Two clues
- How it spreads — a round ball, a flat circle (ring), or a picture like a heart or star.
- The trails — do the sparks vanish as dots, leave lines, or droop down long and slow?
Common shapes
| Name | Spread | Trails | What you see |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peony | Round ball | Almost none | A ball of colored dots |
| Chrysanthemum | Round ball | Visible lines | Petals that draw lines as they spread |
| Double peony | Ball inside a ball | Short | Two layers of color |
| Willow | Round ball | Long and drooping | Golden branches hanging down |
| Ring | Flat circle | Short | Circle, oval or line depending on your angle |
| Cascade / waterfall | Top to bottom | Long, pouring | Sparks flowing down like water |
| Crown | Rising branches | Lines | Like the rim of a crown |
| Heart, star | A picture | Short | Only clear when seen head-on |
Names vary by country and maker; one person’s peony is another’s chrysanthemum.
Spotting them at a show
- Rings and hearts look squashed? You are not facing them head-on. Picture shells can look like a straight line from the side.
- Finales love willows and cascades — slow golden trails covering the sky are a common closing scene.
Burst them one by one
In the Android app Wish Fireworks, each burst-shape chip shows the real silhouette of that firework, so you can preview before you launch.
1
Choose a burst shape
On the Launch tab, under Burst shape, choose Peony, Willow, Ring, Double peony, Heart or Star. Spiral, Cascade and Crown unlock for good after watching one ad. Random picks a new one each time.
2
Burst and compare
Tap Launch it, or tap the sky, switching shapes as you go. The screenshot shows a Spiral.
FAQ
Where do firework colors come from?
From metal compounds mixed into the stars (a flame-color reaction). In the app you choose a heart color or mix your own with hue, saturation and brightness.
How do I photograph them?
Wish Fireworks
No sign-up, and your wishes stay on your phone. Free on Android.