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Ranunculus
Pronounced ran-UN-kew-lus. The Latin name ranunculus means “little frog”. Description They have tuberous roots and hollow stems and come in an array of colours including yellow, white, red, pink, orange, and and copper, with dark or yellow centres. Habitat It is native to the Middle East, hence their alternative name ‘Turban Buttercup’. Species This flower…
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Rose
The rose is a woody perennial that was originally from China but is now grown across the world. It is characterised by wide range of colours and sizes. Description Roses are multi-petal flowers available in an array of colours. Some varieties are known for their prickles along the stems of the plant, which are used…
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Rudbekia
Commonly known as the Coneflower, the Rudbekia was given its name by Carl Linnaeus, who pioneered the naming of flowers. He named the flower after Olaus Rudbeck, a well-known Swedish botanist. Description These flowers have large heads usually yellow in colour. They have dark, domed centres. They greatly resemble daisies, although they have larger yellow…
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Scabious
Scabious is better known as scabiosa, the butterfly blue or the pincushion flower. It produces large numbers of blue flowers that resemble pins stuck in a pin cushion. It is popular as a garden flower as it produces a lot of nectar, which effectively attracts butterflies and bees. Description This is a long-stemmed flower with…
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Sedum
Sedums are varieties of perennial flowering herbs and shrubs commonly known as stonecrops. They are abundant in the northern hemisphere and its small, usually pink flowers are known to attract butterflies and insects. Description Sedum typically has thick stems, succulent leaves and flower heads that bud early and physically resemble broccoli. The flowers open in…
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Snapdragon
The Snapdragon’s botanical name is Antirrhinum, from the Greek words ‘anti’ (like) and ‘rhin’ (a nose), which refers to the resemblance the flower is said to have to a snout. Description Snapdragons come in a wide variety of bright colours and a range of heights, from dwarf to medium and tall. They are commonly found…
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Stock
The botanical name for this plant is Matthiola incana. It was named after Dr Matthiole, a personal doctor to Emperor Maxmillian of Austria who was renowned for his botanical as well as his medical knowledge. Incana is Latin for grey and refers to the greyish leaves. In Elizabethan times, stocks were known as Gillyflowers and…
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Strelitzia
The evergreen Strelitzia is commonly known as the Bird of Paradise plant. This is due to the bright colours and pointed petals of its flowers, which resemble a native bird species. Description Its silvery-green leaves are large, between 30 to 200 centimetres long, 10 to 80 centimetres broad and similar in shape to a banana…
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Sunflower
The botanical name is Helianthus. The Greek word “helios” means sun and “anthos” means flower. It is aptly named after the sun which it resembles. Description Sunflowers have a large flower head, usually with a large, almost black central part which is made up of thousands of tiny florets that later become seeds set in…
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Sweet Pea
Sweet pea is the common name for Lathydorus odoratus. It is a member of the Leguminosae family, and, despite its name, doesn’t produce the pea vegetable, unlike other plants in the same family. Description This annual climber has a tendril that winds itself around its support and reaches one to two metres in height. It…
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