Paeonia suffruticosa “Tao Hua Fei Xue”
Paeoniaceae
Flower to 30 cm across

The first records of the cultivation of tree peonies date back to around 600 BC, during the reign of the Sui dynasty’s Emperor Yang. The flower is regarded as a symbol of wealth, fortune, luck, prosperity, and happiness.

Muscari armeniacum
Hyacinthaceae
Inflorescence to 7.5 cm long

Native to eastern Europe, Greece, Turkey, and the Caucasus, Muscari armeniacum, or Grape Hyacinth is among the earliest bulbs to bloom in the garden in spring. The genus name Muscari most likely refers to the strong, sweet or musky fragrance of the flowers.

Garcia nutans
Euphorbiaceae
Flower about 1 cm across

Native only to Mexico, this flower is listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. As more and more habitats are degraded due to the activities of humans, many species in the forests of Mexico and Central and South America are facing a similar threat.

Moraea loubseri
Iridaceae
Flower 6 cm across

Moraea loubseri occurs naturally at only one site in the Western Cape of South Africa, the summit of Olifants Kop. Discovered in 1973 by amateur botanist Johan Loubser, the species has led a precarious existence, as quarrying has slowly excavated the hilltop that was its only home. Now well established in cultivation around the world it is for the time being safe from extinction.

Hibiscus “Silver Memories”
MalvaceaeFlower to 25 cm across

The hibiscus is used as an ingredient in herbal medicines and to make colored herbal teas in many tropical regions around the world. In Hawaii, Hibiscus blooms were traditionally worn by women, as a single flower tucked behind the ear. The placement of the flower, either left or right, would indicate the marital status of the wearer.

Paphiopedilum Quasar (P. rothschildianum × P. Macabre)
Orchidaceae
Flower to 15 cm across

Orchidaceae is the largest family of flowering plants, comprising over 22,000 accepted species. A truly black orchid exists only in folklore and literature, but the Paphiopedilum Quasar hybrid has got very close to making the mythological flower a reality.

Chrysanthemum “Mocha”
Asteraceae
Flower to 20 cm across

Originating from China, the chrysanthemum has been cultivated and celebrated in Asian cultures for millennia. Plants were valued for the beauty of the flowers and for use in medicines. What appears to be a single bloom is actually composed of dozens of individual ray flowers.

Passiflora quadrangularis
Passifloraceae

Digitalis purpurea
Plantaginaceae
Flower to 5 cm long

Native to most of Europe and now naturalized in many regions of the world, Digitalis is extremely poisonous to humans and animals. The medicinal use of its active compound digitoxin for treating heart failure (for which it is still used today) was noted as far back as 1785 by British physician William Withering.

Isoplexis canariensis
PlantaginaceaeFlower to 2.5 cm long

Found only on the Canary Islands, all species in this genus are currently threatened with extinction because of the destruction of their native forests. Isoplexis plants contain some of the same compounds as their cousins in the genus Digitalis and are being investigated by researchers for their medicinal potential.

Strophanthus preussii
ApocynaceaeFlower to 15 cm long

Strophanthus plants contain many toxic alkaloids that were used as sources of arrow poison by certain African tribes. Strophanthus preussii is a woody shrub that despite its toxic nature is cultivated for its beautiful and curious flowers, which are adapted to attract an unknown pollinator.

Curcuma arracanensis
Zingiberaceae
Inflorescence to 20 cm tall, flower 3 cm across

This species of ginger was unknown to science until discovered by W John Kress (curator and research scientist at the Smithsonian Institution) on an isolated ridge in a cloud forest above the coastal city of Taung-gok in Myanmar.

Alpinia platychilus
Zingiberaceae
Inflorescence to 25 cm tall, flower to 4 cm long

This Alpinia, one of the “shell gingers,” attracts bees with its yellow and deep red flowers, which are at first enclosed within shiny, waxy buds that keep the flower parts fresh until they can open allowing the bees to enter. This species is uncommon at the borders of evergreen forests in China.