How All the Different Kinds of Fireworks Work

From peonies to chrysanthemums to dahlias, the reason why so many fireworks are named after flowering plants is because they burst out of a seed, or shell. Here are pictures of how it works.

1. Here is a 6 Inch cylindrical shell. The time delay fuse is at the far left ; square stars are in the left compartment; and the bursting charge extends through from the fuse to the black lift powder at right.

2. These star patterns are basically the prenatal image of a star shaped firework.

Each half of the shell will contain identical parts and when both halves are joined, the sides mirror each other.