Buddhist flower traditions
The lotus, flower offerings at shrines, and blossoms of the Buddha's life.
Sacred lotusNelumbo nucifera
The pink aquatic flower sacred in Asia and grown for food, worship and beauty
🇮🇳 India and 7 more · Water flower
Hydrangea
Flowering shrubs with large heads that change color with soil pH
🇯🇵 Japan and 2 more · Flowering shrub
BaelAegle marmelos
A spiny tree with fragrant yellow-green flowers and hard-shelled aromatic fruit
🇮🇳 India and 6 more · Flowering tree
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
Decoration
Ikebana華道
The Japanese art of arranging flowers with form and meaning
🇯🇵 Japan · Arrangement
Decoration
Rikka立花
A formal Japanese ikebana style with upright, symbolic floral arrangements
Arrangement
Decoration
Pūjā in Buddhism𑀧𑀽𑀚𑀸
A ritual offering and devotional act in Buddhist practice
🇮🇳 India and 3 more · Offering or rite
Decoration
Saga Goryū嵯峨御流
A Japanese school of ikebana rooted in Buddhist tradition
🇯🇵 Japan and 1 more · Arrangement
Decoration
Banmi Shofu-ryū晩美生風流
A modern school of Japanese Ikebana known for its use of driftwood
🇯🇵 Japan and 2 more · Arrangement
Decoration
Ikenobō池坊
Japan’s oldest and most influential school of ikebana flower arranging
🇯🇵 Japan · Arrangement
Decoration
Penjing盆景
The Chinese art of shaping miniature trees and landscapes in trays
🇨🇳 China · Art or design
Decoration
History of flower arrangement
How arranging flowers became an art across cultures and centuries
🇪🇬 Egypt and 3 more · Arrangement
Decoration
Korean flower arrangement
Arranging Korean flowers and branches in simple ceramic vessels
Arrangement
Pygmy waterlilyNymphaea tetragona
A small white waterlily found in calm waters across the northern hemisphere
🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Wildflower
MahuaMadhuca longifolia
A tropical tree with sweet edible flowers and oil-rich seeds
🇮🇳 India and 4 more · Flowering tree
Decoration
Phuang malaiพวงมาลัย
Thai floral garlands made for offerings, gifts, and ceremonies
🇹🇭 Thailand · Garland or wreath
Datura metelधतूरा
A shrubby plant with trumpet-shaped flowers, grown for ornament and tradition
🇮🇳 India and 4 more · Garden flower
Ceylon ironwoodMesua ferrea
A slow-growing tree with drooping red leaves and large white scented blooms
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka and 6 more · Flowering tree
Decoration
Toran
A festive hanging of flowers and leaves for Hindu doorways and celebrations
🇮🇳 India · Garland or wreath
Arabian jasmineJasminum sambac
A small white jasmine with a strong, sweet scent, treasured in Asia for garlands and ceremonies
🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Flowering shrub
Prunus itosakura糸桜
A long-lived wild cherry of Japan with clouds of pale flowers before the leaves
🇯🇵 Japan and 1 more · Wildflower
Decoration
Loy Krathongลอยกระทง
The Thai festival of floating candle-lit baskets on water
🇹🇭 Thailand and 7 more · Custom, November
Decoration
Songkranสงกรานต์
The Thai New Year marked by water rituals and festive gatherings in April
🇹🇭 Thailand · Custom, April
Decoration
Vesak
The Buddhist festival marking the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and passing
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka and 7 more · Custom, Apr to Jun
Decoration
Buddha's Birthday佛诞
A festival marking the birth of Gautama Buddha, celebrated across Asia in spring
🇮🇳 India and 3 more · Custom, Apr to May
Decoration
Flower Sermon拈花微笑
A Zen Buddhist story of silent teaching with a single flower
Custom
Decoration
Lotus throneपद्मासन
A stylized lotus flower base for divine figures in Indian and Asian art
🇮🇳 India · Offering or rite
Lycoris
Bulb flowers of Asia, known for their bright blooms and leafless stems
🇨🇳 China and 6 more · Wildflower
Decoration
Kalashकलश
A metal pot with coconut and mango leaves used in Indian religious rituals
🇮🇳 India · Offering or rite
Decoration
Kalamkariవ్రాత పని
Hand-painted and block-printed cottons from Andhra Pradesh using natural dyes
🇮🇳 India · Art or design
Decoration
Mother's Day
A day to honor mothers and motherhood around the world
🇺🇸 United States and 6 more · Custom
Decoration
Qingming Festival清明节
The Chinese spring festival for honoring ancestors with tomb sweeping and offerings
🇨🇳 China and 7 more · Custom, April
Decoration
Bouquet
A creative arrangement of flowers, given or displayed for many occasions
🇨🇳 China and 1 more · Arrangement
Decoration
Double Ninth Festival重陽節
A day for mountain walks, chrysanthemums, and honoring ancestors in East Asia
🇨🇳 China and 5 more · Custom, Sep to Oct
Decoration
Garland
A string or braid of flowers, leaves, or other materials for decoration or ceremony
🇮🇳 India and 3 more · Garland or wreath
Decoration
Ashtamangalaअष्टमङ्गल
A sacred set of eight auspicious symbols in Indian religions
🇮🇳 India and 1 more · Art or design
Decoration
TếtTết Nguyên Đán
Vietnam's spring new year festival with flowers, family, and lucky customs
🇻🇳 Vietnam · Custom, Jan to Feb
Decoration
Attarअत्तर, عطر
Traditional natural perfume oil distilled from flowers, herbs, and spices
🇮🇳 India and 2 more · Flower craft
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Bouquet: James Vick's Sons (Rochester, N.Y.); Henry G. Gilbert Nursery and Seed, No restrictions, source
- Garland: No machine-readable author provided. Piotrus assumed (based on copyrig, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Ashtamangala: Redtigerxyz, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Tết: vi:Lưu Ly, Public domain, source
- Attar: Kerina yin, CC0, source
- Plumeria: Renesis, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Bael: Asit K. Ghosh Thaumaturgist, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Ikebana: Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Hydrangea: 3268zauber, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Rikka: Gryffindor, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Pūjā in Buddhism: Luca Galuzzi ( Lucag ), CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- Lotus: Peripitus, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Saga Goryū: coniferconifer, CC BY 2.0, source
- Banmi Shofu-ryū: GustavoReinoso7777, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Ikenobō: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Penjing: Peggy Greb, USDA, Public domain, source
- History of flower arrangement: Otto Scholderer, Public domain, source
- Pygmy waterlily: Hooker, William; Salisbury, R. A.; Shury, D. N., Public domain, source
- Mahua: Nvvchar, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Phuang malai: Deror Avi, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Datura metel: Don McCulley, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Ceylon ironwood: Anand Osuri, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Toran: Wmpearl, Public domain, source
- Arabian jasmine: Taken by Fanghong, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Prunus itosakura: Alpsdake, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Loy Krathong: John Shedrick, CC BY 2.0, source
- Songkran: ผู้สร้างสรรค์ผลงาน/ส่งข้อมูลเก็บในคลังข้อมูลเสรีวิกิมีเดียคอมมอนส์ - เ, CC BY 3.0, source
- Vesak: ผู้สร้างสรรค์ผลงาน/ส่งข้อมูลเก็บในคลังข้อมูลเสรีวิกิมีเดียคอมมอนส์ - เ, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Buddha's Birthday: User: (WT-shared) Manoj nav at wts wikivoyage, Public domain, source
- Flower Sermon: AlexVieites, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Lotus throne: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Lycoris: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Kalash: Redtigerxyz at English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0, source
- Kalamkari: Anilbhardwajnoida, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Sacred lotus: T.Voekler, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Mother's Day: Dave Parker, CC BY 2.0, source
- Qingming Festival: Jacklee ., CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Double Ninth Festival: Sgerbic, CC BY-SA 4.0, source