10 Common But Beautiful Japanese Flowers

A list of 10 beautiful Japanese flowers.

The Japanese people have truly endeared and embraced as part of their culture, the love for flowers. They have numerous flower gardens and parks, the art of flower arrangement (Ikebana), and sometimes these beautiful flowers are used for decoration. Read on to learn some common Japanese flowers.

Japanese Sunflower

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Japanese Sunflower (Tithonia diversifolia) is a large, perennial shrub reaching 1-5 m tall. Leaves are green, opposite or alternate, lobed, palm shaped, hairy, 6″ wide. Flower heads about 10-15 cm diameter producing yellow, daisy-like flowers.

White Egret Orchid

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White Egret Orchid (Habenaria radiata) is a hardy perennial small tree growing 12-15 inches tall. Each slender stem produces up to 2 or 3 fragrant, pure white flowers that resembles and Egret in flight that will flourish for about a month. The flowers about 1 foot long bloom in July to August.

“Purple-flower-rape”

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The”purple-flower-rape”(Orychophragmus violaceus) is a hardy annual plant growing rapidly from 1 to 2 ft tall. Leaves are smooth, green, and heart shaped. Flowers are large, purple and bloom in late spring to early summer.

Japanese Wood Poppy

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The Japanese Wood Poppy (Hylomecon japonica) is a herbaceous perennial shrub growing to about 15-30 cm tall with alternate to opposite pinnate leaves. The flowers are solitary, cup-shaped bright yellow 3.5-5 cm across. It blooms in Late Spring/Early Summer.

Maiden Lily

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The Maiden Lily (Lilium rubellum) is a deciduous plant that traces its root to the Island of Honshu in Japan. This tree which easily adapts to its environment grows to about 18 to 30 inches high. The pale pink, trumpet-shaped flower grows from bulbs and blooms from mid-spring to early summer.

Himalayan Blue Poppy

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The Himalayan Blue Poppy (Meconopsis Betonicifolia) is a small herbaceous plants native to southeastern Tibet. It has hairy leaves and grows up to 6 feet tall. Flowers are large with delicate petals deep blue color. Himalayan Blue poppies bloom in early and mid summer.

Japanese Magnolia

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Japanese magnolias (Magnolia liliiflora) is a small deciduous tree about 4 m tall. Leaves are broad, oval-shaped, dark green about 8 in. long. Flowers are large, goblet-shaped 3-6 inches across. The showy flowers with varying shades of white, pink or purple color bloom abundantly at the onset of spring.

Hall Crabapple

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Hall crabapple (Malus halliana) is an upright deciduous tree that grows to 5 m (15 feet). This ornamental tree has dark green, medium, ovate, up to 3 inches long leaves. The fragrant pink flowers bloom in May.

Japanese Azalea

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The Japanese Azalea (Azalea japonica) a non-deciduous azalea, is a small evergreen shrub native to Japan. These little trees have dark green, egg-shaped , 2-3 cm long leaves and grow to about 1.2-1.8 m tall. Flowers come in variety of colors such as white, purple, bright yellow, pink, gold, red-orange, orange, and coral/apricot. The flowers bloom from early April to mid-June.

Cherry Blossoms

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A cherry blossom “sakura” is the flower of cherry trees (Prunus serrulata). Flowers are almost pure white with rich pink petals that abundantly blooms during the arrival of spring (April).

Top 10 Rarest Flowers In The World

“Flowers whisper ‘Beauty!’ to the world, even as they fade, wilt and fall.” This quote stands true indisputably.

Flowers are the most beautiful gifts that nature has given us. These lovely blooms come in all colors, shapes, sizes, and species, but sometimes what makes a flower truly special is its scarcity.

A flower which can’t be found in every florist or garden is as precious as a rare diamond, just like the ones found on this list of the world’s rarest blooms.

10. Kadupul Flower (Epiphyllum oxypetalum)

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The Kadupul plant is a species of cactus family, which grows in the forks of large trees. Found in the forests of Sri Lanka, the beautiful flower’s rarity is due to the short amount of time that it blooms for.

The fragrant white flowers bloom only from 10 pm to midnight and wither before the dawn. Because of this, the Kadapul flower is in the list of the World's Top 10 most expensive flowers. Another reason why is it expensive is that the flower cannot be picked without causing damage to it.

9. Gibraltar Campion (Silene tomentosa)

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In 1992, the Gibraltar Campion was declared extinct due to the destruction of its habitat, but this rare species of flowering plant have been ‘brought back from the dead’ in 1994. A climber at cliffs of Gibratal found a single specimen still exist in inhospitable environments in the Upper Rock Nature Reserve on the Rock of Gibraltar.

Since then, strenuous efforts have been made to continue its propagation. Today, specimens are now grown at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in London, as well as in the Almeda Gibraltar Botanic Gardens.

8. Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii)

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Not only rare, but fascinating! The Ghost orchid is a rare plant native to concealed swamps of Florida and Cuba. What makes it rare? Because it is near-impossible to propagate outside its natural environments. Why fascinating? The plant has no leaves! and without leaves, ghost orchid can’t make its own food. It needs a specific fungus in close contact with its root system to feed it.

The plant was said to be extinct for almost 20 years but resurfaced recently. Ghost orchids produce only one flower at a time, but in rare cases, they can also produce up to 10 flowers. The flowers emit perfumed odors and bloom between the months of June and August.

7. Chocolcate Cosmos (Cosmos atrosanguineus)

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Chocolate cosmos is one of the most beautiful and rare flowers native to Mexico. As the name suggests, It emits a fragrant chocolate scent while on blooming. Chocolate cosmos bears a deep red or brown colored flowers. Unfortunately, this intriguing flower is now extinct in the wild at the turn of the 20th century. The only example to be found is a single clone that has been reproduced in captivity.

6. Parrot’s Beak (Lotus berthelotii)

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Native to Canary Islands, Parrot’s beak is one of the most beautiful flowers in this world. The flower resembles a lobster claw in shades of orange, red, and yellow. It blooms best in spring season. Sad to say, only a few members of the species exist in the world. The gradual decline of parrot’s beak flowers' appearance started since 1884. The existing members of a parrot’s beak in Canary Island are protected by law.

5. Youtan Poluo

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Youtan Poluo, also known as Udumbara flower was believed to be a myth, until Mr. Ding, a Chinese farmer, found tiny white buds growing inside a set of steel pipes. Recently, it was again found growing under the washing machine of a Chinese nun named Miao Wei. What the nun discovered were 28 pieces of minuscule, white sweet-smelling flowers measuring mere 1 mm in diameter.

As per Buddhist legend, the flower blooms once every 3000 years - making it incredibly rare! Now this rare flower might be seen in China, Korea, Taiwan and US in extremely rare times.

4. Yellow and Purple Lady Slippers (Cypripedium calceolus)

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Once found across Europe and the UK, the yellow and purple lady slippers is an extremely rare flower in the wild. In the 1970's there was only one plant left found growing in one particular spot in Yorkshire Dales; a golf course.

good thing Kew Gardens, managed to save the British genetic stock and breed from it. The plant populations are still very small, thus they are kept in highly-guarded secret locations.

3. Corpse Flower (Amorphophallus titanum)

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The Corpse Flower is not only one of the rarest flowers in the world, but also one of the strangest. It emits a very stinky smell to attract its pollinators -- carrion beetles. Corpse flowers can be only found in low lying rain forest areas in Sumatra in western Indonesia.

The corpse flower was first discovered in 1878 by an Italian botanist in Sumatra. It is named for the stinky smell it emits to attract its pollinators -- flies and carrion beetles. The flower only blooms for a brief 2-4 days. Seeing (and smelling) this endangered flower is a once in a lifetime experience that you will not want to miss.

2. Jade Vine (Strongylodon macrobotrys)

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Jade Vine, also known as turquoise vine or emerald vine, is rare flower found only in the rain forest of the Philippines. The unusual sea green petals and navy-purple buds of this flower makes it of the most eye-catching flowers on our list. These claws shaped flowers in numbers of 75 or more drooping from a vine can grow up to 3 meters. These rare flowers are now hardly seen in the wild and is now considered an endangered species due to the destruction of its habitat.

1. Middlemist Red (Middlemist camellia)

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Middlemist Red is probably the rarest flower in the world and definitely the rarest one on our list. Middlemist rsembles a rose flower in deep pink color. Once indigenous to several regions in China, there are only two known examples in existence; one in New Zealand garden and one in green house garden of United Kingdom. At Chiswick House in West London you can see the stunning Middlemist Red – brought to UK in 1804 by John Middlemist.

The World's 10 Most Exquisite and Unusual Orchids

Orchid flowers are among the most beautiful in the world. In all, there are 880 genres and 250000 different species of orchids. Their blooms are noted for their radiant colors and unique structures. Take a look at the 10 most exquisite and unusual orchids that adorn the world around us.

1. Flying Duck Orchid

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The Flying Duck Orchid (Caleana major) is a small orchid native to eastern and southern Australia. The flower looks like a duck in flight, its wings swept back, head and beak held high and proud. The flower is reddish-brown, measuring 15 to 20 mm long.

2. Lady's Slipper Orchid

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The Lady Slipper Orchid is Britain's rarest and most impressive orchid. The unique flower features a the slipper-shaped pouches (modified labellums) in which the pollinating insects get stuck. The eye-catching flowers come in different colors such as red, pink or purple.

3. White Egret Orchid

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The White Egret Orchid (Habenaria radiata)is an exquisite species of orchid found in China, Japan, Korea and Russia. The white and fringed flower resembles a snowy egret, spreading its fluffy white wings and is ready to take off. The flower is divided into three main lobes. The elongated center lobe looks like a tongue while the petals split into wings.

4. Cowl Carrying Maxillaria

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The Cowl Carrying Maxillaria (Maxillaria cucullata)is an unusual orchid species found in Mexico and south to Ecuador The exquisite 4 to 9 cm long triangular shaped flowers features a dark red to black lip. The 4 to 9 cm long flowers range in color from yellow to pink to dark red.

5. Curled Odontoglossum

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The Curled Odontoglossum (Odontoglossum crispum) is a gorgeous epiphytic orchid characterized its curled petals and red-violet blotches on its petals. The petals usually form a star-shaped flower that may vary from plain white to pale rose in color. Most orchid growers say that this orchid is one of the most beautiful orchid and one of the most difficult to grow.

6.Bee Orchid

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The Bee Orchid (Ophrys apifera) resembles a female bee resting on a pink flower to attract the attention of male bees to mate with the flower. It is one of nature's great mimics. Each flower has a lip resembling a bee, and three large, pink, petal-like outer sepals; the two other inner sepals look like antennae.

7. Moth Orchid

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The Moth Orchid (Phalaenopsis fasciata) is an exquisite and unusual orchid species for the sole reason that it looks like a little bird’s head guarding the nectar of the flower. Its fragrant flowers come in all colors except blue.

8. Tulip Orchid

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Anguloas, also called Tulip Orchid, is a small orchid genus found in Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru. So called because the flower resembles a tulip. The flowers have a waxy appearance and appearing only partially opened. The bloom varies in color from yellow, white, green and red.

9. Dove Orchid

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The Dove Orchid (Peristeria elata) is commonly found to grow across much of South America. What so distinct about this orchid is that there seems to be a hand-carved dove sitting in the middle of its flower.

If you look inside, you can see that the column and lip are fused in the shape of a dove--the head and beak are formed by the anther cap; the neck by the arching column, and the wings and tail by the three-lobed lip. The flower itself appears as brilliant white in color with a hard waxy texture and can span 2 inches in width.

10. Naked Man Orchid

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The Naked Man Orchid (Orchis italica) is a species of orchid native to the Mediterranean. The unusual flower has petals resembling a naked man in all his glory. The flowers range in color from light purplish-white to deep purple, and they are all clustered densely.