An International Bouquet Trivia Quiz

Answer: iris

The iconic fleur-de-lis (also spelled "fleur de lys") is very likely a stylized rendition of Iris pseudacorus, also known as the yellow iris or yellow flag - hence the typical golden colour of the emblem. The three petals in the heraldic depiction of the fleur-de-lis correspond to those of this beautiful species of iris, which grows wild in wetland areas of Europe, western Asia, and northwest Africa. The origin of the emblem, as well as its name, are still debated: some believe the word "lis" denotes a river (known as Lys, or Leie in Dutch) that flows through northern France and Belgium.

As the fleur-de-lis is particularly associated with the French monarchy and nobility (as well as the Catholic Church), it has never been officially adopted as a floral emblem by any of the staunchly secular French republics. However, it remains a powerful and enduring symbol of the country, its history and culture, and because of that the iris is often regarded as France's national flower. The fleur-de-lis also represents the Canadian province of Québec, on whose flag and coat of arms it appears.

A variation of the fleur-de-lis is the "giglio bottonato", or Florentine lily, the emblem of the Italian city of Florence - which, however, features two budding stamens (hence the name "bottonato", meaning "with buds"). As in the case of the French emblem, this floral symbol was probably inspired by a species of iris, the white-flowered Iris florentina.

The daffodil (narcissus) is the national flower of Wales. Neither the hyacinth nor the foxglove have been chosen as national floral emblems.

Answer: Australia

Often mistakenly called mimosa, the golden wattle (Acacia pycnantha) is a member of the large acacia family, a small tree with bright yellow, scented flowers. A native of southeastern Australia, it is one of the over five hundred species of acacia native to the country, though it is also grown in other parts of the world with a temperate climate. The flowers are used in perfumery, and the bark is harvested for its high tannin content.

The golden wattle was granted the official status of floral emblem of Australia on the occasion of the country's 200th anniversary. The formal adoption took place on 1 September 1988; a few years later, in 1992, 1 September was declared "National Wattle Day". The plant, however, has been considered a symbol of Australia for much longer than that: a stylized wreath of wattle appears on the Australian coat of arms, which dates from 1912. The national colours of green and gold worn by Australian sports teams are also a reference to the the leaves and flowers of the golden wattle.

Canada's botanic (rather than floral) emblem is the maple leaf. Jamaica's national flower is Guaiacum sanctum (lignum-vitae), while Nigeria's is the yellow trumpet (Costus spectabilis).

Answer: Ronald Reagan

While each of the 50 US states has its own state flower (in some cases more than one), the US as a whole did not have a national floral emblem until 6 October 1986, when President Ronald Reagan designated the rose as the country's official national flower. In the proclamation, it is mentioned that George Washington grew roses, and that the White House boasts a famous Rose Garden. A number of states also have roses - either wild or cultivated - as their emblem: among them, New York, Georgia, and Oklahoma. Other flowers - such as the marigold in the 1960s - were suggested over the years as national floral emblems, but the rose eventually won. In 2002, two hybrid roses named after Reagan and his wife, Nancy, were created by rose-growing company Jackson and Perkins.

The rose has been the national flower of England since the 15th century, when the War of the Roses was fought between the House of Lancaster, whose symbol was the red rose, and the House of York, whose symbol was the white rose. King Henry VII of the House of Tudor combined the two roses to make the Tudor rose, a red rose with a white centre. The rose is also the national flower of Bulgaria, where roses are widely grown for their essential oil.

Answer: Turkey

There are about 75 species of tulips, the brightly-coloured flowers of the genus Tulipa that were first cultivated in Persia (Iran), probably around the 10th century AD. They were introduced from Turkey to the Netherlands and the rest of Europe in the mid-16th century, after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople. In the first half of the 17th century tulips became extremely popular for their exotic appeal, and demand outstripped the supply - meaning that the price of tulip bulbs rose to enormous heights, only to collapse a few years later.

The word "tulip" comes from the Turkish "tülbend", meaning "gauze" - in turn derived from the Persian "dulband" ("turban"): turbans were often made of gauze or similar fabrics, and open tulip flowers bear a certain resemblance to turbans. The tulip has been the national flower of Turkey since the country became a republic in 1923; it is also a recurring decorative motif in Ottoman art. A four-week Tulip Festival is held in Istanbul every spring, and a stylized tulip is featured on the fuselage of Turkish Airlines planes. The tulip is also a very significant symbol in the culture of Iran, and the national flower of Hungary - while the Netherlands, in spite of their long association with tulips, do not have an official floral emblem.

Answer: Joséphine Bonaparte

Also known as Chilean bellflower, the copihue is an evergreen climbing plant that grows in the temperate rain forests of southern Chile; it is also cultivated as a garden plant. Its name means "(growing) upside down" in the indigenous language Mapudungun. Now rare in the wild because of overcollection (its fruits are edible) and forest clearance, the copihue was given legal protection in Chile in 1977, and has been the South American country's national flower since then. This beautiful, deep pink flower (hence the specific name "rosea") is a powerful symbol of Chilean identity; copihue-shaped decorations are used during the celebrations for Chile's Independence Day (18 September).

The copihue's generic name, Lapageria, is a homage to Empress Joséphine, Napoleon Bonaparte's first wife, who was famous for the collection of rare and exotic plants she kept at her residence near Paris, the Château de Malmaison.

The three French ladies listed as incorrect choices are also known by different names than the ones they were born with; Joséphine, however, was the highest-ranking of them all.

Answer: Austria and Switzerland

Edelweiss means "noble white" in German. Its binomial name, Leontopodium nivale, translates as "snowy lion's paw", and "cat's paw" is one of this flower's regional names. As its star-like shape suggests, it is a member of the family Asteraceae ("aster" meaning "star" in Latin): in fact, it is called "stella alpina" ("star of the Alps") in Italian, and "étoile des glaciers" ("star of the glaciers") in French. This iconic flower grows at relatively high altitudes, not only in the Alps, but also in other mountain ranges of Eurasia. It is, however, identified mostly with the rugged purity of the Alpine environment: for this reason, in the late 19th century it was adopted as a symbol by many alpine clubs and associations.

The edelweiss is regarded as the national flower of both Austria and Switzerland. It appears on the Austrian 2-eurocent coin, on some Swiss military badges, and on various stamps issued by both countries; it is also the symbol of the Swiss national tourism organization. Protected in Austria, the flower has also a strong patriotic significance, as illustrated by the song "Edelweiss", written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II for the musical "The Sound of Music" (1959). In the song, Captain Georg von Trapp and his family - about to leave Austria after its annexation by Nazi Germany - bid farewell to their beloved homeland.

Answer: chrysanthemum

Native to East Asia and northeastern Europe, chrysanthemums are related to daisies, sunflowers, and dandelions. They were first cultivated in China over 3,000 years ago, and from there spread to Japan, where they became especially popular during the Edo period (1603-1867). During that time, many cultivars of chrysanthemums (called "kiku" in Japanese) were created, characterized by a wide range of of colours and shapes. The most remarkable of these varieties is the "Ogiku", or "great chrysanthemum", with large, showy flowers whose diameter can exceed 20 cm (7.9 in).

The Imperial Seal of Japan, adopted in 1183, depicts a yellow or orange chrysanthemum whose 16 petals are outlined in black or red; a second set of petals is visible at the edge of the flower. The throne of the Emperor is also called "Chrysanthemum Throne" - which may also refer to the Japanese monarchy itself. The variety of chrysanthemum depicted on the seal is Chrysanthemum morifolium, or garden mum.The seal used by the Japanese government, however, is known as the Paulownia Seal, depicting a stylized paulownia (a hardwood tree native to East Asia) with flowers. In spite of the symbolic relevance of these plants, Japan has no official floral emblem. The cherry tree ("sakura") is Japan's national tree, whose flowering in the spring attracts large crowds of people in parks and gardens; the lovely, cloud-like pink blossoms are regarded as Japan's de facto flower emblem, together with the chrysanthemum.

In many European countries, in particular Catholic ones such as Spain and Italy, chrysanthemums are traditionally used at funerals and to decorate graves. The most likely reason for this tradition is that chrysanthemums bloom in autumn, around the time when All Souls' Day (2 November) is celebrated.

Answer: Portugal

Probably native to the Mediterranean region, the carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus) has been cultivated since antiquity for its scented flowers, which come in a variety of colours (including blue and green). In its wild state, however, this flower is a bright shade of pinkish-purple. The red carnation has been long associated with socialism and the labour movement, and is traditionally worn by workers on May Day. As a native flower species, the red carnation ("clavel" in Spanish) is widely regarded as the national flower of Spain, and often associated with flamenco and bullfighting, two major symbols of Spanish culture. On the Spanish coat of arms, however, a pomegranate is featured - the symbol of the Kingdom of Granada - and the red carnation's status as a national floral emblem seems to be unofficial.

In neighbouring Portugal (whose unofficial national flower is the lavender), the carnation represents the largely peaceful revolution - widely known as the Carnation Revolution - that brought down the authoritarian Estado Novo regime in April 1974, ushering democracy. During that momentous event, people handed carnations to soldiers in the streets, and put them into the muzzles of guns.

The red carnation is also the national flower of two other Mediterranean countries, Slovenia and Monaco, and the state flower of Ohio.

Answer: king protea

The binomial name of the king protea is Protea cynaroides - meaning "artichoke-like" - and the illustration in the photo clearly shows the resemblance between this plant and the vegetable of the thistle family. Though not related, the two plants share the conformation of their flower heads, surrounded by large bracts (modified leaves); the king protea owes its name to the crown-like appearance of these bracts, which come in various colours. This striking plant grows in the shrubland ("fynbos") of southern and southwestern South Africa, as well as in other parts of the Southern Hemisphere, providing nourishment to many nectar-eating bird species (hence its common names of king sugar bush and honeypot).

The king protea has been South Africa's national flower since 1976; its stylized image is depicted on the country's coat of arms, introduced in 2000. The flower is also the emblem of many South African sports teams, in particular the national cricket team, nicknamed "the Proteas".

The dahlia is the national flower of Mexico, and the sunflower of Ukraine; both are related to the artichoke, though not to the king protea. The rhododendron, on the other hand, is the national flower of Nepal. The Scottish thistle is regarded as the oldest recorded national flower, as it has been the floral emblem of Scotland since the 13th century.

Answer: Macau

A native of the flood plains of South and East Asia, the sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) has held major cultural and religious significance in many parts of the continent for thousands of years. This beautiful flower - similar in appearance, though not related, to the water lily - can be white or pinkish-purple in colour. Called "padma" in Sanskrit, the lotus is the sacred flower of Hinduism and Buddhism, and holds a special place in the mythology and art of the Indian subcontinent as a symbol of beauty, purity, and divine perfection. A powerful symbol of Indian identity, the lotus was adopted as the national flower of India in 1950. In Vietnam, the lotus is regarded as one of the "four graceful plants", together with the pine, bamboo and chrysanthemum, and the country's unofficial floral emblem.

A white lotus in a green field appears on the flag of Macau, a Special Administrative Region of China that was under Portuguese rule until 1999, and is known as a destination for gambling tourism. Hong Kong, also a Special Administrative Region, has a five-petaled Bauhinia (Hong Kong orchid tree) on its flag. Tibet is defined as an Autonomous Region of China, while the Zanzibar Archipelago is an autonomous region of Tanzania - which is in Africa rather than Asia.

The national flower of Egypt, though also called a lotus, is a water lily (Nymphaea lotus), as is the blue lotus (Nymphaea nouchali), the national flower of Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.