Celebrate Valentine’s Day with 10 romantic flowers named for love, passion, and devotion
Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to celebrate love in all its forms, and what better way to do that than with flowers whose names are as romantic as their blooms? From classic cottage-garden favorites to dramatic heirlooms, these love-themed flowers make meaningful gifts and beautiful additions to any garden. Plant them once, and they’ll keep the romance alive all season (or longer), reminding you that love, like gardening, grows best with a little care.
10 Flowers With Romantic Names
1. ‘Valentine’ Sunflower
- Type: Annual
- Height: Up to 5 feet
- Bloom Time: Summer
- Sun: Full sun
- Why It’s Romantic: Cheerful yellow blooms symbolize loyalty and long-lasting love.
This sunflower grows to be 5 feet tall. Its lemony yellow blossoms with chocolate brown centers are excellent for cutting, so you’ll have bouquets all summer long to remind you of your growing love.
2. ‘Exotic Love Vine’
- Type: Annual vine
- Height: Up to 15 feet
- Bloom Time: Summer to fall
- Sun: Full sun
- Why It’s Romantic: Multicolored flowers show love’s many stages as they mature.
‘Exotic Love Vine’ aka Spanish Flag (Mina lobata) grows to be 15 feet tall in a good season, an indicator of the great heights to which love can soar. Its multicolored flowers change from yellow to orange to red as they mature.
3. Forget-me-not
- Type: Biennial or short-lived perennial
- Height: 6–12 inches
- Bloom Time: Early spring
- Sun: Full sun to part shade
- Why It’s Romantic: A timeless symbol of remembrance and enduring love.
Forget-me-not (Myosotis spp) is a hardy biennial that carpets the ground in early spring with its delicate pink, white, and blue flowers. According to a German folktale, it got its name when a knight who was picking flowers at a river’s edge fell into the water and was swept away by the current. He yelled, “Forget me not!” as he threw the bouquet to his sweetheart.
4. ‘Falling in Love’ Shirley Poppies
- Type: Annual
- Height: 2–3 feet
- Bloom Time: Late spring to early summer
- Sun: Full sun
- Why It’s Romantic: Soft, fluttery petals mirror the feeling of falling in love.
‘Falling in Love’ Shirley poppies have delicate, crepe-papery, 3-inch-wide double flowers in a mix of scarlet, rose, white, and coral. These charmers bloom early and will reseed to keep your love blossoming year after year.
5. ‘Lover’s Mix’ Larkspur
- Type: Annual
- Height: 3–4 feet
- Bloom Time: Late spring to early summer
- Sun: Full sun
- Why It’s Romantic: Tall spires make elegant, old-fashioned bouquets.
Lover’s Mix’ larkspur is a classic cut flower with spires in pastel shades of lilac, pink, blue, rose, and white—perfect for bouquets for that special someone.
6. ‘Summer Romance’ Alyssum
- Type: Annual
- Height: 4–8 inches
- Bloom Time: Spring through fall
- Sun: Full sun to part shade
- Why It’s Romantic: Sweet fragrance and soft colors set a romantic mood.
‘Summer Romance’ alyssum is aptly named because you will fall in love with its sweet honey scent and blend of lavender, violet, white, and pink blossoms.
7. Love-lies-bleeding
- Type: Annual
- Height: 3–5 feet
- Bloom Time: Summer to fall
- Sun: Full sun
- Why It’s Romantic: Dramatic cascading tassels evoke deep passion.
Love-lies-bleeding (Amaranthus caudatus) is an heirloom plant that was a favorite in Victorian gardens. An amaranth, it bears long chenille-like tassels of dark red that cascade down toward the ground in dramatic fashion. It looks great growing over a white picket fence.
8. Kiss-me-over-the-garden-gate
- Type: Annual
- Height: 6–7 feet (4–5 feet for dwarf varieties)
- Bloom Time: Summer until frost
- Sun: Full sun
- Why It’s Romantic: A playful name paired with irresistible pink blooms.
Kiss-me-over-the-garden-gate (Persicaria orientalis) is another exotic heirloom. With lightly scented, 4- to 6-inch-long, rosy pink tassels and heart-shaped leaves, you will find it hard to resist. Blooming from July until frost, it can grow to be 6 to 7 feet tall in a good year and will keep your passion on display. For a shorter version, look for the cultivar ‘Cerise Pearls’. It grows to be only 4-5 feet tall, keeping the flowers at eye level.
9. Love-in-a-mist
- Type: Annual
- Height: 12–18 inches
- Bloom Time: Late spring to early summer
- Sun: Full sun
- Why It’s Romantic: Delicate flowers float in a dreamy haze of foliage.
Love-in-a-mist (Nigella damascena) is another classic flower of the romantic garden that’s also known as “Love Entangle” or “Love-in-a-puzzle” for the way its flowers seem to float in a cloud of finely cut foliage. The blossoms come in many shades of blue, purple, pink, and white with dark centers. After blooming, the handsome seed pods can be dried and used in arrangements.
10. Bleeding Heart
- Type: Perennial
- Height: 2–3 feet
- Bloom Time: Spring
- Sun: Part shade
- Why It’s Romantic: Heart-shaped blossoms symbolize deep love and devotion.
Of course, we can’t forget the famous bleeding heart. Who doesn’t love the arched sprays of tiny pink hearts that cover plants in early spring?
Get passionate about gardening and plant the seeds of love this Valentine’s Day!
Did you know that every flower has a symbolic meaning? Learn the meanings of flowers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are love-themed flowers easy to grow from seed?
Yes. Many romantic flowers such as poppies, larkspur, alyssum, sunflowers, and love-in-a-mist are easy to grow from seed and are suitable for beginner gardeners.
Can Valentine’s Day flowers be planted outdoors?
Most Valentine-themed flowers are planted outdoors in spring after the danger of frost has passed. Some perennials, like bleeding heart, are planted in fall or early spring.
Do romantic flowers attract pollinators?
Yes. Many love-themed flowers—such as sunflowers, alyssum, poppies, and larkspur—attract bees, butterflies, and other beneficial pollinators.
Are there romantic flowers that come back every year?
Yes. Perennials like bleeding heart and biennials such as forget-me-not can return year after year, while many annuals will reseed themselves.
What’s a unique flower gift for Valentine’s Day?
Seed packets of romantic flowers make meaningful, long-lasting gifts that bloom well beyond Valentine’s Day and create lasting memories.
Love doesn’t have to fade after Valentine’s Day—and neither should your flowers. By planting blooms with romantic names and timeless symbolism, you’re sowing beauty, meaning, and memories that will return season after season. Whether you’re gifting seeds to someone special or filling your own garden with love-themed favorites, these flowers prove that romance can truly grow.
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