OK, Road Trips Gardeners, this isn’t really a flower.

Floralis Genérica is a massive sculpture of a flower set into the Plaza Naciones Unidas on Av. Presidente Figueroa Alcorta in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Created by Eduardo Catalano, it was installed in April 2002. Known popularly as the Flor de Metal, it’s made of steel and aluminum, and opens and closes (with hydraulic machinery) as the sun waxes and wanes. There are four special nights a year where the petals remain open: May 25, September 21, December 24 and 31.

The gigantic flower is 23 meters high and weighs 18 tons. When the petals are open, they span 32 meters and when closed, just 16 meters. It sits in the center of a pool of water which not only reflects the sculpture, but also protects it from vandals.

(Photo ©2008 by Susan McKee)