Lunar Blossoms

Lunar blossoms are not particularly tall trees, as they only reach around 10-15 metres in height. However, as if to compensate that short stature, they possess a particularly large crown, with long branches growing in every direction. Their leaves are small compared to most other trees and are in the form of tears or water drops. Their wood is hard and dark brown in colour, while the bark is nearly black and rough to the touch. The tree's flowers contain 4 large petals and a dark central bulb. Depending on the species, the tree's flowers have drastically different colours.

Northern Variant

The Northern variant, also known as the Salsian varient, or Veosian blossom, has bright blue flowers, which glow slightly when receiving moonlight from Veos. It is the largest of the two variant, easily reaching 15 metres in height.

Southern Variant

The Southern variant, also known as the Hobenese Blossom, or by its creepier name, the blood blossoms, has dark red flowers, closely resembling the colour of blood. Like their Salsian coussins, these flowers also glow faintly under Hoben's moonlight. This variant tends to be smaller, struggling to reach above 10 metres at time. This may be due to the fact that Hoben gives off less light than Veos.

Lunar blossoms take from 4-10 years to first develop flowers. The trees themselves continue to slowly grow for many decades. Northern blossoms continue growing for a longer period of time, allowing them to grow larger than their southern counterpart.

Northern Lunar blossoms tend to grow alone, and in higher ground, as they are often seem perched over a cliff, or atop a grassy hill. Southern Lunar blossoms instead tend to grow together in small groves, numbering 2-5 individual trees. However, much like with their northern cousins, they too tend to grow in elevated terrain. In both cases, this is likely due to the fact that higher ground has more exposure to moon light. Curiously, other species of trees tend to not grow too close around both types of lunar blossoms. Indeed an area of about 10-20 metres separates the blossoms from any other species of tree nearby.

Lunar blossoms begin flowering during spring, about a month after their leaves are fully grown, and either keep those flowers for most of spring and summer, or sprout new ones every month or so. In early autumn, the last flowers are shed, followed closely by the tree's leaves.

Northern Variant cycle

The flowers bloom during every full moon phase of Veos, which occurs once per month. During that time, the flowers stay open during the night, and close themselves during the day. By the new moon, these flowers die, fall off, and new flower buds take their place. These will take around 2 weeks to bloom, in time for the next Veosian full moon.

Southern Variant Cycle

In contrast, Southern Blossoms only produce once set of flowers per year, which survive for 5 months of the year. These start growing around the month of April, and bloom by May, in time for Hoben's full moon phase, which occurs every three months. Unlike the northern blossoms, each flower survives through two hobenese full moon phases, instead of one. Indeed, even in June and July, when the moon disappears from the sky for weeks during its new moon phase, the flowers stay alive, eagerly waiting for August, when the Moon reappears again and enters its full moon phase. By early september, the flowers begin dying as Hoben shrinks in the sky again.

Freshly picked Lunar blossom flowers, and especially their petals, are frequently used in alchemic potions, since they contain a high amount of wild mana in a form that is easily digestible by mages.    The whole flower is consumable, but interestingly, it seems that its taste is drastically different depending on the individual. Non-magic humans report it tasting very bitter and repulsive, while mages instead say that the taste is sweet and slightly minty. The red flowers of the southern blossoms also have a hint of spiciness mixed in with the sweetness, which is not present in the northern variety.

Lunar blossoms can be found in many regions of the world, on multiple continents. In Enaskia, Northern blossoms can be found primarily on the Salsian highlands, as well as in the Great Lorasi, the Jasuan hills, the forests of Old Jasua, and in Kherokomia as well. Northern Blossoms can also be found in the Continent of Osian, specificaly in the Land of the Wild men region and on the island of Hiet. Southern Blossoms can be found in northern Samyria and on the island of Is'Qhaloa, as well as in the Tarankema region of eastern Mahador Mahador, and finally, on the Continent of Viuzhul, in the region known as the pale forest.