Flowers are gorgeous. Whether they’re adding a pop of color to your kitchen table, attracting pollinators to your garden, or just generally making the world a more beautiful place, it’s hard to argue with their appeal. And there are so many different kinds of flowers in the world!
One way to explore the sheer diversity of flowers is to focus on flowers that begin with a specific letter. In this case, we’re exploring flowers that begin with the letter “S.” From Sweet William to Sunflower, you’ll find “S” flowers come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, and they thrive in a wide variety of growing conditions.
This article highlights some of the most popular and interesting flowers that start with “S,” highlighting their unique characteristics, how to grow them, and how to use them.
Sedum: The Versatile Succulent
Sedums are so easy to grow, and they come in so many shapes and sizes. Most have plump, fleshy leaves and clusters of star-shaped flowers.
One of the most popular types is Showy Stonecrop (Sedum spectabile), which grows up to two feet tall and has lovely pink flowers. You can use sedums in rock gardens, along garden borders, or even as part of a green roof.
Sedums are hardy from zones 3-9, so they can be grown in most parts of the United States. They’re also drought-tolerant, which means they don’t need a lot of water. For best results, plant them in well-drained soil where they’ll get full sun.
Sweet William: A Cottage Garden Classic
Sweet William is a cottage garden staple with a charming, old-fashioned appeal. It’s a great choice if you want something pretty and relatively easy to grow.
Characteristics and Appearance
Sweet William flowers grow in clusters of brightly colored blooms that are often sweetly fragrant. You can find them in a range of colors, including pink, red, white, and even bicolored varieties, offering plenty of options to suit your garden’s color scheme.
Growing and Uses
Sweet William thrives in zones 3-9, making it a hardy choice for many gardens. It’s typically grown as a biennial or a short-lived perennial, meaning it will usually flower in its second year and may last a few years with proper care.
Consider using Sweet William in your garden as cut flowers, in borders, or as part of a classic cottage garden design. Their vibrant colors and sweet fragrance make them a welcome addition to any outdoor space.
Spider flower: A tall and showy addition
The spider flower (genus Cleome) is known for its unusual blooms with long, spidery stamens that give it an airy, otherworldly look. These plants can grow up to 6 feet tall and are a favorite of bees and butterflies.
Garden use and care
Because spider flowers can be so tall, they’re best planted at the back of a border. That way, they won’t block sunlight from reaching smaller plants.
Spider flowers thrive in full sun and well-drained soil. They’re relatively easy to care for, making them a good choice for beginner gardeners.
Sea Holly: Architectural Beauty and Resilience
Sea holly is a striking plant with a unique architectural form and surprising hardiness.
Unique Characteristics
The flower heads of sea holly look a bit like thistles, with spiny bracts that give the plant an edgy look. The flowers and bracts often come in a metallic blue or silver, adding to their visual appeal.
Sea holly is a tough plant that can tolerate drought conditions, making it an ideal choice for xeriscaping.
Growing Conditions
Sea holly thrives in zones 5-9, where it can bask in full sun. It prefers well-drained soil and is particularly well-suited for coastal gardens.
Statice: The Everlasting Beauty
Statice, with its papery flowers, is a real workhorse in the flower world. You can find it in a range of colors, from white and yellow to pink, purple, and apricot.
Because statice retains its color well when dried, it’s a favorite in dried flower arrangements. It’s a super choice for anyone who wants a long-lasting bouquet.
If you want to grow statice, plant it where it will get full sun in soil that drains well. It’s a tough plant that can tolerate heat and drought, making it a good choice for beginner gardeners.
Speedwell (Veronica): Adding Texture and Height
With their profuse spikes of tiny flowers, often in shades of blue or purple, speedwell plants add a welcome vertical element to cottage gardens and cutting gardens.
There are many different varieties of speedwell, so you’re sure to find one that suits your garden’s color palette.
Garden Use
Plant speedwell toward the back of your borders and beds to give your garden a bit of height. Bees and butterflies love speedwell, so you’ll be supporting the pollinator population, too.
Scabiosa: A Charming Cottage Garden Flower
If you’re looking for a flower that begins with the letter “S,” you might like to consider Scabiosa, a cottage-garden flower with a unique look.
Characteristics and Appearance
Also called pincushion flowers, scabiosas have rounded flower heads that look like, well, pincushions. Individual flowers pop out of the head, giving it a slightly spiky texture. They’re also known to attract pollinators like bees and butterflies.
Garden Uses
Scabiosas work well in borders and meadows, and they make excellent cut flowers. You can find scabiosas in shades of white, pink, lavender, and deep burgundy.
Sun Star (Ornithogalum dubium): Brightening Garden Beds
Sun Star flowers are tiny bursts of color, perfect for adding a little joy to your outdoor space. Here’s what you should know:
Characteristics
Sun Star flowers are star-shaped and usually come in sunny shades of orange or yellow.
Garden Use
These little beauties do well in garden beds or containers. They’re perfect for edging a flower bed or adding a pop of color to a patio pot.
Siberian Iris (Iris sibirica): Elegant and Graceful
The Siberian iris is a graceful, beardless iris that can add a touch of elegance to any garden. These beauties typically grow to be about 2 to 4 feet tall.
Appearance and Varieties
Siberian irises come in a range of colors, from deep blues and purples to whites and yellows. Their delicate petals and upright form make them a favorite among gardeners.
Growing and Uses
These irises thrive in borders, near water features, or in naturalized areas. They prefer moist, well-drained soil and plenty of sunlight. Siberian irises are relatively low-maintenance and can provide years of beauty with proper care.
Swainsona (Swainsona formosa): Australian Native Beauty
The distinctive swainsona, also known as Sturt’s Desert Pea, is known for its vibrant red, pea-like flowers, each punctuated by a striking black center. Native to Australia, this beauty is often grown as an annual in gardens around the world.
Silver Bell (Halesia tetraptera): Spring focal point
If you’re looking for a tree that will really wow you in spring, you might consider the silver bell tree, also known by its genus name, Halesia tetraptera.
In spring, the silver bell tree features masses of delicate, bell-shaped white flowers that dangle from its branches.
Silver bell trees can be a standout focal point in a residential landscape.
Snow-in-Summer (Cerastium tomentosum): Ground Cover Delight
Snow-in-Summer is a ground cover plant known for its silvery foliage and bright white flowers.
This plant spreads quickly, so it can fill an area fast.
Garden Uses
Snow-in-Summer is a good choice for rock gardens, borders, or slopes where you need to control erosion.
Saffron crocus (Crocus sativus): Spice and beauty
The saffron crocus offers both visual appeal and culinary value.
Characteristics
Saffron crocus flowers are a vibrant purple, offset by the bright orange stigmas at the flower’s center.
Those stigmas are actually the source of the spice saffron, which is made of the dried stigmas of the saffron crocus flower.
Cultivation
Plant saffron crocus bulbs for both beautiful autumn flowers and the valuable spice. The plants produce a volatile oil known as safranal, which gives saffron its distinctive aroma.
More “S” Flowers to Consider
If you’re looking for even more flowers that start with “S,” here’s a quick rundown:
- Sand Phlox (Phlox bifida): Grows to about 6 inches tall and spreads by self-seeding.
- Scarlet Rose Mallow (Hibiscus coccineus): Can reach 10 feet in height, with flowers about 6 inches across.
- Scarlet Sage (Salvia splendens): Typically grows to 12-18 inches tall and about 12 inches wide.
- Scotts Clematis (Clematis scottii): Stays relatively short at around 1 foot tall, spreading to almost 2 feet wide.
- Sea Thrift (Armeria maritima): Reaches a height of 6 to 12 inches.
- Serbian Bellflower (Campanula poscharskyana): A smaller option, growing to 4-6 inches tall.
- Shooting Star Flower (Dodecatheon meadia): Grows to about 9-12 inches tall.
- Solitary Clematis (Clematis integrifolia): Reaches 2-3 feet in height.
- Spring Vetch (Lathyrus vernus): Grows to about 18 inches tall.
- Stokes Aster (Stokesia laevis): Reaches 12-14 inches in height.
- Strawberry Foxglove (Digitalis × mertonensis): Grows to 2-3 feet tall. Important: This plant can be toxic to both animals and humans.
- Sweet Goldenrod (Solidago odora): Can reach 2-4 feet in height.
- Sweetscented Bedstraw (Galium odoratum): Known for its fragrant leaves.
In Conclusion
From snapdragons to sunflowers, the flowers that start with “S” are a diverse and beautiful bunch. Whether you prefer the simplicity of a single-stemmed sweet pea or the drama of a star lily, you’ll find a wide range of colors, shapes, sizes, and growing habits among these floral favorites.
When choosing flowers for your garden, it’s always a good idea to consider your local climate, the amount of sunlight your garden receives, and your own personal preferences. Take the time to research the specific needs of each flower to ensure it thrives in your garden.
We hope this guide has inspired you to explore the wonderful world of “S” flowers and incorporate them into your garden. With so many stunning options to choose from, you’re sure to find the perfect blooms to add beauty and fragrance to your outdoor space.