The realm of dicot flowering plants encompasses more than just annuals and perennials. Hundreds of species of climbers, shrubs, and bulbs add various colors and beautiful flowers to the garden.
Do you want to send a secret message? Check out our flower dictionary with meanings arranged in alphabetical order for each type of flower and learn the hidden meanings.
Allium: This plant is also called flowering onion. It grows from a bulb or seed. The plant produces purple tufted clusters of flowers on long stems. Allium should be planted in full sun at a temperature of 65°F (18°C) and in moist, but well-drained soil.
Anemone: This flower is popularly called windflower. Anemone is a tuberous flower that produces poppy like blooms in the early to mid-spring. Anemone blooms better in full sun or part shade.
Artemisia: This perennial is grown more as a border plant because of its silvery foliage than for the small white flowers oil, but gives and excellent backdrop for more showy flowers in a perennial bed. Provide dry bread, moderately fertile soil, but hardy to zone 4.
Alyssum: This plant is classified as a perennial; however, it is grown as an annual in colder regions. Its tiny clusters of blooms are attractive at the edge of a bed. It is commonly coupled in pots with geraniums and other annuals.
Aster: Even though other perennials have faded at the time, asters start blooming in late summer or early fall. They can grow anywhere from 6 feet high to varieties that skim the ground.
Astilbe: When it comes to shade gardens, it is difficult to beat astilbe when it comes to color. Fern-like leaves and plume like flowers define this plant. They thrive in acidic soil that is moist and prefers partial shade.
Bachelor Button: Commonly known as cornflower, this plant is hardier to frost than most annuals. They can survive in sunny locations where petals bloom during spring. Bachelor buttons produce small multi-pedaled flowers and do better when seeds are sowed in spring.
Balloon Flower: The old fashioned bell-shaped flowers of these Balloon flowers make you feel like the cottage gardens are right next to you. Preferring light acidic moist soil, these perennials do well in partial sun and shade.
Bee Balm: Grown usually in perennial beds, Bee Balm can get invasive pretty quickly so check them regularly. The large flowers of this plant are known to attract butterflies and even hummingbirds. Rich soil with partial to full sun is the best way to cultivate them.
Bellflower: This bell-shaped flower, of which blue, lavender, pink, or white cultivars are most common, is a perennial. Grows best in sun, requiring moister soils that are rich.
Blanketflower: Gaillardias or Blanketflowers flourish best in areas that are hot and dry, where they produce daisy flowers in a wide variety of colors such as red, yellow, and gold. Most blanket flowers are multi-colored.
Bleeding Heart: This plant is indigenous to this region, showing off spectacular pink, red, or white heart-shaped flowers on long, arching stems. Partial shade and slightly acidic soil that is moist is ideal for bleeding hearts
Bougainvillea: A thorny shrub/vining plant native to Southwestern and Southeastern United States. Requiring fuschia, pink, white and salmon colored flowers that are papery.
Broom: A fast-growing shrub that has an open arching shrub. Covered with bright yellow flowers in spring, requires full sun with poor drainage, drought sandy soil is tolerated.
Butterfly Weed: This plant attracts both butterflies and their caterpillars. It is in the milkweed family and produces showy flower clusters in summer. To achieve optimal results, plant butterfly weed in light soil that is well-drained and expose it to full sunlight.
Butterfly Bush: Butterfly bush, a flowering shrub, should not be mixed up with butterfly weed. This drought tolerant plant grows best in full sun and can reach 8 feet. Additionally, in warmer areas it is known to be invasive.
Camellia: Considered ornamental shrubs, camellias have beautifully fragrant flowers with multiple colors. However, they are only hardy south of zone 8. If you are lucky and live in temperate regions, these 2-5 inch flowers can beautify your yard in winter.
Catmint: This drought resistant perennial plant thrives in either shade or sunlight. Catmint produces lavender flowers in addition to soft gray-green leaves. Cat owners would be delighted to know that this plant is loved by cats.
Chrysanthemum: Commonly known as Mums, these flowers are grown in colder climates. Depending on the age of the plant, they can produce large, daisy-like blooms while younger plants will yield dime-sized versions.
Clematis: This species of flowering vine blooms between mid summer to late fall depending on the variety. Plant clematis in full sun while simultaneously maintaining root temperature with mulch or other plants.
Columbine: Butterly like flowers decorate the tops of stems that can grow up to two feet tall making þaum a stunning flower and shaped perennial. This type of perennial not only serves purposes in landscaping but can easily survive in partial to full sunlight.
Coneflower: An amazing addition to group of daisy like flowers, purple cone flower grows stunning purple flowers that house deep purple beaming centers. Able to reach impressive heights of up to four feet, black eyed Susan lies between 6 inches to 4 feet, making them a jaw dropping addition to any perennial bed.
Coral Bells:Striking red or pink bell shaped flowers crown wiry stems. zone three of hardness doesn’t prove an issue 4 them, placing them easily in a shade garden. Their growth are best in moist and fertile soil.
Coreopsis: Under optimal conditions, these species of daisy like flowers can bloom into highly vivid yellow or orange colours, giving them the title of being Coreopsis.
Cosmos: Cosmos are cared for as summer progresses, and they grow freely with little attention, yielding delicate hovering flowers during most of the summer. They can reach a height of up to 4 feet and might need staking.
Crocus: You should try crocus if you want something that requires little effort. This bulb comes out early on in the spring and boasts multiple colorful, small and delicate tulip-like flowers.
Cyclamen:A lot of people are familiar with the extravagant florist’s cyclamen and their big magnolia-like blooms, but they are only hardy to zone 9. If hardy cyclamen sounds more appealing, hardy to zone 5 for people in northern climates sounds ideal.
Dahlia:Once you’ve perfected your skills with the spring bursting bulbs, dome summer bursting flowers like dahlias are waiting for you to master them. Flowers are always planted in the spring after the last frost, which leads to summer showing off immense amounts of multi-petal blooms.
Day Lily: Day lilies are a versatile plant which can be found growing in ditches and various fields due to their adaptability. Furthermore, day lilies do best in full sunlight or partial shade. They should be divided every two to three years.
Delphinium: These splendid flowers are a bit challenging to take care of, however, they yield impressive blooms during the growing seasons. Rich, alkaline soil and moisture are ideal, especially during cool summers, although moist conditions are crucial all throughout.
Foxglove: Eminent for their toxicity, foxglove are quite challenging to plant, and might not grow back consistently in areas with harsh winters. Partial shade should be enough to support their growth and sustain them.
Gas Plant: Even though the gas plant grows at a slow rate, it rewards gardeners with stunning white or pink flower spikes in early spring. The plant favors full or partial sunlight.
Gayfeather: These American native wildflower seeds are ideal for areas with full sun. Hardy to zone 4, they grow stalks of delicate flowers.
Geranium: Common geraniums are cultivated mostly as annuals north of zone 7, though they overwinter adequately in a warm indoor spot. The flowers have many color options and the plants are pungent. Cultivate them in full sunlight.
Gladiolus: Gladiolus blooms in summer and is a type of corm, just like dahlias. Grown in sunny areas, these flowering plants produce colorful inflorescences, and should be dug up after the first autumn frost.
Globeflower: These perennials are best suited in partial shade and provide large yellow or orange blooms in form of globes.
Grape Hyacinth: These bulbs bloom in spring, producing clusters of tiny blue or purple flowers that resemble grapes. They should be planted in late Summer.
Hardy Geranium: They are not related to annual geraniums. These hardy perennials bloom five-petalled flowers from the late spring to well into the summer and like partial shade.
Hollyhock:Hollyhock’s vibrant flower has been a garden favorite for eons. These buienial plants blooms for the first time at two years, producing the papery flower in more than five different color by the stalks reaching a height of 7 feet. They should be planted in moist and rich soil under sunlight
Honeysuckle: This old-fashioned plant creates bursts of white and gold flowers and can be rather invasive. Honeysuckle can be grown in both sun and shade and requires pruning for maintenance.
Hosta: Although less recognized for their white, lavender, or pink flowers, hostas are often appreciated for their increase in green or variegated foliage. As such, it is best to plant hostas in partially or fully shaded areas.
Hyacinth: Hyacinths are spring flowering bulbs that produce spikes for cutting purposes. Known for their sweet aroma, hyacinths are also a welcome addition to any indoor arrangement.
Hybrid Tea Roses: Hybrid tea roses are one of the most prevailing flowers used in wedding bouquets. They do require considerable care to maintain, but prove worth the effort with their strong and durable blooms ideal for flower arrangements. Tea roses require full sun with moist soil that drains well.
Hydrangea: Do you think only the Southern gardeners grow hydrangea? Well, no. Mophead hydrangeas do only survive with hardiness up to zone 6, but other varieties like ‘Annabelle’ flourish in colder regions. Hygrangeas need to be provided with moist and mildly acidic soil.
Impatien: When color is needed for a shady spot, choose impatiens as they are bound to do the trick. Known for their versatility in color, impatiens are fragile annuals, coming in a wide variety of red, pink, white, purple, or salmon. Plant them post the last frost.
Iris:The majority of Iris species come from tubers and bloom in spring, a little earlier than many Yellowstone perennials.The growth of these Iris species is quite rapid requiring division every three to four years.
Jupiter’s Beard: Has mid-summer red and pink flower blooms making it a highly sought after perennial. Jupiter Beard garners lot of attention due to its not being picky about soil, although prefers full sunlight.
Kerria: Yellow flower shrub Kerria blossoms in spring, growing gradually to height of 5 to 7 feet, showcasing vibrant yellow flowers led by partial shade.
Lamium:Variegated leaves of Lamium provides it with an edge in the horticultural world. However, it is the pink, purple and white spikes of bloom that has made Lamium thrive as a plant under shady conditions.
Lantana: Lantana twists beauty and grace with tiny flowers framed by long, trailing vines. This perennial, best suited for areas with greater unconditional love sun, unlike the rest of the plants in the Northern region, where it finds itself planted as an annual.
Larkspur: Ever so affectionately referred to as the softer face of delphiniums, Larkspur flowers tend to stand out due to their tall stalks of lacy flowers. Ideally these annuals should be planted in early spring as the soil becomes soft, where they have the choice of soaking in full or some shade.
Lavender: Lavender looks stunning in mass plantings within a perennial bed, but it is equally remarkable in dried floral arrangements, wreaths, or fragrant sachets. Spanish or French varieties are generally only hardy to zone 6.
Lilac: In addition to being rather striking, lilacs also carry a pleasant scent that lasts for several days when cut. Lilac prefers full sun exposure but tolerates drought as well as drought-prone soils.
Lily-of-the-Valley: This plant’s white, bell shaped flowers are known for their delightful scent and are often used in wedding bouquets, but it is also popular as ground cover. It should be planted in partial or fully shaded areas.
Lobelia: These showy, tiny flowers are common in hanging baskets. While most commonly blue in color, lobelias can also be found in white. These annuals do best in moist, rich soils and thrive in warm climates where they receive partial sunlight.
Loosestrife: Plant Perennial Loosestrife in full sun and expect it to produce tall spikes of pink or purple flowers, making Loosestrife a great choice for the back of the garden. Compared to Floxgove or Delphinium, they provide vertical interest without the need for staking.
Lupine: They bloom in the summer months. Most varieties prefer cool as well as moist settings. Plant them in the sun or partial shade. The back of a contain perennial bed visually spectacular is the tall flower spikes.
Marigold: A lot of people don’t find marigolds visually appealing. The distinct peppery scent is whatever but not pleasing to some folk’s noses. The seeds should be sowed at the start of spring, preferably right after the last frost around vegetable garden and flower beds.
Mock Orange: Mid spring to early summer are the months when this shrub bears clusters of white fragrant flowers. This plants tolerates a variety of soil types and part sunlight.
Morning Glory: The self sow morning vines may become invasive but do add great beauty to arbors, fences, door mailboxes, and even mailboxes. Soaking seeds does help in lightly speeding up the germination period.
Moon Flower: The relatives of the morning glory vine are best known for their charming aroma and flowers do bloom at night.
Narcissus: Daffodils, narcissus or even jonquils, these cheerful spring-flowering bulbs brighten up the place under deciduous trees, in flower beds or even when naturalized in a lawn. Daffodils are mostly found in white or yellow, orange or even multi colored varieties.
Nasturtium: Tender annuals with edible flowers and leaves, nasturtiums have ruffled blossoms in sun-drenched, dry, sandy soil. Blueish green and round foliage appear after the last frost, making these flowers ideal for sunny regions.
Nicotiana: Commonly known as flowering tobacco, shapes of these sweet smelling flowers range from trumpet to bell, blooming at night. Thick stemmed and branched angiosperms, nicotiana prefer being placed under the full sun on slightly alkaline, well drained soil.
New Guinea impatien: Greater than common, New Guinea Impatiens have smoother and rounder foliage. While growing these plants, it is recommended to only do so in partial shadow and on moist and cool soil. Showers of these cola red flowers bloom throughout the year.
Oleander: An evergreen shrub that blooms with sweet scented rosy or white flowers, oleander is docile for zone 8 or even nine. Slightly achromic in value, this plant is nefariously poisonous.
Pansy: The variety of a plant coming from Europe is affectionately called pansy. Unlike most plants, they bloom during spring and are categorized as spring perennials. Suitable for annual flower beds or containers, to brighten up the dull season.
Passion Flower: These tropical, robust vines exhibit large fruit and flowers. The maypop is hardy to zone 6 or 7; other varieties will only grow in warmer areas. Full light and light, moist soil will yield the best results for growing passion flower vines.
Peony: Newer varieties will tolerate warm winters, but the old-fashioned peonies thrive in colder harsh climates. Although they take years to establish, are prone to requiring staking, and only bloom beautifully in lush flowers during the wait, peonies are a decisively popular yet fragile option for wedding bouquets.
Petunias: Related to potatoes, petunias are annuals that are frost-tender. While they bloom profusely from the start of summer, petunias come in various colors. They should be planted in pots or flower beds, and are best placed in full sunlight.
Pinks:Commonly known as ‘pinks,’ Dianthus resemble carnations and come in a range of sizes and colors. These flowers prefer full sunlight and do best in alkaline, well-drained soil that is slightly acidic.
Poppy: Poppies showoff their exquisite flowers during summer or late spring. For seed sowing, they should be planted during the late summer or fall and must have access to full sun, except in hot areas where a bit of shade is beneficial.
Primrose: The height of a primrose flower can be anywhere from three inches to over two feet, based on the variety and offers colors of every range.
Rhododendron:These types of shrubs range from beautiful azaleas to rhododendron. In addition to having brilliant clusters of blossoms, they also have evergreen, glossy leaves.
Rose of Sharon: Rose of Sharon is a shrub grows in full burn and can withstand being partially shadded, as well as tolerating various soil types. This shrub is good for hedges puts out exotic flowers and can produces flowers that appear papery.
Salvia: Because many view this as an annual, it is easy to miss the fact that self-seeding highly occurs with the plant. This is beneficial since Salvia grows with great speed and increases the chance to see rubies, lavenders, and blues in the garden.
Scabiosa: These flowers are often referred to as pin cushions, and with good reason; they are lacy blue or white flowers atop six inch stems. In order to achieve the best effect, plant a mass of them.
Scilla: These bulbs can withstand cold weather and produce delicate bell shaped flowers which usually blossom in early spring. The lavender blooms most often are some shade of lavender, pink, or white.
Sedum: Producing succulent leaves and thick flowers, sedum is said to bloom in fall depending on the variety. These are best planted in full sun, in a rock garden or other non fertile area.
Shasta Daisy: Available for cut arrangements, Shasta daisies blossoms bring white flowers from the most part in the summer. Except in hot climates where some shade is benefical, plant these in full sun
Shrub Roses: These are older style relatives of hybrid tea roses. Their blooms are less complex than shrub roses, but tend to be more fragrant. These do not require as much maintainance as tea roses, but still benefit from yearly pruning. Shrub roses require full sun.
Silver Lace Vine: At the cease of summer, when other vines and perennials are making a slow exit, Silver Lace Vine curbs pink or white clusters of blooms. This can tolerate poor soil as well as drought conditions.
Snap Dragon: Stem grow these flowers as half hardy annuals. They yield stalks of flowers of different colors and bloom after snap frost is done killing off most of the perennial flowers.
Snowball bush: A snowball bush is a type of viburnum that grows to 8-12 feet tall. During the mid to late spring, snowball bushes bloom and are covered in large white roundish flowers.
Snowdrops:These are bulb plants which need to be planted in the latter part of the summer and voted as best flower to brighten a gloomy world with their white droopy petals. Snowdrops blooms are usually the first to appear during spring.
Sweet Pea: These plants are related to garden peas and seed them early during spring as they bloom in the form of beautiful climbing white pinkish blue flowers.
Trumpet Vine: This is a strong climbing vine that produces sweet smelling trumpet shaped flowers. These species are responsible for attracting hummingbirds and butterflies.
Tulip: The blooming season for the tulips is spring. Seeing a large eye-catching mild withering tulips is something most people look forward to, especially when other plants are dormant. These are available in a wide range of sizes and colors.
Vinca: Also called periwinkle, vinca is a groundcover that sometimes flowers in early spring and produces glossy blue or white flowers. Vinca can be grown anywhere for a fast growing groundcover since the plant tolerates dry, poor soils and shade.
Wisteria: Exotic, long lived vines such as wisteria are not for the weak hearted. As strong support is needed (never a tree), these vines can become invasive in warm climates.
Yarrow: Yarrow are able to produce clusters of white, yellow, pink, salmon, or red flowers and grow on long stems. They spread quickly and tolerate poor soils and droughts.
Although the options might appear endless, for the best results, go with plants that are preferred for your area and require minimal care. Choose a combination of perennials, annuals, bulbs, and shrubs for a defined landscape theme.