Whether you happen to be a botanist, florist, gardener, green thumb, or an admirer of nature, you surely love flowers and have a deep appreciation for the diversity of the hundreds of thousands of species – and countless hybrids and cultivars – growing around the world. With such immense diversity, discovering your favorite blooms can be a challenge. So, we’re taking an alphabetical journey through some of the most stunning, beautiful, and unique flowers. Keep reading to discover 50 beautiful flowers that start with the letter M, along with their descriptions, pictures, fun facts, symbolic meanings in the language of flowers, native ranges, and more!
- 50 Beautiful Flowers That With the Letter M
- 1. Madagascar Periwinkle
- 2. Madonna Lily
- 3. Magnolia
- 4. Maiden Pink
- 5. Mallow
- 6. Marguerite
- 7. Marigold
- 8. Marsh Marigold
- 9. Marsh Violet
- 10. Masterwort
- 11. Matilija Poppy
- 12. Mayflower
- 13. Meadow Rue
- 14. Meadowsweet
- 15. Mexican Aster
- 16. Mexican Hat
- 17. Mexican Marigold
- 18. Mexican Sunflower
- 19. Mexican Tulip Poppy
- 20. Mezereon
- 21. Michaelmas Daisy
- 22. Milfoil
- 23. Milkweed
- 24. Missouri Primrose
- 25. Mock Orange
- 26. Mohave Sage
- 27. Money Plant
- 28. Monkeyflower
- 29. Monkshood
- 30. Moonflower
- 31. Mophead Hydrangea
- 32. Morning Glory
- 33. Moss Campion
- 34. Moss Phlox
- 35. Moss Rose
- 36. Mother-of-Thyme
- 37. Mountain Avens
- 38. Mountain Bluebell
- 39. Mountain Bluet
- 40. Mountain Dogwood
- 41. Mountain Fleece
- 42. Mountain Bog Gentian
- 43. Mountain Laurel
- 44. Mountain Mint
- 45. Mountain Sage
- 46. Mourning Bride
- 47. Mouse-Ear Chickweed
- 48. Mouse-Ear Hawkweed
- 49. Musk Mallow
- 50. Myrtle
- Flowers That Start With M FAQs
- The Miraculous Beauty of Flowers That Start With the Letter M
50 Beautiful Flowers That With the Letter M
1. Madagascar Periwinkle
A member of the Apocynaceae (dogbane) plant family, Catharanthus roseus is a species of periwinkle commonly called Madagascar periwinkle, pink periwinkle, rose periwinkle, bright eyes, Cape periwinkle, graveyard plant, or old maid.
In warm climates, the species is an herbaceous perennial subshrub, but it is commonly grown as an annual in colder parts of the world. It produces glossy foliage and five-lobed flowers that can be white with yellow or red centers but are more commonly pink with dark red centers.
Madagascar periwinkle is a popular ornamental and is also grown for medicinal purposes, as it is used to create the cancer treatment drugs, vinblastine and vincristine.
In the language of flowers, periwinkle symbolizes the pleasures of memory, pleasing memories, and early friendship.
| Scientific Name: | Catharanthus roseus |
| Native Range: | Madagascar |
| Flowering Season: | Summer to first frost |
2. Madonna Lily
Lilium candidum is a species belonging to the Liliaceae (lily) plant family within the Liloideae subfamily and the Lileae tribe. These bulbous perennials grow to be a stunning four to six feet tall and produce terminal rosettes of large, trumpet-shaped white flowers with central golden-yellow anthers.
These lovely flowers that start with the letter M have been cultivated for at least 3,000 years and appear in ancient architecture, art, literature, and the Bible.
| Scientific Name: | Lilium candidum |
| Native Range: | Greece and the islands of the eastern Aegean Sea, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, and Yugoslavia |
| Flowering Season: | Late spring or early summer |
3. Magnolia
A Magnoliaceae (magnolia) plant family member, the Magnolia genus contains 358 species of flowering shrubs and trees that can be evergreen or deciduous. Magnolia plants produce deep-green foliage and large, showy flowers that can be shaped either like stars or cups and that bloom in shades of purple, pink, yellow, green, and white.
In the language of flowers, magnolias represent a love of nature, magnificence, and lively faith.
| Scientific Name: | Magnolia spp. |
| Native Range: | Tropical and temperate regions of North America, South America, south-central Asia, eastern Asia, and the Pacific Islands |
| Flowering Season: | Spring or summer (depending on the species) |
4. Maiden Pink
Dianthus deltoides (commonly called maiden pink) is an herbaceous, evergreen, perennial, flowering plant belonging to the Caryophyllaceae (pink or carnation) plant family.
Maiden pink grows to about one foot in height and spreads to about two feet in diameter with its mat-forming growth habit. These flowers that start with M produce narrow, green foliage and abundant, dainty blossoms.
The flowers have toothed or fringed petals in pink, red, or white shades. They attract butterflies and bees.
| Scientific Name: | Dianthus deltoides |
| Native Range: | Western Asia and most of Europe |
| Flowering Season: | Mid-spring to early summer |
5. Mallow
A Malvaceae (mallow) family member, the Malva genus contains 53 species of flowering herbaceous plants. Mallow plants have lobed, palmate leaves and produce petite yet showy flowers in shades of purple, pink, mauve, lilac, or white.
While they are popularly planted as ornamentals, they also have additional uses in culinary and herbal medicine traditions.
In the language of flowers, mallow symbolizes kindness, a sweet or mild disposition, and mildness.
| Scientific Name: | Malva spp. |
| Native Range: | Europe and much of Africa, Asia, and Australia, in addition to California, Baja California, and northwestern Mexico |
| Flowering Season: | Late spring to first frost |
6. Marguerite
Leucanthemum vulgare (commonly called marguerite, oxeye daisy, or dog daisy) is a rhizomatic, herbaceous perennial belonging to the Asteraceae (daisy, composite, aster, and sunflower) plant family.
These plants that start with the letter M grow to be about one to two feet tall with a similar width and produces three flowerheads with white ray florets surrounding bright yellow disc florets.
The plants spread readily via their root systems, creating oceans of cheerful flowerheads that attract butterflies, bees, flies, wasps, and beetles.
| Scientific Name: | Leucanthemum vulgare |
| Native Range: | Europe and temperate Asia |
| Flowering Season: | Mid-spring through midsummer |
7. Marigold
A member of the Asteraceae plant family, the Tagetes genus contains 49 accepted species of herbaceous annual and perennial plants commonly called marigolds.
Depending on the species, the plants vary in size and flower shape, with some featuring a single row of ray florets and others prominent, ruffled pom-poms of ray florets.
The flowers are naturally yellow, orange, golden, or white and sometimes have maroon markings. Marigolds are commonly planted as companion plants in vegetable gardens thanks to their musky scent that deters several pests.
| Scientific Name: | Tagetes |
| Native Range: | South America, Central America, Mexico, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas |
| Flowering Season: | Summer through fall |
8. Marsh Marigold
A member of the Ranunculaceae (buttercup or crowfoot) plant family, Caltha palustris (commonly called marsh marigold or kingcup) is an herbaceous perennial plant that naturally grows in the marshes and wet woodlands all around the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere.
These flowers that start with the letter M produce branching clumps with leaves arranged in rosettes around the stems and strikingly bright, cup-shaped flowers that can be yellow, white, or pink in color with a cluster of prominent stamens at the center.
Marigolds symbolize despair, grief, pain, jealousy, and disquiet in the language of flowers.
| Scientific Name: | Caltha palustris |
| Native Range: | Temperate Northern Hemisphere |
| Flowering Season: | Spring |
9. Marsh Violet
Viola palustris (commonly called marsh violet) belongs to the Violaceae (violet and pansy) plant family and is a perennial forb with woody stems, a basal rosette of large heart-shaped leaves, and delicately tongued flowers in lights shades of lilac and white.
Marsh violets grow in marshes, stream banks, and moist meadows. Along with their diminutive stature, marsh violets are an excellent choice for underplanting in gardens near water or with poor drainage.
| Scientific Name: | Viola palustris |
| Native Range: | Northern Eurasia and North America |
| Flowering Season: | Spring |
10. Masterwort
A member of the Apiaceae (umbellifer) plant family, Astrantia major is an herbaceous perennial commonly called masterwort or great masterwort. The plant can reach up to about three feet in height and a foot and a half in width.
The small flowers appear in large, dome-shaped clusters surrounded by a corona of papery bracts. The flower heads are commonly whitish-green in color but can also be pink or crimson in different varieties.
| Scientific Name: | Astrantia major |
| Native Range: | Europe and Western Asia |
| Flowering Season: | Late spring to early summer |
11. Matilija Poppy
A member of the Papaveraceae (poppy) plant family, Romneya coulteri (commonly called Matilija poppy or California tree poppy) is an herbaceous perennial that grows natively in the shrubland, dry canyons, and coastal scrub of southern California and northwestern Mexico. It produces large, ostentatious flowers that look a bit like fried eggs fluttering atop their up-to-seven-foot-tall stems.
| Scientific Name: | Romneya coulteri |
| Native Range: | California and Northwestern Mexico |
| Flowering Season: | Late spring to early summer (late summer, if watered) |
12. Mayflower
A member of the Ericaceae (heath or heather) plant family, Epigaea repens is an evergreen, perennial shrub with a spreading or trailing growth habit. The plants grow low to the ground and produce ovate, leathery leaves and trumpet-shaped flowers in pale pink or white shades.
These beautiful flowers that start with the letter M emit a pungent and pleasant fragrance, followed by white-colored, raspberry-like berries. The flowers are sometimes referred to as Plymouth Mayflowers because they were the first flowers to warm the hearts of the Pilgrims after the first winter spent in New England.
| Scientific Name: | Epigaea repens |
| Native Range: | Central to eastern Canada and the United States |
| Flowering Season: | Late winter to mid-spring |
13. Meadow Rue
The Thalictrum genus contains 210 species of herbaceous, perennial, flowering plants (commonly called meadow rue) that belong to the Ranunculaceae plant family. The plants produce blue-green foliage and flowers that have no petals.
Despite the lack of petals, I love that these flowers that start with M are quite showy, as they appear in large clusters and feature several long, brightly colored stamens in shades of yellow, pink, purple, or white.
| Scientific Name: | Thalictrum spp. |
| Native Range: | Cosmopolitan (primarily temperate regions) |
| Flowering Season: | Late spring through late summer |
14. Meadowsweet
A Rosaceae (rose) plant family member, Filipendula ulmaria (commonly called meadowsweet or mead wort), is an herbaceous perennial that typically grows in damp meadows.
Interestingly, the plants can grow to nearly seven feet tall and feature large, dark green leaves on top and whitish on their undersides. They produce irregularly shaped cymes of downy flowers that are creamy-white in color.
In the language of flowers, meadowsweet represents uselessness and neglected beauty.
| Scientific Name: | Filipendula ulmaria |
| Native Range: | Europe and western and central Asia |
| Flowering Season: | Mid-spring to midsummer |
15. Mexican Aster
A member of the Asteraceae plant family, Cosmos bipinnatus (commonly called garden cosmos or Mexican aster) is a self-sowing, half-hardy perennial plant. Mexican asters produce tall, slender plants ranging from two to six feet tall and feature branching stems and blade-like foliage.
What’s more, they produce terminal flowers that are comprised of cup-shaped inflorescences with showy bracts and small, tubular flowers. The flowers come in various vibrant colors, including a range of pinks, purples, reds, yellows, and white.
| Scientific Name: | Cosmos bipinnatus |
| Native Range: | Mexico |
| Flowering Season: | Summer to first frost |
16. Mexican Hat
Ratibida columnifera is a flowering perennial that belongs to the Asteraceae plant family and is commonly called Mexican hat, upright prairie coneflower, or longhead prairie coneflower.
The plants can grow to be between one and three feet tall. They produce hairy, deeply pinnate leaves and terminal inflorescences atop their stems.
The flower heads consist of a prominent, cone-shaped center column surrounded by drooping ray florets in yellow and maroonish-brown combinations.
| Scientific Name: | Ratibida columnifera |
| Native Range: | Southern Canada, the United States, and Northern Mexico |
| Flowering Season: | Late spring through summer |
17. Mexican Marigold
A member of the Asteraceae plant family, Tagetes erecta (commonly called Mexican marigold, Aztec marigold, or big marigold), can grow up to three feet tall. It is an herbaceous annual or perennial plant that grows in a clump of several branches.
These lovely flowers that start with the letter M are pom-pom-like and typically bright yellow in color. One of the most popular edible flowers, the Mexican marigold, is commonly used in salads and as a natural food colorant. Plus, it also has several uses in herbal medicine.
| Scientific Name: | Tagetes erecta |
| Native Range: | Mexico and Central America |
| Flowering Season: | Early summer to frost |
18. Mexican Sunflower
Tithonia rotundifolia (commonly called Mexican sunflower or red sunflower) is an annual member of the Asteraceae plant family. The plants can reach six feet in height and produce bright sunflowers that are three inches in diameter and can be orange to deep red in color. What’s more, the flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds.
| Scientific Name: | Tithonia rotundifolia |
| Native Range: | Mexico and Central America |
| Flowering Season: | Midsummer to frost |
19. Mexican Tulip Poppy
A member of the Papveraceae plant family, Hunnemannia fumariifolia (commonly called Mexican tulip poppy) is a self-sowing annual species native to the Chihuahuan Desert and a small part of Big Bend National Park.
I love their showy, lemon-yellow flowers surrounding fuzzy orange centers. They attract butterflies and make a great addition to any xeric garden.
| Scientific Name: | Hunnemannia fumariifolia |
| Native Range: | Texas and Mexico |
| Flowering Season: | Mid-winter through summer |
20. Mezereon
A member of the Thymelaeaceae plant family, Daphne mezereum (commonly called mezereon, spurge laurel, spurge olive, or February daphne) is a flowering, deciduous shrub. They produce rounded, lance-like foliage in a spiral arrangement around the stems.
These lovely flowers that start with the letter M spring forth in late winter or early spring before any foliage emerges. The fragrant flowers are white or pink and cluster around the bare stems. Bright-red fruits follow the flowers and are poisonous to humans but thoroughly enjoyed by birds.
Mezereon symbolizes a desire to please and repose in the language of flowers.
| Scientific Name: | Daphne mezereum |
| Native Range: | Europe and western Asia |
| Flowering Season: | Late winter |
21. Michaelmas Daisy
A member of the Asteraceae plant family, Aster amellus (commonly called Michaelmas daisy, Italian aster, Italian starwort, or fall aster) is an herbaceous perennial that grows to be about 20 inches tall. It produces clumps of dark-green leaves and clutches of flowers featuring amethyst-colored ray florets and golden disc florets.
Interestingly, the common name refers to the feast day of Saint Michael the Archangel (September 29th) and the fact that the flowers bloom around this time. In the language of flowers, they symbolize afterthought, farewell, and cheerfulness in old age or adversity.
| Scientific Name: | Aster amellus |
| Native Range: | Europe and Western Asia |
| Flowering Season: | Late summer to mid-fall |
22. Milfoil
A member of the Asteraceae plant family, Achillea millefolium (commonly called milfoil, yarrow, or common yarrow) is an herbaceous perennial containing several chemicals traditionally used in herbal medicine.
What’s more, the plants produce pinnate foliage and, atop erect stems, flat umbels of flowers in pastel and saturated shades of yellow, orange, pink, red, and white.
In the language of flowers, milfoil symbolizes fame and war.
| Scientific Name: | Achillea millefolium |
| Native Range: | Temperate Northern Hemisphere |
| Flowering Season: | Spring to frost |
23. Milkweed
Asclepias syriaca (commonly called milkweed, common milkweed, or butterfly flower) is a member of the Apocynaceae plant family. The plants grow and spread from rhizomatic root systems that produce tall, sturdy stalks. They have broad, lanceolate leaves that erupt in whorls around the central stems.
Plus, the small flowers are filled with nectar and occur around the stalks in pom-pom-shaped cymes in shades of purple, pink, and white. The highly fragrant flowers attract butterflies.
| Scientific Name: | Asclepias syriaca |
| Native Range: | Central and eastern United States and Canada |
| Flowering Season: | Late spring through mid-summer |
24. Missouri Primrose
A member of the Onagraceae (evening primrose) plant family. Oenothera missouriensis (commonly called Missouri primrose or Missouri evening primrose) is a perennial plant species that produces three to four-inch wide flowers on an eight to 10-inch plant.
These beautiful flowers that start with M are fluttery, cup-shaped, and lemon-yellow. They feature several fuzzy stamens and attract both hummingbirds and moths. The flowers open up in the evenings and close the next day. As they fade, they can sometimes turn reddish in color.
| Scientific Name: | Oenothera missouriensis |
| Native Range: | South-central United States and Northeastern Mexico |
| Flowering Season: | Spring and summer |
25. Mock Orange
A member of the Hydrangeaceae (hydrangea) plant family, the Philadelphus genus contains 45 species of mainly deciduous flowering shrubs commonly called mock orange. The common name refers to the resemblance of fluttery white mock orange flowers to the flowers of orange and lemon trees.
Mock orange flowers also have a similarly pleasant fragrance to these flowers with a hint of jasmine. Despite these similarities, mock orange is related to neither the Citrus nor Jasminum genera plants.
In the language of flowers, they symbolize counterfeit.
| Scientific Name: | Philadelphus spp. |
| Native Range: | Eastern Asia, parts of the Middle East, southwestern Canada, southern and western United States, Mexico, and Central America |
| Flowering Season: |
26. Mohave Sage
A member of the Lamiaceae (mint, sage, and deadnettle) plant family, Salvia mohavensis is a species of evergreen shrub commonly called Mohave sage because it is native to the Mojave Desert in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico.
These plants that start with the letter M produce dark-green foliage that tends to be covered in fine, white hairs. In spring, they blossom with pale blue, trumpet-shaped flowers in whorled clusters at the ends of stems. Plus, these shrubs are an essential food source for butterflies, bees, moths, birds, and larvae.
| Scientific Name: | Salvia mohavensis |
| Native Range: | Mojave Desert |
| Flowering Season: | Spring |
27. Money Plant
A member of the Brassicaceae plant family, Lunaria annua (commonly called honesty, annual honesty, or money plant) is an annual or biennial umbellifer. The plants produce toothed, oval leaves and umbrella-shaped, terminal racemes of deep-purple or white flowers.
What’s more, these flowers that start with M give way to silvery-white, coin-shaped seed pods, which have led the flower to be associated with symbolic themes of money, prosperity, and honesty.
| Scientific Name: | Lunaria annua |
| Native Range: | Southern Europe |
| Flowering Season: | Spring |
28. Monkeyflower
A member of the Phrymaceae (lopseed) plant family, the Mimulus genus contains seven accepted species of flowering plants commonly called monkeyflowers.
The flowers of this genus have irregularly sized lobes that result in the flowers resembling monkey faces. In addition, the flowers come in various colors and combinations, including orange, yellow, red, apricot, purple, and pink.
| Scientific Name: | Mimulus spp. |
| Native Range: | Central and eastern United States and Canada, central and southern Africa, south-central Asia, and Australia |
| Flowering Season: | Spring and summer |
29. Monkshood
A member of the Ranunculaceae plant family, Aconitum napellus is a highly toxic flowering plant that produces attractive terminal racemes of purple flowers that resemble the hoods on monks’ robes – hence the common name monkshood.
These flowers that start with M are also called aconite, wolfsbane, or Venus’ chariot. In the language of flowers, monkshood symbolizes deceit, religious life, chivalry, and knight-errantry and conveys the message that a deadly foe is near.
| Scientific Name: | Aconitum napellus |
| Native Range: | Western and Central Europe |
| Flowering Season: | Mid to late summer |
30. Moonflower
A Convolvulaceae (morning glory or bindweed) plant family member, Ipomoea alba is a night-blooming, herbaceous perennial commonly called moonflower, moon vine, or tropical white morning glory. The twining plant can reach up to 98 feet tall with green, three-lobed leaves.
The flowers are star-shaped and can be either white or light pink. Interestingly, they open in the evening and emit a pleasantly sweet scent throughout the night.
| Scientific Name: | Ipomoea alba |
| Native Range: | Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America |
| Flowering Season: | Midsummer to frost |
31. Mophead Hydrangea
A member of the Hydrangeaceae plant family, Hydrangea macrophylla is a perennial deciduous shrub commonly called mophead hydrangea, bigleaf hydrangea, or French hydrangea.
Within the species, there is some variation in the appearance of the flower clusters, which can either be large and round or slightly flattened. The color of hydrangea flowers depends on the soil’s acidity. Colors include shades of pink, red, blue, purple, and greenish-white.
| Scientific Name: | Hydrangea macrophylla |
| Native Range: | Japan |
| Flowering Season: | Summer to early winter |
32. Morning Glory
A member of the Convolvulaceae plant family, Ipomoea purpurea (commonly called morning glory, common morning glory, or purple morning glory) is a species of annual vine that can grow nearly ten feet tall.
The hairy stems of the vines produce heart-shaped leaves and large, trumpet-shaped flowers that are usually blue or purple but can also be white. The seeds of these plants have hallucinogenic effects and are commonly treated with toxic heavy metals to discourage their ingestion.
In the language of flowers, morning glories symbolize repose and affectation.
| Scientific Name: | Ipomoea purpurea |
| Native Range: | South America, Central America, Mexico, and Arizona |
| Flowering Season: | Early summer to early fall |
33. Moss Campion
Commonly called moss campion or cushion pink, Silene acaulis is a species of evergreen, mat-forming, perennial of the Caryophyllaceae plant family. The plants form moss-like cushions of glossy, spine-shaped leaves.
When in bloom, cheerful, five-petaled flowers appear in profusion in shades of purple and pink. These plants do well at high elevations and in cold climates, and they’re popular in rock gardens.
| Scientific Name: | Silene acaulis |
| Native Range: | Arctic and high mountains of the Northern Hemisphere |
| Flowering Season: | Late spring through midsummer |
34. Moss Phlox
Commonly called moss phlox, creeping phlox, moss pink, or rock pink, Phlox subulata is a species of evergreen, mat-forming perennial of the Polemoniaceae plant family.
Moss phlox is among the most colorful options for ground covers, as the plant produces spiny foliage and abundant clusters of brightly colored flowers that completely overtake the plant when in bloom.
These flowers that start with the letter M typically have five notched petals and come in shades of purple, blue, pink, red, or white. In the language of flowers, phlox symbolizes unanimity.
| Scientific Name: | Phlox subulata |
| Native Range: | Utah and central and eastern Canada, and the United States |
| Flowering Season: | Spring |
35. Moss Rose
Commonly called moss rose, rock rose, or sun rose, Portulaca grandiflora is one of about 115 species that belong to the sole genus of the Portulacaceae plant family – not the rose plant family.
I love the fact these annual plant grows quickly and can reach up to about 12 inches in height but is usually shorter at around six inches tall. The plants have fleshy, succulent-like leaves and produce fluttery flowers in bright colors like yellow, red, orange, pink, and white.
| Scientific Name: | Portulaca grandiflora |
| Native Range: | South America |
| Flowering Season: | Mid-spring to first frost |
36. Mother-of-Thyme
A member of the Lamiaceae plant family, Thymus serpyllum is a species of dwarf, evergreen shrub commonly called mother-of-thyme, creeping thyme, wild thyme, elfin thyme, or Breckland thyme.
The plants have woody stems that produce mats of foliage and profusions of pink to purple flowers that are richly fragrant and filled with nectar. Plus, Mother-of-thyme makes excellent ground cover and an attractant for butterflies.
| Scientific Name: | Thymus serpyllum |
| Native Range: | Europe’s and Asia’s Palearctic realm |
| Flowering Season: | Summer |
37. Mountain Avens
Commonly called mountain avens, white dryas, white dryad, or eightpetal mountain avens, Dryas octopetala is a mat-forming, herbaceous perennial belonging to the Rosaceae plant family. The plants grow to be about eight inches in height and up to three feet in diameter.
What’s more, they have woody stems and leathery, ovate leaves with softly toothed margins. The flowers are formed individually at the ends of leafless stems. Plus, they are cup-shaped with white petals and fuzzy golden centers.
| Scientific Name: | Dryas octopetala |
| Native Range: | Arctic tundra and above the treelines of Europe, Asia, and northwestern North America |
| Flowering Season: | Late spring through summer |
38. Mountain Bluebell
A member of the Boraginaceae (borage) plant family, Mertensia ciliata is an herbaceous perennial commonly called mountain bluebells, streamside bluebells, or tall fringed bluebells.
These plants that start with M produce erect clumps of leafy stems and loose, drooping clusters of bell-shaped flowers with scalloped edges in a vibrant shade of blue.
In the language of flowers, bluebells symbolize constancy.
| Scientific Name: | Mertensia ciliata |
| Native Range: | Western United States |
| Flowering Season: | Mid-spring through midsummer |
39. Mountain Bluet
Commonly called mountain bluet, mountain cornflower, montane knapweed, or bachelor’s button. It tends to grow in mountainous, alpine regions, hence its specific epithet, montana, which means “from mountains” in Latin.
The plants produce smooth, ovate leaves and single flower heads comprised of a corona of bluish-purple, outer ray florets encircling a pinkish-purple center.
| Scientific Name: | Centaurea montana |
| Native Range: | Europe |
| Flowering Season: | Late spring (again in the fall if cut back) |
40. Mountain Dogwood
A member of the Cornaceae plant family, Cornus nuttallii is a species of flowering deciduous tree commonly called mountain dogwood, western dogwood, or Pacific dogwood. The trees range in height from about 25 to 75 feet tall.
The trees have reddish-brown bark and branches with fine hairs. They produce simple, ovate leaves that turn orange and then purple in the fall. Plus, the flowers are milky-white with pale yellow centers.
| Scientific Name: | Cornus nuttallii |
| Native Range: | Western United States and Canada |
| Flowering Season: | Spring and again in late summer or early fall |
41. Mountain Fleece
Commonly called mountain fleece or red bistort, Bistorta amplexicaulis is a species of upright, flowering perennial that belongs to the Polygonaceae (buckwheat) plant family.
They produce lush, heart-shaped foliage and wand-shaped racemes of bottle-brush-like flowers in a striking shade of scarlet.
In my experience, these flowers do well in borders, beds, and moist gardens, attracting butterflies and birds.
| Scientific Name: | Bistorta amplexicaulis (aka Persicaria amplexicaulis) |
| Native Range: | Pakistan, the Himalayas, and China |
| Flowering Season: | Early summer to frost |
42. Mountain Bog Gentian
A member of the Gentianaceae (gentian) plant family, Gentiana calycosa (commonly called mountain bog gentian or Rainier pleated gentian) is a flowering perennial native to the mountainous regions of the western United States and Canada.
The plants have reddish stems and ovate, sessile leaves that are arranged oppositely. The flowers can be about two inches long and appear like slender, upright cups in deep, stained-glass shades of blue-violet.
| Scientific Name: | Gentiana calycosa |
| Native Range: | Western United States and Southwestern Canada |
| Flowering Season: | Late summer |
43. Mountain Laurel
A member of the Ericaceae plant family, Kalmia latifolia is a species of flowering, evergreen shrub commonly called mountain laurel, spoonwood, or calico bush. The shrubs typically grow between ten and 30 feet tall.
I love their unusual, hexagonal or pentagonal, umbrella-shaped flowers that appear in clusters of white or pink blooms spotted with magenta markings. Mountain laurels are the state flowers of Pennsylvania and Connecticut.
| Scientific Name: | Kalmia latifolia |
| Native Range: | Eastern United States |
| Flowering Season: | Mid-spring to early summer |
44. Mountain Mint
A member of the Lamiaceae plant family within the Mentheae tribe, the Pycnanthemum genus contains 19 species of herbaceous plants commonly called mountain mints.
When crushed, these shrub-like plants produce silvery-green, spade-shaped foliage with a minty aroma. The petite, white flowers appear in small terminal clusters above rosettes of foliage.
| Scientific Name: | Pycnanthemum spp. |
| Native Range: | Central and Eastern United States, California, and southeastern Canada |
| Flowering Season: | Summer |
45. Mountain Sage
Salvia regla (commonly called mountain sage or royal sage) is a deciduous, perennial shrub from the Lamiaceae plant family. The woody shrubs grow to be about six feet tall and five feet wide.
It produces deeply veined, spade-shaped leaves and tubular, scarlet-colored flowers rich with nectar. What’s more, these plants are an essential food source for migrating butterflies and birds.
| Scientific Name: | Salvia regla |
| Native Range: | Mexico and Texas |
| Flowering Season: | Spring through fall |
46. Mourning Bride
A member of the Caprifoliaceae (honeysuckle) plant family, scabiosa atropurpurea (commonly called mourning bride, sweet scabious, mournful widow, or pincushion flower) is a species of flowering, short-lived perennial or annual.
The plants grow to be about two feet in height and produce pincushion-shaped, red, purple, or pink flowers atop spindly stems. They attract hummingbirds and butterflies.
In the language of flowers, the mourning bride symbolizes an unfortunate attachment and the sentiment, “I have lost all.”
| Scientific Name: | Scabiosa atropurpurea |
| Native Range: | The Mediterranean |
| Flowering Season: | Late spring or early summer until the first frost |
47. Mouse-Ear Chickweed
A member of the Caryophyllaceae plant family, Cerastium fontanum is a species of flowering, mat-forming perennial commonly called mouse-ear chickweed or starweed.
These flowers that start with the letter M do not grow taller than eight inches and produce hairy leaves that sprout oppositely. The flowers are greenish-white and cup-shaped, with deeply divided sepals and shorter petals at the centers.
| Scientific Name: | Cerastium fontanum |
| Native Range: | Greenland, Europe, the Himalayas, Korea, and Japan |
| Flowering Season: | Spring and summer |
48. Mouse-Ear Hawkweed
A member of the Asteraceae plant family, Pilosella officinarum (commonly called mouse-ear hawkweed) is an herbaceous, perennial plant that forms a basal rosette of hairy leaves and stems.
These flowers that start with M are cup-shaped and appear singly on their stems. They are a creamy, pale yellow with a slightly red coloring on their undersides. Interestingly, it has been introduced to the United States, Canada, and New Zealand, where it is considered a noxious weed.
| Scientific Name: | Pilosella officinarum (aka Hieracium pilosella) |
| Native Range: | Europe and Western Asia |
| Flowering Season: | Spring to fall |
49. Musk Mallow
A member of the Malvaceae plant family, Malva moschata is an herbaceous perennial commonly called musk mallow. The plants produce hairy stems and foliage and bowl-shaped flowers in a powdery shade of flamingo pink. The foliage has a strong yet pleasant, musky scent that is emitted when crushed or cut. Plus, these pretty blooms attract butterflies.
| Scientific Name: | Malva moschata |
| Native Range: | Europe |
| Flowering Season: | Early summer to early fall |
50. Myrtle
A member of the Myraceae (myrtle) plant family, Myrtus communis (commonly called myrtle, common myrtle, or true myrtle) is a flowering, evergreen shrub or small tree.
It produces deep-green, ovate, fragrant leaves and clusters of fuzzy flowers that are often pure white and sometimes tinged with a delicate pink stain. Edible berries that are bluish-black when ripe follow the flowers.
In the language of flowers, myrtle symbolizes love and sometimes liberality or hope.
| Scientific Name: | Myrtus communis |
| Native Range: | The Mediterranean, Middle East, and the Horn of Africa |
| Flowering Season: | Mid-spring to early summer |
Flowers That Start With M FAQs
What Are Some Popular Pink Flowers That Start With M?
Some popular pink flowers that start with M include maiden pink (Dianthus deltoides), Mexican asters (Cosmos bipinnatus), and moss roses (Portulaca grandiflora).
What Are Some Popular Red Flowers That Start With M?
Some popular red flowers that start with M include mountain fleece (Persicaria amplexicaulis), mandevilla (Mandevilla spp.), and the Mexican sunflower (Tithonia rotundifolia).
What Are Some Unique Flowers That Start With M?
Some unique and unusual-looking flowers that start with M include monkey orchids (Dracula simia), monkey flowers (Mimulus spp.), and Mezereon (Daphne mezereum).
Are There Any Rare or Endangered Flowers That Start With M?
Several flowers that start with the letter M are considered rare or endangered, including the following flowering plants:
- Maguire Primrose (Primula maguirei)
- Many-Fruited Seedbox (Ludwigia sphaerocarpa)
- Maryland Meadow-Beauty (Rhexia mariana)
- Mattamuskeet Rosette-Grass (Dichanthelium mattamuskeetense)
- Matted Spike-Sedge (Eleocharis intermedia)
- Maui Reedgrass (Calamagrostis expansa)
- Menzies; Wallflower (Erysimum menziesii)
- Mesa Verde Cactus (Sclerocatus mesae-verdae)
- Mexican Flannelbush (Fremontodendron mexicanum)
- Michaux’s Sedge (Carex michauxiana)
- Michaux’s Sandwort (Minuartia michauxii)
- Midland Sedge (Carex mesochorea)
- Mitchell’s Sedge (Carex mitcheliana)
- Monterey Spineflower (Chorizanthe pungens var. pungens)
- Mountain Alder (Alnus viridis ssp. crispa)
- Mountain Cranberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea)
- Mountain Firmoss (Huperzia selago)
- Mountain Spleenwort (Asplenium montanum)
- Mountain Sweet Pitcher-Plant (Sarracenia rubra ssp. jonesii)
- Muskflower (Mimulus moschatus)
The Miraculous Beauty of Flowers That Start With the Letter M
Isn’t it amazing that, even when looking at only flowers that start with the letter M, we can find so many beautiful and diverse varieties of blooms, leaves, stems, and plant forms? Whether M is your favorite letter and you plant a garden with only flowers that start with M, or you work your way through the alphabet as you work your way through your garden bed, you’re sure to create a delightful landscape that simply bursts with color throughout the changing seasons.
For more, see our in-depth guide to:
- 50 beautiful flowers that start with the letter ‘A.’
- 50 beautiful flowers that start with the letter ‘B.’
- 50 beautiful flowers that start with the letter ‘C.’
- 50 beautiful flowers that start with the letter ‘D.’
- 50 beautiful flowers that start with the letter ‘E.’
- 50 beautiful flowers that start with the letter ‘F’
- 50 beautiful flowers that start with the letter ‘G’
- 50 beautiful flowers that start with the letter ‘H’
- 50 beautiful flowers that start with the letter ‘I’
- 50 beautiful flowers that start with the letter ‘J.’
- 50 beautiful flowers that start with the letter ‘K’
- 50 beautiful flowers that start with the letter ‘L’
- 50 beautiful flowers that start with the letter ‘N’
- 50 beautiful flowers that start with the letter ‘O’
Andrew is the Editorial Director at Petal Republic. He holds a BSc degree in Plant Sciences and has trained professionally at leading floristry schools in London and Paris. In amongst overseeing a global editorial team, Andrew's a passionate content creator around all things flowers, floral design, gardening, and houseplants.
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