Throughout history, flowers have been used for many things. People use flowers to symbolize complex emotions, like love, fidelity and remembrance. Flowers have been used for centuries for medicinal, aromatherapy and other healing purposes. These days, people commonly send cut bouquets and arrangements as a way to communicate things like "I'm sorry" and "Thank you." At Teleflora, we love learning about flowers and their different uses – and the fun and interesting facts that make them truly amazing. Here are 10 interesting trivia facts you probably didn't know about flowers:
1. The world's smelliest flower
The world's smelliest flower, a Sumatran native called titan arum, is said to emit a stink similar to that of a dead body. For that reason, it's commonly known as the "corpse flower." Corpse flowers are also said to be the world's largest flower, sometimes standing 3 meters tall!
2. The price of tulips
Tulips have long been one of the biggest sellers in the world, especially in the Netherlands, where more than 3 billion tulips are produced each year. Never have they been more valuable than they were in the 17th century in Holland, though, when they were considered to be worth more than most precious metals, including gold. Some say one bulb could cost upward of $2,000! Another fun fact about tulips? They can replace onions in recipes.
Nowadays, tulips are a bit more reasonably priced. Send a loved one Teleflora's Sunny Yellow Tulips bouquet to celebrate the upcoming spring!
3. Gladiolus' symbolic name
In ancient Rome, a scientist was struck by the gladiolus' resemblance to the swords gladiators used in battle. He named the bloom gladiolus after the Latin word for sword, "gladius."
4. Hundreds of thousands of species
Scientists agree that hundreds of thousands of flowers exist – more than 270,000 at current count. Around 35,000 of those are various species of roses, which are some of the most culturally valuable and gifted flowers worldwide. The first person said to deliver roses was Samuel de Champlain, a French explorer who brought the symbolic flowers to North America in the 1600s.
Send a dear friend or significant other the Be Happy Bouquet With Roses to show your love.
5. The oldest flower
In 2002, scientists found a fossil believed to be the world's oldest flower. Now called "the mother of all flowers," the Archaefructus sinensis is thought to have bloomed more than 125 million years ago in China.
6. Gas plants
Gas plants are known for their delicate white and pink blooms, but the plants produce more than just flowers. On warm nights, they emit a colorless gas, which some believe can actually be ignited.
7. The resurrecting lotus
The ancient Egyptians were passionate about the lotus flower, which they considered sacred. They said the flower symbolized resurrection because it's capable of lying dormant for years during droughts, then blooming once the land becomes damp enough again. Egyptians even used the resurrecting flower during burials.
8. Sunflowers bask
Sunflowers are known for their charm and brightness, and their name is actually very apt. Sunflowers love the sun, and their heads change direction to point toward the sun as it moves from east to west each day.
Teleflora's Sunny Sunflowers arrangement is the perfect gift for making anyone's day a little brighter.
9. Agave's single blossom
The agave plant is often called "the century plant." That's because it can flourish for years on end without growing any flowers. Then, at the end of its life, an agave plant produces a single flower and dies.
10. Moon flowers' odd blooms
Speaking of odd blooming patterns, moon flowers are another decidedly unique plant. While many flowers need at least a little sunshine to thrive, moon flowers bloom at night in the light of the moon.
1. The world's smelliest flower
The world's smelliest flower, a Sumatran native called titan arum, is said to emit a stink similar to that of a dead body. For that reason, it's commonly known as the "corpse flower." Corpse flowers are also said to be the world's largest flower, sometimes standing 3 meters tall!
2. The price of tulips
Tulips have long been one of the biggest sellers in the world, especially in the Netherlands, where more than 3 billion tulips are produced each year. Never have they been more valuable than they were in the 17th century in Holland, though, when they were considered to be worth more than most precious metals, including gold. Some say one bulb could cost upward of $2,000! Another fun fact about tulips? They can replace onions in recipes.
Nowadays, tulips are a bit more reasonably priced. Send a loved one Teleflora's Sunny Yellow Tulips bouquet to celebrate the upcoming spring!
3. Gladiolus' symbolic name
In ancient Rome, a scientist was struck by the gladiolus' resemblance to the swords gladiators used in battle. He named the bloom gladiolus after the Latin word for sword, "gladius."
4. Hundreds of thousands of species
Scientists agree that hundreds of thousands of flowers exist – more than 270,000 at current count. Around 35,000 of those are various species of roses, which are some of the most culturally valuable and gifted flowers worldwide. The first person said to deliver roses was Samuel de Champlain, a French explorer who brought the symbolic flowers to North America in the 1600s.
Send a dear friend or significant other the Be Happy Bouquet With Roses to show your love.
5. The oldest flower
In 2002, scientists found a fossil believed to be the world's oldest flower. Now called "the mother of all flowers," the Archaefructus sinensis is thought to have bloomed more than 125 million years ago in China.
6. Gas plants
Gas plants are known for their delicate white and pink blooms, but the plants produce more than just flowers. On warm nights, they emit a colorless gas, which some believe can actually be ignited.
7. The resurrecting lotus
The ancient Egyptians were passionate about the lotus flower, which they considered sacred. They said the flower symbolized resurrection because it's capable of lying dormant for years during droughts, then blooming once the land becomes damp enough again. Egyptians even used the resurrecting flower during burials.
8. Sunflowers bask
Sunflowers are known for their charm and brightness, and their name is actually very apt. Sunflowers love the sun, and their heads change direction to point toward the sun as it moves from east to west each day.
Teleflora's Sunny Sunflowers arrangement is the perfect gift for making anyone's day a little brighter.
9. Agave's single blossom
The agave plant is often called "the century plant." That's because it can flourish for years on end without growing any flowers. Then, at the end of its life, an agave plant produces a single flower and dies.
10. Moon flowers' odd blooms
Speaking of odd blooming patterns, moon flowers are another decidedly unique plant. While many flowers need at least a little sunshine to thrive, moon flowers bloom at night in the light of the moon.