A realistically opening artificial flower has a slidable pusher basket having an upper end and a lower end and is moveable from a first position to a second position. The flower includes a means for moving the slidable pusher basket from the first position to the second position; the means is located generally adjacent the lower end of the slidable pusher basket. The flower also includes a simulated flower with a base that receives the upper end of the slidable pusher basket along with multiple rows of petals disposed on a plurality of vertically stacked supports. The slidable pusher basket is coupled with at least one of the plurality of vertically stacked supports via a petal attachment member. Incident to the slidable pusher basket moving from the first position to the second position, the multiple rows of petals transition from the generally closed position to the generally open position, and each row of petals has varying open and closed angles.