Author: Janice Cox

Janice Cox is a writer and expert on the topic of DIY Beauty and Gardening for Health and Wellness. She is the author of six best-selling books on the topic including Natural Beauty from the Garden and Beautiful Flowers. She is currently the beauty editor for Herb Quarterly Magazine and a frequent speaker at Botanical Gardens and Lifestyle events across the country. She is a member of The Herb Society of America, International Herb Association, United States Lavender Growers Association, Northwest Lavender Association, National Garden Bureau, and Garden Communicators International.

Get Out Your Gardening Gloves! Follow Our Spring Flower and Fruit Planting Guide Per Region

Spring is the season of renewal and celebration. The world is once again fragrant and green and full of beautiful flowers. Even the occasional rain shower is welcomed — after all, the plants and flowers need water to flourish.

From avid gardeners to people who just like to look at and smell flowers, nurturing a garden carries with it lots of benefits: It brings beauty into the world, can improve your mood, and even provides fresh flowers and food for your enjoyment.

This guide highlights the best plants for your growing region and provides tips on how to care for them.

planting guide with usda plant hardiness zone map

Get in the zone

First, take the time to “get to know your zone” when planting outside, says Renato Cruz Sogueco, vice president of digital strategy and education at BloomNet. If you don’t know your zone, simply ask at your local garden center or input your zip code on the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone website. You can also refer to the above map. Knowing your zone is the key to success, as it allows you to select plants that will thrive in your garden and are right for your location.

Zone information will also help you calculate your growing season, and identifies your first and last hard freeze dates. The period in between the freeze dates is your season. For example, in Philadelphia, garden zone 5B shows it is safe to plant between April 15 and Oct. 15.

Location, location, location

Another key to planting success is choosing the right location in your yard. Most flowers and fruit plants are easy to care for when placed in the optimal spot.Regardless of where you live, it is important to always read plant tags and descriptions. Most plants fail not from lack of care but from being placed in the wrong place in your yard. Plants meant for other growing zones should also not be purchased. If the information is not listed, a good rule of thumb is that most flowers and fruit plants require at least six hours of sunshine and good drainage.

Drainage is important, as very few plants like having their roots sitting in water. If you are planting in the ground, an easy test is to dig a hole and fill it with water. If it drains easily, it’s ready to plant in the ground. If it does not, you can either choose a different location or amend your soil with heavy bark or gravel.

For containers, you can drill extra drainage holes with a power drill or add a layer of small gravel to the bottom of your pot. Smaller planted pots can be moved indoors to decorate your home when in bloom.

Planting seeds and plants

As soon as late winter, you can start seeds and small plants indoors or prepare your garden plot for your growing season. Make sure to select seeds that are meant for your growing zone.

Also, when purchasing new plants, choose smaller-sized plants. This will save you time and energy not having to dig larger holes. And, with proper care, your plants will quickly grow and blossom.

Regional planting guide

Want to know what spring flowers and fruit plants to choose based on where you live? Here is a region-by-region listing of some of the more popular spring plants and fruit trees for you to consider, along with gardening tips.

Northeast planting guide

Flowers

When it comes to gorgeous spring blooms, the Northeast has some real showstoppers. Peonies, hellebores, cyclamen, and primroses can all be planted this time of year. Peonies are Ghitelman’s favorite spring flowers. “They come in many varieties and colors, and the scent of these beauties is simply mesmerizing,” she says. Peonies are easily made into beautiful bouquets because not only are their ruffled blooms gorgeous but their greenery is also attractive.

Flowering shrubs are another favorite. These plants have a spring flush, which occurs when flowers in a garden grow quickly and suddenly, giving it beauty and structure. They also re-bloom throughout the season.

planting guide with Classic Budding Rose — Classic Budding Rose

planting guide with Garden Hydrangea — Garden Hydrangea

planting guide pretty pink azalea — Pretty Pink Azalea

Azaleas, spirea, and hydrangeas are steady bloomers, and come in dwarf varieties that are perfect for containers and small space gardens.

Daisies are a popular choice for northeast gardens because they are easy to grow, bright and cheerful, and work well as borders or to fill in a garden space. They also bring life to a yard, attract wildlife and pollinators, and can be brought indoors for short periods if planted in small pots.

Flowers to plant: Peonies, dahlias, sunflowers, zinnias, bachelor buttons, roses, lavender, azaleas, hydrangeas, spirea, pansies, hellebores, primroses

Fruit

Flowering fruit trees, such as plum and cherry, are an easy and beautiful addition to your yard. The tree blossoms are a sure sign of spring and warmer days. Fresh fruit is also a healthy way to enjoy and share your garden with others.

Strawberry plants also are easily grown in the ground or containers. They love to spread and can cover a garden space in a season or two. Make sure to choose “everbearing” varieties so you will have berries well into summer.

Fruit to plant: Rhubarb, strawberries, blueberries, cherries, raspberries, apples, plums, pears

Southeast planting guide

Flowers

In the Southeast, spring is associated with the scent of its most popular and fragrant flowers. When you think of hyacinth bulbs, gardenias, climbing jasmine vines, and magnolia trees, you instantly picture southern gardens.

planting guide with Magnolia Tree — Magnolia Tree

Heavenly Hyacinth Bulbs in mesh container — Heavenly Hyacinth Bulbs

planting guide with Blooming Gardenia Plant in Basket — Blooming Gardenia Plant

Old-fashioned flowers, such as delphiniums, hollyhocks, snapdragons, and foxgloves, may not have the same aromatic allure, but their interesting shapes and beautiful colors make them popular choices to plant in the Southeast.

Flowers to plant: Flowering bulbs, gardenias, azaleas, bachelor buttons, poppies, lupine, cosmos, camellias, delphinium, hollyhock, snapdragon, foxgloves, begonia

Fruit

Citrus trees are a good addition to a yard or patio in the Southeast. Look for varieties that command higher prices and less availability in your local supermarket, such as kumquats, key limes, pink lemons, and seedless limes. Many of these fruit-bearing trees also come in dwarf varieties, making them ideal container plants and perfect for gift giving. Fruit shrubs, such as blueberries and kiwi fruits, can also be planted in the spring.

Midwest planting guide

Flowers

You can scatter wildflower seeds and start your sunflowers as early as spring in the Midwest. Growing plants and flowers from seed have been done for generations. A fun idea, and a great way to build community, are to host a “seed swap,” where everyone brings extra seeds they have at home and exchanges them with one another. This is also a good way to learn more about local plants.

planting guide with Gift Set Heirloom Seed Packets Herb Clippers and Organic Herbal Soap — Heirloom Seed Packet Gift Set

planting guide with Herb garden trio — Herb Garden Trio

Wildflowers dream bouquet — Wildflower Dreams Bouquet

Succession planting is a popular method that involves planting every two to three weeks to start a new crop of flowers for an ever-blooming garden. Bachelor buttons, cosmos, marigolds, sunflowers, and zinnias are all easy flowers to start from seed.

Flowers to plant: Sunflowers, wildflowers, zinnias, roses, poppies, snapdragons, bachelor buttons, cosmos, bee balm, lavender, marigolds, rosemary, calendula

Fruit

Spring plants, such as strawberries, blueberries, and fresh herbs, are popular choices in a Midwestern garden. For fresh fruit, apples, peaches, and pears grow well.

The best fruit: Apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, plums, strawberries, blueberries

Northwest planting guide

Flowers

The Pacific Northwest is a versatile region with a growing season from April to November.

planting guide Happy Daisy — Happy Daisy

planting guide with white azalea plant — White Azalea Plant

planting guide Lovely Lavender Rose — Lavish Lavender Rose

Many gardeners in the Northwest favor perennial plants and flowers for their ease of care; varieties such as daisies come back year after year and can fill a space quickly. They also attract birds, bees, and butterflies to your garden. Planting for pollinators is a hot trend right now, and you will find many of the most popular flowers in the Northwest are done so for this very reason.

Flowers to plant: Dahlias, bachelor buttons, borage, flowering bulbs, poppies, carnations, pansies, primroses, roses, hellebores, cyclamen, lilac, azalea, rhododendron

Fruit

Everyone has their favorite berry, and spring is the time to plant them. Make sure to read the plant labels as some varieties can quickly spread out and cover a space.

People often plant blackberries and raspberries along their borders or to cover a fence. Fruit trees are also a nice addition to your yard. If you have limited space, look for trees that have been grafted with a few different varieties. This is an emerging trend where you can grow two different types of fruit on the same tree!

If you are planning an urban garden, look for fruit plants that do well in small spaces or containers.

Fruit to plant: Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, apples, pears

Southwest

Flowers

Many gardeners in the Southwest have to start planting their fruit and flowers early in the spring due to the hot summer temperatures. Planting in the spring gives the plants time to get established and develop strong root systems.

planting guide Sending Sunshine Yellow Rose — Sending Sunshine Yellow Rose

planting guide with Honey Bee Farms Daisy — Honey Bee Farms Daisy

Planting bright flowers, such as angelonia, cosmos, and zinnias, is recommended. All of these thrive in full sun and hot temperatures, and will also attract pollinators to your yard.

“The key to growing flowers in the Southwest is to start your seeds early,” says Callie Works-Leary, founder of the Dallas Garden School. She loves planting marigolds, cape daisies, sunflowers, and gomphrena in her Texas garden.

Flowers to plant: Angelonia, cosmos, zinnias, gomphrena, sunflowers, daisies, marigolds, lavender, salvia, sweet peas, roses, rosemary

Fruit

The Southwest region, with its high temperatures and desert-type climate, is a bit of a challenge when it comes to growing fruit trees. Many types of fruit trees need an extended period of cold to produce fruit, called “chill hours,” so be sure to select ones that can survive without a long stretch of cold weather. Many citruses, avocado, and stone fruits successfully grow in this region. The key is to get new plants in the springtime so they can get established before the hot summer growing season.

Fruit to plant: Citrus, avocado, apricots, peaches, nectarines

13 Sunflower Fields in the US You Have to Visit

When it comes to summer flowers, the sunflower is the real showstopper. These brightly colored blooms are symbols of vitality and happiness, and giving a bouquet of them is a great way to send smiles to others.

And if receiving a single arrangement of these striking flowers makes you feel that good, just imagine what visiting an entire sunflower field is like! Standing in a field surrounded by thousands of these amazing blooms is an experience you won’t soon forget.

If that sounds like something you’d enjoy doing, read on to learn where to find the most stunning sunflower fields in the United States.

Turkovich Family Farms | Winters, California

This farm, according to Terry Selk, director of tourism for Yolo County in California (the greater Sacramento area and parts west of the city), has it all: a viewing platform setup, a farm tour, a wine tasting, and an amazing sunflower field you can explore (with purchase of a Sunflower Field Pass). Enjoy a glass of wine on the shaded patio, and then grab your camera to capture photos of sunflowers in all their glory. (Photo by Kristina Cilia)

Hydeout Bed and Breakfast | Highmore, South Dakota

South Dakota is the top sunflower producing state in the country. Pay a visit to the Hydeout Bed and Breakfast — whose owners, John and Beth Simonson, raise all types of crops on their farm, including sunflowers — and take a tour of the surrounding fields and facilities. You can learn all about how sunflowers are grown and harvested, as well as the agriculture industry in the area. You don’t even have to be a guest of the bed and breakfast to go on an excursion. (Photo by Beth Simonson)

Sunflower fields of North Dakota

After South Dakota, North Dakota is next on the list of top sunflower producing states. Many fields are visible from the road, but these are usually part of private working fields, so it is best to check with the North Dakota Tourism Division when planning your visit. It maintains a weekly “bloom update” on its website from late July through August, showing visitors where they can find the best flower fields. (Photo courtesy of North Dakota Tourism)

sunflower fields with north dakota sunflower fields

Grinter Farms | Lawrence, Kansas

Kansas is known as the “Sunflower State,” so it goes without saying there are some awesome fields across the state. One of the best is at Grinter Farms in Lawrence, which boasts more than 40 acres of sunflowers. Admission to this must-see stop for photos and flower picking is free, although the farm suggests you make a donation for the flowers you take home and enjoy. (“Grinter Farms 2016” by Kansas Poetry [Patrick] is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0.)

Fausett Farms | Dawsonville, Georgia

Open to the public since 1858, this family-run farm has planted over 13 acres of sunflowers on its property. The farm is also a popular stop for horse lovers: You can bring your own horse and spend the day riding the trails around the farm while soaking up the sunflowers in full bloom. Fausett Farms also offers mule-drawn wagon rides, BBQ sandwiches, and local honey. (Photo courtesy of Fausett Farms)

Buttonwood Farm | Griswold, Connecticut

The fields at Buttonwood Farm have a very special purpose. Every year, the farm plants over 14 acres of sunny blooms that produce approximately 300,000 sunflowers for its “Sunflower for Wishes” annual fundraiser — all the proceeds of which benefit the Make-a-Wish Foundation of Connecticut. Buttonwood is also known for its small-batch ice cream, which comes in more than 50 flavors. (“ButtonWood_5956” by tivolatman is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.)

Babbette’s Seeds of Hope Sunflower Maze | Eau Claire, Wisconsin

This field was planted in honor of Babbette Jaquish, who lost her battle with cancer in 2014. It now serves as a field of hope for other patients, with a mission to raise money for organizations that engage in cancer research and support patients going through cancer treatment. The fields are open 24/7 to visitors as a place of peace and solitude. (Photo courtesy of Visit Eau Claire)

sunflower fields with babette's field of hope

Coppal House Farm | Lee, New Hampshire

The sunflower field at Coppal House Farm is the location for New Hampshire’s longest-running sunflower festival. The yearly event runs from July to August and features music, crafts, children’s story time, and, of course, sunflowers. The main field is 14 acres and is used for producing sunflower oil, which received a Good Food Award — given to exceptional food crafters who also meet certain environmental and social responsibility standards — in 2016. (Photo by John Gisis)

Maple Lawn Farms | New Park, Pennsylvania

One of the largest and most diverse “pick your own” sunflower farms in the U.S., Maple Lawn Farms boasts more than 50 different varieties of sunflowers and offers wagon rides out to the over 10 acres of bright blooms. During the month of August, it hosts a sunflower festival on the weekends, with food trucks and live music. In addition to sunflowers, festival goers can pick peaches and apples. (Photo courtesy of Maple Lawn Farms)

Schwirian Farms | Elizabeth, Pennsylvania

If you are looking for a field of sunflowers where you have the freedom to wander in and around the blooming flowers, this farm just outside Pittsburgh is the spot for you. During the Schwirian Farm Sunflower Festival in July, visitors are invited to get up close and personal with the main attraction. Another attraction of this farm? The sheep, alpacas, and horses that live on it. The owners of the farm use the wool from these animals to manufacture socks. (Photo courtesy of Schwirian Farms)

Ward’s Farm | Salem, New Jersey

This certified organic farm in southwestern New Jersey started as an organic vegetable farm in 2012 but switched to flowers in 2018. Today, it specializes in sunflowers and dahlias, and also grows stargazer lilies, gladiolus, zinnias, and cosmos. In addition to offering visitors the chance to pick their own sunflowers, the farm hosts events including “Sips, Sunflowers, and Sunsets” — a BYOB date night — and a yoga class in the sunflower field. (Photo by Allen Ward)

sunflower fields with McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area

McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area | Poolesville, Maryland

The sunflowers in these fields are planted by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources as a food source for mainly mourning doves, but they are also enjoyed by other songbirds as well as mammals and pollinators, such as honey bees. However, you cannot pick the flowers here, as the land is maintained by the state with the purpose of enhancing wildlife and their natural habitats. (Photo courtesy of Maryland Department of Natural Resources)

Southern Hill Farms | Clermont, Florida

When you think of sunflowers, Florida may not spring to mind, but these tall flowers can grow just about anywhere, and the Sunshine State is no exception. This 120-acre farm just outside Orlando produces a variety of fresh produce, such as blueberries and peaches, with sunflowers being a relatively new crop. Sunflowers are available to be cut and taken home during its pick-your-own events in the spring and fall. (Photo courtesy Facebook/@southernhillfarms)

sunflower fields with southern hill farms

11 Facts About Roses

Roses are often called “The Queen of Flowers,” a name that was given to them by Sappho, a poet from the sixth-century BC who was known for her elegant writing style. It is a fitting title, as the rose has held a prominent role in our world since ancient times and continues to be one of the most recognizable and popular flowers.

Roses are not only a symbol of love and beauty but have become a part of our everyday lives. They add color and fragrance to our gardens, improve our relationships, and even keep us healthy. They can even change moods: Look at a rose bloom, and we bet you will instantly feel happier, healthier, and less stressed. It is no wonder our love affair with this flower continues to this day and is stronger than ever.

a photo of facts about roses with woman smelling roses

So, let’s all stop and smell the roses, and learn some interesting facts about this most fascinating flower.

Roses, dinosaurs, and dinner parties

Fossils of rose plants dating back some 32 million years have been found in Oregon and Colorado. That would make roses one of the oldest flowers on earth and mean that they bloomed during the time of the dinosaur.

Roses have been used since ancient times to perfume the air and decorate great halls and houses, according to Mark Windham, a rosarian and professor at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Windham tells a story of the Roman emperor Nero who was known to have hung roses from the ceiling at one of his banquets. When they dropped to the ground, they were 12 feet deep and buried several of the guests alive. (To decorate a room in this manner today would cost millions.)

a photo of facts about roses with a painting of roses

The healing power of roses

A popular rose in the 15th and 16th centuries was the French Rose aka Rosa Gallica aka Apothecary Rose. If you are a fan of Renaissance art, you’ve probably seen this flower in paintings from that era, such as Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s Roses dans un vase. During the 19th century, these roses were planted outside apothecaries all over Europe. Their flowers were often used for their medicinal qualities and their ability to cure hangovers, indigestion, and skin rashes. Apothecary Roses were often used in tea, which was made by steeping rose petals in hot water and sweetening it with honey.

The first rose garden

Empress Joséphine, the first wife of Napoleon Bonaparte, was known for her love of all flora and fauna, but it was the rose that was her favorite flower. It is said that she had over 250 different types of roses in her garden, one of the largest collections in the world. She is credited with starting the idea of having a garden made up entirely of one kind of plant. Today, rose gardens are a popular feature at botanical gardens around the world.

A rose is still a rose

a photo of facts about roses with a rose garden

Roses fall into three main categories: old garden roses, wild roses, and modern roses. Old garden roses are also called antique or historic roses, and many date back centuries. These are well known for their fragrance but only bloom once per growing season. Wild roses are the wildflowers of the rose family and are almost always pink. Modern roses constitute most roses growing today in gardens and yards. These are the most popular type of rose, as they have been bred to bloom more than once, usually have larger bloom size and beautiful fragrance, and are often more disease resistant. Each of these categories of roses also contains other, more specific types of roses, such as tea roses, climbing roses, shrub roses, miniature roses, and ground cover roses, to name a few.

They have entertainment value

Roses appear throughout literature, music, and cinema. They are one of only three flowers mentioned in the Bible. (The other two are lilies and camphire.) The songs “Love from a Rose” by Linda Ronstadt, “Kiss from a Rose” by Seal, and “The Rose” by Bette Midler are just three of the over 4,000 songs mentioning roses that have been recorded. Roses are also featured in popular movies, none more notable than Academy Award-winning American Beauty, in which they were memorably used to strategically cover an unclothed Mena Suvari. (Not coincidentally, “American Beauty” is the name of a species of rose.) And who could forget the magical rose counting down the hours in Beauty and the Beast?

They make scents

The scent of roses is often used in scented candles and other products to calm the mind and relieve stress. According to Queren King-Orozco, a garden aromatherapist, roses have a harmonizing effect and a scent that has honey-like and spicy notes. “It is a very important oil in perfumery,” King-Orozco says. “Aromatherapists like to use the scented oil to ease unsettling feelings, such as anger, anxiety, or grief.” Rose essential oil has been popular for centuries. The Egyptian queen Cleopatra famously used it as part of her beauty regimen, regularly taking rose water baths and soaking in a tub filled with rose petals.

a photo of facts about roses with rose oil

5 more fun facts about roses

President Ronald Reagan declared the rose the official flower of the United States in a ceremony at the White House on Nov. 20, 1986.
The International Herb Association named the rose “Herb of the Year” in 2012. Roses have been used for centuries for health and wellness purposes, and a number of useful and popular recipes feature roses, from ice cream to herbal tea blends to skincare products.
In the fall, roses produce rose hips, which are considered the fruit of the rose bush. Rose hips are a valuable source of vitamin C; in fact, roses contain 30 times more vitamin C than orange.
Roses have been to space. As part of an experiment, miniature roses were sent into space aboard the space shuttle Columbia. Researchers wanted to see the effects of zero gravity on the roses’ scent. What they discovered was an entirely new scent that is now called “space rose oil,” which can be used in perfumes and food products. Far out!
The rose family Rosaceae is a very diverse group of plants. Besides the beautiful garden flowers, members of this family also include foods such as almonds, apricots, plums, cherries, apples, strawberries, and raspberries.

Chinese Flowers: Their Cultural Significance and Symbolism

From tulips to chrysanthemums, our series “The Language of Flowers” explores everything from fresh flower care tips to flower symbolism and meaning. In this article, Janice Cox — a floral authority and author of six best-selling books — writes on the importance of Chinese flowers in the country’s culture and their most popular flower types.

History of Chinese flowers

Flowers have played a significant role in Chinese culture for centuries. They’ve appeared in countless poems, paintings, and other literary works. They’ve also been used in ceremonies and rituals to express emotion and spiritual meanings. If you were a florist in ancient China, you were treated with great respect, notes Helen Lee in her book, The Tao of Beauty.

The most prized bloom was the peony, also known as the “king of flowers” as it was used to decorate emperors’ palaces. Chrysanthemums were called the “Golden Flowers” and played major roles in festivals in addition to being used in celebratory teas. Flowers also were a critical part of feng shui, the practice of arranging items in the home to create balance with the natural world.

Chinese flowers in present day

The use of flowers as a decoration, gift, or means of communication is still practiced today in China. The styles and messages may be a bit more relaxed, but the meanings are still the same. Living plants and floral arrangements add beauty, peace, and positive energy to your home.

All eyes will be on the city of Beijing as it hosts the winter games of 2022. And flowers will play a role in the celebrations just as they have done since ancient times. Like in ancient times, flowers will be featured everywhere during the games, from victory bouquets and venue decor to artwork and clothing.

Here are some of the most popular flowers in China, their cultural symbolism, and how they’re used today.

Chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemums, which symbolize happiness and vitality, are a popular autumn flower in China and carry special significance during lunar new year celebrations. Since ancient times, people have drunk wine from mums’ fermented petals.

Many ancient scholars and philosophers have written about how flowers promote long life, health, and happiness. They’re mentioned in Chinese history as far back as the 15th century B.C. The name of the Chinese city Chu-Hsien literally means “chrysanthemum city.” (“Chu” is the ancient name for the flower).

Today, the flowers are grown in a wide range of colors and sizes and are used in landscaping and floral arrangements. They’re also featured on pottery, artwork, and clothing. Chrysanthemum tea is also a popular drink in homes and teahouses.

Peony

The peony is a symbol of wealth and prosperity and is considered one of the most beautiful flowers in China. Historically, peonies were grown and enjoyed by Chinese emperors and other important people. They decorated peonies in their grand homes and planted them in royal gardens.

Today, peonies are used to convey great emotions and help celebrate major achievements such as a wedding or graduation. They are also used to convey a sentiment based on color. White peonies show you are thinking of someone, pink represents affection and romance, yellow shades are nice for wishing luck and prosperity, and red shows true passion. Presenting the one you love with a bouquet of red peonies is the ultimate, “I love you.”

Orchid

Orchids are known for their simple beauty and elegance in Chinese culture. These flowers are often associated with the great teacher and philosopher Confucius. “The orchid grows where others cannot,” he said in The Analects of Confucius.

Orchids are given to friends and colleagues as a symbol of respect and admiration. They are also a symbol of good taste and beauty and are often used to describe something of great beauty. If you have a friend you are very fond of you may call them your “orchid friend” or a beautifully decorated room can be described as an “orchid room.”

Cymbidium orchids are native to China and are desired worldwide. In fact, the Chinese wild orchid trade is something that is closely monitored by the government. These plants have become so popular and sought after that certain species now have to be protected from illegal traders, according to Hong Liu an Ecologist at Florida International University in Miami, Florida.

Azalea

Azalea shrubs are native to China and come in a wide variety of colors. They represent home and womanhood. They make for a thoughtful gift for parents and family members letting them know you miss them and are looking forward to seeing them soon. It is also used as a popular plant in creating bonsai trees in both Japan and China.

Several stories and folktales include the beautiful azalea shrub. One involves an emperor who was a great warrior but lived a lonely life at home. He was given some azalea plants and was instantly captivated by their color and beauty. He planted them in his garden and then found the love and happiness he desired. Today, azaleas are a popular landscape plant and gift. The dried flower buds are also used to create a calming tea that can be enjoyed at home.

Lotus

The Chinese see the lotus flower as a symbol of purity. This is due to the fact that it grows from the muddy waters and emerges and blooms above the waterline with perfect dramatic beauty. Lotus plants are also some of the oldest on the planet with fossil evidence showing them surviving the ice age.

If you have the opportunity to see these flowers blooming it is a sight you will not forget. They are also a symbol of an open heart as during the day the petals open to soak up the sun and reveal their bright yellow heart or flower center for all to see. It is unusual to see a lotus flower used in arrangements, but their image is one that is a frequent symbol in art and design.

Roses

Roses have been grown in China for over 5,000 years with many varieties originating in the country’s southwest provinces. They have a long history dating back to the Han Dynasty, which ruled from 147 to 87 B.C.

In China, roses symbolize eternal spring and longevity. Grown year-round, they are popular plants that can be seen along roadways and in gardens throughout the country. In floral arrangements and bouquets, they are prized for their beauty and always a welcome gift. Like peonies, their color choice also has meaning: Pink roses represent joy, white peace, yellow friendship and unity, and red passion and love. Roses are also suitable for consumption and are used in desserts, jellies, and drinks.