Other traditions flower traditions
Shinto, Taoist, Zoroastrian, folk and ancestral traditions.
JasmineJasminum
A group of fragrant shrubs and vines with white or yellow star-shaped flowers
🇵🇰 Pakistan and 7 more · Wildflower
Sacred lotusNelumbo nucifera
The pink aquatic flower sacred in Asia and grown for food, worship and beauty
🇮🇳 India and 7 more · Water flower
HawthornCrataegus
A thorny shrub or tree with white or pink spring flowers and small edible fruits
🇮🇪 Ireland and 7 more · Wildflower
Bay laurelLaurus nobilis
Evergreen tree with aromatic leaves used as bay leaf in cooking
🇬🇷 Greece and 9 more · Flowering tree
HyacinthHyacinthus
A spring-blooming bulb with fragrant, colourful flower spikes
🇹🇷 Turkey and 7 more · Bulb flower
HollyIlex
Evergreen trees and shrubs with red berries, known for winter and Christmas use
Ilex · Wildflower
Decoration
Wreath
A ring-shaped decoration made from flowers, leaves, or other materials
🇬🇷 Greece and 7 more · Arrangement
Datura metelधतूरा
A shrubby plant with trumpet-shaped flowers, grown for ornament and tradition
🇮🇳 India and 4 more · Garden flower
Crown of thornsEuphorbia milii
A spiny flowering shrub with red, pink, or white bracts, native to Madagascar
🇲🇬 Madagascar and 5 more · Wildflower
Decoration
Ofrenda
A home altar with offerings for Día de los Muertos in Mexico
🇲🇽 Mexico · Offering or rite, November
Decoration
Kupala NightКупа́лле / Иван Купала / Івана Купала / Noc Kupały
Slavic midsummer festival with flower garlands, bonfires, and water rituals
🇧🇾 Belarus and 5 more · Custom, Jun to Jul
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
Nowruzنوروز
Spring New Year festival marked by fire, greenery, and festive gatherings
🇮🇷 Iran and 9 more · Custom, March
Decoration
Pohela Boishakhপহেলা বৈশাখ
Bengali New Year marked by processions, fairs, and flower-adorned gatherings
🇧🇩 Bangladesh and 1 more · Custom, April
Verbena
A genus of small, spiked flowers grown in gardens and linked to ancient rituals
Verbena · Wildflower
Decoration
Day of the DeadDía de (los) Muertos
Mexico’s festival of remembrance with altars, marigolds, and sugar skulls
🇲🇽 Mexico · Custom, November
Decoration
May Day Festival
A spring festival with flowers, greenery, maypoles and bonfires on the first of May
🇮🇪 Ireland and 5 more · Custom, May
Decoration
BeltaneBealtaine / Là Bealltainn / Boaltinn
The Gaelic May Day festival with bonfires and yellow flower decorations
🇮🇪 Ireland and 1 more · Custom, May
Decoration
MidsummerMidsommar
Europe’s summer solstice festival with bonfires, flowers and outdoor gatherings
🇸🇪 Sweden and 5 more · Custom, June
Decoration
Rose waterگلاب
Flavoured water made by steeping or distilling rose petals
🇮🇷 Iran and 2 more · Offering or rite
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Pohela Boishakh: Abidhasan00, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Day of the Dead: RubeHM, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- May Day Festival: Bryan Ledgard, CC BY 2.0, source
- Beltane: Stefan Schäfer, Lich, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Midsummer: Kora27, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Rose water: E4024, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Bay laurel: Forest and Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0 us, source
- Jasmine: HelenOnline, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Holly: Jürgen Howaldt, CC BY-SA 2.0 de, source
- Hawthorn: Nadiatalent, Public domain, source
- Hyacinth: The wub, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Wreath: Олександр Майоров, Майкл Ендрюс, Світлана Буланова, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Datura metel: Don McCulley, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Crown of thorns: Ezra Katz, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Sacred lotus: T.Voekler, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Ofrenda: Eneas de Troya, CC BY 2.0, source
- Kupala Night: Ivan Sokolov, Public domain, source
- Qingming Festival: Jacklee ., CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Nowruz: Katzenfee50, CC0, source
- Verbena: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, source