48 countries, 48 national flowers, 48 growing stories. From England's Tudor rose to Japan's cherry blossom — discover the plants that define each nation.
Can you match the country to its national flower? 10 questions from the World Cup 2026 nations.
10 questions — 4 choices each. You'll be shown a country name and asked which national flower belongs to it. The answer reveals after each question.
Every nation competing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup has an official national flower — a plant that has been chosen to represent the country's identity, landscape, culture or history. Some choices are obvious: England's rose has been a national symbol for centuries. Others are surprising: Germany's national flower is the cornflower, a simple blue wildflower of farmland and meadows.
Many of the national flowers of World Cup 2026 nations are perfectly hardy in UK gardens. France's iris is a classic cottage garden plant. The Netherlands' tulip is one of the most popular UK spring bulbs. Japan's chrysanthemum is widely grown here in autumn. Argentina's ceibo is less familiar but can be attempted in sheltered UK gardens. Each card above shows a UK growing tip where relevant.
The national flower of Cape Verde is the Strelitzia, also known as the Bird of Paradise flower. Strelitzia reginae produces one of the most dramatic and instantly recognisable flowers in the plant world — brilliant orange and vivid blue petals that emerge from a horizontal spathe to resemble a tropical bird in flight. Cape Verde, the Atlantic island archipelago off the west coast of Africa, has a hot and dry climate that suits the Strelitzia perfectly. In the UK, Bird of Paradise can be grown as a houseplant or in a heated conservatory. It thrives in full sun, dislikes waterlogging, and will eventually produce its spectacular flowers indoors given enough light and warmth. Mature plants flower best when slightly root-bound, so resist repotting until necessary.
The national flower of Ghana is the Impala Lily (Adenium obesum), sometimes also called the Desert Rose. Despite its common name, it is not a true lily — it is a succulent plant native to the dry savannah regions of sub-Saharan Africa. The Impala Lily produces striking funnel-shaped flowers in shades of pink, red and white, emerging from a swollen, sculptural stem that stores water. In Ghana, it is used in traditional medicine and is widely grown as an ornamental plant in gardens and pots. In the UK, the Impala Lily is grown as an exotic houseplant or in a warm greenhouse. It needs full sun, minimal watering in winter, and temperatures above 10°C to survive. With enough light and warmth, it will produce its beautiful blooms indoors.
The national flower of Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire) is the Flame Lily (Gloriosa superba), a spectacular climbing plant native to tropical Africa and Asia. The Flame Lily produces extraordinary reflexed petals in fiery red and yellow — curled back to reveal prominent stamens, giving the flower an appearance quite unlike anything else in the plant world. It is also the national flower of Zimbabwe, reflecting its wide distribution across sub-Saharan Africa. Gloriosa superba is grown from a tuber and can be cultivated in UK gardens as a tender summer climber, given a warm sheltered spot and well-drained soil. Plant the tubers in spring once frost risk has passed, support with canes or trellis, and bring indoors before the first autumn frost. The Flame Lily is toxic if ingested, so handle with care in gardens where children are present.
The national flower of the Democratic Republic of Congo is the Congolese Orchid (Angraecum sesquipedale relative), though the country is also closely associated with its extraordinary orchid diversity — the DRC contains one of the world's largest tropical rainforests and thousands of plant species found nowhere else on earth. Orchids from the forests of Central Africa include many Angraecum and Bulbophyllum species prized by collectors worldwide. In the UK, African tropical orchids can be grown in a heated greenhouse or as houseplants, requiring high humidity, indirect light and careful watering. The DRC's biodiversity represents one of the greatest concentrations of plant life on the planet — a reminder of what is at stake as tropical deforestation continues.
The national flower of Senegal is the Baobab flower (Adansonia digitata), the bloom of the famous baobab tree — one of the most distinctive and long-lived trees in the world. The baobab is known as the Tree of Life across West Africa, capable of living for more than a thousand years and storing thousands of litres of water in its enormous trunk. Its flowers are large, white and waxy, opening at night and pollinated by bats and bush babies. The baobab's fruit, bark and leaves are all used in food and medicine. While baobab trees cannot survive UK winters outdoors, young trees can be grown in large containers in a heated conservatory and make extraordinary specimen plants. Baobab powder from the fruit is widely available in UK health food shops as a nutritional supplement.
The national flower of Curaçao is the Watapana, also known as the Divi-divi tree (Caesalpinia coriaria). The Divi-divi is one of the most iconic sights on the island — its distinctive windswept shape, always pointing south-west due to the constant trade winds, has made it a symbol of Curaçao's landscape and identity. The tree produces small yellow flowers and is remarkably drought-tolerant, perfectly adapted to the island's hot, dry climate. Though not commonly grown in the UK, Caesalpinia species can be attempted in a very sheltered, sunny spot in the warmest UK gardens, or kept as a container plant in a greenhouse.
The rose is one of the most widely shared national flowers in the world, chosen by several countries competing in the 2026 World Cup. England adopted the Tudor Rose as its national flower — a symbol combining the red rose of Lancaster and the white rose of York. The United States declared the rose its national flower by Act of Congress in 1986. Morocco is closely associated with the rose — the Dades Valley is known as the Valley of Roses and produces much of the world's rose oil. Iran has a 3,000-year history of rose cultivation and the rose is deeply embedded in Persian poetry and culture. Ecuador is the world's third largest rose exporter, growing roses at high altitude where cooler temperatures produce larger, longer-lasting blooms. Iraq also claims the red rose as a national symbol.
The national flower of Sierra Leone is the Longhorn Orchid (Ancistrochilus rothschildianus), a rare and beautiful epiphytic orchid native to the tropical forests of West Africa. Sierra Leone, though not competing in the 2026 World Cup, has a rich botanical heritage — its forests contain thousands of plant species including many rare orchids, palms and tropical trees. The Longhorn Orchid produces distinctive pink and white flowers and is highly prized by orchid collectors worldwide. In the UK it can be grown in a heated greenhouse with high humidity, bright indirect light and careful watering through the growing season.
The national flower of Montenegro is the Forsythia (Forsythia europaea), also called the European Forsythia — one of the few forsythia species native to Europe rather than Asia. Montenegro, though not in the 2026 World Cup, sits in the western Balkans where this bright yellow spring-flowering shrub grows wild in rocky mountain terrain. The European Forsythia is smaller and more delicate than the Asian species widely grown in UK gardens, but equally cheerful in early spring. Forsythia is one of the easiest shrubs to grow in UK gardens — fully hardy, tolerating most soils, and producing a spectacular display of yellow flowers in March and April before the leaves emerge.
GrowGuide is a free UK growing tool covering planting guides, companion planting, frost dates and seasonal advice for UK gardeners. As well as this national flowers of the World Cup guide, explore our companion planting guide for vegetables, our monthly planting guide, and our seed to harvest times for popular UK vegetables. All free, no login required.
Several of the world's most recognisable trees belong to World Cup nations. Brazil's national tree is the Pau-Brasil — a now endangered hardwood that gave the country its name. Canada's sugar maple produces the syrup the world loves and defines the Canadian landscape every autumn. Japan's national tree is the Japanese cedar — one of the most widely planted trees in Japan and increasingly grown in UK arboretums.
The World Cup is a perfect excuse to try growing something new in your UK garden. A pot of French iris, a row of Dutch tulip bulbs, a Japanese anemone in a sheltered border, or a South African agapanthus in a sunny spot — your garden can celebrate the tournament one plant at a time. See our companion planting guide and what to plant this month for more growing inspiration.