Flowers add color to the world. They add beauty to our lives. Flowers are all around us. Apart from growing in beautifully tended gardens and the untamed wilderness, they are also found as part of art, literature, culture, and traditions. Flowers are a great source of inspiration to many authors, poets, and painters. We have seen many great works of art that represent flowers. Societies across the globe use flowers every day from gifting them to someone to using them for worship. Many flowers are used as medicines because they have healing properties. Flowers are also used in cooking.
Flowers are part and parcel of our lives. They are mood boosters. Gazing at a garden with flowers in full bloom can uplift an individual’s mind. Taking in the fresh, sweet scent of flowers is like applying a calming balm to a person’s soul. Flowers attract butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees to them. Imagine a garden where flowers are in full bloom, butterflies gliding in the wind, bees buzzing, and hummingbirds fluttering their wings while they feed on the sweet nectar. That is a sight that will instantly brighten up an individual’s mood. Flowers also have their language. They embody a certain meaning. Giving someone a specific flower can be considered as conveying a secret message to the person to whom the flower is given.
Today, this article will give you a list of beautiful flowers that start with z, and also certain tidbits about these flowers.
- Zephyranthes:
The first bunch of flowers that start with z is Zephyranthes. Zephyranthes is a flowering plant genus with over seventy species. These tropical wildflowers are common in the western hemisphere. These flowers that start with z, are native to South America and also seen across Central America and the southern parts of the United States. The name ‘Zephyranthes’ comes from the word Zephyrus, the Greek god of the west wind and anthos which means flower.
Zephyranthes is also known by several names like fairy lily, zephyr lily, and magic lily. The most common name used to refer to zephyr lily is rain lily. Zephyr lilies are also called rain lilies because they tend to bloom right after a rain shower.
Zephyr lilies are ornamental flowers. They fill up the little spaces in gardens and blend themselves in with the other flowering plants. These little wildflowers grow well in warm conditions and well-drained, fertilized soil. Zephyranthes plants have star-shaped blossoms and bloom in the months between summer and autumn. Their bright colors vary from white to yellow to pink, depending upon the species. The flowers grow on a stem that rises in the center of the grass-like leaves. Most often, the plants will only have one flower at a time.
Zephyranthes lilies, like any other flower, have meanings attributed to them. This particular flower means to heal from past wounds. Other meanings include waiting and expectation.
- Zantedeschia:
Zantedeschia, another group of flowers that start with z, is an ornamental plant grown in gardens. These flowering plants are native to South Africa. They were introduced in Europe during the seventeenth century. The exotic nature of the plant has resulted in it becoming a much-loved houseplant and garden plant. As a result, they are now widely cultivated and grown across Europe, the Americas, and Australasia.
Zantedeschia is commonly called Calla lily or Arum lily, even though they are not true lilies. The plant derives its name from an Italian botanist, Giovanni Zantedeschi. It was named so by a German botanist Kurt Sprengel as a tribute to the Italian botanist.
Zantedeschia plants grow in marshy areas. They need a constant supply of water to grow well. Less water supply can cause the plant to become deciduous. Arum lilies also require well-fertilized, humus-rich soil for their better growth. The flowers bloom in the summer months. These flowers that start with z, have the shape of an arrowhead. The flowers are found as small spadix surrounded by a spathe. The spathe can be of multiple colors ranging from white to yellow to shades of red, pink, and purple, depending upon the species.
One thing to keep in mind about these beautiful blooms is that they are poisonous. All parts of the plant are poisonous. They cause a burning sensation and irritation when touched. If eaten they could result in vomiting and diarrhea.
Since the plant looks exotic, they were quite often used in paintings. Painters like Georgia O’ Keeffe and Diego Rivera used Zantedeschia in their art pieces. In the Victorian era, giving Zantedeschia flowers had a sexual connotation as the flowers resemble a female’s genitals.
- Zygopetalum:
Zygopetalum, yet another set of flowers that start with z, is a genus of the orchid family. This genus of the orchid family does not have numerous species under it. So far, there have been about fourteen to fifteen species of the genus that has been recorded. The problem of the low number of species is rectified with the presence of an abundance in Zygopetalum hybrids.
Zygopetalum plants originate from and are widely seen in South America. In the wild, they usually grow on tree trunks, rocks, and the ground. These flowers that start with z, grow as ornamental flowers in domestic settings. The plant gets its name from the Greek word zugon or zygon, which means yoke, and petalon, meaning petal. It gives a combined meaning of holding together because the yoke-like petal on the bottom of the flower seems to hold all parts of the flower together.
Zygopetalum orchids grow well in intermediate temperatures. They should be well watered but not over watered. They also require enough sunlight, not too much brightness nor too little brightness. Like all orchids, Zygopetalum tolerates poorly drained soil but should be given regular doses of fertilizers.
Zygopetalum orchids produce flowers that look like wax blooms. The flowers seen are often patterned and of the shades green, brown, purple, and burgundy. Most hybrids have similar colors and lack color variety. An important feature of Zygopetalum orchids is that they emit a sweet and attractive fragrance. Since these flowers are easy to grow, there is a huge demand for these flowers as they make great cut flowers.
- Zenobia:
The next bunch of flowers that start with z is Zenobia. These beautiful flowering shrubs are native to the United States. They are also known by the names Dusty Zenobia and Honeycup. Zenobia is a semi-deciduous to evergreen shrub that grows well in moist, well-drained soil with acidic properties. Zenobia plants do not tolerate extreme heat and drought. So they are often found growing in the coastal regions, especially the eastern coastal plains of the United States of America.
Zenobia flowers are beautiful, pure white blossoms. They are bell-shaped and look similar to the lily of the valley flowers but are comparatively larger. These flowers that start with z bloom in clusters on the stem during the months from May to June.
Zenobia flowers are named in honor of Queen Zenobia, who was the queen of Palmyra (present-day Syria) from 267 to 272 A.D.
- Zinnia:
The final group of flowers that start with z in the list is Zinnia. Zinnia flowers are popular garden flowers as they are easy to grow and require low maintenance. They are part of the Asteraceae family or the family of daisy flowers. These flowers are native to North America and are also seen in parts of South America as well. These flowers are given the name Zinnia in honor of the German botanist Johann Gottfried Zin.
Zinnia flowers are annual flowers, meaning they bloom for one season, die out and grow from the seeds in the next season. They make amazing cut flowers and are usually placed in vases because of their long stems. Zinnia blooms during the late spring and lives on till the beginning of autumn. Their comparatively long life span makes them ideal garden flowers. Once they grow and bloom, they would bloom in bright colors and large numbers.
Zinnia comes in various shapes, sizes, and colors depending on the variety. These flowers that start with z are divided as single, semi-double, and double. This division is based on the arrangement of the petals. Single-flowered zinnias have one layer of petals with their center visible. Double-flowered zinnias have many layers of petals and their centers are not visible. While semi-double flowered zinnias have multiple petal layers and a visible center. They also come in varying heights ranging from short to tall.
These flowers that start with z grow best under full sun and in well-drained soil. They do not require any special care or maintenance. Zinnias are tolerant of drought. So they require less watering. The flowers come in a variety of bright colors like pink, orange, yellow, red, purple, lavender, white, and green. Zinnias attract a lot of butterflies and hummingbirds with their vibrant colors. Zinnia flowers have very little maintenance, are easy to grow, and come in vibrant colors. These features make these flowers a favored garden plant.
In the language of flowers, Zinnia means missing or one’s absence. So giving Zinnia flowers to someone is equal to saying I miss you.
This article has provided you with a list of flowers that start with z. All these flowers mentioned here are beautiful additions to your garden. Happy gardening!!
