10 Most Popular Italian Flowers That You Can Grow In Your Garden

Because of their gorgeous looks and vibrant colors Italian flowers are one of the most popular flowers in the world. And their sweet fragrances make them an automatic choice for indoor, living room, kitchen or bathroom. 

In this post we will help you familiarize with the most important and beautiful flowers in Italy. You can plant these Italian flowers in your garden and make it more interesting. 

Italy is well known for its picturesque landscapes, delicious food, stylish cities – and beautiful flowers! Popular for their versatility in both indoor and outdoor garden settings, these flowers are loved for their beautiful colors and ability to adapt to almost any growing conditions. 

Did you know there are many flowers that we commonly grow or use around the world,  are actually native to Italy?

10 Most Popular Italian Flowers

To help you get inspired, here are 10 of the most popular Italian flowers that are perfect for your garden.

Jasmine:

Jasmine has been appreciated in Italy since ancient times. In mid-spring, the half-opened buds are used to prepare an aromatic infusion, while dried petals are added right at the end of cooking to impart aroma and flavor to certain dishes. 

These vines and shrubs have more than 200 species that grow in tropical or warm temperate regions. The flowers of jasmine are mainly white. You can grow them in your garden to make it more beautiful and fragrant.

Jasmine plants are great for your home garden. They attract many pollinators that will benefit your whole garden.

Violets:

Italy is not famous for tourism alone; it is also famous for violets. Italians use this flower in their daily life so let us explore its importance in Italian culture. Homeowners use violets everywhere in their gardens to help the soil around their plants grow better. 

In Italian culture, red violets have been hand-picked from the mountains of Italy and literally translated into a variety of products for over a century. In addition to their historic importance, they stand out for their exquisite beauty and lovely fragrance. These flowery marvels are used in everything from perfumes and cosmetics to desserts and food stuffs.

In Italy, violets have been used as a symbol of love and devotion since the middle ages. Due to their color and shape, they were often used to decorate bridal bouquets and grooms were often presented with a boutonniere before going to church.

Carnation:

Carnation is referred to as the flower of the family. It is one of 3 flowers that represent the home country. The two other flowers are Rose and Lily of the Valley. 

For Italians, the Carnation is not only a simple flower accessory for women, but it represents a part of Italian culture and civilization. There is a high demand for Carnations in the Italian market.

A carnation is a flowering plant of the genus Dianthus. It bears the name “carnation” because it has a fleshy flower head that shatters easily into individual pink or red petals. They are commonly used in flower arrangements. The carnation also plays an important role in Italy’s culture. 

I have always adored the fragrance of flowers, particularly carnations.Their presence always delights me.

Bougainvillea:

Bougainvillea is an apt representative of the rich cultural diversity that one can find in Italy. It is a plant that has been around for centuries and yet was not known or popular before the time of the Roman rule in Italy.

Bougainvilleas are beautiful and colorful flowering vines. They love warm temperatures and tropical/subtropical conditions and will grow in sun or light shade.

These plants produce large clusters of flowers that bloom in spring, winter and fall. Bougainvillea can also be grown in pots or in hanging baskets and is easy to propagate from cuttings taken from established plants.

Bluebell:

There is nothing more fascinating than the bluebell. It’s a flower that is so loved in Italy for its delicate beauty and sweet fragrance. It symbolizes a return of life, resurrection of spring and eternal youth. 

Growing from a single bulb, the Bluebell is a beautiful type of flower. The elegant bells-like markings on the petals add a unique touch to its beautiful appearance.

Since long ago the bluebell , in Italy, was considered a magical flower, linked to fairies and fairy tales, so ancient tradition said that it could be used for philtres and love spells. Moreover, this charming flower, because of its delicate scent, was even used for medicinal purposes.

Lily:

Lily is the national flower of Italy. It is also one of the most popular flowers of Italy particularly during the summer months.

They are commonly found in gardens and parks throughout the country. They grow in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Different kinds of lilies have different meanings. The yellow lily symbolizes happiness and honor, while the white lily stands for purity and innocence.

Lilies are actually very easy to grow. They are not very fussy about any particular soil type, and you can grow them in both full sun or partial shade. 

Rose:

Growing and caring for roses has been a favorite hobby of gardeners, especially in Italy. The longer history and culture behind these flowers make them highly valuable and unique. 

The rose began to be used during the art period of the Renaissance. It has been described that the artists preferred it to other flowers, partly because of its beauty but also because it was not really seasonal.

Florence is known for its abundance of beautiful roses that thrive in the mild temperatures. Head to the countryside and you’ll find rows upon rows of fragrant bushes.

The rose had a great degree of importance in the Italian Renaissance and has many symbolic meanings. It represents love, honor, faith, passion, beauty and more.The culture in Italy is intimately interwoven with roses.

Growing roses can be very simple or difficult. It all depends on how you go about it. We have a nice detailed post on growing roses, read it, it will increase your success with roses.

Chrysanthemum:

Chrysanthemum is the type of flower that is of great importance in Italian culture. By popularity it can be placed among such flowers as tulips, peonies, roses and carnations. 

Nowadays, many people use Chrysanthemums as an important element in their each arrangement. Not only Italians, but this plant is well-known and appreciated in the rest of the world as well. 

It has certain characteristics to make it one of the most famous flowers in the world. Not only do they have beautiful blooms and come in all colors, it has many practical uses that range from medicinal to artistic. 

Peonies:

Peonies are among the most ancient flowers in Italian culture. In ancient times they were grown in China, and later Italy was one of the few areas in Europe where it has been grown in plenty. 

Peonies are widely used in art, design, architecture, literature, poetry and music often being depicted as a symbol of beauty, purity and luxury.

It is a hardy perennial plant that grows from a bulb. It has one top, top-quality ornamental flower that blooms for one day each spring.

Peonies are amazing and beautiful flowers and they also make the perfect backyard plant. If you love the soft pinkness of peony petals and their sweet fragrance, you know that peonies can add a touch of ambience and romance to your home.

Italian Poppies:

Italian Poppies are used extensively throughout Italian culture after wars or tragedies. The tradition is that if you go to either the country or the town where the death of an individual takes place, you can provide them with red poppies to represent the suffering of those who died in the tragedy. 

While they are given to every family who has lost someone, it is also an opportunity for everyone to come together and pay their respects.

The Red Poppy is a symbol of Peace. In Flanders Fields the poem written by Canadian Johns McCrae memorialized the poppies that grew amongst the graves of men who fought and died in The Great War.

Growing Italian poppies is a fun and rewarding way to add color to your garden throughout the spring and summer months. These striking red, pink and white blooms add beauty to any border and can even be grown in containers on a patio or balcony.

Growing Italian poppies is a rewarding experience. It’s not only the money they bring in, but also their striking beauty that makes them special to grow. They’re richly colored flowers that I love to try growing new varieties of every year.

Conclusion:

Italy is home to a wide range of beautiful flowers, but there are some that I’ve highlighted above that each mean something different. From love, desire, adoration, family, and mourning, there is a flower for everything Italians believe in.

I hope you like the post. Share it with your friends so they can also be beware of these amazing Italian flowers.