Crazy-Beautiful: 50 Flowers That Start With ‘C’

Today, hundreds of thousands of species of flowering plants have officially been classified, and more are recorded each year. With such vast plant diversity, discovering new flowers for yourself can become overwhelming. This article takes a fresh approach to flower exploration, an alphabetical approach, to help you discover new flowers for your gardens and bouquets. Take a moment to explore nature with this fun list of beautiful flowers (along with descriptions, photos, native ranges, and interesting facts) that start with the letter ‘C’.

1. Calendula

Also commonly called common marigold or pot marigold, Calendula officinalis is a gorgeous orange to golden-yellow annual popularly grown in borders, beds, and container gardens. These beautiful flowers that start with the letter C are known for their ability to repel certain insects and other pests.

Scientific Name:	Calendula officinalis
Native Range:	Spain
Flowering Season:	Spring to fall (in cooler climates) and fall to spring (in warmer climates)

2. Calla Lily

The calla lily is not a “true lily” because it actually belongs to the Araceae (arum) plant family. Their elegantly slender profiles, bright-green stems, and trumpet-shaped inflorescences that blossom in white, yellow, orange, pink, purple, red, and black have made calla lilies highly popular in bouquets and gardens.

Scientific Name:	Zantedeschia aethiopica
Native Range:	Southern Africa
Flowering Season:	Late spring to early summer

3. Camas

Camassia is a genus containing six accepted species of wildflowers commonly called camas, camash, quamash, Indian hyacinth, and wild hyacinth. They commonly grow in open prairies and meadows. They can transform a landscape from boring beige to a beautiful sea of waving blue and purple flowers when in bloom. Their stems and foliage are silvery green. The Native Americans historically used camas plants as an important food source.

Scientific Name:	Camassia spp.
Native Range:	North America
Flowering Season:	Late spring through summer

4. Camellia

Camellia is a genus containing 230 accepted species of flowering shrubs and small trees belonging to the Theaceae (tea) plant family. These beautiful flowers produce large, ornamental flowers in shades that range from white to pink to red.

Scientific Name:	Camellia spp.
Native Range:	Tropical and subtropical regions of southern and eastern Asia
Flowering Season:	Late fall to mid-spring

5. Candytuft

Candytuft is a woody, perennial subshrub with a mounding growth habit. They produce emerald-green foliage and flat corymbs of flowers in white (most commonly), purple, and pink. They make a lovely ground cover and attract butterflies.

Scientific Name:	Iberis sempervirens
Native Range:	Southern Europe, Algeria, and Morocco
Flowering Season:	Late spring to midsummer

6. Canterbury Bells

Canterbury bells are lovely garden plants. They can grow to be just shy of three feet in height. They have rosettes of verdant foliage and woody, hairy stems. The flowers are produced along racemes. They are perfectly bell-shaped and open up in shades of purple, violet-blue, and sometimes white. These biennial plants produce flowers for two years before dying.

Scientific Name:	Campanula medium
Native Range:	Italy and France
Flowering Season:	Mid-spring through early summer

7. Cape Primrose

The name Streptocarpus refers both to the genus name and subgenus name of a group of flowers that are commonly known as Cape primroses or simply streps. The common name of these flowers refers to the native origin of these plants and their superficial resemblance to primrose flowers of the Primula plant genus. Cape primroses have a basal rosette of lanceolate foliage and produce classically shaped flowers atop long, slender stems in shades of pink, purple, blue, yellow, white, and bicolor combinations.

Scientific Name:	Streptocarpus spp.
Native Range:	South Africa
Flowering Season:	Year-round

8. Cardinal Flower

This distinct-looking scarlet-colored flower features blossoms that burst from upright spikes. Each flower has three lower petals and two upper petals that connect in a central tube. The flower’s common name is thought to reference the scarlet robes worn by cardinals in the Catholic Church.

Scientific Name:	Lobelia cardinalis
Native Range:	Southeastern Canada, southwestern and eastern United States, Mexico, Central America, and northern Columbia
Flowering Season:	Midsummer to early fall

9. Carnation

With their extravagantly ruffled petals, carnations are some of the most commonly grown commercial flowers. These beautiful flowers are used in almost every type of floral design.

Scientific Name:	Dianthus caryophyllus
Native Range:	The Mediterranean region
Flowering Season:	Late spring until early fall

10. Cat’s Ear

Also commonly called false dandelion or flatweed, cat’s ear is an edible herb. Its roots and leaves can be used in salads, steamed, or eaten raw. The plant produces a rosette of low-lying, toothed, lance-shaped foliage from a central taproot. Golden-yellow flowers are produced from tall, slender stems. The flower heads are shaped like flat pom-poms, similar to the flowers of true dandelions.

Scientific Name:	Hypochaeris radicata
Native Range:	Europe and northern Africa
Flowering Season:	Midsummer to early fall

11. Catmint

The Nepeta genus contains 287 accepted species of herbaceous, flowering perennials in the Lamiaceae (mint) plant family, commonly called catmint or catnip. These beautiful flowers are cultivated for their attractive and abundant spikes of bluish-purple flowers that attract butterflies, moths, bees, and hummingbirds. The species Nepeta cataria attracts cats (of all kinds – domestic and wild) for its behavioral effects.

Scientific Name:	Nepeta spp.
Native Range:	Europe, northern Africa, and Asia
Flowering Season:	Late spring to early fall

12. Cattleya Orchids

Cattleya is a genus containing 130 accepted species of epiphytic and terrestrial orchids. Across several subgenera, the plants demonstrate great variability in foliage shape and the number of flowers that open up on a single raceme. Most feature starfish-shaped flowers with a central labellum that is wider and of a different color from the five surrounding petals.

Scientific Name:	Cattleya spp.
Native Range:	Northern and central South America
Flowering Season:	Northern and Central South America

13. Centaury

Centaury is an attractive garden plant that produces small rosettes of leaves and tall, upright, sometimes branching stems. The stems produce large inflorescences of rose-pink flowers, which open up from deep-pink buds. This herbaceous plant has been used in natural medicine as a treatment for kidney disease, appetite loss, and indigestion.

Scientific Name:	Centaurium erythraea
Native Range:	Europe, western Asia, the Middle East, and parts of northern Africa
Flowering Season:	Late spring through late summer

14. Cherry Blossom

The Prunus genus contains 338 species of trees and shrubs that include a variety of fruit-bearing plants such as cherries, peaches, plums, nectarines, almonds, and apricots. Cherry blossoms, in particular, are special because they are used as a symbol of spring, rebirth, and renewal. They are also enthusiastically celebrated in spring cherry blossom festivals around the world. In the language of flowers, cherry trees symbolize a good education, and white cherry blossoms symbolize deception.

Scientific Name:	Prunus spp.
Native Range:	The tropics of Africa and Asia, the tropics of South America, and temperate North America
Flowering Season:	Spring

15. Chinese Forget-Me-Note

Cynoglossum amabile, commonly called the Chinese forget-me-not, is a perennial in USDA hardiness zones six through nine. Still, it is popularly grown as an annual in cooler climates. It grows to be about one to two feet in height, has silvery-green foliage, and blossoms with attractive racemes of petite, five-petaled dusky-blue flowers. It is a recipient of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.

Scientific Name:	Cynoglossum amabile
Native Range:	China, Nepal, Tibet, and Thailand
Flowering Season:	Late spring to late fall

16. Chinese Hibiscus

In addition to Chinese hibiscus, the Hibiscus rosa-sinensis has many common names, including Tropical Hibiscus, Hawaiian hibiscus, China rose, shoeblack plant, and rose mallow. This hibiscus species is likely the type of hibiscus you picture when you think of a hibiscus. It features prominent (four-inch diameter) blossoms in a vibrant shade of scarlet. The flowers deepen to near-black at their centers and have a prominent central stamen dusted with golden-yellow. In the language flowers, hibiscus flowers symbolize delicate beauty.

Scientific Name:	Hibiscus rosa-sinensis
Native Range:	Vanuatu
Flowering Season:	Spring to late summer

17. Chinese Lantern

Alkekengi officinarum, commonly called Chinese lantern, is a species of plant that belongs to the Solanaceae (nightshade) family. Although this plant’s fruits are edible, the rest of the plant is poisonous like other nightshades. The plant produces small, white flowers, but it is most prized and recognizable for its showy seed pods, which are shaped like paper lanterns and crimson-red. Their red capsules give way to a lacy shell that reveals a bright-red interior fruit.

Scientific Name:	Alkekengi officinarum
Native Range:	Temperate Europe and Asia
Flowering Season:	Late summer to early fall

18. Chocolate Cosmos

The chocolate cosmos is a unique, intensely pigmented flower. It has maroon, almost-brown-colored petals and a prominent sphere of even darker stamens. These beautiful flowers that start with the letter C are nearly chocolate-colored but actually get their name from their fragrance, which smells similar to cocoa. Chocolate cosmos flowers symbolize luxury, while all cosmos flowers symbolize harmony and balance.

Scientific Name:	Cosmos atrosanguineus
Native Range:	Mexico
Flowering Season:	Early summer to fall

19. Chocolate Lily

The chocolate lily is a showy perennial with glossy, sword-shaped foliage. The flower’s central stem bears eight trumpet-shaped flowers in a dark shade of brownish-purple. The petals are sometimes spotted or striped with golden-yellow to match the color of the flower’s stamens. The native range of Fritillaria camschatcensis traces the northern half of the notorious “Ring of Fire” area that is marked by frequent seismic activity and volcanic eruptions.

Scientific Name:	Fritillaria camschatcensis
Native Range:	Northwestern North America and northeastern Asia
Flowering Season:	Late spring to midsummer

20. Christmas Cactus

Schlumbergera genus contains just seven accepted species of flowering, spineless, epiphytic cacti that are commonly referred to as Christmas cactus, Thanksgiving cactus, holiday cactus, and crab cactus. The plant’s holiday-related names refer to the time of the year when they tend to blossom abundantly with ornate, tubular flowers in shades of white, pink, and red.

Scientific Name:	Schlumbergera spp.
Native Range:	Southeastern Brazil
Flowering Season:	Late fall through mid-winter

21. Chrysanthemum

The Chrysanthemum genus contains 36 accepted species. A wide array of cultivars and hybrids lend the genus a great amount of diversity in color, flower shape, petal texture, and size. In the language of flowers, chrysanthemums symbolize truth (white), “I love” (red), and slighted love (yellow). Today, chrysanthemum flowers symbolize happiness, friendship, and well-being, in addition to being strongly associated with the coming of fall and harvest.

Scientific Name:	Chrysanthemum spp.
Native Range:	Eastern Asia, northeastern Europe, and northern North America
Flowering Season:	Late summer to early winter (depending on the growing zone)

22. Cineraria

Cineraria is a hybrid plant, the result of a cross between Pericallis lanata and Pericallis cruenta. They bloom in a wide variety of colors and bicolor combinations, including white, pink, purple, red, and blue. Cineraria plants are perennial but only in USDA hardiness zones nine through 11, making them a popular annual in cooler regions.

Scientific Name:	Cineraria (Pericallis x hybrida)
Native Range:	Africa and the Arabian Peninsula
Flowering Season:	Mid-winter to early spring

23. Clarkia

Clarkia is a genus of 42 accepted species of flowering (mostly) annual herbs that belong to the Onagraceae (evening primrose) plant family. Produced along tall racemes, clarkia flowers generally have four sepals and the same number of petals in shades of red, pink, or white. The flowers can be cup-shaped, but there is some variability in shape and form throughout the genus.

Scientific Name:	Clarkia spp.
Native Range:	Western North America and southern South America
Flowering Season:	Summer and fall

24. Clematis

A member of the Ranunculaceae (buttercup) plant family, the Clematis genus contains 386 accepted species and countless hybrids and cultivars of mostly woody vines. The flowers themselves are highly variable with single and double forms, and the clematis blooms in several shades and combinations of red, pink, purple, blue, yellow, and white.

Scientific Name:	Clematis spp.
Native Range:	Most of the world (except most of the Arctic and Antarctic regions)
Flowering Season:	Early summer through early fall

25. Climbing Snapdragon

The climbing snapdragon or snapdragon vine is not related to the popularly grown garden snapdragon. However, its flowers do have a similar appearance to those of garden snapdragon, and this is where the plant gets its common name. The flowers are produced from leafy vines, making them perfect for growing on trellises.

Scientific Name:	Asarina scandens aka Maurandya scandens
Native Range:	Mexico and Central America
Flowering Season:	Summer

26. Clover

A member of the Fabaceae (pea) plant family, the Trifolium genus contains 291 accepted species of flowering plants commonly called clover or trefoil. The plants make a wonderful, pollinator-friendly ground cover by producing pretty, bulbous flower heads in white, pink, and red.

Scientific Name:	Trifolium spp.
Native Range:	Most of Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, and South America
Flowering Season:	Spring through fall

27. Cobra Lily

Darlingtonia californica is a carnivorous pitcher plant that resembles the shape of a rearing cobra thanks to its tubular leaves and front-facing forked leaf that looks like a purplish-green or yellow snake’s tongue. These plants can be difficult to grow indoors or in outdoor climates that differ too greatly from their natural habitats, as they require fairly specific conditions for survival.

Scientific Name:	Darlingtonia californica
Native Range:	Oregon and California
Flowering Season:	Spring

28. Cockscomb

A member of the Amaranthaceae (amaranth) plant family, the Celosia genus contains 46 accepted species of plants commonly called cockscombs. The inflorescences of these plants are marked with an abnormal type of growth called fasciation or cresting. This gives the blossoms irregular textures and shapes.

Scientific Name:	Celosia spp.
Native Range:	Central Africa
Flowering Season:	Mid-spring through fall

29. Columbine

A member of the Ranunculaceae plant family, the Aquilegia genus contains 130 accepted species of flowers commonly known as columbines or granny’s bonnet. Columbine flowers have some variability but are known for their spurred trumpet shapes and lovely (often) contrasting colors.

Scientific Name:	Aquilegia spp.
Native Range:	The Northern Hemisphere
Flowering Season:	Spring through early summer

30. Coneflower

A member of the Asteraceae (daisy) plant family, the Echinacea genus contains nine accepted species of herbaceous flowering plants that are commonly called coneflowers. Plants of this genus are commonly used in herbal medicine to help fight colds and other infectious diseases by helping to support the immune system.

Scientific Name:	Echinacea spp.
Native Range:	Central and eastern United States
Flowering Season:	Mid-spring until the first frost

31. Coral Bells

A member of the Saxifragaceae plant family, the Heuchera genus contains 44 accepted species of mostly evergreen, perennial, flowering plants that are commonly called coral bells and alumroot. These beautiful flowers are beloved for their ornamental uses in gardens with striking foliage in various vibrant colors and large, spike-shaped racemes of flowers in various stunning colors and color combinations, including pink, red, yellow, blue, white, and purple.

Scientific Name:	Heuchera spp.
Native Range:	North America and eastern Russia
Flowering Season:	Spring to early summer

32. Coral Honeysuckle

Lonicera sempervirens (commonly called coral honeysuckle, scarlet honeysuckle, or trumpet honeysuckle) is a vine that twines its way through and around shrubs and trees, growing 20 feet or longer. It produces waxy, oval-shaped leaves and firework bursts of slender, tubular flowers that range in color from scarlet to coral.

Scientific Name:	Lonicera sempervirens
Native Range:	Eastern and south-central United States
Flowering Season:	Mid to late spring

33. Corn Poppy

Papaver rhoeas (commonly called corn poppy, Flanders poppy, field poppy, red poppy, or common poppy) produces striking, scarlet-red flowers with deep-black centers. While the natural flowers are always red, hybrids and cultivars that are commercially available feature pink, orange, yellow, and white flowers, too.

Scientific Name:	Papaver rhoeas
Native Range:	Northern Africa, Europe, and western Asia
Flowering Season:	Late spring to fall

34. Cornflower

Cornflowers (also commonly called bachelor’s buttons) are a mainstay in any cottage garden. These lovely flowers feature a button-shaped spray of ray florets that surround a center of disc florets in the flower’s namesake color, cornflower blue. The plant’s common name came from the fact that it was a common weed found growing in fields of corn and other grains, and harvesting would contribute to its spread.

Scientific Name:	Centaurea cyanus
Native Range:	The Mediterranean
Flowering Season:	Late spring to midsummer

35. Cosmos

Cosmos bipinnatus is one among many species of cosmos plants. They are commonly referred to as garden cosmos, Mexican asters, or simply cosmos. These beautiful flowers produce conspicuous, symmetrical, cup-shaped flowers in bright shades of red, pink, and white with striking yellow centers. Although annuals, they self-seed readily, which means they can quickly become naturalized in a low-maintenance garden.

Scientific Name:	Cosmos bipinnatus
Native Range:	South-central United States, Mexico, and northern South America
Flowering Season:	Summer through fall

36. Cottage Pink

Dianthus plumarius (commonly called cottage pink, common pink, wild pink, garden pink, or pink) belongs to the Caryophyllaceae (pink) plant family. They produce clumps of dense foliage and, when in bloom, are spotted with sprays of red, pink, and white flowers. The flowers have fringed or ruffled petals, emitting a pleasantly spicy, clove-like scent.

Scientific Name:	Dianthus plumarius
Native Range:	Italy, Austria, Yugoslavia, and Hungary
Flowering Season:	Mid-spring through mid-summer

37. Cowslip

A member of the Primulaceae (primrose) plant family, cowslip features the signature basal rosette of green, oval-shaped leaves and the central stems of blossoms. This species, however, produces clusters of petite, sunny-yellow blossoms.

Scientific Name:	Primula veris
Native Range:	Central and western Asia and Europe (extinct in Algeria)
Flowering Season:	Mid to late spring

38. Crane Flower

Commonly called the crane flower or bird of paradise, the Strelitzia reginae is likely one of the most easily recognized plants in the world thanks to its signature inflorescence, which resembles a vibrantly colored tropical bird. The plants feature green stems and foliage, a scarlet spathe, tangerine sepals, and electric-blue petals.

Scientific Name:	Strelitzia reginae
Native Range:	South Africa
Flowering Season:	Early spring

39. Cranesbill

A member of the Geraniaceae plant family, the Geranium genus contains 361 accepted species of perennial, annual, and biennial plants that are commonly called cranesbills. Geranium flowers typically have five petals, and they blossom in an array of colors that range from white to deep purple.

Scientific Name:	Geranium spp.
Native Range:	Worldwide range but concentrated in the eastern Mediterranean region
Flowering Season:	Late spring to the first frost

40. Creeping Phlox

Phlox subulata (commonly called creeping phlox, moss phlox, mountain phlox, and moss pink) belongs to the Polemoniaceae plant family. Creeping phlox, with its mat-forming growth habit, creates carpets of vibrant foliage and color when in bloom. These beautiful flowers typically have five petals and blossom in shades of pink, white, blue, rose, and mauve.

Scientific Name:	Phlox subulata
Native Range:	Eastern and central United States and eastern Canada
Flowering Season:	Mid to late spring

41. Crocosmia

A member of the Iridaceae (iris) plant family, the Crocosmia genus contains just eight species of flowering perennials that can be either deciduous or evergreen. Crocosmia foliage appears in clumps and is vibrant green and lance-shaped. The flowers are lily-like and are vividly colored with gradient hues of red, orange, coral, golden-yellow, and tangerine.

Scientific Name:	Crocosmia spp.
Native Range:	Eastern and southern grasslands of Africa
Flowering Season:	Midsummer through mid-fall

42. Crocus

Another member of the Iris plant family, the Crocus genus, contains 261 species of early-season flowering plants. The lance-shaped leaves and cup-shaped flowers appear close to the ground, only growing a few inches tall. These beautiful flowers can be purple, blue, yellow, orange, pink, or white, often with a gradient hue.

Scientific Name:	Crocus spp.
Native Range:	Europe, northern Africa, and western and central Asia
Flowering Season:	Late winter to early spring

43. Crown Imperial

Fritillaria imperialis (commonly called the crown imperial) is an impressive plant. It can grow to be up to four feet tall. It produces large clumps of lance-shaped leaves that feature wavy edges, giving them an almost twisted appearance. From the center of the foliage, long, sturdy stems rise up and are topped with a tuft of leaf-life bracts that almost resemble a pineapple (spiky and green on the top and yellow on the bottom). While pretty to look at, the flowers don’t smell especially nice, as they emit a skunk-like odor.

Scientific Name:	Fritillaria imperialis
Native Range:	Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the western Himalayas
Flowering Season:	Spring

44. Crown of Thorns

Euphorbia milii (commonly called crown of thorns, Christ thorn, or Christ plant) belongs to the Euphorbiaceae (spurge) plant family. It can grow up to almost six feet in height and has sturdy, woody stems that are covered in thorns. The plant’s thorns are why it is often associated with the crown of thorns worn by Christ during the Passion.

Scientific Name:	Euphorbia milii
Native Range:	Madagascar
Flowering Season:	Spring and summer

45. Cuckoo Flower

A member of the Brassicaceae (mustard) plant family, Cardamine pratensis is commonly called cuckoo flower, milkmaid, mayflower, or lady’s smock. In the language of flowers, the cuckoo plant symbolizes ardor or passion. The plant grows in a loose clump of grass-like foliage and produces clusters of petite flowers that are most commonly light pink but can also be white. These plants are perfect for wet areas that do not drain well, as they love the water.

Scientific Name:	Cardamine pratensis
Native Range:	Europe, Asia, and northeastern North America
Flowering Season:	Spring

46. Cup and Saucer Vine

A member of the Polemoniaceae plant family, Cobaea scandens (commonly called cup and saucer vine, Mexican ivy, monastery bells, or cathedral bells) is a flowering, perennial, climbing plant that forms self-clinging, hooked tendrils. The flowers are a deep shade of violet and pronouncedly bell-shaped. Each blossom is gently cupped by a ruff that gives each bloom the appearance of cups and saucers. The flowers emit a musky fragrance.

Scientific Name:	Cobaea scandens
Native Range:	Mexico
Flowering Season:	Late summer to fall

47. Curcuma

A member of the Zingiberaceae (ginger) plant family, the Curcuma genus contains 160 flowering plants commonly called curcuma or turmeric. They are widely cultivated for their tuberous, aromatic roots that are commonly used in cooking and natural medicine.

Scientific Name:	Curcuma spp.
Native Range:	Southeast Asia, New Guinea, India, and northern Australia.
Flowering Season:	Summer through fall

48. Cyclamen

A member of the Primulaceae (primrose) plant family, the Cyclamen genus contains 24 accepted species of perennial flowering plants. The plants form rosettes of heart-shaped leaves that are often traced with silvery-white lines. Reddish stems sprout from the center of the foliage and produce shooting star-shaped flowers in shades of pink, white, red, and lavender.

Scientific Name:	Cyclamen spp.
Native Range:	Iran, the Caucasus, the Mediterranean region, Europe (extinct in Spain), and one species in Somalia
Flowering Season:	Fall through early spring

49. Cymbidium Orchids

Cymbidium is a genus containing 86 species of plants commonly called boat orchis or cymbidiums. They can be epiphytic, terrestrial, lithophytic, and even saprophytic in their respective habitats. The flowers of cymbidium orchids are often white or green, but they can also blossom in deep shades of purple and burnt amber.

Scientific Name:	Cymbidium spp.
Native Range:	Tropical and subtropical Australia and Asia
Flowering Season:	Fall to spring

50. Cytisus

A member of the Fabaceae (pea) plant family, the Cytisus genus contains 29 species of flowering plants that are sometimes commonly referred to as broom. The plants are shrubs that, when in bloom, produce large masses of sweet-smelling, pea-shaped flowers that are most commonly bright yellow but can also feature shades of orange and red.

Scientific Name:	Cytisus spp.
Native Range:	Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia
Flowering Season:	Spring

Beautiful Additions for Your Alphabet Garden

Even after narrowing down suitable options for your growing zone and garden’s environment, the flower choices can be immense. So, for fun, you might consider planting an alphabet garden. Whether you plant all flowers that start with the letter C, try to represent every letter of the alphabet, or choose another letter, this can be an exciting and unique way to create visual interest and arrange an eclectic group of flowers.