Last Updated on February 2, 2023 by Derek
Popular Flowers That Start With L
When studying flowers, you may discover many that start with the letter L. Some are wildflowers while others are perfect for landscaping. The following are some of the gorgeous blooms that start with L.
Lavender (Lavandula sp.)
It is an herbaceous perennial native to Europe in USDA zones 5a to 9a. It is popular for its fragrant green foliage and upright bloom spikes. A mature lavender plant can reach 3 feet tall and 4 feet wide. Some varieties, like Italian Lavender, play an important role in regional agriculture.
- It thrives in dry, well-drained alkaline soil
- It appreciates full sun exposure
- It displays purple blooms in summer
- It is toxic to dogs and cats
Lilac (Syringa vulgaris)
Lilac, commonly known as common lilac or lilac bush is a deciduous shrub in the Oleaceae family. It is a moderate grower and increases by 1 to 2 feet per year. It achieves a mature size of 8 to 15 feet tall and 6 to 12 feet wide.
- It is native to Europe and in the USA, it grows in hardiness zones 3 to 7
- It loves well-drained loamy soil with a neutral pH
- Under the right conditions and full sun exposure, it produces white or purple blooms in spring
Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis)
Lily of the valley is not a true lily but an herbaceous perennial in the Asparagaceae family. Its green leaves are 5 to 10 inches long and 1 to 3 inches wide. It spreads to form dense colonies, making it a perfect ground cover.
- It grows about 6 to 12 inches in height and 9 to 12 inches in width
- It appreciates well-drained soil with a neutral or acidic pH
- It blooms best in partial to full shade
- It bears white blooms in spring
- It is toxic to pets and humans
Lady’s Slipper Orchid (Cypripedium reginae)
It is native to the Northeast and Midwest of North America and is the state flower of Minnesota. It is cold hardy in zones 2 to 5 and in the cooler areas of zone 6. The Lady Slipper orchid is among the few orchid varieties that can thrive even in the dead of winter.
- It grows about 1 to 2 feet tall
- It appreciates moist, fertile, leafy soil rich in humus and with acidic to neutral pH
- It blooms in partial shade or dappled sun
- Its white blossoms with pink magenta pouch appear between May and August depending on the location
- The leaves are hairy and the hair is slightly toxic to humans
Lupine (Lupinus x hybrida)
It is also called bluebonnet and it is an herbaceous perennial that can grow as annuals in some areas. It has foliage similar to palm leaves with about 7 to 10 leaflet segments. It is native to North America.
- It grows best in USDA zones 4 to 8
- It requires rich, moist, well-drained soil with acidic or neutral pH
- It requires full sun exposure to bloom in spring and summer
- Its blooms come in a wide range of color shades including blue, yellow, purple, white, red, pink, and sometimes bicolor
- It is toxic to people and animals
Where Can you Find the Lady’s Slipper Orchid?
Lady slipper orchid consists of almost 50 species and they are mostly growing in Europe, America, and Asia. To the northern regions of their distribution are temperate slipper orchids growing from sea level into the hills. They are dominant in the mixed deciduous woodlands, coniferous forests, prairies, bogs, fens, and grasslands. Some of the lady slipper orchid varieties survive harsh winter with temperatures below 30 degrees Celsius.
To the south, they dominate grasslands and montane woodlands at a higher elevation. their ideal habitats have the following conditions:
- They prefer moist, well-drained loam, clay, or sand with a neutral, acidic, or alkaline pH.
- They bloom best in partial sun.
- Under the right conditions, it blooms from mid-spring to mid-summer. The bloom colors depend on the variety.
- Some varieties display their blooms for only a week while others can last up to three weeks.
White Flowers That Start With L
White flowers are a perfect addition to the natural beauty of the environment. There are many wild and garden blooms that grace the land in different seasons. Below are some of the white flowers that start with L.
Common flower name | Botanical name | Facts |
Lady finger cactus | Mammillaria Elongata | It is an evergreen succulent native to Mexico and further north to Texas. It produces white blooms from mid-winter to late spring. |
Large fothergilla | Fothergilla major | It is a deciduous shrub native to southern Appalachians. Its fragrant white flowers start appearing in early April. |
Lemon verbena | Aloysia citrodora | It is a perennial woody shrub native to Chile and Argentina. It displays showy fragrant white blooms in late summer. |
Lily of the valley | Convallaria majalis | It is native to Southern Appalachians, mostly growing in the mountains and piedmonts of NC. Its white bell-shaped blooms appear from early to mid-summer and can last for about 3 to 4 weeks. |
Larkspur | Delphinium | It consists of over 60 species that live in Alberta, British Columbia, Arizona, and New Mexico. It bears white blooms from spring to summer. The flowers can appear in shades of green, purple, blue, or pink. |
Where Does Lily of the Valley Grow Best?
Lily of the valley is native to Europe and grows best in hardiness zones 3 to 8 in the United States. It grows incredibly well in any site with some shade; many growers place it under trees where other plants fear the shade.
The plant prefers organically rich acidic or neutral soil with excellent drainage. It tolerates clay soil and slightly alkaline conditions. If your soil is poor, you can boost it by adding slow-release fertilizers, otherwise, the plant does not rely on fertilizers.
It flourishes in partial sun to full shade, especially morning sun since afternoon sun can damage the plant. It loves mild conditions and moderate humidity. It cannot survive hot and dry climates; it appreciates temperatures between 60- and 70-degrees Fahrenheit.
Perennials That Start With L
Perennial plants can live and bloom for over two years. Most perennials bloom in spring, summer, or autumn, with a few exceptions that are hardy enough to bloom in winter. Some perennials are wild, meaning they grow unattended while others are garden plants growing in different conditions.
When choosing perennial flowering plants for your garden, it is wise to consider the size and conditions of your garden. There are large and medium varieties for a typical garden while the small compact varieties grow best in pots. The following are some perennial flowers that start with L.
- Lantanas or common lantana (Lantana camara)
- Lily flower (lilium)
- Edging lobelia or training loberia (lobelia)
- Toadfax (Linaria japonica)
- Perennial honesty (Lunaria redviva)
- Lady’s mantle (Alchemilla mollis)
- Lance leaf blanket flower (Gaillardia aestivalis)
- Lanceleaf coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata)
- Large yellow foxglove (Digitalis grandiflora)
- Large-flowered tickseed (Coreopsis “Jethro Tull”)
Where Does Lobelia Grow Best?
Lobelia is a multi-color flowering perennial native to South Africa. It grows best in hardiness zones 10 to 11 in the United States where it thrives as an annual plant. It is a low-maintenance plant with average water needs.
It has several varieties and each has its particular growing conditions. It is also a close relative to the bellflower and so grows well in similar conditions to the balloon flower and dalmatian flower.
- A mature plant can reach 6 to 9 inches in height and has a great spreading growth habit
- It requires evenly moist, friable, and well-drained soil with slightly acidic to neutral pH
- It loves full sun exposure or partial shade. In the South, it does best in the partial shade while it appreciates full sun in the north
- Lobelias in the north bloom throughout summer and into fall and prolong up to the first frost
- Lobelia blooms come in shades of cherry-red, white, lilac-pink, blue, and purple
Annuals That Start With L
Annual plants are the opposite of perennials in that they complete a life cycle in a single growing season. They do not return every year. Most growers plant annual flowers in spring, they blossom in summer and they die out in fall.
Some of these plants, popularly known as winter annuals, germinate in the late summer and autumn. They remain dominant in winter and grow in spring.
The following are some annuals that start with L.
- Larkspur (Delphinium)
- Love-lies bleeding (Amaranthus caudatus)
- Lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum)
- Love in a mist (Nigella Damascena)
- Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia)
Are Lisianthus and Eustoma the Same?
Eustoma is the official name for lisianthus and it comes from the Latin word “Eustoma russellianum Grandiflorum”. It bears delicate trumpet like little flowers in shades of pink, white, cream, lilac, and purple.
These flowers grow best in warm climates and some people mistake them for roses or peonies due to their shape. It has long straight stems where the flowers grow. It has smaller sepals than petals that are set near the base.
Their leaves are bluish-green and slightly succulent. The flower’s common names are Prairie Gentian, Tulip gentian, bluebell, Texas bluebells, and Lira de San Pedro.