Flowers That Start With the Letter 'Q': 27 Beautiful Varieties to Admire (2024)

Earth is a diverse and beautiful garden where hundreds of thousands of flower species grow. With countless hybrids and cultivars, these plants support the interest of botanists and garner the admiration of gardeners, florists, and greenthumbs alike. With so much diversity, however, it can often feel like there are more flowers to see than time to see them. That’s why we’re journeying through the alphabet to explore new flowers that we think you’ll love. Keep reading to discover 27 beautiful flowers that start with the letter Q, along with their pictures, descriptions, interesting facts, native ranges, symbolic meanings in the language of flowers, and more.

27 Beautiful Flowers That Start With the Letter Q:

1. Quaker Bonnets

Primula vulgaris ‘Lilacena Plena’ is a variety of double primrose that’s commonly referred to as Quaker bonnets or lady’s delight. The species belongs to the Primulaceae (primrose) plant family.

Like other primroses, you’ll love that these flowers grow in small clumps with rosettes of bright green, oval-shaped, evergreen foliage. Interestingly, this was one of Carol Klein’s favorite primulas. They produce pendulous light blue to lilac-colored flowers that grow in bonnet-shaped pinwheel formations with wavy petals.

In the language of flowers, purple primrose symbolizes virtue.

2. Quaker Ladies

If you’re looking for petite plants, consider Houstonia caerulea. This perennial herb belongs to the Rubiaceae (madder, coffee, or bedstraw) plant family. In addition to Quaker ladies, its common names include bluets and azure bluets.

These plants are petite, growing to be just three to six inches in height and diameter. What’s more, they produce rosettes of pointed, rectangular leaves and profusions of singular, four-petaled blossoms atop unbranched stems. The flowers are generally white or pale blue with yellow centers. They attract bees and butterflies.

3. Quaking Grass

A member of the Poaceae (grass) plant family, Briza media is a species of perennial grass with several fun common names, including quaking grass, didder, dodder grass, doddering dillies, cow-quake, earthquakes, jiggle joggles, wag-wantons, and quakers-and-shakers. Interestingly, these comical names primarily refer to the puffy, oat-like blossoms that appear on this ornamental grass in the springtime. They flutter, quiver, and rattle in the slightest breeze, making them interesting to watch and hear.

4. Quamash

Camassia quamash (commonly called quamash or common camass) is a perennial herb that belongs to the Asparagaceae (asparagus) plant family. The plants form basal rosettes of strappy, grass-like foliage in deep green and cone-shaped terminal racemes of starry, deep-purple, or blue flowers.

Quamash roots are edible when boiled or cooked and have a taste similar to sweet potatoes. Plus, they were a common food source for Native American tribes and the members of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. However, they should not be confused with the poisonous roots of similar white camas.

5. Quamocl*t

Ipomoea quamocl*t is an annual, herbaceous, twining vine that belongs to the Convolvulaceae (bindweed or morning glory) plant family. Common names include quamocl*t, cypress vine, cardinal vine, cardinal creeper, Star of Bethlehem, and hummingbird vine.

The vines can grow to be about 10 feet long, and their foliage is finely divided, giving a fern-like appearance to the plants. I love that they blossom with scarlet, tube-shaped flowers that flare open into broad stars at their ends, attracting hummingbirds and butterflies.

In the language of flowers, quamocl*t symbolizes female affection and also represents a busybody.

6. Quassia

A member of the Simaroubaceae plant family, Quassia amara is often regarded as the only species in the Quassia genus. As a result, it is commonly referred to by its genus name in addition to the common names bitter ash, bitter wood, hombre grande, and amargo.

It is a small, tropical, evergreen shrub that produces racemes of pod-shaped, crimson flower bracts and small yellow flowers. The plant has a very bitter taste and smell, so it has been used effectively as a mosquito repellent. Also, it contains several chemicals with natural medicinal properties.

7. Queen Anne’s Lace

Daucus carota is an herbaceous, biennial plant belonging to the Apiaceae (umbellifer, carrot, parsley, or celery) plant family. The plants can grow to be about four feet in height and produce sturdy stems and lacy foliage, both of which feature fine hairs.

The flower heads are terminal and umbelliferous in shape. Interestingly, they produce densely packed dull-white flower blossoms and often feature a singular red or purple flower toward the center of the cluster.

The plant’s common names include Queen Anne’s lace (referencing the lacy appearance of the plant’s flowers and foliage), wild carrot, bishop’s lace, and bird’s nest.

8. Queen Fabiola Flower

Triteleia laxa is a bulbous perennial that belongs to a genus of flowers known as triplet lilies within the Asparagaceae plant family. The plants produce basal rosettes of grass-like foliage and slender stems up to three feet tall from which terminal racemes of tubular, six-pointed, star-shaped flowers emerge in a pleasing shade of mauvish purple. The plants have several common names, including queen fabiola flower, Ithurial’s spear, grassnut, and fool’s onion.

9. Queen of the Meadow

A member of the Rosaceae (rose) plant family, Filipendula ulmaria is an herbaceous perennial. In addition to the queen of the meadow, Filipendula ulmaria is also commonly called meadowsweet, pride of the meadow, bridewort, or meadow wort.

These flowers that start with the letter Q produce erect, reddish stems that grow to be almost seven feet in height. What’s more, they have ovate foliage and large, sweetly scented flowerheads that burst with fuzzy, cotton-like, white flowers.

Meadowsweet symbolizes neglected beauty or uselessness in the language of flowers.

10. Queen of the Night Cactus

A member of the Cactaceae (cactus) plant family, Selenicereus grandiflorus, commonly called queen of the night cactus, night-blooming cactus, vanilla cactus, large-flowered cactus, or sweet-scented cactus. The plants produce stems that can grow to be 33 feet long. The snake-like, spiked stems can be scandent, crawling, branching, or sprawling. Sometimes, they grow into stiff tangles.

When in bloom, they produce large, white flowers that are encircled with crowns of spiky bracts. Moreover, this cactus species is exceedingly rare and is often confused with members of the Epiphyllum genus, which produces similar large, white flowers.

11. Queen of the Prairie

A member of the Rosaceae plant family, Filipendula rubra is a perennial herb that is regarded as endangered in many of the areas where it grows naturally. It favors wetland habitats, and as these areas are increasingly reduced, the queen of the prairie also becomes less common.

These plants that start with the letter Q produce tall stalks and deeply cut leaves. Plus, sprays of fuzzy, small, pink flowers adorn the plants, creating the look of cotton candy in a bush. Both the leaves and flowers are pleasantly fragrant.

12. Queen’s Crepe Myrtle

A member of the Lythraceae plant family, Lagerstroemia speciosa is a tropical, flowering, deciduous tree or large shrub commonly called queen’s crepe myrtle, rose of India, or the pride of India. Just above the ground, the trunks divide into several branches and can reach about 45 feet in height.

These flowers that start with the letter Q appear on pointed, terminal racemes. They can be white, pink, purple, lilac, or violet in color. Plus, the flowers each have five wavy or slightly rumped petals and add a nice splash of color during the blooming season, which can last for months in a tropical environment.

13. Queen’s Crown

A member of the Crassulaceae (stonecrop) plant family, Rhodiola rhodantha is a perennial herb commonly called queen’s crown or redpod stonecrop. It grows throughout the Rocky Mountains at elevations up to 8,900 feet.

The plants grow to be about 12 inches in height and produce clumps of stems bearing small, fleshy, succulent leaf segments that are bright green in color and grow red toward their tips.

The spiky, cup-shaped flowers are rosy, reddish-pink, and are formed upon terminal clusters. Interestingly, Queen’s crown plants are pollinated by several species of bees.

14. Queen Cup

Clintonia uniflora (commonly called queen cup, bride’s bonnet, or bead lily) is an easy-spreading, rhizomatic, perennial herb that belongs to the Liliaceae (lily) plant family.

These petite plants that start with the letter Q grow to be about six to 10 inches in height and feature slightly shorter, strap-like foliage that emerges from a basal rosette. When in bloom, a central stem produces one or two white, star-shaped flowers with yellow stamens.

Plus, the flowers give way to blue-colored berries in the summer, which ruffled grouse love to eat.

15. Queen’s Gilliflower

Hesperis matronalis is a perennial herb belonging to the Brassicaceae (mustard, crucifer, and cabbage) plant family. Common names include queen’s gilliflower, night-scented gilliflower, rogue’s gilliflower, dame’s rocket, dame’s violet, dame’s wort, summer lilac, mother-of-the-evening, and winter gilliflower.

Queen’s gilliflower grows to be about three feet in height and produces loose, terminal racemes of purple, lavender, or white flowers that are particularly fragrant in the evening – hence the genus name “Hesperis” which comes from the Greek word “hespera” meaning evening. In the language of flowers, queen’s rocket symbolizes fashion and “You are the queen of coquettes.”

16. Queen’s Spiderwort

Dichorisandra musaica is a tropical, evergreen, perennial plant that belongs to the Commelinaceae (spiderwort or dayflower) plant family and is commonly called queen’s spiderwort. It has a thick stalk that grows to be about 12 inches tall. Long, lance-shaped leaves emerge in a circular pattern around the central stalk.

Queen’s spiderwort blooms with a cone-shaped, terminal raceme of deep-purple flowers that attract butterflies, bees, and birds. What’s more, due to their diminutive size, these are popular container plants that can be grown during the warmer months in cooler climates.

17. Queen’s Tears

Billbergia nutans is a highly unusual-looking plant that belongs to the Bromeliaceae (bromeliad) plant family and is commonly called queen’s tears or the friendship plant. Queen’s tears is an epiphyte that uses aerial roots to take up moisture from the air and cling to the bark of trees in its natural habitat.

This bromeliad grows in clumps of strap-like foliage and produces several, large, pendulous inflorescences that feature bright pink or red, spiky shoots that protrude from the primary clump of foliage and hold a cluster of blue-rimmed hanging flowers in greenish gold.

18. Queen’s Wreath

A member of the Polygonaceae (knotweed, buckwheat, or smartweed) plant family, Antigonon leptopus is a perennial vine with a fast-paced, climbing growth habit. It produces large, heart-shaped, evergreen leaves and rows of showy flower blossoms in shades of pink, coral, red, and white.

In tropical climates, it’ll bloom for months, any time of the year. In cooler climates, it will bloom for months on end during the summer. Common names include queen’s wreath, coral vine, and Mexican creeper.

19. Queensland Arrowroot

Canna indica (commonly called Queensland arrowroot, Indian shot, edible canna, or purple arrowroot) belongs to the only genus of the Cannaceae (canna) plant family.

The plants are truly striking in appearance. They grow to be about seven feet tall and have vibrant bronze-colored leaves that are dappled with shades of deep purple and dark green.The sturdy stalks support large, 24-inch-long leaves and upright racemes of fiery orange-red blossoms that attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees. In addition, thanks to their rhizomatic root systems, they spread readily.

20. Queensland Firewheel Tree

A member of the Proteaceae plant family, Stenocarpus sinuatus is an evergreen tree of the Australian rainforests. It can grow to be more than 130 feet tall, and it’s highly ornamental. The leaves are lush and thick and have some variability in size, shape, and the degree of waviness of their margins.

The tree is popular due to its unusual flower blossoms that have several skinny tubular flowers arranged like the spokes of a wheel. I love that the flowers are bright-orange-red in color, hence the common name firewheel tree. Additional common names include tulip flower, white oak, white silky oak, and white beefwood.

21. Queensland Lacebark

A member of the Malvaceae (mallow) plant family, Brachychiton discolor is a deciduous tree that grows in the drier areas of the Australian rainforest. The trees are often planted as ornamentals because their grey bark features a lace-like pattern. The leaves are hairy and deeply lobed.

The trees produce small flowers that have almost no stalks. Depending on the sex, the flowers are either small and pink or consist of a simple, cone-shaped yellow anther with no petals. Common names include Queensland lacebark, scrub bottle tree, hat tree, pink kurrajong, and lace kurrajong.

22. Queensland Orchid

A member of the Orchidaceae (orchid) plant family, Dendrobium bigibbum is a species of orchid that can be either epiphytic or lithophytic. It can grow to be a large orchid with brownish-red stems that reach up to four feet in length. The plants feature a basal clump of three to 12 egg-shaped leaves.

These flowers that start with the letter Q grow to be about 20 inches long and bear a cluster of blossoms (one by three inches in size) in a delicate shade of purple or sometimes blue or pink. Common names include Queensland orchid, Cooktown orchid, and mauve butterfly orchid.

23. Queensland Poplar

A member of the Euphorbiaceae (spurge) plant family, Homalanthus populifolius is an evergreen shrub or small tree of the Australian rainforest. The trees produce racemes of yellowish-green flowers that are followed by yellow berries. As you might have guessed, they are most loved, however, for their heart-shaped flowers that turn blood-red as they mature. For this reason, one of the tree’s common names is bleeding heart, in addition to Queensland poplar and native poplar.

24. Queensland Silver Wattle

Acacia podalyriifolia is an evergreen shrub or small tree that is commonly called the Queensland silver wattle, pearl acacia, pearl wattle, or silver wattle. As a member of the Fabaceae (pea) plant family, the plants produce sweet-smelling flowers when in bloom. Plus, the fuzzy, pom-pom-shaped, yellow flowers appear in clusters around the tree’s silvery-green coin-shaped leaves.

25. Queensland Wattle

Acacia hubbardiana is a flowering shrub that grows in the poorly drained, sandy, marshy coastal soils of Queensland. Another member of the pea plant family and the Acacia genus, this species also has sweet-smelling flowers that appear in profusion during spring. The small, wheel-like, white flowers bloom in loose clusters among the shrub’s plumes of feathery foliage. What’s more, common names include Queensland wattle and yellow prickly moses.

26. Quince

A member of the Rosaceae plant family, Cydonia oblonga is the sole member of its genus within the Amygdaloideae subfamily, Maleae tribe, and Malinae subtribe. Commonly called quince, it is a deciduous tree that is most widely grown for its aromatic, edible, hard fruits that look like a cross between an apple (shape) and a pear (color). The tree also produces pink flowers that resemble roses in bud form and open up with large, fluttery petals. In the language of flowers, quince symbolizes temptation.

27. Quinine Plant

Cinchona officinalis is an evergreen shrub or small tree belonging to the Rubiaceae plant family. These flowers that start with the letter Q showcase reddish-brown bark, oblong leaves, and clusters of red-colored, tubular flowers. The plant’s bark contains the chemical quinine, and it is used in traditional medicine to treat fevers, malaria, sore muscles, stomach cramps, rashes, and more.

Its common names include quinine plant, Jesuit’s bark, Jesuit’s powder, red cinchona, cinchona bark, Peruvian bark, countess powder, and loxa bark.

A Quirky Garden of Flowers That Begin With Q

Perhaps, it is a bit quixotic to believe that anyone might plant an entire garden of flowers that start with the letter Q. Whether you cultivate your garden and sew seeds letter by letter or take another approach to curating your blooming plants, you’re sure to create a space and activity that helps you relax while beautifying your small corner of the world’s garden.

For more, see our in-depth guide to:

• 50 beautiful flowers that start with the letter ‘A’
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