National Flower of United States of America

The rose was designated the official flower and floral emblem of the United States of America in 1986. The rose has been around for about 35 million years and grows naturally throughout North America. The petals and rose hips are edible and have been used in medicines since ancient times.

Rose hips (the fruit of the rose which forms at base of the flower) are a nutritional treasure chest - rich in vitamins (C, E, and K), pectin, beta-carotene, and bio-flavinoids. These elements produce a strong antioxidant effect which protects and enhances the immune system. Rose hips improve blood cholesterol and pressure, digestive efficiency, and weight management (and are also a special winter treat for birds and wild animals).

Roses are red, pink, white, or yellow and can have a wonderfully rich, almost intoxicating aroma. The rose is a symbol of love and beauty (as well as war and politics) the world over. Each of the 50 states has also adopted an official state flower (see state flowers list), including the rose in New York, the Oklahoma rose in Oklahoma, Cherokee rose in Georgia, and the wild prairie rose in Iowa and North Dakota).

The term rose is applied to numerous shrubs and vines in the genus Rosa. They come in a variety of colors, have a fragrant scent and thorns on their stems. The rose has been favored by many everywhere. The edible petals have been added to salads and used in medicines since the times of antiquity. It was sacred to Aphrodite. It is the national flower of the United States. It is the official flower of New York State. The wild rose is the Iowa State flower and the prairie rose the state flower of North Dakota. The American Beauty is the flower of the District of Columbia. The rose is also the emblem of England. Two of the most famous roses are the white rose that served as the emblem for the house of York and the red rose for the house of Lancaster in the Wars of the Roses. Americans have always loved the flowers with which God decorates our land. More often than any other flower, we hold the rose dear as the symbol of life and love and devotion, of beauty and eternity. For the love of man and woman, for the love of mankind and God, for the love of country, Americans who would speak the language of the heart do so with a rose.

We see proofs of this everywhere. The study of fossils reveals that the rose has existed in America for age upon age. We have always cultivated roses in our gardens. Our first President, George Washington, bred roses, and a variety he named after his mother is still grown today. The White House itself boasts a beautiful Rose Garden. We grow roses in all our fifty States. We find roses throughout our art, music, and literature. We decorate our celebrations and parades with roses. Most of all, we present roses to those we love, and we lavish them on our altars, our civil shrines, and the final resting places of our honored dead.

The American people have long held a special place in their hearts for roses. Let us continue to cherish them, to honor the love and devotion they represent, and to bestow them on all we love just as God has bestowed them on us.

National Flower of all the Countries

•    Antigua & Barbuda - Dagger’s Log, Agave Karatto Miller  Agave karatto
•    Argentina - Ceibo Erythrina crista-galli adopted on December 2, 1942
•    Austria - Edelweiss  Leontopodium alpinum
•    Australia - Golden Wattle Acacia pycnantha
•    Bahamas - Yellow Elder, or Yellow Cedar  Tecoma stans
•    Balearic Islands - Carnation
•    Bangla Desh - Water Lily ‘Shapla’ Nymehaea nouchali adopted in 1971
•    Barbados -Pride of Barbados also known as Dwarf Poinciana & Flower Fence Poinciana pulcherrima
•    Belarus - Flax
•    Belgium - Red Poppy
•    Belize - Black Orchid
•    Bermuda - Blue-eyed Grass
•    Bhutan—blue poppy?
•    Bohemia - Thyme
•    Bolivia - Kantuta
•    Brazil - Cattleya Orchid
•    British Columbia - Dogwood Tree Flower Cornus Nuttalli
•    Bulgaria - Rose Rosa
•    Canada - Maple Leaf
•    Cayman Islands—Wild Banana Orchid  Schomburgkia thomsoniana
•    Chile - Copihue/Chilean Bellflower Lapageria rosea
•    China - Plum Blossom Prunus Mei
•    Columbia - Christmas orchid  (Cattleya trianae
•    Costa Rica - Guaria Morada (purple orchid) cattleya skinneri adopted on June 15, 1939
•    Cuba - Butterfly Jasmine Mariposa
•    Cyprus - Rose Rosa
•    Czechoslovakia - Rose Rosa
•    Denmark - Marguerite Daisy
•    District of Columbia - American Beauty Rose Rosa
•    Dominica—The bwa kwaib, or Carib tree Sabinea carinalis adopted as the national tree in 1978
•    Egypt - Lotus Nymphaea lotus
•    England - Rose Rosa
•    Equador - White Nun Orchid
•    Estonia - Corn-flower or Bachelor’s Button Centaurea cyanus adopted on June 23, 1988
•    Ethiopia - Calla Lily
•    France - Iris
•    French Polynesia -The Tiare  Gardenia taitensis
•    Finland - Lily-of-the-valley Convallaria majalis
•    Germany - Centaurea/Knapweed
•    Greece - Bear’s breech
•    Greenland - Willow Herb
•    Guam?Puti Tai Nobiu Bougainvillea spectabilis
•    Guatemala - White Nun Orchid Lycaste skinneri alba
•    Guyana - Water Lily  Victoria regia
•    Holland - Tulip
•    Honduras - Orchid Brassavola digbiana adopted on January 12, 1946. The rose was the national flower from 1946-1969
•    Hong Kong - Orchid Bauhinia blakeana
•    Hungary - Tulip
•    India - Lotus Nelumbo nucifera
•    Indonesia - adopted 3 national flowers on June 5, 1990 to mark the World Environment Day:

1)     Melati (Jasmine) (Jasminum sambac
2)    Moon Orchid Phalaenopsis amabilis also known as the anggrek bulan
3)    Rafflesia Rafflesia arnoldi

•    Iran - Red Rose
•    Iraq - Rose Rosa
•    Ireland - Shamrock
•    Jamaica - Tree of Life, Brazil wood or lignum vitae Guaiacum sanctum
•    Japan - Chrysanthemum (imperial) , Cherry Blossom Sakura
•    Jordan - Black Iris  Iris nigricans
•    Korea - Rose of Sharon
•    Laos - Rice
•    Latvia - Oxeye Daisy or pipene,  Leucanthemum vulgare, earlier known as Chrysanthemum leucanthemum
•    Liberia - Pepper
•    Libya - Pomegranate blossom
•    Lithuania - Rue (Ruta graveolens)
•    Luxembourg - Rose
•    Madagascar - Poinciana or Flamboyant Delonix regia
•    Maldives - Pink Rose
•    Malta - The Maltese Centaury  Paleocyanus crasifoleus) adopted in the early 1970s
•    Malaysia - Hibiscus  Hibiscus rosa sinensis, locally known asBunga Raya
•    Marianas—Plumeria Plumeria acuminata, locally known asflores mayo, adopted on March 13, 1979
•    Mexico - Dahlia
•    Monaco - Carnation
•    Nepal - Rhododendron Rhododendron arboreum , locally known as Lali Guras
•    Netherlands - Tulip Tulipa
•    New Zealand - Kowhai Sophora microphylla
•    Nicaragua - Sacuanjoche Plumería rubra acutifolia
•    N.Korea - Azalea (Jindallae)
•    Northern - Ireland Flax
•    Norway - Purple Heather Calluna vulgaris
•    Pakistan - Jasmine
•    Panama - Dove Orchid Peristeria elata
•    Paraguay - Jasmine-of-the-Paraguay
•    Peru - Kantuta, Inca magic flower
•    Philippines - Sampaguita Jasminum sambac, adopted on February 1, 1934
•    Poland - Corn Poppy
•    Portugal - Lavender
•    Puerto Rico - Puerto Rican Hibiscus Flor de maga
•    Republic of Molossia - Common Sagebrush Artemisia tridentata
•    Romania - Dog rose
•    Russia - Camomille
•    San Marino - Cyclamen
•    Scotland - Thistle
•    Seychelles - Tropicbird Orchid
•    Sicily - Carnation
•    Singapore - Vanda Miss Joaquim Orchid a hybrid orchid between Vanda teres & Vanda hookeriana,adopted onApril 15, 1981
•    Slovakia - Rose Rosa
•    Slovenia - Carnation
•    Sri Lanka - Nil Mahanel (Water Lily) Nympheae Stellata,adopted on Feb. 26, 1986
•    S. Africa - Protea  Protea cynaroides
•    S. Korea - Moogoonghwa (Rose of Sharon) Hibiscus syriacus
•    Soviet Union - Carnation (hvozdyka)
•    Sweden - Linnea  Linnea Borealis
•    Switzerland - Edelweiss  Leontopodium alpinum
•    Tahiti - Gardenia Taitensis
•    Taiwan (Republic of China) - Plum blossom Prunus mei, adopted on July 21, 1964
•    The Cayman Islands - Wild Banana Orchid
•    Trinidad and Tobago - Chaconia also known as Pride of Trinidad & Tobago/Wild Poinsettia Warszewiczia coccinea
•    Tonga - Heilala
•    Turkey - Tulip Tulipa
•    Ukraine - Sunflower
•    United States of America - Rose Rosa
•    United Kingdom, England -Tudor rose
•    United Kingdom, Scotland - Thistle
•    United Kingdom, Wales - Leek
•    Uruguay - Ceibo Erythrina crista-galli
•    Venezuela - Orchid
•    Virgin Islands - Yellow Elder or Yellow Trumpet Tecoma stans adopted in 1934
•    Wales - Daffodil (National Symbol - Leek)
•    Yemen - Arabian coffee
•    Yugoslavia - Lily of the Valley

Many European countries do not have a national flower, for instance modern France, Spain and Italy.

STATE FLOWERS OF USA

•    Alabama - Camelia
•    Alaska - Forget Me No
•    Arizona - Saguaro Cactus
•    Arkansas - Apple Blossom
•    Carlifornia - Golden Poppy
•    Colorado - Columbine
•    Connecticut - Mountain Laurel
•    Delaware - Peach Blossom
•    Florida - Orange Blossom
•    Georgia - Cherokee Rose
•    Hawaii - Yellow Hibiscus
•    Idaho - Syringa
•    Illinois - Native Violet
•    Indiana - Peony
•    Iowa - Wild Rose
•    Kansas - Sunflower
•    Kentucky - Goldenrod
•    Louisiana - Magnolia
•    Maine - White Pine Cone
•    Maryland - Black Eyed Susan
•    Massachusetts - May flower
•    Michigan - Apple Blossom
•    Minnesota - Lady Slipper
•    Mississippi - Magnolia
•    Missouri - Hawthorn
•    Montana - Bitteroot
•    Nebraska - Goldenrod
•    Nevada - Sagebrush
•    New Hampshire - Purple Lilac
•    New Jersey - Purple Violet
•    New Mexico - Yucca
•    New York - Rose
•    North Carolina - Dogwood
•    North Dakota - Wild Prairie Rose
•    Ohio - Scarlet Carnation
•    Oklahoma - Mistletoe
•    Oregon - Oregon Grape
•    Pennsylvania - Mountain Laurel
•    Rhode Island - Violet
•    South Carolina - Yellow Jessamine
•    South Dakota - Pasque Flower
•    Tennessee - Iris
•    Texas - Blue Bonnet
•    Utah - Sego Lily
•    Vermont - Red Clover
•    Virginia - Dogwood
•    Washington - Rhododendron
•    West Virginia - Big Rhododendran
•    Wisconsin - Wood Violet
•    Wyoming - Indian Paintbrush

Embrace Your Soul With Flowers

Be nice to yourself and indulge in one of nature’s awesome creations. It’s true we don’t actually NEED flowers in our daily schedules BUT since when did humans stick to what they needed!

Giving a gift of flowers is always a thoughtful, if not provocative, experience and is a gift that is definitely not about money. A large bouquet from the local florist will no doubt be beautiful and well worth the cash it costs. And equally, the small bouquet of wildflowers lovingly collected by an adored one will bring joy into your life.

Sprays of dried flowers and grasses can make beautiful displays in your home over holiday seasons, or why not everyday?

Flowers are pressed into scrapbooks and journals. They are also pressed for their scent and many perfumes are flower-based. Oils are extracted for natural remedies and cosmetic applications.

Flower preparations can be time-consuming to produce and therefore often expensive to the consumer. The absolute best way round this is to go directly to the source and Grow your own!

It doesn’t matter what month it is or what the weather’s playing at. You can still plan your flower garden. The choice of flowers, plants and herbs available is so extraordinary, you may as well start planning straight away!

Your flower garden can include all kinds of practical plants as well as looking gorgeous…

Herbs attract the nice guys in the bug world which in turn helps rid your flower bed of the pests! Thyme flowers are so delicate and beautiful they really shouldn’t be allowed!

Edible flowers include marigolds, nasturtiums and even some roses. NB: double check on edible -ility before you pop a plant in your mouth!

Decide on themes, colours, scents and set about choosing your favourite blooms. A beautiful flower display takes a lot of careful planning - or alternatively you could buy a wildflower mix and scatter the seed randomly. Nature is often it’s own favourite artist!

If you’re still not convinced, browse through a few gardening catalogues. Wake up and smell the flowers - you won’t remember how you lived without them!