Strange Flower Varieties
by Brian Nisbet on July 4th
In 17th century Holland, tulips were valued higher than many precious metals and gems. A single bulb is said to have sold for more than $2,000.
Tulips are one of the fastest developing flowers. They can grow up to an inch a day after being cut.
The Hawaiian Tulip is one of the most toxic flowers to humans. All parts of the plant are poisonous if consumed.
In 1986 Congress voted to make the rose America's national flower
According to the fossil record, flowering plants appeared only about 140 million years ago, although some recently found fossil evidence suggests that they appeared 80 million years before that.
Thomas Edison created rubber from the flower Golden Rod
The daffodil's sap contains sharp crystals that protect the flower from grazing animals.
Chocolate cosmos smell like chocolate. The name probably isn't a coincidence.
The poppy is used as a symbol for Remembrance Day (November 11) because the flower bloomed in the worst battlefields of Flanders in World War I
Chickens eating marigold-enriched feed produce eggs with a deep yellow color.
Sunflowers turn their heads to the sun, which is the origin of their common name
Pinks are so called not because of their color but because of the ragged edges, or pinks, on each petal. The color pink is actually named after the flower.
Roses don't have thorns, but rather sharp outgrowths of the skin of the stem called prickles.
It takes about 5000 saffron flowers to produce just one ounce of saffron spice.
Orchids come in almost every color available except blue - there are even black and green orchids
Gerbera Daisies are lively, festive flowers which originated in Africa and are now cultivated in a dazzling array of cheerful colours.
Gladioli was named by a 1st Century A.D. Roman scientist.
Struck by the resemblance between the sheath of the flower and the
weapon carried by Roman soldiers, he called the flower "gladiolus"
from the Latin word "gladius" which means sword.
Lilies are a striking trumpet-shaped flower. Being one of the oldest flower known to man they are thought to have originated in the Orient. Throughout the ages, they have been a popular motif in both secular and religious art.
Snapdragons are an old-fashioned favourite, native to the Mediterranean. Their Latin name is Antirrhinum, meaning like a snout. Other common names for these flowers are calves' snouts, lion's lips, toad's mouth and rabbit's mouth
Tags: tulips, bulb, hawaiian, poisonous, poppy, cosmos, remembrance, flanders, marigold
Written for you by flower experts, giving you tips and advice on everything flower related. Read interesting flower facts and news.