A Botanist Walks Into A Flower Shop. . . Quiz

Answer: Tulipa

The tulip has been traced to Persia where they were bred and cultivated during the Ottoman Empire. Although it is unclear how the tulip spread outside Asia, it is clear that by the 1500s, the tulip was being grown in the Netherlands. In the 21st century, the Netherlands produces approximately three billion bulbs for export each year.

The botanist is sure to get her dozen tulips at the flower shop with that many new tulips produced every year!

Answer: It is one of the most expensive orchids.

This flower is known as Rothschild's orchid after the person who discovered it in 1987. The plant became a common target for orchid smugglers and as a result suffered and became nearly extinct in the wild. It lives in the wild only at Mount Kinabalu in the Kinabalu National Park in Malaysia, and takes many years before a single bloom appears which is why it is one of the most expensive orchids on the market.

Answer: This flower blooms only at night and only for a few hours before it wilts and dies.

Epiphyllum oxypetalum is also known as Dutchman's pipe cactus or queen of the night. The plant rarely blooms, and when it does, the flower lasts only a short while before it shrivels and dies before morning. This would be an impossible plant for a florist to try to sell in the shop!

Answer: Carnations

Baby's breath is actually an annual or a perennial herb that grows wild in many parts of the world. The small bunches of white or pink flowers that are shaped like miniature carnations are popular accents in bouquets.

Answer: Lily of the Valley

Lily of the Valley is a lovely, shade-tolerant, perennial plant that many people grow in their gardens. It blooms early in the spring, and has a very sweet scent. After the small, bell-shaped flowers bloom, small red or orange berries form. All parts of the plant are poisonous, so should be kept from children and pets.

Answer: Asparagus virgatus

Also known as asparagus fern, this green accent used by many florists is not a true fern. It is a member of the asparagus genus, and grows in South Eastern Africa. This foliage is used around the world to add interest to cut flower displays.

Answer: Blue-violet

Blue roses are an impossibility in nature. However, genetic engineering through hybridization has created blue-violet roses, with a colour close to lilac. These are often called "blue roses". It is the rarest of colours for roses, often associated with the unattainable, immortality, love, and prosperity. Blue roses are also created by dying white roses for use in florist shops.

Answer: Yes

The gladiola is the flower that belongs to the gladiolus genus. Gladioli are in the iris family. These flowers, sometimes called the "sword lily", are native to warm climates in Asia, the Mediterranean, and in Africa. Gladioli have been hybridized into many colours, and are a popular flower at many florist shops around the world.

Answer: Snapdragons

Snapdragons are named after their appearance of a creature whose mouth opens and closes when its sides are squeezed and released. They are an annual plant in gardens where there is a cold season. Besides using them as cut flowers, the leaves have been used to extract a green dye, and the seeds have been pressed in Russia to create edible oils.

Answer: African violet

Saintpaulias are a tropical plant, native to Tanzania and southeastern Kenya. Also known as an African violet, the plant is a very common houseplant. African violets have been associated with mothers and motherhood, so are often given as gifts on holidays and events that celebrate mothers. They are also a common gift at Easter and on Valentine's Day.