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13 Of The Most Scintillating Flowers That Start With R

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Sparkling Bloom

Through the ages, flowers, especially roses, have continued to scintillate and amaze people, earning their reverence and adoration. The most famous playwright, William Shakespeare himself said: “What’s in a name?

That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” Roses continue to make history until today.

However, though roses are a chief favorite of gardeners and non-gardeners alike, they forget that there are blooms as beautiful, maybe even more so than roses. The other flowers that start with R are both scintillating, and also unique!

Though roses may be lovely, their ubiquity leaves little room for innovation. So, be sure to check these other flowers that start with R and add an unusual twist to your bouquet and garden!

13 Scintillating Flowers That Start With R

1. Rose

Rose - Flowers That Start With R
  • Botanical name: Rosa
  • Plant Class: Perennial
  • Bloom time: Spring to fall

From gardens and bouquets to indoor vases, perfumery, and various culinary applications, roses are at the center of the flower world. This flowering-plants long history has made it a symbol of many cultures and medieval houses and clans as far back as 5,000 years ago.

The beauty of roses, as they scintillate in shades of pinks, whites, reds, are indeed undeniable. Also, it’s interesting to note that the famous roses we know – informally, Hybrid tea roses – of are actually hybrids and cultivars of the original roses.

These cultivars are bred to enhance their fruit, color, bloom size, fragrance, and even thorn shape.

The rose has become a timeless symbol of love, honor, beauty, courage, and many other qualities of passion.

2. Ranunculus

Ranunculus - Flowers That Start With R
  • Botanical name: Ranunculus asiaticus
  • Plant Class: Perennial
  • Bloom time: Late spring to early summer

One of the strongest contenders to the Rose would be the outstanding Ranunculus, or Buttercup as many people call it. The buttercup derives its name from its butter color as the plant blooms into bright yellows and oranges. Also, like roses, the buttercup is a long-lasting cut flower perfect for display or bouquets.

The grandeur of the Ranunculus represents sweet charm, charisma, and deep attraction.

3. Reticulated Iris

  • Botanical name: Iris reticulata
  • Plant Class: Perennial
  • Bloom time: Spring

The reticulated iris earns its unusual name because of its intricate network of petals. This Iris has six petals; half are upright while the other half are hanging. The reticulated iris, however,is most famous for their fantastic color combinations and patterns of purple, blue, and indigo, with golden or white highlights.

Reticulated Iris represents the beauty of diversity and the many colors of life.

4. Rosebay Willowherb

  • Botanical name: Chamerionangustifolium
  • Plant Class: Perennial
  • Bloom time: Summer

Native Americans would collect the young shoots of the Rosebay as they were excellent sources of vitamin C and pro-vitamin A. Also, people then would use the stems of the Rosebay as an antiseptic to wounds and open infections.

Hence, in addition to its dainty lavender beauty, the rosebay is very nutritious. In fact, you can prepare the rosebay like you would asparagus or use its flowers for tea!

The Rosebay represents good health, joy, and close bonds.

5. Rue

Rue - Flowers That Start With R
  • Botanical name: Rutagraveolens
  • Plant Class: Perennial
  • Bloom time: Summer

Another favorite flower for herbal applications and deep meaning is the Rue. This lovely blossoming plant is both beautiful and useful.

You could say that you may rue the day when you chose to ignore the rue plant. Regarding its usefulness, people would use the rue as a disinfectant, a gastrointestinal remedy, and as an eyestrain treatment.

The rue is a profound symbol of repentance, forgiveness, but also remorse.

6. Restharrow

Restharrow Ononis Repens - Flowers That Start With R
  • Botanical name: Ononis Repens
  • Plant Class: Perennial
  • Bloom time: July to August

Pretty pink color and unique shape are the reasons why Restharrow makes a good charm to add to gardens and pathways. It belongs to the legume family called Fabaceae. It is native to Europe and grows as weeds in sea shores, on cliffs and dunes, grasslands as well as dry hill pasture.

This woody perennial plant spreads by rhizomes with hairy stems and small oval-shaped, toothed-edge leaves. What makes it attractive is its zygomorphic unscented flowers in lovely pink color. This typically blooms starting June through September.

The common name comes from the “plant’s propensity to stop horse-drawn farming implements, with its hard, woody roots.” Its botanical name ‘ononis’ or ‘anonis’ was taken from the Ancient Greek word “onos” for donkey, as it was used to feed donkeys.

This flowering plant symbolizes obstacle.

7. Rosemary

Rosemary Salvia Rosmarinus - Flowers That Start With R
  • Botanical name: Salvia Rosmarinus
  • Plant Class: Perennial
  • Bloom time: December to February

Rosemary is a known plant used as a spice and a medicinal herb. But this perennial plant produces beautiful, tiny blue flowers. This is included in the mint family called Lamiaceae, and native to the Mediterranean regions and Asia.

Its scientific name Rosmarinus is derived from Latin “ros marinus” that means dew of the sea. Other common English names are Compass Plant or Weed, Romero, and Polar Plant.

This is a woody, perennial shrub that has special distinctions, which include its fragrant or aromatic leaves that are evergreen, needle-like. In addition to blue, this also produces flowers in purple, pink and white colors.

There are several symbols that represent this plant. These are purity, rebirth, devotion or commitment, intellect, and remembrance. It’s also considered as a healing balm, promotes well-being, and stimulates healthy thinking.

8. Round-Leaved Sundew

Round Leaved Sundew Drosera Rotundifolia - Flowers That Start With R
  • Botanical name: Drosera Rotundifolia
  • Plant Class: Perennial
  • Bloom time: June to August

Round-Leaved Sundew is an interesting plant as it is very distinctive, unique and strikingly beautiful. It has the general look of marine plants but this perennial plant grows from soil that is often situated in marshes, bogs and fens.

It is very common in northern parts of the UK, including England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland, as well as North America, Japan and Korea.

Tiny and slender, this plant has round green-reddish leaves with hair-like tendrils arranged in a rosette at the base, and flowers in white or pink at the top of the hairless, red stems. Each leaf is covered by glistening sticky droplets, which are able to trap insects and inwardly curl them that ends up engulfing them.

Its botanical term “droseros” is a Greek word for “dewy”, which obviously refers to its moist and sticky glistening droplets, and “rodundifolia”, which is a Latin word for round leaves.

Round-Leaved Sundew is a symbol of surprise.

9. Rain Lily

Rain Lily Zephyranthes - Flowers That Start With R
  • Botanical name: Zephyranthes
  • Plant Class: Perennial
  • Bloom time: August to September

Rain Lily, often known as Cuban Zephyrlily and Rose Fairy Lily, is a perennial herbaceous monocot type of plant and a species native to Colombia and Peru. It is popularly cultivated for ornamental uses.

As its name suggests, this plant produces flowers after heavy rains. It blooms beautiful pink lilies having 6 petals and 10 stamens. These flowers are formed into 3 lobes. In addition, they are fragrant making a good choice as ornament.

The botanical name is derived from two Greek words, “Zephyrus”, which refers to the Greek god of the West Wind and “anthos” translated as flower.

This represents rebirth, new beginnings and big expectations.

10. Rockrose

Rockrose Cistus Incanus - Flowers That Start With R
  • Botanical name: Cistus Incanus
  • Plant Class: Perennial
  • Bloom time: March to June

Rockrose or Cretan rockrose has a striking flower as its petals look wrinkled. This is often in pink color but some species are in white and yellow. The stamens are bright yellow. Although short-lived, this blooms during spring to early summer and profusely covers almost the entire shrub.

This small, perennial plant belongs to the family Cistaceae. There are about 170 to almost 200 species of this. It grows well in Europe, the Mediterranean basin, and North America, especially in poor but cultivated soils. It tolerates sun and drought.

The flowers are regular but considered as bisexual and solitary (borne in cymes). They have 3 to 5 crumpled petals, 5 sepals and multiple stamens.

As of its symbol and significance, it represents popular favour.

11. Rondeletia

Rondeletia Rogiera Amoena - Flowers That Start With R
  • Botanical name: Rogiera Amoena
  • Plant Class: Perennial
  • Bloom time: November to June

Widely cultivated as ornamental, Rondeletia comes out in beautiful blooms of tiny pink flowers. A single cluster contains numerous florets, and multiple clusters are formed throughout a long period of time beginning autumn.

This perennial shrub (small tree) belongs to the Rubiaceae family with about 160 species. It is also known as Yellowthroat Rondeletia as its stamens are paint-like yellows. This is native to South America, specifically Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Panama.

This plant’s name was taken from Guillaume Rondelet, a French physician and naturalist. It is a symbol of endurance. 

12. Rose of Sharon

Rose of Sharon Hibiscus Syriacus - Flowers That Start With R
  • Botanical name: Hibiscus Syriacus
  • Plant Class: Perennial
  • Bloom time: June to October

Rose of Sharon is a species of the tropical flowering plant popularly known as Hibiscus. Also called Althaea, this perennial, hardy deciduous shrub belongs to Malvaceae, the mallow family.

It is native to China but also often found in many countries around the world from the Philippines to Hawaii in the US. This is also the national flower of South Korea, in fact mentioned in their national anthem.

The shrub grows upright and in a vase-like shape with a maximum height of 13 feet. It produces large trumpet-shaped beautiful flowers. A single flower blooms in white, yellow, pink or purple petals (5 or more) with blood-stained red throat and yellow-tipped white stamens.

They are short lived, which means they last only for a day, but it’s a plant that develops numerous flowers throughout its season.

This flowering plant symbolizes beauty, charm, first love, youth, and the shortness of life.

13. Rudbeckia (Black-Eyed Susan/Yellow Ox-Eye Daisy)

Rudbeckia Hirta - Flowers That Start With R
  • Botanical name: Rudbeckia Hirta
  • Plant Class: Annual
  • Bloom time: June to October

Rudbeckia or most popularly known as Black-Eyed Susan, is an annual plant that produces striking and beautiful yellow flowers.

It belongs to the sunflower family, and is native to North America, and is the state flower of Maryland. Other names are Yellow Ox-Eye Daisy, Gloriosa Daisy, English Bull’s Eye, and Golden Jerusalem.

Although annual, this plant can be also perennial or biennial. It blooms in summer to early autumn. This is easy to identify by its bright yellow ray florets with black or brown dome-shaped cones of numerous tiny disc florets.

It was named after Olof Rudbeck the Younger, a Swedish botanist professor. It symbolizes motivation or encouragement, impartiality, justice, and love that conquers all.


Conclusion

Which of these flowers that start with R is among your favorite or top choice?

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