Can You Name These Flowers?

By: Bambi Turner
Image: Copyright Xinzheng. All Rights Reserved./Moment/Getty Images

About This Quiz

Flowers are so much more than those $100 rose bouquets husbands dutifully buy for their wives every Valentine's Day. They are the language of love, grief, remembrance and mourning; they show up at major life events, from the table settings at a joyful wedding ceremony, to the somber arrangements that sit on either side of a casket during a funeral, to the simple poppies that appear in button holes to celebrate Veterans Day. And yet despite their heavy significance when cut and grouped in a vase, the true beauty of flowers begins long before they are plucked from the soil.

Each spring, as winter gasps its final breaths and the birds and bees cautiously begin to stretch their wings, the first spring flowers begin to shoot stalks from the earth. Early bloomers like daffodils and tulips reveal their beautiful blooms, ushering in the warm weather, and serving as a sign of renewal and rebirth after the cold, dreary gray of winter. As the seasons change, so do the flowers, with roses and honeysuckle adding their sweet scent to the air during the summer, and marigolds and mums taking over to mix with the falling leaves as autumn approaches. With somewhere around 400,000 flower species on the planet, there's always a bloom for any setting, soil, occasion or level of gardening skill.

Think you can recognize some of the most common flowers? Prove your floral IQ with this quiz!

The genus Rosa features more than 300 species of flowering plants, which take the form of shrubs, climbing and trailing vines. While red is the most iconic colors for roses, they also come in white, yellow and shades of pink or burgundy. In addition to dressing up flower beds, this plant is also used to make perfume or even to flavor food.

Plant tulip bulbs 6 to 8 weeks before winter's first freeze to enjoy bright pops of color at the start of spring. These cup-shaped flowers come in shades of red, yellow, white and pink and are known for their large, vibrant blooms. Those familiar with floral history might recognize this species for the role it played in Tulip Mania — a 17th-century economic bubble in which the price of certain tulips shot sky-high.

With their blue-green leaves and sweet scent, carnations are a cheerful addition to any garden. While cultivars of this species come in various hues, the traditional carnation is always some shade of pink.

The Iris genus consists of a whopping 300 species, most of which are easy to grow. This flower, which gets its name from the Greek word for rainbow, is one of the first flowers to bloom each spring and comes in a wide range of colors.

Lotus flowers, which belong to the Nelumbo genus, are aquatic perennials that grow on mud or bodies of water. While often confused with water lilies, these white or pink blooms are a separated species. Each night, they sink below the water, only to rise and bloom again the next day, which has made them a powerful symbol in many world religions.

The Common or Lawn Daisy is sometimes considered a weed, but many appreciate its sunny blooms. Flowering in early summer, daisies consist of stems with a single flower made up of yellow and white florets around a yellow bud.

Reaching heights of 10 feet or more, the mighty sunflower, or Helianthus annuus is native to North America. Its furry green stalk supports a single flower which can be red, orange or yellow. As the sun moves across the sky, the Sunflower turns its "face" to soak in as much of that energy as possible before the day is done.

Camellias consist of as many as 300 species with shiny, deep green leaves and generous, fragrant flowers. They bloom on evergreen shrubs and come in shades like red, white and pink. These easy-going plants will grow quickly as long as they are given plenty of water.

Hydrangea bushes produce giant globe-shaped clusters of delicate flowers in shades of pink, purple, blue and white. The leaves themselves are heart-shaped, while flowers can range from star to cup-shaped depending on the species.

The Amaryllis flower gets its name from the Greek word "amarysso," which means "to sparkle." While amaryllis blooms are typically some combination of red and white, you can also find them in shades of pink, purple or burgundy. They come in both solid and bi-color varieties, including some with a contrasting color lining the edges of the petals.

The official state flower of Maryland Rudbeckia hirta — which you might know as the Black-eyed Susan — looks a bit like a shrunken Sunflower. It blooms from October to June and can easily cover an entire meadow or field with its gold or yellow blossoms.

Plant daffodil bulbs right before the first frost, and you'll have cheery blooms to brighten up your garden in the earliest days of spring. Made up of six petals surrounding a central trumpet called a corona, the daffodil comes in various combinations of white, yellow and pale orange.

There are an estimated 30,000 different species of orchids to choose from, though the vast majority sold in U.S. garden centers are of the moth or cane varieties. Moth orchids consist of a single, delicate bloom, while cane orchids have lines of blossoms along a central stem.

Part of the Aster family, Chrysanthemums produce colorful white, red, yellow or orange blooms that last much longer than many other flowers. While this flower is seen as a symbol of grief or death throughout much of the world, it has a more cheerful reputation in the U.S., where it is used to brighten up a fall garden or porch.

Its name comes from the Greek word for "wind," so anemones are often called windflowers. These daisy-shaped blossoms come in blue, pink, red and white and are often selected as an alternative to the harder-to-grow poppy.

Part of the Tagetes genus, marigolds will bloom almost all summer, providing a splash of orange, yellow or gold to brighten up your garden. While some species have a musky smell, others are actually used to make perfumes or even to color food products.

The aster consists of star-shaped flowers, which makes sense because its name comes from the Greek word for "star." Aster alpinus is the only member of this genus native to North America and produces early summer blooms in purple, pink, blue or white.

Growing in spring from bulbs planted in the fall, members of the Lilium genus produce fragrant white or yellow blossoms. You can identify the lily by its shape, which is often compared to a trumpet or funnel. If you have pets, beware — lilies are extremely toxic to cats.

While the yellow stamen of the Crocus sativus is vital to saffron production, other species within this genus — part of the Iris family — are grown simply for their gorgeous flowers, which are cup-shaped and come in shades like white, yellow and purple. The strong scent of the Crocus can help attract bees to aid in pollination and help your garden grow.

The bird of paradise or crane flower is native to South Africa, and even appears on that country's 50-cent coin. Made up of bright orange and brilliant blue petals, this very unique flower looks a lot like a bird in flight. Toxic to pets, some bird of paradise species can grow up to 30 feet tall.

There are more than 1,000 species of flowers within the morning glory or Convolvulaceae family. Each blooms on a fast-growing climbing or trailing vine, comes with heart-shaped green leaves and features flowers that tuck themselves in each night only to bloom the next day anew.

Mountain laurel is an evergreen shrub that grows 5 to 15 feet high. It produces clusters of pink, white and red flowers, and is part of the heather family. Poisonous to both humans and animals, laurel can lead to an array of health problems, from stomach pain to breathing issues.

A form of wild carrot, Queen Anne's Lace features many small white flowers arranged on a single, hairy stem. A single red flower breaks the white bloom at the center, which attracts pollinators. According to legend, this red spot is also where the queen pricked her finger while preparing the lace.

With their long green stems lined with blooms, gladiolas are as beautiful in a vase as they are planted in the garden. Part of the Iris family and sometimes known as a sword lily, this plant produces blooms in white, yellow pink and purple.

Part of the olive family, lilacs go by the scientific name Syringa. Known for their sweet smell, they produce pannicles ranging from 3 to 7 inches long in shades like mauve, purple and of course, lilac.

Pansies get their name from "pensee," a French word meaning "thought," which is likely associated with their symbolism of remembrance or grief. Just 2 to 3 inches in diameter, these small blooms feature blotches that form a design many compare to a face, complete with a beard made out of the lower petal.

The magnolia is one of the oldest known trees and remains a popular favorite today thanks to its glossy green leaves and gorgeous white blooms. These white flowers, which are very fragrant, serve as the official flowers of both Mississippi and Louisiana.

Freesia is a pleasure to both the eyes and the nose thanks to its sweet citrus scent and funnel-shaped flowers in shades of white, yellow and pink. Grown from bulb-like corms, freesia is a symbol of friendship, and also serves as the traditional flower to celebrate the seventh wedding anniversary.

Myosotis plants have leaves shaped like the ears of a mouse, which helps explain why their name comes from a Greek word for this rodent body part. Forget-me-nots are tiny star-shaped blossoms within this genus that come in blue, pink, white or yellow and tend to thrive in moist, humid climates.

Part of the Morning Glory family, cypress is a fast-growing vine that can extend 10 to 15 feet in a single summer. Native to tropical regions in the Americas, its flower are pink, purple and white and feature a distinctive starry shape.

The official flower of Mexico, Poinsettias seem to be everywhere during the Christmas holiday season. Those bright red "flowers" you see on this plant are actually leaves, and to develop that brilliant red hue, the Poinsettia needs to spend at least 12 hours of each day in full darkness.

Jasmine is a genus of plants that includes more than 200 different species, most of which grow in tropical areas. Though their flowers are only about an inch in diameter, jasmine plants have a powerful fragrance that belies their size. These flowers grow freely in Hawaii, and their soft blossoms are often used to make leis.

Lavender plants thrive in the hot sun and relatively dry soil of the Mediterranean, but some hybrids have been developed to grow in other parts of the world as well. Made up of flower-packed bracts atop tall spikes or stalks, lavender comes in a variety of purple-based hues along with many other pastel shades.

The National Flower of Mexico, dahlias produce little scent, but their vibrant flowers more than makeup for their olfactory shortcomings. Available in almost every color except blue, dahlias can be as small as a few inches or as large as a full foot across.

The Hibiscus produces large, showy flowers with five petals that form a trumpet shape. They come in cheerful shades like pink, orange and red, and will thrive in warm, humid climates. Even if you don't live on an island, you can bring the feel of the tropics home with a Hibiscus plant — just keep it warm and give it plenty of water when it's blooming.

Poppies have their sleepy reputation thanks to a single species known as Papaver somniferum, which is used in opium production. Most other species in the Poppy genus are simply prized for their gorgeous blooms, which range in color from blue to red. This flower has long served as a symbol of Veteran's Day thanks to the WWI battles that took place across fields of poppies.

Native to the northern hemisphere, Delphiniums include more than 300 flower species. Its name comes from the Greek word for "dolphin," reportedly because some compare the shape of its blooms to that of these sea mammals. Delphiniums come in shades of pink, blue and white, and the flowers climb along the sides of each stalk to create a gorgeous stretch of color each summer.

Peonies feature lush, velvety blooms in shades like purple, yellow, white and red. While some have a rose-like scent, others more closely mimic the smell of lemons, while a few species of peonies have almost no scent at all. Once the blooms are gone, this plant's glossy green leaves make it a welcome addition to any garden.

The mighty Snapdragon — whose family name Antirrhinum means "like a snout" — has a "mouth" that tightly closes, but resembles a fire-breathing dragon when squeezed along each side. This flower produces rows of blooms along its stalk, which can be as tall as 4 feet, with flowers available in endless pastel shades.

In 1912, Japan sent thousands of cherry blossom trees to the U.S. as a sign of friendship. Many were planted near the National Mall in DC, drawing millions of tourists annually, who come to smell their sweet scent and check out their pink and white blooms. While this species is the National Flower of Japan, the city of Macon, Georgia is actually home to the largest concentration of cherry blossom trees in the world.

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