How to Identify Flowers

Overview

Flowers come in all sorts of colors, shapes and sizes. Identifying some flowers can be easy, such as thorny roses, while other flowers can bear close similarities to other species. Fortunately, if the flower is difficult enough to identify, flower enthusiasts can simply look at the plant on which the flower is found.

Step 1

Look for thorns on the flower's stem. Thorns are indicators of roses.

Step 2

Count the number of petals. Flowers with several petals that surround and wrap around each other are likely roses. However, some flowers have only one large petal, like lilies.

Step 3

Look at the color of the flower petals. Some flowers can come in a variety of colors, while other flowers come in only one color.

Step 4

Study the pattern on the flower petal. Orchids have petals that are lighter close to the center and become darker at the outer edge. Irises have yellow patches near the center of the flower with purple strips that extend toward the outer edge. Daffodils are yellow with white edges. Violets have yellow centers, violet outer edges and white between the yellow and the violet.

Step 5

See if the flower head rests on the plant. Some flower heads, like roses and tulips, sit on the top of the stem, while other flower heads, like orchids, are attached to thinner stems that branch away from the main stem. If the flower springs out of the ground, it might be a bulb.

Step 6

Look at the shape of the petals. While many petals are round, some petals have long, triangular shapes, like irises and ginger.

Step 7

Consider the size of the flower. Some flowers, like sunflowers, can be very large. Other flowers, like jasmine and flax, are small.

Step 8

Discover the texture of the flower. While a lot of flowers have a delicate texture, ginger flowers are waxy.

Step 9

Look at the stigma. Some stigmas are flat, like sunflowers. Other stigmas protrude, like lime flowers.

Step 10

See if the petals are straight or curly. Some flowers, like lime flowers, can be very curly.

Step 11

Study the plant. Does the plant have individual flowers by themselves, or are several small flowers attached to the stem, like with a lavender flower? If you see an enormous number of flowers facing in directions as if they were trying to cover something, you might have a hydrangea. If you see fewer flowers that are purple, you might have lilacs.

Step 12

Look for a cluster of petals shaped like a cup that is surrounded by more petals. This flower is probably a narcissus.

Step 13

Count the number of pistils on the flower. Lotuses have several pistils with bright colors.

Step 14

Analyze the center of the flower. Is the center of the flower large and flat like an aster or a sunflower?

Step 15

See how many rows of petals you find. Flowers with several rows of straight, rolled-up or flaring flowers could be dahlias.

Step 16

Look for long strips of petals with a yellow color throughout. This is the hardy and widely propagating dandelion. If the flower has long, white strips with a yellow center, this flower is a daisy.