Plants of the world

Australia

These huge flowers can grow up to 8 in (20 cm) across. Australian postage stamps have featured its national flower—the fluffy golden wattle.

This 100-yen coin shows cherry blossoms that are celebrated in Japan each year in the spring festival hanami.

Cattleya orchidBrazil Cherry blossom Japan

The blue of this national flower is used on Estonia’s flag to represent the country’s sea, sky, and lakes.

Himalayan blue poppy Bhutan

This wildflower from Bhutan has distinctive yellow or amber anthers.

Ethiopia

The maple leaf associated with Canada symbolizes unity, peace, and tolerance.

Rose of Sharon South Korea

The arabica coffee plant originates in Ethiopia.

This colorful flower, also known as the flame lily, belongs to a plant that is protected in Zimbabwe.

This is a wreath of Pakistan’s national flower, the sweet-smelling jasmine.

Canada

This flower is also known as mugunghwa, which means “eternal blossom that never fades.” Jasmine Pakistan

Estonia

G l o r y l i ly Z i mb ab we

Countries around the world often have a special connection to particular plants, rare or common. Many use flowers or trees as national symbols, often because these plants are culturally or spiritually important to the people living there. Some countries choose a beautiful local flower to represent their nation, such as the showy cattleya orchids of Brazil and the glory lily of Zimbabwe. Australia observes Wattle Day on September 1 to celebrate the golden wattle that grows

According to legend, tea was first made from tea leaves in China in 2737 bce.

Tea China

Rose England Ir is France

The rose was a symbol of royalty in England and later became the national flower.

The cone-shaped center holds the growing seeds. The bell-shaped flowers of this Chilean vine bloom between March and May.

Chile

This flower inspired the fleur-de-lis symbol, used by the kings of France.

Purple lavender flowers grow on spikes and appear across Portugal in the summer.

In Portugal, lavender

was believed to ward off

evil spirits.

P o r tug a l

The lotus is the sacred symbol of India, and represents purity and grace. Lotus India

across southern Australia as a sign of spring. The national flower of Bhutan, the Himalayan blue poppy, is so rare that it was once believed to be a myth and is called the “blue yeti.” The national tree of Canada, the syrup-producing maple tree, is found in each of its provinces, and its leaf features on the Canadian flag. The country that comes to mind when you say “tea” is China, the first to brew the hot drink from the plant’s leaves— and the world’s biggest producer today. In India, the national flower is the lotus. Hindu gods are often shown standing on this sacred flower.