Iris is a flowering plant genus of 310 accepted species with showy flowers. As well as being the scientific name, iris is also widely used as a common name for all Iris species, as well as some belonging to other closely related genera. A common name for some species is flags, while the plants of the subgenus Scorpiris are widely known as junos, particularly in horticulture. It is a popular garden flower.
Dianthus is a genus of about 340 species of flowering plants in the family Caryophyllaceae, native mainly to Europe and Asia, with a few species in north Africa and in southern Africa, and one species in arctic North America. Common names include carnation, pink and sweet william.
Alstroemeria, commonly called the Peruvian lily or lily of the Incas, is a genus of flowering plants in the family Alstroemeriaceae. They are all native to South America, although some have become naturalized in the United States, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, Madeira and the Canary Islands. Almost all of the species are restricted to one of two distinct centers of diversity; one in central Chile, the other in eastern Brazil. Species of Alstroemeria from Chile are winter-growing plants, while those of Brazil are summer growing. All are long-lived perennials except A. graminea, a diminutive annual from the Atacama Desert of Chile.
Saxifraga is the largest genus in the family Saxifragaceae, containing about 465 species of holarctic perennial plants, known as saxifrages or rockfoils. The Latin word saxifraga means literally "stone-breaker", from Latin saxum + frangere. It is usually thought to indicate a medicinal use for treatment of urinary calculi, rather than breaking rocks apart.
Helianthemum, known as rock rose, sunrose, rushrose, or frostweed, is a genus of about 110 species of flowering plants in the family Cistaceae. They are widely distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere, especially in the Mediterranean.
Erica carnea, the winter heath, winter-flowering heather, spring heath or alpine heath, is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae, native to mountainous areas of central, eastern and southern Europe, where it grows in coniferous woodlands or stony slopes.
Pulsatilla vernalis is a species of flowering plant in the family Ranunculaceae, native to mountainous habitats in Europe. Growing to 10 cm (4 in) high and wide, it is a semi-evergreen perennial with hairy, divided leaves. In early spring it bears anemone-like flowers which are up to 6 cm (2 in) in diameter, white flushed with violet on the outer surface of the petals, and prominent yellow stamens.
Scilla section Chionodoxa, known as glory-of-the-snow, is a small group of bulbous perennial flowering plants in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Scilloideae. Formerly treated as the separate genus Chionodoxa, they are now included in Scilla as a section. The section is endemic to the eastern Mediterranean, specifically Crete, Cyprus and Turkey. The blue, white or pink flowers appear early in the year making them valuable garden ornamentals. The common name of the group is based on the habit of flowering in high alpine zones when the snow melts in spring.
Phlox subulata the creeping phlox, moss phlox, moss pink or mountain phlox, is a species of flowering plant in the family Polemoniaceae, native to eastern and central USA, and widely cultivated.
Ipheion uniflorum is a species of flowering plant, related to the onions, so is placed in the allium subfamily (Allioideae) of the Amaryllidaceae. It is known by the common name springstar, or spring starflower. Along with all the species of the genus Ipheion, some sources place it in the genus Tristagma, but research published in 2010 suggested that this is not correct. It is native to Argentina and Uruguay, but is widely cultivated as an ornamental and reportedly naturalized in Great Britain, France, Australia, New Zealand and the United States.
Euphorbia epithymoides, the cushion spurge, syn. E. polychroma, is a species of flowering plant in the family Euphorbiaceae, native to Libya, Turkey and East, Middle, and Southeast Europe. It is a compact, clump-forming, herbaceous perennial growing to 45 cm (18 in), bearing terminal cymes of acid yellow flower-heads (cyathia) in spring and summer.
Scilla forbesii, known as Forbes' glory-of-the-snow, is a bulbous perennial plant from west Turkey flowering in early spring. It is considered synonymous with Scilla siehei, known as Siehe's glory-of-the-snow, by some sources, although others distinguish them. It belongs to a group of Scilla species that were formerly put in a separate genus, Chionodoxa, and may now be treated as Scilla sect. Chionodoxa. After flowering, it goes into dormancy until the next spring. It seeds readily to form colonies.
Draba longisiliqua, the long-podded whitlow grass, is a species of flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae, native to the Caucasus. Despite its common name, it does not resemble, nor is it related to, the true grasses. It is a low-growing evergreen perennial growing to 9 cm (4 in) tall by 25 cm (10 in) wide, forming a cushion of hairy grey leaves with masses of yellow flowers in spring. It is usually grown in an alpine house or scree bed, as it requires excellent drainage and protection from winter wet. The plant is also known to thrive in tufa. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
Edraianthus pumilio, the silvery dwarf harebell, is a species of flowering plant in the family Campanulaceae, native to Dalmatia in southern Croatia. It is an herbaceous perennial growing to 2.5 cm (1 in), forming a cushion of hairy, silvery-green leaves and bearing solitary violet upturned bell-shaped flowers in summer. It requires extremely free-draining, preferably alkaline, soil, and is best grown in an alpine garden or rockery.
Linum flavum, the golden flax or yellow flax, is a species of flowering plant in the family Linaceae, native to central and southern Europe. It is an erect, woody perennial growing to 30 cm (12 in) tall by 20 cm (8 in) broad, with dark green, semi-evergreen leaves, and terminal clusters of bright yellow, five-petalled flowers in spring. The Latin flavum means "pure yellow".
Narcissus cyclamineus, the cyclamen-flowered daffodil, is a species of flowering plant in the family Amaryllidaceae, native to North West Portugal and North West Spain.
Physoplexis comosa, the tufted horned rampion, is a species of flowering plant in the family Campanulaceae, native to alpine Europe. It is the only species in its genus, and was formerly included in Phyteuma.
Dionysia aretioides, the aretioid dionysia, is a species of flowering plant in the genus Dionysia native to the central Alborz mountains of northern Iran. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
Philippiella is a monotypic genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Thymelaeaceae. It just contains one species, Philippiella patagonicaSpeg.
