List of Flowers

Introduction

Is it possible to imagine a beautiful place without flowers and trees? It is impossible for a person who believes in nature's beauty. Whenever we imagine a soothing and peaceful location to spend some time, it includes flowers and trees and winds blowing through them. Flowers are not just limited to gardens and trees; on many occasions like birthdays, marriage ceremonies and other religious activities, flowers are used. Fresh flowers are used on a large scale for decoration purposes. From gifting flowers to your loved ones as a symbol of love to felicitating someone with bouquets and garlands made of flowers, flowers have been used for a long time. It isn't easy to include all the flowers in the following list as they are worth watching and beautiful. Here are some of the flowers with special significance and spectacular beauty.

1. Cherry Blossom

To see cherry blossom's true beauty, you should attend D.C's National Cherry Blossom Festival. This festival is celebrated to commemorate the day Tokyo Mayor Yukio Ozaki gave the US Cherry trees to strengthen the friendship between the two nations. During the festival, almost 3000-4000 cherry trees can be seen in full bloom. The pink and white colour of the flower creates a spectacular and unforgettable view and feels heavenly. It starts blooming at the end of March or from the start of April.

The cherry blossoms symbolize the arrival of spring. Cherry blossoms in Japan are called 'sakura', and it also has great significance there as it denotes the beauty of life and a new start. Spending time with families under these trees is one of the things which the Japanese love to do.

2. Bleeding Heart

We cannot deny that every flower is beautiful, but some flowers are so unique in appearance that no one can ignore them. A bleeding heart is one of them because of its heart-shaped appearance. Tulips can be found in colours like- white, yellow, red, and pink. It is a flower which blooms in spring and needs a moist and cool climate to grow perfectly. Almost 20 heart-shaped flowers bloom on each stem which looks like an arch. If you have this in your garden, it will attract everyone's attention because of its beauty.

3. Dahlia

It is a flower which comes in different sizes ranging in diameters from 2 inches to 20 inches. Not only in sizes, but they are also available in almost every colour except blue. It is one of the flowers the gardeners love because of its appearance and the number of species, i.e. 42 all over the world. It is also the national flower of Mexico.

4. Water Lillies

We all must have heard or read about Lily in our childhood, but water Lillies are different from regular lilies. Water lilies are the queen of all aquatic flowers in the world. Apart from its beauty, it plays a very important role in protecting the ecosystem by maintaining the temperature of the water of the lake or pond on which it grows and providing suitable habitat for fish. The flower and its leaves, which keep floating on the water surface, seek the viewer's attention. Water lilies come in different colours like blue, orange, purple, yellow and white.

5. Lotus

Lotus is known for its pleasant fragrance and beauty. Even if it grows in a murky pond, it is impossible to ignore its beauty. It comes in two colours which are pink and white. The lotus leaves also float on the water's surface, making the lotus look more beautiful. Lotus is also the national flower of India. It also gives a message on how to grow even when the conditions or your surroundings are not good, as a lotus grows in muddy water. Lotus need adequate sunlight for its growth and cannot be grown in cold climates.

6. Tulips

Imagine yourself standing in a garden full of flowers which spreads over a large area. It feels heavenly, isn't it? This dream of yours can be made true if you visit the Keukenhof flower garden in the Netherlands. The total area of the garden is 32 hectares, and during the spring, millions of tulips can be seen, and it is a spectacular view for anyone. Tulips are the most popular and widely cultivated flowers in the world because it is present in more than 3000 varieties. Not just the varieties, but it almost comes in every colour but not in pure blue colour. The blooming period or life of the tulip flower is just 5-7 days.

7. Gazania

Gazania is a flower similar to a daisy in appearance, sometimes called a Treasure flower also. Not just the flowers but its leaves which are long in shape with green colour, look attractive and it is a perfect flower for your garden to add beauty to it. It only blooms during the summer as they are not suitable for cold climates. Even in the summer, they only bloom during the day, and the flowers get closed when the sun disappears in the evening. Gazania is available in different shades of white, pink, red, yellow and orange. When the flowers get dried up, you will get seeds from them, which you can save for next summer to enjoy the beauty of beautiful Gazania again.

8. Orchids

There are almost 25000 species of orchids present in the world, which is why it is the most common flower and can be spotted easily around us. Orchids come in different colours like -red, purple, white or shades of pink. one of the uniqueness of orchids is their different shapes. Some of the orchid's flowers look exactly like any animal. For example, one of them looks like a female bee, and because of this, male bees are attracted to them, and this helps pollinate the flowers.

9. Rose

Rose has everything a perfect flower should have, its smell which can make anyone fall in love with it, and its unmatchable beauty. Roses are not just constrained to gardens, but people usually gift roses to their partners as a symbol of love, especially a red rose, which symbolizes true love. Different colours of roses symbolize different meanings. There are almost 100+ species of rose present in the world.

Roses come in a variety of colours but don't exist in black or pure blue colour. Roses are used widely for decoration and also in making perfumes, soaps etc., because of their pleasant smell. Roses are loved by everyone and can be spotted in almost every garden.

10. Sunflower

The probability that someone hasn't heard about this flower is almost zero. We have been learning and watching sunflowers since childhood, and it is one of the flowers which can be easily identified by children and is very common among them. The sunflower is not just a beautiful flower; we also get sunflower oil from its seed only. Not only that, but sunflowers can absorb hazardous materials like uranium, lead and even arsenic.

Almost everyone admires sunflowers, but what's interesting here is that some people fear sunflowers which have also been named Helianthophobia. Sunflower is also a perfect source of vitamin A  and D, and if you are not getting enough sunlight, then sunflower seeds and their oil is the answer to help you get vitamin D. Also, If you do not like peanut butter or are allergic to peanuts, sunflowers have a substitute for it known as sun butter.

11. Hibiscus

Hibiscus's scientific name is Hibiscus rosa-Sinensis. Its origin is East China Asia.  They are large and have five or more petals in them. Hibiscus is used widely for decorative purposes. It comes in different colours like Red, Purple, Peach, White and Pink etc. In India, Hibiscus is used for religious purposes and to make garlands. Apart from its use in decoration, it has many health benefits also. They are used to make a tea rich in Vitamin C and antioxidants.

There are many other health benefits if you consume tea made of Hibiscus, as it helps treat high blood pressure, increases immunity, and treats liver diseases and even cancer. It also helps in weight loss by increasing metabolism. Hibiscus is also said to be the flower of the Indian Goddess Kali and used by the worshippers of Kali as an offering to her. You may not find Hibiscus as one of the most beautiful flowers, but you also cannot even ignore its medicinal and health benefits of it.

12. Jasmine

If you are fond of fragrances and wants your garden to be filled up with a pleasant smell, Jasmine is the answer. No, not your friend named Jasmine, but the flower. Jasmine is known for its small, pretty white flowers and strong but pleasant fragrances, which it releases at night when the sun sets. Because of that, it is often called Raat ki Rani- Queen of night.

13. Marigold

Marigold is one of the most common flowers and can be easily spotted in any garden or nursery. It is also one of the favourite flowers for gardeners as planting them in your garden keeps the pests and other insects away. Not only that it makes your garden looks beautiful, but it has many other medicinal values such as anti-bacterial, anti-fungal or anti-viral properties. Even in childhood, when we used to get hurt while playing, most of us used the juice of the leaves of the marigold plant on the wound because of its anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.

It even contains a substance called lutein, which is beneficial for the human eye. in Nepal, marigolds also have cultural significance, and you will find garlands made of marigolds in their households. The blooming period of marigolds is summer and autumn, but not in winter, as they are sensitive to cold weather. Marigold comes in different colours like yellow, red, maroon, orange, and mixed colours.

14. Lavender

Lavender is commonly known for its pleasant fragrance and its medicinal value also. We must have used lavender flavour room fresheners and experienced their pleasant smell. It has medicinal value also, and its oil is widely used in aromatherapy. Lavender oil is also used to reduce stress, soothe muscle aches, and help cure sleeplessness. A mature lavender plant does not need water and can even survive a drought. In ancient Rome, they used lavender in bathing because of its antiseptic and disinfected properties.

15. Irises

It is very difficult to ignore the beauty of Irises. In ancient Greek mythology, there used to be a goddess of rainbow named Iris and Irises are named after that only. You will never find any bright red coloured Irises, but they are available in almost every other colour. There are almost 250-300 species of Iris available in the world. Iris has been cultivated for almost 1000 years and is available in different shapes, colours and sizes.

The origin of Iris is in temperate parts of Asia and Europe. You will find 9-12 buds on each stem, and the blooming period of each flower is for 3 days. The favourable environment for the blooming of Iris is summer and spring, not winter, as they are not adaptive to cold climates. It also attracts insects which helps in the pollination process. Iris has been a favourite for gardeners for centuries because of its variety in shapes, sizes and colours and, of course,  for its beautiful appearance, which can make anyone stop and stare. Irises are gifted at conveying their deep sentiments, and it also symbolizes expressiveness.

Different colours of the iris flower represent different meanings; blue Iris represents faith and hope, yellow Iris represents passion, and white Iris represents purity. The oil of Iris's flower is also used in aromatherapy. Not only that, the flowers of the iris are useful, but every part of its plant has its medicinal value, like juice which is squeezed from the plant is used to improve skin condition. The roots of the Iris contain emetic, laxative properties and are used to purify the body.

Some other flowers which are worth mentioning in the list are-

• Lilac
• Peony
• Sweet pea
• Magnolia
• Statice
• Snapdragons
• Lisianthus
• Freesia
• Delphinium
• Bourvardia
• Daisies
• Aster
• Crocus
• Amaryllis

Conclusion 

Flowers are not just about their beauty. Some of them have medicinal values, which have helped humankind cure diseases for centuries. We have discussed some of them in the article. It is almost impossible to eliminate the importance of flowers from our life. We get immense pleasure just by looking at them, which is an incredible feeling.

In India, special occasions, ceremonies, or any religious event is incomplete without flowers. From using flowers in decoration to using them as offerings to gods and goddesses, flowers play a very important role worldwide.

Flowers are loved by everyone and are planted in almost every house; some plants them in a pot on their balcony, and some in their gardens. There are an uncountable number of flowers present all over the world, and it is impossible to list all of them in just one article, but we have tried to pick some of the most beautiful and important flowers to list here. Now when you spot any of the flowers mentioned above, you will not just admire their beauty of it but also their importance and role in medicinal benefits.