Margaretae, Looks Trippy, We're Gonna Collect All The Geometric Looking Succulents Now

    plants_on_the_gram Report

    #41

    Unedited Flower In My Front Garden

    Unedited Flower In My Front Garden

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    #42

    The Petals Of This Camellia Flower

    The Petals Of This Camellia Flower

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    #43

    This Symmetrical Leaf On My Philodendron

    This Symmetrical Leaf On My Philodendron

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    #44

    Geometry In Nature

    Geometry In Nature

    edison_1 Report

    #45

    This Disco-Ball-Looking Flower In Australia

    This Disco-Ball-Looking Flower In Australia

    MrWatermelon0 Report

    #46

    Top View Of This Plant Is A Perfect Star Shape

    Top View Of This Plant Is A Perfect Star Shape

    cule_cule Report

    #47

    Asiatic Lily And It’s Spectacular Radial Symmetry

    Asiatic Lily And It’s Spectacular Radial Symmetry

    nzm_forreal Report

    #48

    Anyone Else Finding It Satisfying When Plants Pop Symmetrical Patterns? Monstera Producing Only Half Moons Left-Right-Left-Right. My Ocd Is Screaming From Joy

    Anyone Else Finding It Satisfying When Plants Pop Symmetrical Patterns? Monstera Producing Only Half Moons Left-Right-Left-Right. My Ocd Is Screaming From Joy

    Crazyplantladyola Report

    #50

    Geometric Products Of The Mayan Jungles

    Geometric Products Of The Mayan Jungles

    peyott Report

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    #51

    The Majestic Hoya Wax Flower

    The Majestic Hoya Wax Flower

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    #53

    The Way My Flower's Petals Curled Horizontally

    The Way My Flower's Petals Curled Horizontally

    mobpsycho200 Report

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    jburgh
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Osteospermum, or African daisy. This is supposed to look like this, there are even stranger looking ones.

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    #54

    The Pattern Inside This Radish

    The Pattern Inside This Radish

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    #55

    Beautiful Drawing Inside A Zucchini

    Beautiful Drawing Inside A Zucchini

    crocodile_lover Report

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    Luther von Wolfen
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This kind of symmetry has always caught the eyes of Christians. It looks like the Cross is written into nature.

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    #57

    To The Untrained Eye, Plants May Appear To Grow Rather Impulsively, Popping Out Leaves At Random To Create One Big Green Jumble

    To The Untrained Eye, Plants May Appear To Grow Rather Impulsively, Popping Out Leaves At Random To Create One Big Green Jumble

    silverlandsinc Report

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    Debbie Barnes
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Nature is so beautiful.. We live such busy lives that we overlook and don't appreciate the beauty that surrounds us.. Love all these photographs. :)

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    #58

    This Flower With Near-Perfect Yellow Circle And White, Daisy Fringe

    This Flower With Near-Perfect Yellow Circle And White, Daisy Fringe

    tidder119 Report

    #59

    The Symmetry Of The Leaves On This Plant

    The Symmetry Of The Leaves On This Plant

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    #60

    This Plant I Saw On A Nature Walk Looks 3D-Ish

    This Plant I Saw On A Nature Walk Looks 3D-Ish

    dpearse2 Report

    #61

    My Boyfriend's Beautiful Memorial Succulent From His Mother That Passed Away. It Was Way Smaller And Grew Very Symmetrical Over 6 Weeks

    My Boyfriend's Beautiful Memorial Succulent From His Mother That Passed Away. It Was Way Smaller And Grew Very Symmetrical Over 6 Weeks

    Da_potato_queen9976 Report

    #62

    Roots Of This Plant I Repotted

    Roots Of This Plant I Repotted

    Warmth_of_Nostalgia Report

    #63

    This Plant That Has Exactly Two Branches At Each Node

    This Plant That Has Exactly Two Branches At Each Node

    SonOfBharata Report

    #64

    Can We All Appreciate The Beauty And Symmetry Of This Flapjack Succulent?

    Can We All Appreciate The Beauty And Symmetry Of This Flapjack Succulent?

    MrsLydKnuckles Report

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    AnitaB.
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I had such a plant, but unfortunately it became a mutant snake

    #65

    Had This Plant For 5 Years Before It Bloomed This Single Bulb Of Little Fondant Flowers

    Had This Plant For 5 Years Before It Bloomed This Single Bulb Of Little Fondant Flowers

    Michellehas2ls Report

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    LuckyL
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    and they are sooo sticky. (Now I remember the name. Read "wax flower" hat a different picture. I know it as "Porzellan Blume" - porcelain flower)

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    #66

    This Flower In My Garden

    This Flower In My Garden

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    #67

    A Bug Ate This Leaf In Quadrilaterals

    A Bug Ate This Leaf In Quadrilaterals

    --ch3rry-- Report

    #70

    The Symmetry & Color Of My Tulips

    The Symmetry & Color Of My Tulips

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    #71

    My Passionflower Is Geometrically Pleasing

    My Passionflower Is Geometrically Pleasing

    reddit.com Report

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    Wesley Lucas
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Ooh, these are one of the things I miss the most about Florida. That and all of the beautiful hibiscus. But there's nothing that looks like a passion flower 🥰

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    #72

    This Dying Leaf Looks Like It's Pixelating

    This Dying Leaf Looks Like It's Pixelating

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    #73

    This Spiral Blossom's Symmetry

    This Spiral Blossom's Symmetry

    I_already_reddit_ Report

    #74

    The Gradient On My Cherry Tomato Plant

    The Gradient On My Cherry Tomato Plant

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    #75

    Here’s Another Flower

    Here’s Another Flower

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    #77

    This Cube Of Tomato Roots

    This Cube Of Tomato Roots

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    Tiny Dynamine
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's kind of what you'd expect from growing it in a cube-shaped pot.

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    #78

    The Perfection Of This Cactus

    The Perfection Of This Cactus

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    #80

    Never Realized Before How Beautiful Are The Cypress' "Interior" Leaves

    Never Realized Before How Beautiful Are The Cypress' "Interior" Leaves

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    Davo gifman
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Simple beauty all around us; when we actually get time to stop an look.

    #81

    This Perfectly Symmetrical Sempervivum

    This Perfectly Symmetrical Sempervivum

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    #83

    I Can't Get Over This Leaf Structure On My Bird Of Paradise

    I Can't Get Over This Leaf Structure On My Bird Of Paradise

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    #84

    Saw This Very Symmetrical Plant On My Hike

    Saw This Very Symmetrical Plant On My Hike

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    #85

    I Took A Picture Of A Perfectly Symmetrical Aloe Plant

    I Took A Picture Of A Perfectly Symmetrical Aloe Plant

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    #86

    Euphorbia Canariensis, Dark Hue

    Euphorbia Canariensis, Dark Hue

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    Kay Kay
    Community Member
    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017