A flower is the bloom or blossom of a plant. The flower is the part of a plant that produces seeds, eventually becoming other flowers. This is thanks to pollination, carried out by insects or the wind. Every type of flower is different in color, smell, shape, and size. Flowers need food and sunlight to survive, making their food/energy through photosynthesis.
There are so many different species of flowers in the world no one knows an exact number, but the closest estimate is somewhere between 250,000 and 400,000 species.
What are the Different Parts of a Flower?
Though flowers differ widely in appearance, a few characteristics remain the same. Here are the main parts of a flower and their functions.
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- Sepal: this protects the unopened flower. It appears green and leaf-like. However, certain flowers, such as orchids and lilies, are the same color as the petals and are tricky to identify.
- Ovule: this produces and holds the female reproductive cells. They behave like eggs in the ovary of the flower.
- Filament: this holds up the anther of a flower and appears long and stalk-like. It is contained within the stamen and supports the anther.
- Anther: this is necessary for reproduction. When producing pollen for the ovule, it is known as the male part of the flower.
- Style: this connects the stigma to the ovary. It assists reproduction by providing a tube for pollen to travel to the egg and fertilize it.
- Stigma: this receives and collects pollen grains. The Stigma begins the fertilization process and is the top of the female part of a flower.
- Petal: These are usually brightly colored to make them attractive to insects.
Why do People Give Flowers to Each Other?
For many years, flowers have been given as gifts at birthdays, weddings, ceremonies, and celebrations. Ancient Greeks, Romans, Chinese, and Egyptians are said to have attributed special significance to them.
- Roses are often given at weddings due to traditionally symbolizing ‘love and beauty.’
- Lilies are traditionally brought to funerals. They symbolize the departed’s soul alongside the hope of new life.
Floriography is the language of flowers. Over time this has drastically changed, with the Ancient Greeks believing flowers were associated with the Gods, Victorians believing that every flower had its meaning, and present flowers expressing anything from sympathy to love.
10 Fun Flower Facts for Children
A lovely way to introduce this topic could be by sharing some quick flower facts for children in your class. This could set the tone of the lesson, add a theme of nature and even inspire pupils to learn more about flowers.
- Roses are the most popular in the UK, with around 200-300 million roses grown for Valentine’s Day alone.
- For the United Kingdom, red roses are the national emblem of England, thistles are Scotland’s, and for Wales, it’s daffodils.
- The UK flower industry is undoubtedly growing, worth around £121 million in 2019, compared to £82 million in 2015.
- Japan calls it’s country’s language of flowers, Hanakotoba.
- Cherry blossoms are the most significant flower in Japan, with a festival dedicated to them once a year in Spring. This festival is also known as the Sakura festival. This is due to the blooming of the cherry blossom tree being called Sakura in Japanese.
- For a certain amount of time in the Netherlands, tulips were more valuable than gold. They are still widely grown here today and generate lots of tourism.
- This period in the Netherlands was called ‘Tulip Mania,’ during the Dutch Golden Age (1581-1672). One tulip would be the exact cost of a house on the canals in Amsterdam!
- The RHS Flower Show has been happening every year in London since 1804. It is also known as the Great Spring Show.
- The World’s largest indoor flower show is in Pennsylvania, called the Philadelphia Flower Show. Around a quarter of a million people attended, with the first event happening in 1829.
- Sunflowers flower the sun in a process that is known as Heliotropism.
