Plants by Flower Color and Type

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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GO SET THE TABLE

Some people work well with a visual table that breaks flowers down by color and type, and that's what this page is for, to try and identify a plant by generalizing its color and shape. For instance, if you were trying to identify any of the goldenrods, you'd click on the far right icon, third one down, because it's a yellow long cluster. The odd-shaped category has those flowers that are generally symmetrical down the middle (bilateral symmetry), such as irises and pink lady slipper, but also clover and solomon's seal falls into this catch-all group.

Note: Some categories do not have any flowers of this type (such as green ray flower). Either i haven't found them yet, or there's not a type like that in this area. Some plants will be in more than one category such as flowering dogwood that has white simple flowers and red berries, and turtlehead that has flowers that can be white or purplish.

Click on the picture of the type of flower you'd like to identify.

Image Map of Plants by Color and Type

And no, this is not a million-to-one slot machine.


 SIMPLE
 FLOWERS


Most simple flowers, at least the showy ones are part of a flowering strategy that is pollinated by insects, usually bees. Flowers such as these are generally landing indicators for these insects and often have an ultra-violet pattern that aids insect location also, since many insects - bees included - see light in that spectrum.


 Simple Flower, Blue

Blue Star Amsonia tabernaemontana
Bluets Houstonia spp
Blue-Eyed Grass Sisyrinchium augustifolium
Violet Viola spp.

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 Simple Flower, Brown

Purple Trillium Trillium erectum
Red Trillium Trillium sessile

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 Simple Flower, Green

Indian Cucumber RootMedeola virginiana

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 Simple Flower, Orange

Carolina Lily Lilium michauxii
Turk's Cap Lilly Lilium superbum

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 Simple Flower, Purple

None In Database

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 Simple Flower, Red and Pink

Catesby's Trillium Trillium catesbaei
Fire Pink Silene virginica
Flowering Raspberry Rubus odoratus
Houstonia Houstonia purpurea
Pink Wood Sorrel Oxalis violacea
Purple Trillium Trillium erectum
Red Bud Cercis canadensis
Red Trillium Trillium sessile
Spring Beauty Claytonia caroliniana
Swamp Mallow Hibiscus moscheutos
Wake Robin Trillium vaseyi
Wild Geranium Geranium maculatum

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 Simple Flower, White

Blackberry Rubus argustus
Bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis
Bowman's Root Gillenia trifoliata
Carolina Anemone Anemone caroliniana
Chickweed Stellaria media
Clinton's Lily Clintonia borealis
Cranberry Vaccinium macrocarpon
Dodder Coscuta spp.
Dogwood Cornus florida
Horse Nettle Solanum carolinense
Giant Chickweed Stellaria pubera
Houstonia Houstonia purpurea
Large Flowered Trillium Trillium grandiflorum
Mayapple Podophyllum peltatum
Nodding Trillium Trillium cernuum
Oconee Bells Shortia galicifolia
Painted Trillium Trillium undulatum
Partridgeberry Mitchella repens
Red Raspberry Rubus strigosis
Starry Campion Silene stellata
Sundew Drosera spp.
Thimbleweed Anemone virginiana
Twinleaf Jeffersonia diphylla
Violet Viola spp.
Wild Strawberry Fraginaria virginiana
Windflower Thalictrum thalictroides
Wood Anemone Anemone quinquefolia

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 Simple Flower, Yellow

Buttercups Ranunculus hispidis
Hypericum Hypericum spp
Seedbox Ludwigia alternifolia
Sourgrass Oxalis europaea
Sundrops Oenothera tetragorna
Trout Lily Erythromium americanum
Violet Viola spp.
Yellow Star-Grass Hypoxis hirsuta

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 RAY
 FLOWERS


Composite, or Ray flowers represent an interesting flower strategy and is probably the most insect-pollinated type of flower (if such a thing can be). Each 'flower' unit is actually composed of many flowers in one and usually has two different kinds of flowers to appeal to as many insect-pollinators as possible. The central disk, if present, is usually not mature at once, but over time and represents a long-lasting strategy for multiple plant pollination.


 Ray Flower, Blue

Aster Aster spp.

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 Ray Flower, Brown

Blue Cohosh Caulophyllum thalictroides

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 Ray Flower, Green

None In Database

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 Ray Flower, Orange

None In Database

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 Ray Flower, Purple

Aster Aster spp.

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 Ray Flower, Red and Pink

Catesby's Trillium Trillium catesbaei
Sweet Shrub Calycanthus floridus

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 Ray Flower, White

Aster Aster spp.
Bushy Aster Aster dumosus
Campion Silene ovata
Fleabane Erigeron strigosis
Oconee Bells Shortia galicifolia
Oxeye Daisy Chrysanthemum leucanthemum
Robins-Plantain Erigeron pulchellus
Virgin's Bower Clematis virginiana

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 Ray Flower, Yellow

Aster Aster spp.
Black-Eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta
Coreopsis Coreopsis pubescens
Dandelion Taraxacum offincinale
Dwarf Dandelion Krigia virginica
Golden Ragwort Senecio aureus
Lance-leaved Coreopsis Coreopsis lanceolata
Rattlesnake Weed Hieracium venosum
Sneezeweed Helenium autumnale
Tall Coneflower Rudbeckia laciniata

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 LONG CLUSTER
 FLOWERS


Many long cluster flowers are that way for the reason of being an opportunistic plant or pioneer species in fields. The plant grows to a certain height, but when flowering time arrives shoots a long stem filled with flowers up above the rest of the riff-raff plants (so to speak). This is a good strategy for flowers intended to attract insect pollinators, and nearly necessary for the wind-pollinators. Plants such as the ragweeds have male flowers waving in the air releasing pollen (much to the delight of allergists) so that the lower-positioned female flowers on the plant can be fertilized.


 Long Cluster, Blue

Beard Tongue Penstemon spp.
Bellflower Campanula americana
Great Lobelia Lobelia siphilitica
Heal All Prunella vulgaris

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 Long Cluster, Brown

None In Database

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 Long Cluster, Green

False Hellebore Veratrum viride

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 Long Cluster, Orange

None In Database

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 Long Cluster, Purple

Larkspur Delphinium tricorne

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 Long Cluster, Red and Pink

Beard Tongue Penstemon spp.
Blazing Star Liatris spicata
Kudzu Pueraria lobata
Lyre Leaved Sage Salvia lyrata
Obedient Plant Dracocephalum virginianum
Smartweed Polygonum spp.

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 Long Cluster, White

Black Cohosh Cimicifuga racemosa
Brook Saxifrage Boykinia aconitifolia
Canada Mayflower Maianthemum canadense
Devil's Bit Chamaelirium luteum
False Solomon's Seal Smilacina racemosa
Foam Flower Tiarella cordifolia
Fly Poison Amianthium muscaetoxicum
Galax Galax rotundifolia
Goats Beard Aruncas dioicus
Horseweed Erigeron canadensis
Mountain Lettuce Saxifraga micranthidifolia
Poison Ivy Rhus radicans
Poke Phytolacca americana
Rattlesnake Plantain Goodyera pubescens
Sourwood Oxydendrum arboreum
Wood Betony Pedicularis canadensis

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 Long Cluster, Yellow

Butter and Eggs Linaria vulgaris
Goldenrod Solidago spp
Mullein Verbascum thapsus
Whorled Loostrife Lysimachea quadrifolia

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 ROUND CLUSTER
 FLOWERS


Cluster flower heads, like the long cluster flowers, represent a flower strategy of "putting your best foot highest" so that they can be found by plant pollinators. Also, they probably intend to attract insects for a long period of time on an individual flower-head to minimize the amount of pollen the plant must produce to get 'stuck' to a pollinator. Because insects tend to linger and, whether a strategy or not, round clusters tend to foster mini-communities of insects specialized to take advantage of this. Flowers such as Milkweed have specialized communities and Queen Anne's lace that has insect predatory spiders and such waiting for lunch.


 Round Cluster, Blue

Fringed Phacelia Phacelia fimbriata
Heal All Prunella vulgaris
Phacelia Phacelia bipinnatifida
Phlox Phlox carolina

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 Round Cluster, Brown

None In Database

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 Round Cluster, Green

Ginseng panax spp.

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 Round Cluster, Orange

Butterfly Weed Asclepius tuberosa
Flame Azalea Rhododendron calendulaceum

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 Round Cluster, Purple

None In Database

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 Round Cluster, Red and Pink

Bee-Balm Monarda spp..
Catawba Rhododendron Rhododendron catawbiense
Indian Paintbrush Castilleja coccinea
Ironweed Venonia noveboracensis
Joe-Pye Weed Eupatorium purpureum
Mountain Laurel Kalmia latifolia
Pinxter Rhododendron nudiflorum
Rosebay Rhododendron maximum
Variagated Milkweed Asclepius variagata
Wild Bergamont Monarda fistulosa

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 Round Cluster, White

Baneberry Actaea pachypoda
Bee-Balm Monarda spp..
Boneset Eupatorium perfoliatum
Flowering Spurge Euphorbia corollata
Ginseng panax spp.
Great Laurel Rhododendron maximum
Hoary Mountain Mint Pycnanthemum incanum
Meadow Rue Thalictrum revolutum
Mountain Ash Sorbus americana
Mountain Laurel Kalmia latifolia
Peppergrass Lepidium virginicum
Queen Anne's Lace Daucus carota
Rabbit Tobacco Gnaphalium obtusifolium
Sampson's Snakeroot Gentiana villosa
Saxifrage Saxifraga michauxii
Soapwort Gentian Gentiana saponaria
Tall Meadow Rue Thalictrum polygamum
Toothwort Dentaria laciniata
Umbrella Leaf Diphylleia cymosa
White Snakeroot Eupatorium rugosum
Wild Hydrangea Hydrangea arborescens
Yarrow Archillea millifolium

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 Round Cluster, Yellow

Bush Honeysuckle Diervilla sessifolia
Evening Primrose Oenothera biennis
St. John's Wort Hypericum prolificum

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 ODD SHAPED
 FLOWERS


Oddly shaped flowers are usually specialists in the type of pollinators they are trying to attract or specialists in some other way, though its hard to generalize about this diverse group. The plants in this group though tend to be ones that are part of stable habitats where specialization is advantageous.


 Odd-shaped, Blue

Dayflower Commelina communis
Spiderwort Tradescantia subaspera

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 Odd-shaped, Brown

Dutchman's Pipe Aristolochia macrophylla
Heart Leaf, Ginger Hexastylus heterophylla
Jack In The Pulpit Arisaema triphyllum
Skunk Cabbage Symplocarpus foetidas
Squaw Root Conopholus americana
Wild Ginger Asaram canadense

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 Odd-shaped, Green

Arrow Arum Peltandra virginica
Blue Beard Lily Clintonia umbellulata
Carrion Flower Smilax herbacea
False Nettle Boehmaria cylindrica
False Hellebore Veratrum viride
Jack In The Pulpit Arisaema triphyllum
Plantain Plantago spp.
Smooth Sumac Rhus glabra
Solomon's Seal Polygonatum biflorum
Staghorn Sumac Rhus typhina
Stinging Nettle Urtica dioica
Winged Sumac Rhus copallina
Wood Nettle Laportea canadensis

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 Odd-shaped, Orange

Jewelweed Impatiens capensis
Yellow Fringed Orchid (Habenaria ciliaris)

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 Odd-shaped, Purple

Clover Trifolium spp
Crested Dwarf Iris Iris cristata
Dwarf Iris Iris verna
Stiff Gentian Gentiana quinquefolia
Turtlehead Chelone cuthbertii

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 Odd-shaped, Red and Pink

Bleeding Heart Dicentra exima
Bull Thistle Carduus lanceolatus
Clover Trifolium spp
Cardinal Flower Lobelia cardinalis
Columbine Aquilegia canadensis
Indian Paintbrush Castilleja coccinea
Pink Lady Slipper Cyprepedium acaule
Pinxter Rhododendron nudiflorum
Pitcher Plant Sarracenia spp.
Shooting Star Dodecatheon meadia
Showy Orchid Orchis spectablis
Spurred Butterfly Pea Centrosema virginianum
Twisted Stalk Streptopus roseus

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 Odd-shaped, White

Button Bush Cephalanthus occidentalis
Clover Trifolium spp
Dutchman's Breeches Dicentra circullaria
Golden Seal Hydrastis canadensis
Indian Pipe Monotropa uniflora
Nodding Mandarin Disporum maculatum
Highbush Blueberry Vaccinium corymbosum
Leucothoe Leucothoe spp.
Lily of the Valley Convallaria montana
Showy Orchid Orchis spectablis
Solomon's Seal Polygonatum biflorum
Squirrel Corn Dicentra canadensis
Teaberry Gaultheria procumbens
Turtlehead Chelone cuthbertii

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 Odd-shaped, Yellow

Arrow Arum Peltandra virginica
Halberd Leaved Yellow Violet Viola hastata
Pale Jewelweed Impatiens pallida
Pussy Willow Salix discolor
Squaw Root Conopholus americana
Wild Oats, Bellwort Uvularia sessilifolia
Witch Hazel Hamamelis virginiana
Yellow Ladyslipper Cyprepedium calceaolus var. pubescens

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 SEED &
 FRUIT


The strategy of seed and fruit types could probably fill a website itself. Sweet fruits tend to attract mammals for the advantage of wide seed dispersal, or 'seedy' and un-sweet fruits appealing to habitat-specific birds whose taste-buds are not sweet-oriented. Some seeds are tiny and attractive to ants who take the seeds back to the nest and bury them. Other seeds employ 'shooting' or 'popping' strategy of dispersal (such as Jewelweed, known for this reason as Touch-Me-Not) so consequently have no need for a fruit capsule to attract animals.


 Seed & Fruit, Blue

Carrion Flower Smilax herbacea
Clinton's Lily Clintonia borealis

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 Seed & Fruit, Brown

Seedbox Ludwigia alternifolia
Smooth Sumac Rhus glabra
Staghorn Sumac Rhus typhina
Winged Sumac Rhus copallina

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 Seed & Fruit, Green

None In Database
Many unripened fruits such as Solomon's Seal are green.

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 Seed & Fruit, Orange

Mountain Ash Sorbus americana

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 Seed & Fruit, Purple

Blackberry Rubus argustus
Blue Beard Lily Clintonia umbellulata
Highbush Blueberry Vaccinium corymbosum
Indian Cucumber Root Medeola virginiana
Poke Phytolacca americana

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 Seed & Fruit, Red and Pink

Cranberry Vaccinium macrocarpon
Dogwood Cornus florida
Ginseng panax spp.
Jack In The Pulpit Arisaema triphyllum
Partridgeberry Mitchella repens
Staghorn Sumac Rhus typhina
Smooth Sumac Rhus glabra
Teaberry Gaultheria procumbens
Winged Sumac Rhus copallina

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 Seed & Fruit, White

Baneberry Actaea pachypoda
Common Milkweed Asclepius syriaca
Dandelion Taraxacum offincinale

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 Seed & Fruit, Yellow

None In Database

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