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Spring green

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Spring green is a bright and lively color.

Spring Green
Spring Green

It can mean different things depending on how you look at it. In the past, people used this name for a yellow-green color. Today, we call that older color spring bud. This helps us avoid confusion with modern computer colors. In the world of computers, spring green is a web color. It sits halfway between green and cyan on a color wheel. It is also a tertiary color. This means it is a mix of other colors. It is the opposite of the color rose.

RGB color wheel
RGB color wheel

Colors can be made in many ways. In printing, we use a system called CMYK. This system uses cyan and yellow to make green. This is often called pigment green. Other systems use different rules. The Natural Color System, or NCS, is popular in Scandinavia. It is based on how our eyes see color. There is also the Munsell color system. It uses three parts: hue, value, and chroma. This system uses five primary colors. One of those colors is primary green.

SubtractiveColor
SubtractiveColor

History shows us how color names have changed. The name spring green was first used in English in 1766. It described the color of a spring bud. In 1814, people invented a color called emerald in Germany. They mixed acetic acid and vinegar with arsenic. This made a bright blue-green hue. This color was once called Paris green. It was used for wallpaper and dresses. However, it was dangerous because it contained arsenic.

Rough emerald crystals from Panjshir Valley Afghanistan
Rough emerald crystals from Panjshir Valley Afghanistan

Many beautiful things in nature have special green names.

Aquamarine P1000141
Aquamarine P1000141

Aquamarine is a pale, bright shade. It looks like the aquamarine gemstone. This stone is a birthstone for people born in early spring. Emerald is another bright green. It looks like the emerald gemstone. People call Ireland the Emerald Isle because of its green plants. The city of Seattle is also called the Emerald City. Even the Emerald Buddha in Bangkok is a famous green figure.

Malachite polie (République démocratique du Congo)
Malachite polie (République démocratique du Congo)

Green colors also connect to many different cultures.

Green sea (5470187808)
Green sea (5470187808)

Sea green looks like shallow seawater. In 1640s England, people in the Levellers party wore sea-green ribbons. Persian green is a popular color in Iran. It represents gardens, nature, and heaven. It is named after the mineral malachite. Another green is shamrock green, or Irish green. It is the color on the flag of Ireland. Many people wear this green on St. Patrick's Day. The Boston Celtics also use this shade for their sports gear.

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🖼️ Images & Media (25)
File:Opponent colors.svg
Opponent colors.svg
File:Shades of orange.svg
Shades of orange.svg
File:Flag used by British Chartists.svg
Flag used by British Chartists.svg
File:RBG color wheel.svg
RBG color wheel.svg
File:RGB color wheel.svg
RGB color wheel.svg
File:Spring Green.svg
Spring Green.svg
File:SubtractiveColor.svg
SubtractiveColor.svg
File:Shades of azure.svg
Shades of azure.svg
File:Shades of chartreuse.svg
Shades of chartreuse.svg
File:Shades of spring green.svg
Shades of spring green.svg
File:System-search.svg
System-search.svg
File:Dülmen, Alte Brennerei Löhning -- 2015 -- 8677-81.jpg
Dülmen, Alte Brennerei Löhning -- 2015 --...

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