Types of Flowers

The types of flowers that mark our days and seasons come in many forms and colors.

Their power stems as much from their ability to relay an emotional thought as with their ability to promote healthy soils and beautiful landscapes.

The flowers in the slide show highlight the colorful native plant species explored throughout the flower guide.

Please click or tap the green tabs on the right and left sides of the box to change the picture.

Because diversity is a spice of life, the addition of select introduced plants and flowers nicely spices up any corner of the flower world.

In the United States, February marks the traditional start of native flower bloom time, especially in and around the southern areas such as California (Anza Borrego State Park), Florida and Texas.

Flower blooming time then moves north, continuing through the spring and summer, with blooms popping out of the ground along the plains, prairies, valleys and mountains from coast to coast. Come fall, mushrooms take center stage.

Botanists and gardening enthusiasts promote native plants typically, but not always, as low maintenance garden plants, in need of little extraordinary preparation or care. As such, native plants offer organic gardeners excellent flower choices.

Many of the flowers listed in the box make excellent garden flowers. They also add enjoyment to any walk or hike. Flowers from a few families such as orchids and carnivorous require specialized soil and generally grow as greenhouse specialities.

Currently the types of flowers listed get arranged according to themes, some by color, others by flower family. Flowering plant diversity in all areas of the United States means that under most circumstances, planning a native garden capable of supporting species from a dozen different flower families would fit in the comparatively low time investment category.

The video presents a condensed, three minute, look at the sights and sounds associated with a season of native flowers.

© 2009-11 Patricia A. Michaels