Flower news
DiscoveriesUW-River Falls professor discovers new orchid species in PalauIn bloomSeeds for spring blooms are available for freeFloristryThis Family-Owned Florida Florist Is Celebrating 50 Years—Here’s The Secret To Their Blooming SuccessGardensFalling glass and ‘decapitated’ plants: the race to protect Edinburgh botanic garden’s plantsGardensHow to create a vibrant cutting gardenIn bloomColorful wildflowers bloom across Chile's Atacama DesertIn bloomColorful wildflowers bloom across Chile's Atacama Desert in wake of 'super' El NiñoFloristryHoltschlag Florist and Frericks Gardens mergeGardensNew York Botanical Garden event explores how crop diversity could shape the future of foodGardensNew York Botanical Garden event explores how crop diversity could shape the future of foodDiscoveriesUW-River Falls professor discovers new orchid species in PalauIn bloomSeeds for spring blooms are available for freeFloristryThis Family-Owned Florida Florist Is Celebrating 50 Years—Here’s The Secret To Their Blooming SuccessGardensFalling glass and ‘decapitated’ plants: the race to protect Edinburgh botanic garden’s plantsGardensHow to create a vibrant cutting gardenIn bloomColorful wildflowers bloom across Chile's Atacama DesertIn bloomColorful wildflowers bloom across Chile's Atacama Desert in wake of 'super' El NiñoFloristryHoltschlag Florist and Frericks Gardens mergeGardensNew York Botanical Garden event explores how crop diversity could shape the future of foodGardensNew York Botanical Garden event explores how crop diversity could shape the future of food
Phool

🇺🇸 The flowers of the United States

330 pages from the United States: its flowers, the things made with them and the places to see them, across 60 cities and regions.

The United States is home to about 17,000 native species of flowering plants, making its flora among the richest in the temperate world. Its plant life ranges from arctic tundra to tropical forests, deserts, and rainforests. The country is known for flowering dogwood, redbud, magnolia, and mountain laurel, among others.

  • About 17,000 native flowering plant species grow in the U.S.
  • The flora ranges from arctic tundra to tropical rainforest and desert.
  • Flowering dogwood and southern magnolia are famous U.S. natives.
  • Thousands of native plants are rare, threatened, or endangered.
  • Blueberries and cranberries originated in the United States.

The plant life of the United States

Plant life in the United States is shaped by a wide range of climates and landscapes, from the arctic regions of Alaska to the tropical areas of Florida and Hawaii. The country’s flora is extremely diverse, with about 17,000 native vascular plant species and thousands more non-native plants now established. The U.S. supports rainforests, deserts, alpine meadows, and temperate forests, making it one of the most botanically varied temperate countries globally. Its native plants include many ornamentals and important crops.

From region to region in the United States

Flora changes dramatically across the United States. The arctic north of Alaska, tropical southern Florida and Hawaii, and the varied mountains and plains each have their own characteristic plants. Coastal areas face three different oceans, while deserts, rainforests, and alpine zones add to the diversity. The country is divided into several floristic regions and provinces, each with unique species and levels of endemism.

Flowers to know in the United States

Several flowering plants from the U.S. are now grown worldwide as ornamentals, such as flowering dogwood, redbud, mountain laurel, southern magnolia, and bald cypress. The country is also the original home of food plants like blueberries, cranberries, black raspberries, and pecans. Some species, like Franklinia alatamaha, are extinct or possibly extinct in the wild, while thousands more are considered rare or threatened.

How flowers are used in the United States

Many U.S. native plants are cultivated for gardens and landscaping, especially flowering trees and shrubs. The flora has also contributed important food crops, including berries, nuts, and maple syrup. Timber trees like Monterey pine are significant as well. Traditional uses and customs are not detailed in the source.

Threats and protection in the United States

Extinction and endangerment affect many native U.S. plants. Some, like Franklinia alatamaha, are extinct or missing from the wild. Thousands of other species are listed as rare, threatened, or endangered, either across their whole range or in particular states. Conservation efforts and reserves are implied but not described in detail.

Where this page comes from

The facts in this overview come from the Wikipedia article "Flora of the United States", 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 the United States

All 20
🇺🇸 Honolulu · All yearMake a lei in HonoluluLearn to string a Hawaiian flower lei, and see the lei stands of Chinatown. 🇺🇸 Los Angeles · All yearThe Los Angeles Flower District at dawnSeveral blocks of wholesale flower halls in downtown Los Angeles, open to the public and busiest before sunrise. 🇺🇸 New York City · All yearThe flower block on West 28th StreetA single Manhattan block where wholesale florists put trees, branches and buckets of flowers out on the pavement each morning. 🇺🇸 Kennett Square · All yearLongwood Gardens and its conservatoryThe former du Pont estate in Pennsylvania, with a vast glass conservatory, fountains and flower displays in every season. 🇺🇸 New York City · Feb to OctThe New York Botanical Garden in the BronxA 250-acre garden with a Victorian-style glasshouse, a late winter orchid show, an azalea hillside and a large rose garden. 🇺🇸 San Marino · Jan to DecThe Huntington's rose, camellia and desert gardensA library and art estate near Pasadena with more than a dozen themed gardens, strongest in winter and spring.

Cities and regions of the United States

California 13Hawaii 10Texas 6Arizona 5New Mexico 5New York City 5Portland 5Alabama 4Chicago 4Louisiana 4North Carolina 4Oregon 4Philadelphia 4Tennessee 4Washington, D.C. 4Alaska 3Florida 3Oklahoma 3Rochester 3San Francisco 3Utah 3Washington 3Berkeley 2Boston 2Colorado 2Columbus 2Connecticut 2Encinitas 2Everglades 2Hamakua 2Holland 2Honolulu 2Indiana 2Kauaʻi 2Kauai 2Kentucky 2Mackinac Island 2Macon 2Maui 2Miami 2Miami-Dade County 2Missouri 2New Hampshire 2North Dakota 2Ohio 2Pasadena 2Salt Lake City 2Tucson 2Virginia 2Wyoming 2Airlie Gardens 1Aleutian Islands 1Altamaha River valley 1Anchorage 1Antelope Valley 1Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve 1Anza-Borrego Park 1Appalachian Mountains 1Arcadia 1Arkansas 1
ShowFlowersDecorationsPlaces
ColourRedPinkOrangeYellowWhiteCreamBluePurpleGreenMaroonMany-coloured
In flowerSpringSummerMonsoonAutumnWinter
PeachPrunus persica A flowering fruit tree from China, grown for its pink blossoms and sweet fruit 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Flowering tree AlmondPrunus amygdalus A Mediterranean tree grown for its fragrant spring flowers and edible seeds 🇮🇷 Iran and 6 more · Flowering tree YarrowAchillea millefolium A wild, fern-leaved plant with flat clusters of white or pink flowers and a spicy scent 🇨🇳 China and 6 more · Wildflower RapeseedBrassica napus A yellow-flowered crop grown for its oil-rich seeds and protein meal 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Wildflower Rhododendron A vast group of shrubs and trees with showy blooms in many colours 🇳🇵 Nepal and 4 more · Wildflower Black locustRobinia pseudoacacia A tall, fragrant-flowered tree native to eastern North America 🇺🇸 United States and 7 more · Flowering tree Indian fig opuntiaOpuntia ficus-indica A large, spiny cactus grown for its sweet fruit and edible pads 🇲🇽 Mexico and 7 more · Wildflower LantanaLantana camara A colourful shrub with clusters of small, changing flowers 🇧🇷 Brazil and 9 more · Flowering shrub Marsh-marigoldCaltha palustris A bright yellow wildflower of marshes and wet woodlands in cool climates 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Wildflower Decoration The Daffodil Festival Pierce County’s spring parade and daffodil celebration since 1934 🇺🇸 United States · Parade or display, Mar to Apr Place Morton Arboretum A vast tree-focused botanical garden and outdoor museum near Chicago Chicago, 🇺🇸 United States · Botanical garden Place Missouri Botanical Garden A historic botanical garden and research center in St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis, 🇺🇸 United States · Botanical garden Place San Antonio Botanical Garden A 41-acre botanical garden on one of San Antonio’s highest points San Antonio, 🇺🇸 United States · Botanical garden Place Crested Butte A mountain town famed for wildflowers and outdoor festivals in Colorado Gunnison County, 🇺🇸 United States · Flower garden Decoration International Cherry Blossom Festival A ten-day spring festival in Macon, Georgia celebrating blooming cherry trees 🇺🇸 United States · Parade or display, March Decoration May devotions to the Blessed Virgin Mary Month-long Catholic customs honouring Mary with flowers, altars, and processions 🇮🇹 Italy and 7 more · Custom, May Tulip treeLiriodendron tulipifera A towering North American tree with tulip-shaped yellow-green flowers 🇺🇸 United States and 1 more · Flowering tree Place Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens A historic glasshouse and botanical garden in Columbus, Ohio Columbus, 🇺🇸 United States · Botanical garden Place International Rose Test Garden Portland’s hillside rose garden with over 10,000 bushes and global test beds Portland, 🇺🇸 United States · Flower garden, Apr to Oct Place Longwood Gardens A vast public garden with formal displays, woodlands, and meadows in Pennsylvania Kennett Square, 🇺🇸 United States · Botanical garden Place Bellevue Botanical Garden A 53-acre public garden with themed plant collections in Bellevue, Washington Bellevue, 🇺🇸 United States · Botanical garden Place Holden Arboretum A vast botanical garden and arboretum in Kirtland, Ohio Kirtland, 🇺🇸 United States · Botanical garden Place Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden A 50-acre botanical garden with themed gardens and a conservatory near Richmond, Virginia Richmond, 🇺🇸 United States · Botanical garden Place Roan Mountain A high Appalachian massif known for rhododendrons and grassy summits Carter County, 🇺🇸 United States · Bloom site Place New Orleans Botanical Garden A public garden in City Park with themed plant collections and art deco features New Orleans, 🇺🇸 United States · Botanical garden Place Powell Gardens A 970-acre botanical garden near Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City, 🇺🇸 United States · Botanical garden Place Ladew Topiary Gardens A topiary garden estate with themed rooms in Monkton, Maryland Monkton, 🇺🇸 United States · Botanical garden, Apr to Oct Oxeye DaisyLeucanthemum vulgare A white-petalled wildflower of meadows, now found across much of the world 🇱🇻 Latvia and 6 more · Wildflower California poppyEschscholzia californica The golden-orange wildflower and state flower of California 🇺🇸 United States and 6 more · Wildflower Moutan peonyPaeonia × suffruticosa The woody peony of China with large, showy spring flowers 🇨🇳 China and 4 more · Flowering shrub Decoration National Cherry Blossom Festival全米桜祭り Spring festival in Washington, D.C. celebrating Japanese cherry trees and friendship 🇺🇸 United States and 1 more · Parade or display, Mar to Apr Place Anza-Borrego Desert State Park California’s largest state park, famous for spring wildflower blooms and desert landscapes Borrego Springs, 🇺🇸 United States · Bloom site Trillium Woodland wildflowers with three-petalled blooms and whorled bracts 🇺🇸 United States and 4 more · Wildflower Place Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve A state reserve in California known for its spring poppy bloom Lancaster, 🇺🇸 United States · Bloom site, Feb to May Scarlet giliaIpomopsis aggregata A red, trumpet-flowered wildflower of western North American mountains 🇺🇸 United States and 2 more · Wildflower Wild daffodilNarcissus pseudonarcissus A pale yellow spring flower and the national emblem of Wales 🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 9 more · Wildflower Mountain laurelKalmia latifolia Evergreen shrub with pink or white star-shaped blooms from eastern North America 🇺🇸 United States · Wildflower Catawba rosebayRhododendron catawbiense A spring-flowering rhododendron native to the southern Appalachian Mountains 🇺🇸 United States · Wildflower Eastern redbudCercis canadensis A North American tree with magenta-pink spring flowers and heart-shaped leaves 🇺🇸 United States and 1 more · Flowering tree Heuchera Evergreen perennials with colorful leaves and delicate spring flowers 🇺🇸 United States and 2 more · Wildflower Hepatica A woodland perennial with three-lobed leaves and early spring flowers 🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Wildflower Protea neriifolia A South African shrub with cone-shaped flower heads and hairy-tipped bracts 🇿🇦 South Africa and 3 more · Wildflower Giant blue irisIris giganticaerulea Tall blue-flowered iris native to the wetlands of the southern United States 🇺🇸 United States · Wildflower Wyoming paintbrushCastilleja linariifolia The tall, red-tipped wildflower that is Wyoming’s state flower 🇺🇸 United States and 1 more · Wildflower Red columbineAquilegia canadensis A woodland wildflower with red and yellow nodding blooms from eastern North America 🇨🇦 Canada and 1 more · Wildflower Pacific dogwoodCornus nuttallii White-bracted tree native to the forests of western North America 🇺🇸 United States · Flowering tree Chaparral yuccaHesperoyucca whipplei A tall, spiky-leaved plant with dramatic white flower spikes from dry slopes 🇺🇸 United States and 1 more · Wildflower MagaThespesia grandiflora Puerto Rico’s national flower, a red or pink five-petalled tree bloom 🇵🇷 Puerto Rico and 2 more · Flowering tree
More

Photo credits on this page

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

The weekly bunch

Every Monday: what is in bloom, the flower festivals of the week, seven flowers you may not know and one tradition explained.