France is well known for many things, such as historic architecture, delicious food, and sourcing the most fragrant perfumes.
On top of that France is regularly considered to be the country of love and what says love more than flowers.
France has an abundance of wonderful indigenous flowers that add color, feeling, and emotion to a scene.
It may be at a ceremony, a gift for a loved one, in a beautiful garden, or alongside the Eiffel Tower. Either way, French flowers make everything better and it’s about time they were talked about more.
If you’ve visited France and seen a garden you couldn’t help but be jealous of, then you’ve come to the best place. In this article, we are going to take a good look at the most popular and most impressive French flowers.
We will look at the different uses for each flower and the meaning behind each one, whether that be love and joy, or sadness.
You will love French flowers not only because of their beauty but also their sweet aroma and floral scents that go so well in your home. Without further ado let’s take a look at the list.
1. Iris
The iris is arguably the most popular flower in France as well as the country’s national flower. The iris flower symbolizes freedom and pureness with it being used as a symbol since ancient times when it would be used as an emblem by royal families.
Taking its name from a Greek goddess, the iris is a perennial plant growing from bulbs. They have long, erect stems, flattened petals that form a fan-like shape. They can be found in purple, blue, and white.
2. Lavender
French lavender has been widely used by chefs and perfumers for thousands of years. This iconic flower features a strong rosemary-like smell, delicate leaves, and deep purple flowers. Growing to approximately 36 inches and blooming in the summer, it is a fantastic addition to any garden.
Lavender is grown in slightly acidic soils and requires a lot of sunlight to prosper. This makes it a difficult plant to grow indoors, and definitely one that needs plenty of garden space.
This flower has also been used to symbolize purity as a result of its association with the Virgin Mary.
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3. Lilies
Lilies were famously featured on the French crown and in decoration during the monarchy, making them one of the most important flowers in France. There are a huge variety of lilies but the most common types in France are white and pink.
They usually have quite unique leafy stems and a truly divine smell. You can also find lilies in orange and yellow. A lily plant usually has solitary or clustered flowers consisting of six-petal segments.
They often form the shape of a trumpet with each flower varying in regards to the shape of the elongated tube.
4. French Rose
Roses are the most popular flower in the world. They are the perfect flower to use when demonstrating your love for somebody so of course, the country of love has its own indigenous variety.
The French rose is an erect climbing shrub with stems that are usually armed with thorns. Often referred to as the queen of flowers, the rose flower is simply stunning.
Rich in color with delicate petals it’s no wonder it is used as a sign of love. Red is the most common color but it can also be found in red, pink, white, and yellow.
5. Daffodils
Daffodils are the first sign that spring has sprung, making it a symbol of hope in France. Like the lily, a daffodil has a trumpet-shaped flower that adds color to your garden.
Each plant features six leaves that grow from the bulb and are approximately 30cm long. The most popular variety of daffodils is yellow but they also bloom in pink, orange, and white.
6. Cacti
Surprisingly France has its own variety of cacti that you would expect to see in the Mexican desert. Found typically in Nice the cacti is a drought-resistant plant that needs little water to grow.
Its weird and wonderful aesthetic adds something a little more unique to the home. Despite their prickly exterior the cacti plant blooms to reveal a brightly colored delicate rose-like flower.
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7. Climbing Wisteria
A famous sight along many French houses and buildings, the wisteria is a climbing plant that looks beautiful when climbing a patio or gazebo.
Blooming in full sunlight the flowers on a wisteria plant are deep blue and purple in color. The fast-growing plant can quickly grow out of control if not cared for, covering a large area easily.
8. Jasmine
The Jasmine flower oozes delightful fragrances and crisp white color. The smooth, slender stems and star-shaped bloom add a touch of elegance and beauty to any garden, making them a popular choice throughout France.
The flower on a jasmine plant isn’t the only thing to impress. The jasmine plant can regularly be seen with ornate leaves with a swirling pinnate of nine alternating leaves. Thanks to its charming fragrance Jasmine is used in the production of many perfumes and also a variety of foods.
9. Nasturtium
Nasturtium flowers represent loyalty and patriotism. With the fiery colors on display, it’s not hard to see why. The flower gets its name from the Latin word ‘nasus’ which means nose.
This is in reference to its tarty smell. Grown annually the nasturtium flower is vigorous. It can grow either vinelike or in compact bushy plants. The large round leaves compliment the bright colors well.
10. Red Poppy
The red poppy is a delicate, small, yet extremely brightly colored wildflower common around the world. Grown in fertile soil it is a French flower you can easily grow in your own garden.
Poppies tend to have dissected leaves and nodding buds that sit on solitary stalks. Each flower has four to six petals that come in red, purple, or pink.
11. Castile
Typically found in northern France these simply stunning flowers hang from the plant in bell-like pendants, beautifully purple and pale pink in color.
It is believed that the Castile represents inspiration and love. Growing from a bushy deciduous shrub you will see this luxurious-looking flower in abundance during the summer months.
12. Lilies Of The Valley
Every year in France on the 1st May lilies of the valley are exchanged as part of an important tradition that dates back to 1561. Lily of the valley has plenty of small blossoms tightly bunched together on one stem.
The blossoms of the flower are white but when given to someone in a floral arrangement are commonly placed with lush greenery.
They are well known for their sweet scent and bell-shaped blossoms. Despite being called lily of the valley, this flower isn’t actually a true lily, in fact, it is actually part of the asparagus family.
13. Lilacs
Lilacs were introduced to France in the 1870s. Ever since they have been highly sought after and used regularly by households to add style and color to the garden. Lilacs usually have a purple bloom but they also come in white, pink, and yellow.
Dark burgundy-colored flowers can also be found. The flowers are grown in large panicles and have a very strong, unique fragrance. The cone-shaped panicles are covered in the tiny tubular blossoms that are loved by so many.
14. Tulips
France has been gripped by tulips since the 1500s and rightly so. These refreshing flowers come in a rainbow of colors perfect for those looking for a varied garden. With over 100 species of tulip out there the shape, color, and size vary massively.
The typical tulip will have a cut-shaped, star-shaped, or bowl-shaped blossom with roughly six petals. In terms of colors, you can expect to see fiery shades of orange, red, yellow, or deeper shades of blue and purple.
15. Pansies
Symbolizing fertility and love this small delicate flower has bold and bright petals that add charm and simple beauty to a garden. Pansies were actually once used by ancient Greeks to make love potions.
Each stem has a cluster or solitary flower with three or four petals varying in color. One plant could have orange and purple blossoms, the next could have pink and yellow.
16. Daisies
Daisies are flowering plants with a large, star-shaped head with clusters of florets and a yellow disc center. Part of the aster family daisies look amazing in a flower bed or as decoration in salad dishes.
Though they look wonderful you might not want to smell them too much as daisies are known to have a subtle earthy scent similar to the smell of cow manure.
17. Orchids
Orchids are versatile plants coming in an array of different colors. Each color of orchid typically has a strong meaning. These meanings can be eternal hope, sensuality, and innocence. This diverse flowering plant blooms very colorfully, bringing life and brightness to your garden.
Orchids are loved not only for their vibrant colors but also their divine fragrance. The orchid flower commonly has three petals and three sepals and blooms in white, pink, blue, yellow, and purple.
Conclusion
France is full of sensational flowers that bring vibrancy, freshness, and fragrance to gardens. As you can see from this list the French flowers on offer vary a lot in shape, size, color, and flower that blooms.
As France is located in a relatively mild European region most of the plants on this list can be grown in your garden.
Some do require more care than others because they can grow out of control whilst others need some more space so you can give them extra care and attention. Growing French flowers will bring new life to your garden and scents to die for.
With many flowers in France denoting the feeling of love, friendship, and passion, flowers you do choose to grow can be given to a loved one as a gift, to decorate the home, or be used in a ceremonial event such as a wedding.
Now you have this list of French flowers. Why don’t you do some exploring of your own in regards to how you grow the plants and how to maintain them. We are certain that if you give it a go you won’t be disappointed.
The majority of people who have no interest in the subject, and aren’t green fingered assume that all plants and vegetables require the same growing conditions. This is not the case at all. Each plant has its own unique and interesting history and growing process.
I hope you will find The Natural List useful, and that it will help educate you on the wide variety of different flower and plant species there are across the globe.
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