20 countries covered so far — more added regularly. Each guide includes the national flower's botanical name, appearance, cultural significance and whether it can be grown in the UK.
Cape Verde
Cabo Verde
Bird of Paradise
Strelitzia reginae
One of the world's most dramatic flowers — brilliant orange and vivid blue petals that resemble a tropical bird in flight.
Grow as a houseplant in full sun. Pot-bound plants flower best.
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Ivory Coast
Côte d'Ivoire
Flame Lily
Gloriosa superba
Extraordinary reflexed petals in fiery red and yellow — one of the most spectacular climbing plants in the world.
Plant tubers in spring after last frost. Lift and store in winter. All parts toxic — wear gloves.
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DR Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Congolese Orchid
Angraecum and related species
The DRC's forests contain one of the world's greatest concentrations of orchid species — thousands found nowhere else on earth.
Heated greenhouse only — minimum 15°C year-round. High humidity essential.
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Senegal
République du Sénégal
Baobab Flower
Adansonia digitata
The bloom of the Tree of Life — large white flowers opening only at night on a tree that can live for over a thousand years.
Grow from seed in sandy compost. Very drought-tolerant. Keep frost-free year-round.
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Ghana
Republic of Ghana
Impala Lily
Adenium obesum
A sculptural succulent with dramatic swollen trunk and striking funnel-shaped flowers in pink, red and white — also known as the Desert Rose.
South-facing windowsill, cactus compost. Almost no water in winter. Keep above 10°C.
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Curaçao
Curaçao
Divi-divi Tree
Caesalpinia coriaria
Instantly recognisable by its permanently windswept silhouette — always pointing south-west due to the island's constant trade winds.
Try Caesalpinia gilliesii as a UK alternative — very sheltered sunny spot or frost-free greenhouse.
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Montenegro
Crna Gora
European Forsythia
Forsythia europaea
One of the few forsythia species native to Europe — grows wild in the rocky mountain terrain of the western Balkans.
One of the easiest UK shrubs. Any soil, any aspect, fully hardy. Prune hard immediately after flowering.
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Sierra Leone
Republic of Sierra Leone
Longhorn Orchid
Ancistrochilus rothschildianus
A rare and beautiful epiphytic orchid from West Africa's tropical forests — highly prized by orchid collectors worldwide.
Specialist heated greenhouse orchid. Minimum 15°C in winter. High humidity essential.
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Uzbekistan
O'zbekiston
Tulip
Tulipa sp.
Despite the tulip's association with the Netherlands, it is native to Central Asia — Uzbekistan is home to over 20 wild tulip species.
Plant bulbs in November in well-drained soil in full sun. Species tulips perennialise reliably.
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Qatar
State of Qatar
Sidr Tree
Ziziphus spina-christi
An ancient, sacred tree of the Arabian Peninsula — mentioned in the Quran and prized for its honey, fruit and medicinal properties.
Try the hardier Ziziphus jujuba as a UK alternative — against a south-facing wall in mild areas.
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Netherlands
Holland
Daisy
Bellis perennis
Not the tulip — the Dutch chose the humble daisy in a 53,000-vote public poll in 2023. The real national flower of the world's biggest flower exporter.
Hardy UK native. Double cultivars make excellent spring bedding in any well-drained soil.
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Japan
Nippon / Nihon
Cherry Blossom
Prunus serrulata
The Sakura — celebrated each spring in the Hanami festival as a symbol of life's fleeting beauty and one of the most culturally significant flowers in the world.
Japanese flowering cherries thrive in UK gardens. Well-drained soil, full sun, fully hardy across most regions.
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China
People's Republic of China
Peony
Paeonia suffruticosa
The King of Flowers — symbol of wealth, honour and prosperity for 4,000 years in Chinese culture. Also has a second claimant: the Plum Blossom of winter resilience.
Tree peonies are fully hardy in the UK. Plant with graft union just below soil. Extremely long-lived once established.
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India
Republic of India
Sacred Lotus
Nelumbo nucifera
The most spiritually significant flower in the world — revered across Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism as a symbol of purity, divinity and enlightenment.
Grow in still water in full sun. Needs warm summers — best in southern UK. Overwinter indoors in cold areas.
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England
UK / Great Britain
Tudor Rose
Rosa (hybrid)
Born from the Wars of the Roses — the red rose of Lancaster and white rose of York united into one symbol by Henry VII in 1485. England's floral emblem ever since.
The UK climate is ideal for roses. David Austin English Roses combine old rose fragrance with modern repeat-flowering.
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France
République Française
Iris
Iris sibirica
The origin of the fleur-de-lis — the symbol of French royalty for over a thousand years, inspired by the three-petalled form of the iris in full bloom.
Siberian irises grow in any moist soil, sun or shade, fully hardy. Divide every 3–4 years to maintain vigour.
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Austria
Republik Österreich
Edelweiss
Leontopodium nivale
The iconic Alpine flower — woolly, star-shaped, growing only on high limestone rockfaces. Featured on Austrian euro coins and immortalised in The Sound of Music.
Grow in very gritty, well-drained alkaline soil in full sun. Perfect for rock gardens and alpine troughs.
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Australia
Commonwealth of Australia
Golden Wattle
Acacia pycnantha
The source of Australia's green and gold national colours — celebrated every 1 September on Wattle Day, the first day of the Australian spring.
The related Acacia dealbata (mimosa) is hardier and available in UK garden centres — spectacular winter flowers.
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Finland
Suomi
Lily of the Valley
Convallaria majalis
A symbol of the Finnish spring — the first delicate bell flowers appearing after the long dark winter, filling the forest with fragrance in May and June.
Native British woodland plant — naturalises easily under trees in moist shaded soil. Virtually maintenance-free.
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United States
USA
Rose
Rosa
Designated by Congress in 1986 and signed by President Reagan in the White House Rose Garden — joining England as the only other major English-speaking nation to adopt the rose.
UK climate is ideal for roses — rich, well-drained soil, full sun. Prune hybrid teas hard in late March.
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