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Guide toNational Flowers

Here at Flying Flowers, we know that flowers are, quite simply, blooming gorgeous. I mean what’s not to love? They look fabulous and guaranteed to brighten your day. It’s where it all began for us, when some clever holidaymakers decided to send carnations home instead of postcards, the perfect way to deliver joy to doorsteps. It seems that our customers agree - we all deserve a little burst of happiness.

Our love affair with flowers is deeply rooted in our history. In the UK, each nation is represented by a national flower which have been chosen because of their links to our heritage – so much so they were included in the Coronation Emblem for King Charles III . It’s not just us here in the UK who are mad about our national flower, the rest of the world is at it too. There’s even a National Flower Day (it’s celebrated on 21st March just in case you wanted to know).

Jump on board and let us give you a whistlestop tour of the world with our guide to national flowers.

National Flowers of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland

British Grown Flowers

Celebrate the best of British with our blooms from our local growers, which create smiles from field to vase.

ENGLAND'S NATIONAL FLOWER

The Tudor Rose. This one was adopted after the civil war during King Henry VII’s reign and combines the red rose of Lancashire and the white rose of York (they were two big houses which raged a long battle for the throne). The national flower of England was created to symbolise peace between the houses.

Wales national flower

The Daffodil. Perhaps a nod to St David’s Day when this national flower is blooming in all its glory. Daffodil is also Welsh for ‘Cenninen Bedr’, which also translates as Peter’s Leek which is one of the other emblems of Wales.

Scotland's national flower

The Thistle. There are several legends about how this flower became Scotland's national flower but the most popular one comes from the battle of Largs. While invading the country, Norseman stepped on a thistle which caused them to scream in pain. Their noise woke the sleeping Scottish warriors and saved the country.

Ireland’s national flower

The Shamrock. Taken from their word ‘seamrog’ which means clover. It is said that Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, used the three leaves of the clover to represent the Holy Trinity: The Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost.

National Flowers of Europe

Germany's national Flower

The Cornflower. In Europe, a lot of the national flowers also link to historical events. This was chosen in the 1800s by Wilhelm I the Emperor of Prussia who simply liked the bloom. The cornflower became so significant in their culture that its colour became the main colour chosen for the uniforms worn by the Prussian army.

Netherlands national flower

The Tulip. After all, they are the biggest producers of this flower. But did you also know it is the national flower of Hungary? This came about during the Ottoman conquest when the tulip was brought to the country by the sultan. The symbol has stuck ever since.

Belgium & Poland NATIONAL FLOWER

The poppy. We’re not the only ones to link this flower to the battlefields. It is also the national flower of Poland and Belgium which came about because of the flower’s links to the war. Now, in the UK, we all recognise the red Poppy as a symbol of World War I and fallen soldiers.

France national flower

The Iris. The national flower of France has long been used to represent the French monarchy and their symbol, the Fleur-de-Lis. It is said the image was created as a stylised version of their national flower, the Iris. It has been said that the three petals of the flower represent wisdom, faith and chivalry.

National Flowers of Asia

Sometimes a national flower is chosen not from its links to events in the past, but simply because it represents the attitude and cultural heritage of the country. This is the case with the national flower of Singapore. In 1981 the Ministry of Culture wanted to select a flower that would create a sense of pride within the nation. After a lot of discussions, which looked at over 40 types of flowers, they chose an Orchid called Vanda Miss Joaquim for its resilience and year-round ability to flower.

Head inland and we find that the national flower of India is the Lotus. This bloom is sacred in their country and has long been tied to its heritage, history and culture. This isn’t the only country which links its flower to its culture. Over in Sri Lanka, the Blue Water Lily is linked to Buddhist tradition. It is said that when Buddha died these flowers appeared wherever he had walked during his life.

ff_lotus_queen_peony

INDIA'S NATIONAL FLOWER

The Lotus Flower

Phalenopsis-orchid-flowers

SINGAPORES NATIONAL FLOWER

The Orchid

blue-water-lily

SRI LANKA'S NATIONAL FLOWER

The Blue Water Lily

Mugunghwa

SOUTH KOREA'S NATIONAL FLOWER

The Mugunghwa

Going even further back in time we head to South Korea with their flower, the Mugunghwa. Also known as the Rose of Sharon, this one has been an important flower since around 108 BC when it was treasured as a blossom from heaven. Even today, this flower holds a deep affection in its culture for its resilience and ability to grow in the harshest of conditions. No wonder it has earned the meaning ‘eternal blossom that never fades.’

National Flowers of Africa

Sometimes a national flower is chosen because it is a flower that is native to the country. This is certainly the case for the national flower of Mauritius, the Ruizia Boutoniana (previously known as Trochetia Toutoniana). This incredibly rare flower can only be found in the wild growing in a specific location on the island. Thankfully cultivation of this plant by botanist Joseph Gueho in 1973 has helped keep this plant going.

Trochetia-Toutoniana

National flower of Mauritius

The Ruizia Boutoniana

Welwitschia-Mirabilis

National Flowers of Namibia

The Welwitschia Mirabilis

This next one is in fact a succulent and not a flower, again chosen as it is native to the country. Welwitschia Mirabilis was chosen for Namibia because the incredibly rare and endangered plant can only be found growing on one small stretch of land. The area runs between the Kuiseb River (which is in Namibia) to Mossamedes (which is in southern Angola).

National Flowers of North America

Saint Kitts & Nevis NATIONAL FLOWER

The Poinciana. Sometimes a national flower comes with a strange story attached to it. This is certainly the case for Saint Kitts and Nevis who chose the Poinciana. This one was named after Monsieur de Poincy, the first French Governor of St. Kitts who introduced this flower to the area. In fact, the flower is said to have originated in Madagascar which is why it is also their national flower.

Bermuda national flower

The Sisyrinchium Bermudiana. The national flower of Bermuda is the unusually named Sisyrinchium Bermudiana which is a small blue flower that grows among the grass. For a long time, it was thought to only grow on the island. That was until 1845 when it was discovered growing around Lough Erne and Lough Melvin in Ireland. No one is quite sure whether the flower is native to Ireland or Bermuda, but the people of Bermuda love it.

Cuba national Flower

The Butterfly Jasmine. This one is not native to Cuba, but instead originally came from India and was only introduced to Cuba in about the 1500s. It’s certainly made itself right at home because this flower has managed to spread right across the centre of the country covering everywhere it goes with its fabulous scent. It is also said that during the Cuban Wars of Independence, the cluster of flowers became a great place for hiding secret messages.

National Flowers of South America

National flowers in this region have been chosen by each country for entirely different reasons. In Argentina, they chose Ceibo as their national flower because of its importance to their culture. While in Colombia they chose the Cattleya Orchid because the blue, yellow and red colours of the flower are found in their flag. It also helps that the plant was named after a famous Colombian botanist, Jose Jeronimo Triana.

Ceibo

National flowers of Argentina

The Ceibo

Cattleya Orchid

National Flower of Columbia

The Cattleya Orchid

giant-lily

National Flower of Guyana

The Giant Water Lily

Orchid Cattleya Mossiae

National flower of Venezuela

The Orchid Cattleya Mossiae

When Guyana gained their independence in 1966, they chose the Giant Water Lily as their national flower. This is due to the fact the plant was first discovered in the Berbic region of Guyana. Whereas Venezuela decided on the Orchid Cattleya Mossiae because it represents the natural beauty of their country.

National Flowers of Oceania

Head south and we find quite a few countries sharing the same flowers. Take the beautiful Hibiscus for example, this one is the national flower of Micronesia, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Norfolk Island. While heading over to Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Palau, Tuvalu and the Northern Mariana Islands and you find they have adopted different varieties of Plumeria as their national flower.

Hibiscus

National Flower of Micronesia, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu & Norfolk Island The Hibiscus

The Hibiscus

Plumeria

National Flower of Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Palau, Tuvalu and the Northern Mariana The Plumeria

the Plumeria

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The National Flower of New Zealand and New Caledonia

The Kowhai

Golden Wattle

National Flower of Austrailia

The Golden Wattle

Over in New Zealand and New Caledonia and they share Kowhai as their national flower. Although technically not an official national flower for New Zealand, Kowhai has been adopted because of its strong links to Māori. They would use the plant to make yellow dye and for medicine.

Finishing off our world tour we look at Australia’s national flower, the Golden Wattle. This one is found growing across the country this tough plant can withstand droughts, winds and bushfires. It’s no wonder it has been chosen because it symbolises the unity and resilient spirit of Australians.

We hope you’ve enjoyed going on our flower tour of the globe. Although we don’t deliver internationally, you can still spread joy to every corner of the UK with our flower bouquets.

A Guide To All National Flowers

Continent Country National Flower
UK & ROI Scotland Thistle
Ireland Shamrock
Wales Daffodil
England Rose
ROI Shamrock
Europe Russia Camomile
Greece Bear’s Breech
Finland Lily of the Valley
Iceland Mountain Avens
Andorra Narcissus
Belarus Flax
Lithuania Rue
Malta Maltese Centaury
Montenegro Either Mimosa or Carnation
Norway Purple Heather
San Marino Lavender
Serbia Lily of the Valley
Sweden Twin Flower
Ukraine Sunflower
Germany Cornflower
Estonia Cornflower
Denmark Marguerite Daisy
Latvia Oxeye Daisy
France Iris
Croatia Iris Croatica
Spain Red Carnation
Slovenia Carnation
Monaco Red Carnation
Luxembourg Rose
Bulgaria Red Rose
Slovakia Rose
Czech Republic Rose
Moldova Dog Rose
Netherlands Tulip
Austria Edelweiss
Switzerland Edelweiss
Poland Corn Poppy
Albania Red Poppy
Belgium Red Poppy
North Macedonia Opium Poppy
Bosnia and Herzegovina Golden Lily
Italy White Lily
Liechtenstein Yellow Lily
Vatican City (Holy See) Easter Lily
Asia Armenia None
Uzbekistan Cotton Flower or Tulip
Thailand Golden Shower
Singapore Orchid
Sri Lanka Blue Water Lily
Tajikistan None
Bahrain Sunflower
China Plum Blossom
Israel Cyclamen Persicum
Japan Chrysanthemum
Jordan Black Iris
North Korea Magnolia
South korea Rose of Sharon
Laos Dok Champa
Lebanon None
Mongolia Scabiosa
Myanmar Padauk
Nepal Rhododendron
Philippines Sampaguita
Qatar Limonium
Azerbaijan Ophrys Caucasica
Bhutan Himalayan Blue Poppy
Cambodia Rumduol
Indonesia Melati Putih
Brunei Simpor
Kazakhstan Lily
UAE Tribulus Omanense
India Lotus
Malaysia Hibiscus
Timor-Leste Hibiscus
Iran red Rose
Bangladesh Water Lily
Kuwait Arfaj
Saudi Arabia Arfaj
Iraq Rose
Turkmenistan Red Rose
Maldives Pink Rose
Georgia Rose laevigata
Oman Rose laevigata
Pakistan Jasmine
Syria Jasmine
Turkey Tulip
Kyrgyzstan Tulip
Afghanistan Tulip
Africa Burkina Faso red rose
Morocco Rose
Sao Tome Porcelain Rose
Togo Rose
Rwanda Rose
CAR King Protea
Somalia King Protea
Niger Costus Spectabilis
Nigeria Costus Spectabilis
Senegal Baobab
Cabo Verde Gerbera Daisy
Chad Gerbera Daisy
Eritrea Gerbera Daisy
Benin none
Democratic Republic of Congo Protea
Republic of Congo None
Djibouti None
Equatorial Guinea None
Egypt Lotus
Sierra Leone None
Mali None
Eswatini Edelweiss
Ethiopia Calla lily
Gabon Delonix Regia
Gambia White Variety Orchid
Seychelles Tropicbird Orchid
Kenya None
Ghana Impala lily
Guinea-Bissau Veronica Djalonensis
Guinea none
Lesotho Spiral Aloe
Liberia Pepper Flower
Libya Pomegranate Blossom
Madagascar Poinciana
Mauritania Mauritanian Mallow
Mauritius Trochetia Boutoniana
Mozambique Maroon Bell Bean
Namibia Welwitschia Mirabilis
Algeria Iris
Angola Welwitschia
Botswana Kalhari Devil’s Claw
Burundi Bujumbura
Cameroon Red Stinkwood
Tanzania Syzygium Aromaticum
Comoros Ylang Ylang
South Sudan Hibiscus
Sudan Hibiscus
Tunisia Jasmine
Zambia Bougainvillea
Zimbabwe Gloriosa Superba
North America Antigua & Barbuda Daggers Log
Aruba Wangle
Anguilla White Cedar
Belize Black Orchid
Bahamas Yellow Elder
Barbados Pride of Barbados
Bermuda Sisyrinchium Bermudiana
British Virgin Islands White Cedar Flower
Cuba Butterfly Jasmine
Canada Maple Leaf
Costa Rica Purple Country Girl
Curaçao Kibrahacha Tree
Cayman Islands Wild Banana Orchid
Honduras Kibrahacha Blossom
Bonaire Orchid
Guatemala White Nun Orchid
Panama White orchid
Dominican republic Bayahibe Rose
Dominica Sabinea Carinalis
El Salvador Flor De Izote
Guadeloupe Hibiscus
Haiti Hibiscus
Grenada Bougainvillea
Greenland Niviarsiaq
Jamaica Lignum Vitae
Mexico Dahlia
Martinique None
Montserrat Red Heliconia
Nicaragua Sacuanjoche
Puerto Rico Flor de Maga
Saint Kitts & Nevis Poinciana
Saint Lucia Rose and Marguerite
Saint Barthélemy None
Saint Pierre and Miquelon None
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Soufriere Tree
Saint Eustatius Statis Morning Glory
Saba Black-eyed Susan
Trinidad & Tobago Chaconia
Turks & Caicos Islands Heather
United States Virgin Islands White Cedar
U.S.A Rose
South America Argentina Ceibo
Brazil Chrysostricha (Golden Trumpet Tree)
Bolivia Kantuta
Peru Kantutua
Chile Lapageria Rosea
Ecuador Chuquiraga
Falkland Islands The Pale Maiden
French Guiana None
Guyana Victoria Amazonica
Paraguay Mburucuya
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands None
Uruguay Erythrina Crista-Galli
Venezuela Orchid Cattleya Mossiae
Oceania Micronesia Ceibo
Micronesia Hibiscus
Solomon Islands Hibiscus
Vanuatu Hibiscus
Norfolk Island Hibiscus or Phreatia Limenophylax
Kiribati Plumeria Frangipanis
Marshal Islands Plumeria Frangipanis
Palau Plumeria
Tuvalu Plumeria
Northern Mariana Islands Plumeria
Samoa Tequila Torch Ginger
American Samoa Paogo (Ulafala) Pandanus Tectorius
Cook Islands Tiare Maori (Gardenia)
French Polynesia Tahitian Gardenia
New Zealand No official flower but Kowhai is widely regarded as their national flower
New Caledonia Kowhai
Niue Puakenikeni
Fiji Tagimaucia
Nauru Calophyllum
Papua New Guinea Dendrobium
Tonga Red blossomed Heilala
Christmas Island Hoya Aldrichii
Clipperton Island None
Guam Bougainvillea
Pitcairn Islands Abutilon Pitcairnense
Tokelau None
Wallis and Futuna Islands None