The first major blast of wintry weather in the U.S. this week brought snow, frigid temperatures and in some places something a little more magical: Frost flowers. Made of thin ribbons of ice that extend out in intricate patterns when frozen water breaks through the slits of certain types of plant stems, the icy blooms can disintegrate with a single touch and only appear for hours at a time. They are found most often in the Eastern half of the U.S., especially in the upper half of the country where hard freezes are more common. The patterns resemble clouds of cotton candy or spun glass.
