Flowers De-Flowered Trivia Quiz

Answer: Gladiolus

An alternative name for the gladiolus is sword lily which is taken from the Latin word for "xiphos", meaning sword. Belonging to the iris family, this plant native to Africa and Eurasia can come in a variety of colours including pink, peach, yellow, red and white.

Answer: Carnation

The scientific name for carnation is Dianthus but they can also be called "pinks". The majority come in a variety of pink shades but they also come in red, cream, white, yellow, purple and striped.

Answer: Azalea

The Azalea belongs to the rhododendron family, the difference being that the rhododendron is a larger shrub with larger leaves. They have ten stamens whereas the azalea only has five. Finally, the rhododendron is mainly evergreen. The azalea is deciduous which means it loses its leaves once a year in autumn.

Answer: Petunia

Petunias originated in South America and the name taken from an old Brazilian Tupi-Guarani language for "petun", meaning tobacco. They belong to the Solanaceae family of plants, closely related to tobacco, tomatoes and potatoes. The delicate petals come in shades of pink, purple, white, yellow, red and white.

Answer: Delphinium

Delphinium is taken from the Latin word "delphis", meaning dolphin, because of the shape of the opening flower. The common name for these tall flowers is larkspur. Shades of purple, lilac, pink and white are seen the most in a cottage garden.

Answer: Nicotiana

Nicotiana is more commonly known as the tobacco plant. The flowers fill the air with their heady scent from dusk and throughout the night. Leaves from the variety Nicotiana tabacum are used in the tobacco industry.

Answer: Hydrangea

Native to Asia and the Americas, some of these shrubs with large mop heads have the capacity to change colour, depending on the pH level of the soil which can affect the amount of aluminium available. Blue or pink flowers tend to turn blue in acid soil, mauve in neutral soils and pink in alkaline soils.

Answer: Hosta

The hosta is a herbaceous perennial plant ideal for shady damp corners where it can supply good ground cover. The broad leaves come in different shades which can include green, blue, gold or variegated. Some varieties have pendulous white flowers atop a tall stem.

Answer: Nasturtium

The nasturtium is part of the Brassicaceae family and related to garden cress, mustard and radish, all noted for their peppery taste. The edible flowers and seeds can be used in salads or stir fries.

Answer: Bougainvillea

The papery flowers in shades of pink, purple, red, orange, yellow or white can grow on tall vines up to 12 metres high. Bougainvillea is native to the warm climates of Brazil, Peru and Argentina, but they have since been cultivated worldwide.