85+ Flowers That Start With P: Names, Full Guide & Photos

Quick Answer: Flowers That Start With P are peony, pansy, petunia, poppy, primrose, phlox, protea, poinsettia, passion flower, plumeria, periwinkle, portulaca, and Persian buttercup.

Flowers beginning with the letter P form one of the richest groups in the entire garden alphabet. This single letter covers cottage-garden classics like the peony and poppy, everyday bedding staples like the pansy and petunia, exotic climbers like the passion flower, and rare specialty blooms like the Pleione orchid. Because so many plant families happen to start with P, this letter offers something for nearly every growing condition, color palette, and skill level

Quick Answer: What Are the Most Popular Flowers That Start With P?

Flower	Best Known For
Peony	Oversized, romantic spring blooms
Pansy	Cheerful color in cool weather
Petunia	All-summer color in pots and hanging baskets
Poppy	Papery, wind-tossed cottage-garden charm
Primrose	The very first color of early spring
Phlox	Reliable borders and pollinator traffic
Protea	Sculptural, architectural focal blooms
Poinsettia	The signature holiday houseplant
Passion Flower	An almost otherworldly climbing bloom
Plumeria	Fragrant tropical elegance

85 Flowers That Start With P

Below is the full master list. Botanical synonyms are folded into a single entry so nothing is double-counted.

Painted Daisy, Painted Tongue, Pansy, Pasque Flower, Passion Flower, Pavonia, Peace Lily, Pearly Everlasting, Peacock Orchid, Pelargonium, Penstemon, Pentas, Peony, Perilla Flower, Periwinkle, Persian Buttercup, Persian Candytuft, Persian Violet, Peruvian Lily, Petunia, Phacelia, Pheasant’s Eye, Phalaenopsis Orchid, Philadelphus, Phlomis, Phlox, Pigsqueak, Pimpernel, Pincushion Flower, Pine Lily, Pineapple Lily, Pink (Dianthus), Pink Jasmine, Pink Rain Lily, Pink Musk Mallow, Pink Turtlehead, Pitcher Plant Flower, Platycodon, Plectranthus Flower, Pleione Orchid, Pleurothallis Orchid, Plumbago, Plumeria, Poinsettia, Polemonium, Polyanthus, Poppy, Portulaca, Pot Marigold, Potentilla, Prairie Gentian, Prairie Smoke, Pride of Madeira, Primrose, Protea, Pulmonaria, Purple Coneflower, Purple Loosestrife, Purple Poppy Mallow, Ptilotus, Pua Kala, Prickly Pear Cactus Flower, Prickly Poppy, Paper Daisy, Parrot Tulip, Paintbrush Lily, Pachysandra Flower, Pomegranate Flower, Plum Blossom, Peach Blossom, Pearl Bush, Peruvian Daffodil, Paradise Flower (Strelitzia), Panama Rose, Pink Powder Puff, Peacock Flower, Paperwhite, Peppermint Stick Geranium, Perennial Sunflower relatives, Pincushion Protea, Pretty Face (Triteleia), Plains Coreopsis, Pink Fairy Duster, Purple Prairie Clover, Prickly Rose, Papyrus Umbrella Sedge (flower spikelets), Pincushion Cactus Bloom.

Master Comparison Table for Flowers Starting With P

Use this table to compare the strongest, most practical P flowers side by side.

Flower	Botanical Name	Main Colors	Bloom Season	Type	Fragrance	Sun/Light	Difficulty	Pollinator Value
Painted Daisy	Tanacetum coccineum	Pink, red, white	Late spring–summer	Perennial	Light	Full sun	Easy–moderate	Medium
Pansy	Viola × wittrockiana	Purple, yellow, blue, white	Spring & fall	Bedding	Light	Sun–part shade	Easy	Medium
Pasque Flower	Pulsatilla vulgaris	Purple, white	Early spring	Perennial	Light	Full sun	Moderate	Medium
Passion Flower	Passiflora spp.	Purple, blue, white	Summer–fall	Vine	Light	Full sun	Moderate	High
Peace Lily	Spathiphyllum spp.	White	Indoor cycles	Houseplant	Light	Bright indirect	Easy	Low
Penstemon	Penstemon spp.	Purple, pink, red	Late spring–summer	Perennial	Light	Full sun	Easy–moderate	High
Peony	Paeonia spp.	Pink, white, red, coral	Spring–early summer	Perennial	Moderate–strong	Full sun	Moderate	Medium
Petunia	Petunia spp.	Mixed	Spring–frost	Annual	Light	Full sun	Easy	Medium
Phalaenopsis Orchid	Phalaenopsis spp.	White, pink, purple	Indoor cycles	Orchid	Light	Bright indirect	Moderate	Low
Phlox	Phlox spp.	Purple, pink, white, red	Spring–late summer	Annual/perennial	Moderate	Sun–part shade	Easy–moderate	High
Pincushion Flower	Scabiosa spp.	Purple, blue, pink, white	Summer–fall	Annual/perennial	Light	Full sun	Easy	High
Plumeria	Plumeria spp.	White, yellow, pink, red	Summer	Shrub/tree	Strong	Full sun	Moderate	Medium
Poinsettia	Euphorbia pulcherrima	Red, white, pink	Winter	Shrub	Light	Bright indirect	Moderate	Low
Poppy	Papaver spp.	Red, orange, pink, white	Spring–summer	Annual/perennial	Light	Full sun	Easy	Medium
Portulaca	Portulaca grandiflora	Pink, yellow, orange, red	Summer–frost	Annual	Light	Full sun	Easy	Medium
Primrose	Primula spp.	Yellow, pink, purple, blue	Early spring	Perennial	Light	Part shade	Easy–moderate	Medium
Protea	Protea spp.	Pink, red, cream	Late winter–spring	Shrub	Light	Full sun	Moderate–hard	Medium
Purple Coneflower	Echinacea purpurea	Purple, pink, white	Summer–fall	Perennial	Light	Full sun	Easy	High

Types of Flowers That Begin With P

Sorting the P list by growth habit makes it far easier to plan a bed, patio, or windowsill.

Garden Bedding Flowers

Pansy, petunia, primrose, portulaca, pelargonium, pentas, painted daisy, pot marigold, and polyanthus are the workhorses of seasonal color. Pansy and polyanthus like cool weather; petunia, portulaca, and pentas prefer summer heat.

Perennial Border Flowers

Peony, phlox, penstemon, potentilla, pulmonaria, pasque flower, polemonium, purple coneflower, pink turtlehead, pigsqueak, and platycodon return year after year in the right climate, staggering bloom time from early spring through fall.

Vines and Climbers

Passion flower is the showstopper here, with pink jasmine adding fragrance and plumbago offering a loose, trainable habit in warm climates.

Indoor Flowering Plants

Peace lily, Phalaenopsis orchid, poinsettia, Persian violet, pelargonium, and Pleione orchid are the strongest choices for windowsills and bright rooms.

Wildflowers and Native-Style Picks

Prairie smoke, prairie gentian, prickly poppy, phacelia, pimpernel, pua kala, pine lily, and pearly everlasting suit meadow-style or naturalized plantings. Always check local invasiveness before introducing wildflowers outside their native range.

Borderline Blossoms

Peach blossom, plum blossom, pomegranate flower, perilla flower, pachysandra flower, plectranthus flower, pitcher plant flower, and prickly pear cactus flower are true blooms, but they come from fruit trees, herbs, groundcovers, or carnivorous plants rather than flower-first garden stock.

Common Flowers That Begin With P

These are the P names you’re most likely to actually find at a nursery or grocery-store floral counter:

• Pansy — the classic flat-faced, cool-season bedding flower.
• Petunia — long-blooming, warm-season container and basket staple.
• Peony — a short but spectacular spring bloom prized for bouquets.
• Poppy — papery, wind-catching petals in cottage and meadow gardens.
• Primrose — one of the very first flowers to open after winter.
• Phlox — available in creeping and upright forms for edging or borders.
• Poinsettia — the default holiday flowering houseplant.
• Purple Coneflower — a pollinator magnet that tolerates heat and drought.
• Persian Buttercup — dense, rose-like petals popular in spring bouquets.
• Pelargonium — the reliable, aromatic-leaved geranium of patio pots.

Popular Flower Names Starting With P

Peony

Peony produces some of the largest, most photographed blooms in the entire garden, soft, layered petals in pink, white, red, coral, and blush. It wants full sun and rich, well-drained soil, and it’s closely tied to romance and prosperity in Western and East Asian traditions alike. Choose peony when you want a short but unforgettable bloom window.

Pansy

A cool-season bedding flower with a flat, almost face-like bloom, pansy shines in containers, window boxes, and spring or fall beds. Its color range, purple, yellow, white, blue, burgundy, and bicolor, makes it one of the easiest flowers to place in almost any color scheme.

Petunia

Petunia is the default answer for anyone who wants nonstop summer color with minimal fuss. Trailing varieties suit hanging baskets, mounding types work well in beds, and both need regular water and consistent sun to stay full through the season.

Poppy

Thin, tissue-paper petals give poppy a delicate, almost fluttering presence in cottage gardens and wildflower meadows. Depending on the species, poppy may be annual or perennial, and colors range from classic red to soft pink, orange, white, and purple.

Primrose

Primrose is prized for blooming before almost anything else in spring. It prefers part shade and consistently moist, well-drained soil, and its yellow, pink, purple, blue, and white flowers soften shaded borders and early containers.

Phlox

Phlox spans low, creeping groundcover types and taller upright border forms, which makes it one of the most versatile P flowers for both edging and vertical color. Many varieties are also fragrant and strongly attractive to pollinators.

Protea

With its sculptural, almost prehistoric shape, protea reads as a genuine focal point rather than filler. It needs full sun and sharp drainage, and it’s considerably more demanding to grow than common bedding flowers, but the payoff is a bloom unlike anything else on this list.

Passion Flower

Passion flower’s intricate, ringed structure makes it look almost engineered. As a vine, it needs a trellis, fence, or arbor, and in the right climate it will quickly cover vertical space with genuinely exotic blooms.

Plumeria

Best known from leis and tropical resort landscaping, plumeria is a fragrant flowering shrub or small tree that thrives in warm, bright conditions and can be container-grown and overwintered indoors in cooler climates.

Peruvian Lily

Also sold as alstroemeria, Peruvian lily is a florist favorite thanks to its long vase life and patterned, multicolor petals that blend easily with other cut stems.

Persian Buttercup

Persian buttercup (ranunculus) produces tightly layered, almost rose-like blooms that are increasingly popular in spring wedding work. It needs well-drained soil and cool growing conditions to perform at its best.

Portulaca

A low, spreading succulent-leaved flower, portulaca shrugs off heat and drought that would wilt most bedding plants, making it ideal for hot, exposed containers and rock gardens.

Penstemon

Tall spikes of tubular flowers make penstemon a magnet for bees and hummingbirds, and its upright form adds valuable vertical structure to pollinator borders.

Pentas

Star-shaped flower clusters in pink, red, white, and lavender make pentas a top pick for butterfly gardens, and it holds up well in summer heat.

Peace Lily

With glossy leaves and clean white spathes, peace lily is one of the most forgiving flowering houseplants it tolerates lower light better than most bloomers, though it dislikes overwatering.

Phalaenopsis Orchid

The most widely sold houseplant orchid, Phalaenopsis produces long-lasting flower spikes in white, pink, purple, and patterned shades under bright, indirect light.

Poinsettia

Poinsettia’s colorful red, pink, white, or cream parts are actually bracts, not petals, but the plant is still the reigning symbol of winter indoor color.

Pincushion Flower

Scabiosa’s rounded, pin-dotted bloom heads add texture and airy movement to both borders and cut-flower arrangements.

Platycodon

Also called balloon flower for its inflated pre-bloom buds, platycodon opens into star-shaped blue, purple, white, or pink flowers and is a dependable, low-maintenance perennial.

Pineapple Lily

Pineapple lily’s tufted flower spike genuinely resembles a pineapple, making it one of the most conversation-starting container plants on this list.

Pulmonaria

An early-spring shade perennial with spotted foliage, pulmonaria brings blue, pink, or purple flowers to woodland-style beds before most summer plants wake up.

Purple Coneflower

A daisy-like, drought-tolerant perennial, purple coneflower is one of the single best pollinator plants on this entire list and holds color from summer through fall.

Paper Daisy

Paper daisy’s stiff, papery petals hold their shape and color exceptionally well when dried, making it a top pick for both fresh beds and dried arrangements.

Ptilotus

With soft, feathery flower spikes in pink and silver, ptilotus brings unusual texture to dry gardens and containers that need something other than a typical round bloom.

Bouquet and Florist Favorites

P flowers punch well above their weight in the cut-flower world. The strongest choices are peony, Peruvian lily, protea, Persian buttercup, pincushion flower, prairie gentian, paper daisy, plumeria, and poinsettia for seasonal work.

Flower	Bouquet Role	Approx. Vase Life	Best Pairing Style
Peony	Focal bloom	5–7 days	Romantic arrangements
Peruvian Lily	Filler/color	1–2 weeks	Everyday bouquets
Protea	Structural focal	Long-lasting	Modern arrangements
Persian Buttercup	Layered focal	5–7 days	Spring arrangements
Pincushion Flower	Texture	5–8 days	Garden-style bouquets
Prairie Gentian	Soft focal/filler	7–10 days	Elegant mixed bouquets
Paper Daisy	Fresh or dried	Long when dried	Dried arrangements
Plumeria	Fragrant accent	Short after cutting	Tropical displays
Poinsettia	Seasonal accent	Variable	Winter decor

Less Common and Distinctive Picks

• Ptilotus — feathery spikes for dry containers and unusual texture.
• Pua Kala — a spiny Hawaiian wildflower for native-style dry planting.
• Pleurothallis Orchid — a specialty miniature orchid for collectors.
• Pleione Orchid — compact, cool-growing orchid blooms.
• Pineapple Lily — tufted, upright spike that doubles as a focal point.
• Paintbrush Lily — bold warm-climate blooms for patio pots.
• Peacock Orchid — fragrant white flowers with a dramatic purple throat.
• Pride of Madeira — tall blue-purple spikes for coastal, dry gardens.
• Pearl Bush — an underused spring shrub with clouds of white blossom.
• Peruvian Daffodil — a fragrant, spidery-petaled summer bulb.

Plants vs. Flowers That Start With P

Not every P-named plant belongs on a flower-first list. Some are primarily grown for foliage, structure, or fruit, with flowers as a secondary trait.

Entry	Why It Appears in Lists	Best Label
Papyrus	Produces small flower clusters, but is mainly reed-like	Borderline plant
Parsley	An herb that can flower	Herb, not a main flower
Pothos	Grown almost entirely for foliage	Exclude from flower-first lists
Palms	Grown for form and structure	Exclude from flower-first lists
Peach Blossom	Flower of a fruit tree	Borderline blossom
Plum Blossom	Flower of an ornamental or fruiting tree	Borderline blossom
Pomegranate Flower	Flower of a fruiting shrub or tree	Borderline blossom
Perilla Flower	Herb flower	Borderline flowering plant
Pachysandra Flower	Groundcover flower	Borderline flowering plant
Pitcher Plant Flower	Flower of a carnivorous plant	Specialty flower

P Flowers by Color

Purple Flowers That Start With P

Pansy, phlox, periwinkle, penstemon, pasque flower, passion flower, prairie gentian, pincushion flower, platycodon, purple coneflower, purple loosestrife, ptilotus, and Phalaenopsis orchid all deliver strong purple tones.

Pink Flowers Beginning With P

Peony, petunia, pink jasmine, pink rain lily, pink turtlehead, pink musk mallow, Persian buttercup, pavonia, pentas, pincushion flower, and painted daisy cover everything from soft pastel to bold tropical pink.

White Flowers Beginning With P

Peace lily, Phalaenopsis orchid, pearly everlasting, philadelphus, paper daisy, plumeria, primrose, pansy, petunia, and Persian buttercup all appear in clean white forms suited to moon gardens and indoor display.

Red and Orange Flowers Beginning With P

Poppy, pelargonium, poinsettia, pentas, paintbrush lily, pot marigold, pheasant’s eye, portulaca, Persian buttercup, and petunia deliver the warmest tones in the P group.

Perennials That Start With P

• Peony — spring to early summer; borders and bouquets.
• Pasque Flower — early spring; rock gardens and early color.
• Pulmonaria — early spring; shaded beds and woodland edges.
• Phlox — spring to summer; borders, edging, and pollinator planting.
• Penstemon — late spring to summer; sunny pollinator borders.
• Platycodon — summer; cottage borders and neat perennial beds.
• Purple Coneflower — summer to fall; pollinator gardens.
• Pink Turtlehead — late summer; moist borders and partial shade.
• Pigsqueak — spring; shade edging and foliage interest.
• Potentilla — late spring to summer; borders and low coverage.

Perennial behavior shifts with climate — some entries on this list act as short-lived or tender perennials in colder or hotter zones.

Annual Flowers That Start With P

• Petunia — spring to frost; baskets, beds, and containers.
• Portulaca — summer; hot, dry containers and edging.
• Pansy — spring and fall; cool-season beds and pots.
• Pot Marigold — cool season to summer; beds, cut flowers, edible gardens.
• Phacelia — spring to summer; pollinator planting.
• Poppy — spring to summer; cottage and meadow-style planting.
• Pentas — summer to frost; butterfly gardens and patio pots.
• Prairie Gentian — summer; cut flowers and soft bouquet blooms.

Indoor or Protected Space Picks

Indoor Flower	Best Feature	Light Needs	Ease Level
Peace Lily	Clean white bloom	Bright indirect	Easy–moderate
Phalaenopsis Orchid	Long flower spikes	Bright indirect	Moderate
Poinsettia	Winter color	Bright indirect	Moderate
Persian Violet	Compact blooms	Bright light	Moderate
Pelargonium	Bright flower clusters	Strong bright light	Easy with enough sun
Pleione Orchid	Specialty orchid blooms	Cool bright conditions	Advanced

Pothos is often lumped into indoor “P plant” lists, but it is best treated purely as a foliage plant rather than a flower-first entry.

P Flowers by Bloom Season

Season	Best P Flowers
Late Winter	Poinsettia, Polyanthus, Primrose, Persian Violet
Early Spring	Pasque Flower, Primrose, Pulmonaria, Pigsqueak
Late Spring	Peony, Phlox, Penstemon, Painted Daisy, Potentilla
Summer	Petunia, Portulaca, Pentas, Plumeria, Pincushion Flower
Late Summer	Purple Coneflower, Pink Turtlehead, Platycodon, Phlox
Fall	Passion Flower, Pincushion Flower, Late Petunias, Late Pansies
Indoor Cycles	Peace Lily, Phalaenopsis Orchid, Persian Violet

P Flowers by Growing Condition

Full sun: petunia, portulaca, peony, poppy, penstemon, plumeria, purple coneflower, pentas, pot marigold, ptilotus.

Partial shade: primrose, pulmonaria, peace lily, Persian violet, polemonium, pink turtlehead, pigsqueak, and many pansies.

Dry spots: portulaca, prairie smoke, prickly pear cactus flower, purple poppy mallow, ptilotus, phlomis, and prickly poppy.

Best P Flowers by Use Case

Goal	Best P Flowers
Beginners	Petunia, Pansy, Portulaca, Pelargonium
Fragrance	Plumeria, Peony, Phlox, Pink Jasmine, Philadelphus
Pollinators	Penstemon, Pentas, Phlox, Pincushion Flower, Phacelia
Containers	Petunia, Pansy, Portulaca, Pelargonium, Primrose
Bouquets	Peony, Peruvian Lily, Protea, Persian Buttercup, Prairie Gentian
Indoor	Peace Lily, Phalaenopsis Orchid, Poinsettia, Persian Violet
Wedding work	Peony, Persian Buttercup, Peruvian Lily, Protea
Cottage gardens	Poppy, Phlox, Pink (Dianthus), Pincushion Flower

Flower Meanings and Symbolism

Flower	Common Meaning	Best Use
Peony	Romance, prosperity	Weddings, spring bouquets
Poppy	Remembrance, rest	Memorial gardens
Pansy	Thoughtfulness	Gift pots, cool-season displays
Protea	Strength, transformation	Modern bouquets
Primrose	New beginnings	Spring gifts
Poinsettia	Celebration, warmth	Holiday decor
Plumeria	Beauty, welcome	Tropical arrangements
Passion Flower	Faith, wonder	Symbolic gardens
Periwinkle	Lasting affection	Soft borders
Pink Jasmine	Grace, affection	Fragrant gardens

Treat symbolism as a light guide rather than a rule — meanings shift by culture, region, and occasion.

Side-by-Side Comparisons

Pansy vs. Petunia — Pansy handles cool spring and fall weather with a flat, face-like bloom; petunia performs in summer heat with trumpet-shaped flowers and more basket volume.

Peony vs. Protea — Peony is soft, layered, and fleeting; protea is bold, structural, and long-lasting as a cut stem.

Primrose vs. Periwinkle — Primrose gives early seasonal impact in beds and pots; periwinkle spreads low for steady ground-level coverage.

Poppy vs. Pansy — Poppy is loose and meadow-like; pansy is neat and controlled.

Peace Lily vs. Phalaenopsis Orchid — Peace lily is the simpler, more forgiving houseplant; Phalaenopsis offers a longer, more formal flower display.

Portulaca vs. Petunia — Portulaca wins on drought tolerance; petunia wins on container volume and color saturation.

Borderline Entries Better Treated Separately

Borderline Entry	Best Treatment
Papyrus	Mention as a plant, not a main flower
Parsley	Exclude unless discussing herb flowers
Pothos	Exclude from flower-first lists
Palms	Exclude from flower-first lists
Peach Blossom	Label as a tree blossom
Plum Blossom	Label as a tree blossom
Pomegranate Flower	Label as a fruit shrub/tree blossom
Perilla Flower	Label as an herb flower
Pachysandra Flower	Mention as a groundcover, not a main flower

Final Thoughts

P flowers stretch from effortless bedding plants to rare orchids, tropical shrubs, native wildflowers, and long-lasting bouquet stems. Peony, pansy, petunia, poppy, primrose, phlox, and protea make excellent starting points for most gardens, while passion flower, ptilotus, pineapple lily, and Pleurothallis orchid reward anyone looking for something more unusual. Choose by light, season, available space, and intended use, and this letter will fill nearly every gap in a year-round garden plan.

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