Types of Flowers: Focals, Fillers, and More! (2024)

Types of Flowers You Should Know

When it comes to creating bouquets and floral arrangements, the possibilities are endless. There are hundreds of types of flowers to choose from, and all of them fall into one of four groups: focal flowers, filler flowers, greenery, and line flowers. Knowing these flower types, and how they work together, is the key to choosing the right mix of flowers, and designing them like a pro.

Each of these types of flowers plays an important role in creating a balanced and beautiful arrangement. Focal flowers draw the eye while line flowers add height. Filler flowers fill in gaps, and greenery supports the entire bouquet. Keep reading to learn more about each category, and then discover our comprehensive list of flower types!

1.) Focal Flowers

Types of Flowers: Focals, Fillers, and More! (1)

Focal flowers are what stand out most in an arrangement. Your eye will immediately be drawn to them due to either their size or their eye-catching features! This type of flower usually features one large bloom per stem. You'll want to choose a total of one to four types of focal flowers for your arrangements.

Popular Focal Flower Types:

  • Garden Roses
  • Anemones
  • Mums
  • Ranunculus

2.) Filler Flowers

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As the name suggests, filler flowers fill out your arrangements and make them look full and complete. In contrast to focal flowers, filler flowers feature clusters of smaller blooms. This type of flower is great for adding volume, texture, and variety to your designs, and for incorporating additional colors in your flowers.

Common Types of Filler Flowers:

  • Baby's Breath
  • Spray Roses
  • Thistle
  • Sweet Peas

3.) Greenery

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Although greenery is technically not a type of flower, it is still an essential part of floral design. Greenery puts the finishing touch on your flower arrangements, giving them that lush, overflowing feel. Not only do they add texture and contrast, but they also provide structural support for your blooms.

Greenery Options:

  • Ruscus
  • Lily Grass
  • Eucalyptus
  • Leather Leaf

4.) Line Flowers

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Line flowers are tall flowers that have multiple blooms per stem. This type of flower defines the shape of an arrangement and, of course, can help to add height. Whether you're wanting to give your arrangement chic structure, or are aiming to create whimsical movement throughout your flowers, line flowers can help you achieve your desired look.

Our Favorite Types of Line Flowers:

  • Stock Flowers
  • Larkspur
  • Delphinium
  • Snapdragons

Combining Different Types of Flowers

Now that you know these four flower categories, you may be wondering how to put your newfound knowledge into practice. Designing flowers is all about maintaining balance and contrast, while expressing your own unique style!

In general, we recommend picking out one to four focal flowers, and your greenery. From there, decide which filler and line flowers will add the right touches of color and detail!

The bridal bouquet below is a great example of various flower types coming together to create a final product! When you first glance at these blooms, what catches your attention first? You probably noticed the anemones, garden roses, protea, or the ranunculus. These are your focal flowers! After a closer look, you'll start to see the intricate details of the arrangement such as the delicate spray roses and the tall stock flowers.

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Our Complete List of Types of Flowers

So how many types of flowers are there? It's hard to give a specific number! A single type of flower may have dozens, if not hundreds, of sub-varieties to choose from. For example, we offer over 100 types of garden roses alone! With that being said, we've done our best to consolidate and compile the most common types of flowers into a list of 152 blooms. We also included a bonus list of 32 types of dried flowers...

Click on any of the links below to see pictures, learn more, and order online.

Types of Focal Flowers:

  1. Amaryllis
  2. Anemone
  3. Anthurium
  4. Artichokes
  5. Bird of Paradise
  6. Calla Lilies
  7. Carnations
  8. Daffodils
  9. Dahlias
  10. Garden Roses
  11. Gardenia
  12. Gerberas
  13. Hydrangeas
  14. Kale
  15. Lilies
  16. Mums
  17. Peonies
  18. Protea
  19. Ranunculus
  20. Roses
  21. Spider Mums
  22. Sunflowers
  23. Tulips
  24. Zinnia

Types of Filler Flowers:

  1. Agapanthus
  2. Ageratum
  3. Allium
  4. Alstroemeria
  5. Asclepia
  6. Asters
  7. Astilbe
  8. Astrantia
  9. Baby's Breath
  10. Berries
  11. Bouvardia
  12. Branches
  13. Celosia
  14. Cornflower
  15. Cosmos
  16. Craspedia Billy Balls
  17. Daisies
  18. Dianthus
  19. Feverfew
  20. Forget Me Not
  21. Foxglove
  22. Freesia
  23. Gaillardia
  24. Godetias
  25. Gomphrena
  26. Heather
  27. Hellebores
  28. Hyacinth
  29. Iris
  30. Kalanchoe
  31. Kangaroo Paw
  32. Lace
  33. Lavender
  34. Lilac
  35. Lily of the Valley
  36. Limonium
  37. Lisianthus
  38. Matsumoto
  39. Monkshood
  40. Narcissus
  41. Nerines
  42. Nigella
  43. Phlox
  44. Pods
  45. Poms
  46. Rice Flower
  47. Safflower
  48. Scabiosa
  49. Sedum
  50. Solidago
  51. Solomio
  52. Spray Carnations
  53. Spray Roses
  54. Star of Bethlehem
  55. Statice
  56. Stephanotis
  57. Straw Flower
  58. Sweet Peas
  59. Thistle
  60. Trachelium
  61. Tweedia
  62. Viburnum
  63. Wax Flower
  64. Yarrow

Types of Greenery:

  1. Acacia
  2. Air Plants
  3. Aralia
  4. Aspidistra
  5. Banana Leaves
  6. Bay Leaf Greenery
  7. Boxwood Greenery
  8. Calathea Leaves
  9. California Redwood
  10. Cedar
  11. Clematis
  12. Cocculus
  13. Cypress Greenery
  14. Dusty Miller
  15. Elephant Ear
  16. Emerald Palms
  17. Eucalyptus
  18. Feather Fern
  19. Fiddlehead Fern
  20. Foxtail
  21. Grasses
  22. Holly
  23. Huckleberry Greens
  24. Israeli Ruscus
  25. Italian Ruscus
  26. Ivy
  27. Jasmine Vine
  28. Leather Leaf
  29. Lily Grass
  30. Magnolia Greenery
  31. Mint
  32. Monstera Leaves
  33. Moss
  34. Myrtle Greenery
  35. Nagi Greenery
  36. Olive Branches
  37. Oregano
  38. Pennycress
  39. Pepperberry Greens
  40. Pittosporum
  41. Plumosa Fern
  42. Rosemary
  43. Sage Herb
  44. Sago Palm
  45. Salal
  46. Smillax Vine
  47. Sprengeri
  48. Succulents
  49. Sword Ferns
  50. Thyme

Types of Line Flowers:

  1. Amaranthus
  2. Bells of Ireland
  3. Buddleia
  4. Campanulas
  5. Cat Tails
  6. Delphinium
  7. Eremurus
  8. Gladiolus
  9. Larkspur
  10. Liatris
  11. Orchids
  12. Snapdragon
  13. Stock
  14. Veronica

Types of Dried Flowers:

  1. Bell Cups
  2. Broom Bloom
  3. Bunny Tails
  4. Canary Grass
  5. Cleopatra Palm
  6. Eulalia Grass
  7. Eucalyptus Pods
  8. Dried Baby's Breath
  9. Dried Buttons
  10. Foxtail Grass
  11. German Statice
  12. Ginger
  13. Gorso Grass
  14. Heliconia Flowers
  15. Italian Ruscus
  16. Lavender
  17. Linum Flax
  18. Lunaria
  19. Nigella Pods
  20. Pampas Grass
  21. Palm Caps
  22. Platys Spiral Cones
  23. Protea
  24. Protea Crowns
  25. Sago Palms
  26. Straw Flower
  27. Straw Palm
  28. Sun Palms
  29. Trumpet Pods
  30. Wheat Grass
  31. Wild Oats
  32. Yarrow

Ordering Your Flower Online

Now that you know all of your options, you can start planning out and ordering your favorite types of flowers online. Our Make This Look page is a great place to look for inspiration, as is our Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube.

Want to try create beautiful floral arrangements but don't know where to start? We're here to help! Schedule a consultation with one of our in-house floral experts. They'll guide you through the process, answer questions, and help with design.

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Read More:

  • Types of Filler Flowers and Greenery (And Their Meanings!)
  • How to Make a DIY Wedding Bouquet
  • 13 DIY Wedding Centerpieces Your Budget Will Love

Originally written by Thalia Basulto. Updated by Leah Britt 03/2022

Credits:

All Product Photos: FiftyFlowers

Bouquet Breakdown Picture: Photographer - Jon Sharman Photography, Dress Designer - Martina Liana from Maggie Louise Bridal shop, Caterer: Esplanade, Groom Attire: Jos A. Banks, Band: DNA Entertainment - Memphis

Types of Flowers: Focals, Fillers, and More! (2024)

FAQs

What are the 4 categories of flowers? ›

One aspect of this education includes the four flower design classifications: line, form, mass, and filler. Below is a brief summary of each one and a few examples. Keep in mind that certain flowers can fit into more than one category and this can vary by the variety!

What is the most popular filler flower? ›

1. Baby's Breath. Baby's Breath is one of the most popular types of filler flowers. Although its white hue is popular, it comes in a variety of tinted colors, as well.

What is the difference between focal and filler flowers? ›

Focal flowers draw the eye while line flowers add height, filler flowers fill in holes, greenery supports and frames the entire bouquet, accent flowers adds colors and shape to your design.

What are 3 types of form in floral design? ›

The flower forms are either a - points, rounds, lines, or transitional To understand these further have a look at the previous blog post The Four F's. Using a selection of forms with the designs and the designs them selves are different forms too.

What kind of flower is this 🌸? ›

🌸 Cherry Blossom: The cherry blossom emoji is often used to symbolise beauty, spring and new beginnings.

What is flower classification? ›

Answer: Based on the presence of male and female reproductive parts, flowers can be classified as unisexual and bisexual. Unisexual flowers have either male reproductive part (androecium) or female reproductive part (gynoecium). Flowers having only androecium are called staminate flowers.

What is the #1 most sold cut flower? ›

Tulips are the best selling cut flowers in the U.S., with annual sales revenue of $65.3 million, reported by both wholesale and retail businesses.

Are zinnias a focal flower? ›

If you're using single, more discoid shaped zinnias like the Benary Giants, we recommend using them more sparingly (think of them more as a focal flower that is paired best with other smaller focal flowers to add interest and nuance).

What is a focal flower? ›

Focal flowers, like roses, magnolias, hydrangeas and peonies are single stem, compact the flowers that command the attention of the viewer. They are placed close to the center of the arrangement slightly above and drooping below the edge.

Do filler flowers complete a design? ›

What Are Filler Flowers? Filler flowers fill in the gaps and make arrangements look full, lush, and complete. Typically, filler flowers are smaller than focal flowers, with clusters of blooms that provide volume, texture, variety, and different colors to the overall floral design.

What is the rule of 3 in floral design? ›

Rule of 3

In Floral Design, even numbers do not create a balanced look. Odd numbers, like 3, help create a balanced distribution of greens/flowers. Note: The brown numbers illustrate three branches. (Not a green, but important to note it also follows the rule of 3 for quantity).

Is a delphinium line mass filler or form? ›

Most line flowers have buds growing up a center stalk. Examples of line flowers are: gladiolus, liatris, snapdragon, delphinium, tuberose, veronica, curly willow, bells-of-Ireland, stock.

What are the three most used floral shapes? ›

Some of the geo- metric shapes that are commonly used in floral design include circles, various triangles, ovals, and crescents. The most common design shape is the circle.

What is a flower Class 4? ›

Flower is the main reproductive part of the plant. It is made up of four whorls and out of them two outer whorls are the calyx and corolla. The inner two whorls are androecium or the male part of the flower and gynoecium or the female part of the flower.

What are the 4 types of plants? ›

Classification Based on Growth Habits
  • Herbs. Herbs are short-sized plants with soft, green, delicate stems without woody tissues. ...
  • Shrubs. Shrubs are medium-sized, woody plants taller than herbs and shorter than a tree. ...
  • Trees. Trees are big and tall plants. ...
  • Climbers. Climbers are much more advanced than creepers. ...
  • Creepers.

What is a flower that has all 4 main floral parts called? ›

Perfect flowers have both male and female parts (stamen and carpel). Imperfect flowers have either male or female parts but not both. Any flower that has all four whorls (sepals, petals, stamens, and carpel) is called a complete flower.

How many main types of flowers are there? ›

How many types of flowers are there? There are 400,000 types of flowering plant species around the world. Some are much more common than others, and some grow only in certain climates. Some types of flowers are most commonly planted in gardens, while others are popular additions to gorgeous flower bouquets.

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