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🇲🇽 The flowers of Mexico

64 pages from Mexico: its flowers, the things made with them and the places to see them, across 11 cities and regions.

Mexico is home to one of the richest collections of flowering plants in the world, shaped by its varied climates and landscapes. Its flora stands out for its diversity, with many species found nowhere else. The country is especially known for its cacti, agaves, and the dahlia, which is its national flower.

  • Mexico ranks fifth in the world for natural biodiversity.
  • It has the most species of cacti worldwide.
  • The dahlia is Mexico’s national flower.
  • Many Mexican flowering plants are found nowhere else.

The plant life of Mexico

Mexico’s plant life is among the most diverse on the planet, thanks to its wide range of climates and terrain. From deserts to rainforests, the country supports a huge number of flowering plants. Its position between North and Central America allows species from both regions to mix, while mountains and valleys create unique habitats. This has led to a high number of plants that grow only in Mexico. The country’s flora includes everything from towering trees to tiny wildflowers, and it is especially rich in cacti and succulents.

From region to region in Mexico

Flora changes sharply from region to region. The north is dominated by deserts and semi-arid lands, where cacti and agaves thrive. Central Mexico has temperate forests with oaks and pines, while the south and southeast are home to lush tropical forests full of orchids and other flowering plants. Coastal areas support mangroves and palms. Mountain ranges create pockets of unique plant life, with many endemics found only at certain elevations.

Flowers to know in Mexico

Mexico is famous for its cacti, with more species than any other country. The dahlia, native to the mountains of central Mexico, is the national flower. Agaves, used for making tequila and mezcal, are also iconic. The country is home to many orchids and unique wildflowers, and its forests shelter rare trees found nowhere else.

Threats and protection in Mexico

Mexico’s plant diversity faces threats from habitat loss, agriculture, and urban growth. Many species are rare or endangered, especially those with small ranges. The country has set up protected areas and reserves to help conserve its unique flora, but ongoing efforts are needed to safeguard these plants for the future.

Where this page comes from

The facts in this overview come from the Wikipedia article "Mexico", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence. Phool rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

Flower experiences in Mexico

All 5
🇲🇽 Atlixco · OctoberCempasúchil fields around AtlixcoFields of orange Mexican marigold below the Popocatépetl volcano, grown for the Day of the Dead and cut in late October. 🇲🇽 Mexico City · All yearThe plant markets and flower farms of XochimilcoThe canal district in the south of Mexico City whose name means place of the flower fields, and which still grows them. 🇲🇽 Mexico City · All yearMercado de Jamaica, Mexico City's flower marketA huge covered market open day and night, with more than a thousand stalls of cut flowers and finished arrangements. 🇲🇽 Oaxaca · Oct to NovBuilding a Day of the Dead altar in OaxacaBuy marigolds at the market and help dress an ofrenda, the home altar that welcomes the dead in early November. 🇲🇽 Mexico City · Mar to AprJacaranda season in Mexico CityFrom late February into April, jacaranda trees turn the avenues and parks of Mexico City violet.

Cities and regions of Mexico

Guerrero 2Mexico City 2Michoacán 2Puebla 2Guadalupe Island 1Oaxaca 1Sonora 1Teotihuacan 1Veracruz 1Xalapa 1Yucatán 1
ShowFlowersDecorationsPlaces
ColourRedPinkOrangeYellowWhiteCreamBluePurpleGreenMaroonMany-coloured
In flowerSpringSummerMonsoonAutumnWinter
Common sunflowerHelianthus annuus A tall annual plant grown for its large yellow flower heads and edible seeds 🇨🇦 Canada and 4 more · Wildflower CactusCactaceae Succulent plants with spines, native to the Americas 🇲🇽 Mexico and 7 more · Wildflower HawthornCrataegus A thorny shrub or tree with white or pink spring flowers and small edible fruits 🇮🇪 Ireland and 7 more · Wildflower AmaranthAmaranthus A tall, colourful plant grown for its flowers, leaves and edible seeds 🇲🇽 Mexico and 7 more · Wildflower Dahlia A bushy perennial with tuberous roots and bright, star-shaped blooms 🇲🇽 Mexico and 1 more · Garden flower YarrowAchillea millefolium A wild, fern-leaved plant with flat clusters of white or pink flowers and a spicy scent 🇨🇳 China and 6 more · Wildflower Hibiscus A tropical genus with large, colourful trumpet-shaped flowers 🇮🇳 India and 7 more · Wildflower PoinsettiaEuphorbia pulcherrima The red-bracted shrub of Christmas displays, native to Mexico and Central America 🇲🇽 Mexico and 8 more · Wildflower SafflowerCarthamus tinctorius A thistle-like annual grown for oil, dye, and as a saffron substitute 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Wildflower MarigoldTagetes A group of bright annual and perennial flowers known worldwide as marigolds 🇲🇽 Mexico and 7 more · Wildflower Datura A group of trumpet-shaped, highly toxic flowering plants in the nightshade family 🇲🇽 Mexico and 7 more · Wildflower LupinLupinus Tall, spiky-flowered legumes grown for gardens, food, and soil health 🇺🇸 United States and 7 more · Wildflower Vanilla Climbing orchids with pods used for the world’s most popular flavor 🇲🇽 Mexico and 7 more · Wildflower LotusNelumbo Aquatic plants with large, round leaves and striking flowers called lotus 🇮🇳 India and 7 more · Water flower Plumeria Fragrant tropical tree with waxy, five-petaled flowers in many colours 🇲🇽 Mexico and 6 more · Flowering tree Prickly pearOpuntia Cactus with flat pads and edible fruit, native to the Americas 🇲🇽 Mexico and 7 more · Wildflower Yucca Dry-climate plants with pointed leaves and clusters of creamy white flowers 🇲🇽 Mexico and 4 more · Wildflower PassionflowerPassiflora A vine with intricate flowers and edible fruits, grown worldwide 🇺🇸 United States and 7 more · Wildflower DogwoodCornus Woody trees and shrubs with showy bracts and colorful berries 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Wildflower Indian fig opuntiaOpuntia ficus-indica A large, spiny cactus grown for its sweet fruit and edible pads 🇲🇽 Mexico and 7 more · Wildflower AchioteBixa orellana Shrub with spiky red pods, source of the natural dye annatto 🇧🇷 Brazil and 9 more · Flowering shrub Marvel of PeruMirabilis jalapa Evening-blooming garden flower with many colours on one plant 🇲🇽 Mexico and 6 more · Garden flower Tigridia Bulbous flowers with spotted petals, native to the Americas 🇲🇽 Mexico and 5 more · Wildflower Decoration Ofrenda A home altar with offerings for Día de los Muertos in Mexico 🇲🇽 Mexico · Offering or rite, November Tree dahliaDahlia imperialis A towering dahlia with lavender-pink flowers from the mountains of Central America 🇲🇽 Mexico and 7 more · Wildflower Browallia A small genus of blue and violet-flowered plants from the Americas 🇨🇴 Colombia and 3 more · Wildflower Blazing starLiatris Tall North American wildflowers with feathery purple or pink flower spikes 🇺🇸 United States and 3 more · Wildflower Love-lies-bleedingAmaranthus caudatus Tall Andean plant with long, drooping red or white flower clusters 🇵🇪 Peru and 8 more · Wildflower Heliopsis Bright yellow sunflower-like flowers of the Americas 🇺🇸 United States and 7 more · Wildflower Penstemon A North American genus with tubular, often bearded flowers in many colors 🇨🇦 Canada and 4 more · Wildflower Pineapple sageSalvia elegans A Mexican shrub with pineapple-scented leaves and red tubular flowers 🇲🇽 Mexico · Wildflower French marigoldTagetes patula A small marigold with yellow to orange blooms, valued in gardens and Georgian cooking 🇲🇽 Mexico and 3 more · Wildflower Elegant zinniaZinnia elegans A bright annual garden flower from Mexico with many colourful forms 🇲🇽 Mexico and 5 more · Garden flower BlueminkAgeratum houstonianum A fluffy blue annual often grown in garden borders and balcony boxes 🇬🇹 Guatemala and 7 more · Wildflower FirecrackerbushBouvardia ternifolia A red-flowered shrub grown for its clusters of tubular blooms 🇲🇽 Mexico and 2 more · Flowering shrub Mandevilla A tropical vine with large trumpet-shaped blooms in vivid colours 🇧🇷 Brazil and 2 more · Climber Symphyotrichum A large group of North American asters with daisy-like flowers in many colours 🇺🇸 United States and 3 more · Wildflower BlanketflowerGaillardia A daisy-like wildflower with bold, blanket-patterned blooms 🇲🇽 Mexico and 2 more · Wildflower SaguaroCarnegiea gigantea The towering cactus of the Sonoran Desert with white flowers and red fruit 🇺🇸 United States and 1 more · Wildflower Dutchman's pipe cactusEpiphyllum oxypetalum A night-blooming cactus with large, fragrant white flowers 🇲🇽 Mexico and 7 more · Wildflower Cosmos Tall daisy-like flowers grown in gardens and meadows 🇺🇸 United States and 5 more · Wildflower Wood lilyLilium philadelphicum A red or orange wild lily native to North America’s prairies and forests 🇨🇦 Canada and 2 more · Wildflower Mexican flamevinePseudogynoxys chenopodioides A climbing vine with bright orange daisy-like flowers from Central and South America 🇲🇽 Mexico and 7 more · Climber Tecoma Shrubs or small trees with trumpet-shaped flowers from the Americas 🇺🇸 United States and 3 more · Flowering shrub Decoration Day of the DeadDía de (los) Muertos Mexico’s festival of remembrance with altars, marigolds, and sugar skulls 🇲🇽 Mexico · Custom, November Aztec marigoldTagetes erecta The golden-yellow flower of Mexican altars and Day of the Dead offerings 🇲🇽 Mexico and 6 more · Wildflower Crinum moorei A tall, fragrant lily from South Africa with white or pale pink blooms 🇿🇦 South Africa and 4 more · Wildflower Decoration Floral design The art of arranging flowers and plant materials into decorative displays 🇪🇬 Egypt and 7 more · Arrangement
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Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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