In this article, we will explore various common and popular flowers that start with the letter B. From the Black-eyed Susan to the captivating Begonia with its lovely colors and shapes we’ll discuss the characteristics and appearances of these beautiful flowers, including when they bloom and what they require in terms of sunlight and hardiness zones.
16 Flowers that start with the letter B
1. Black-eyed susan
- Scientific name: Rudbeckia hirta
- Bloom period: June to October
- Hardiness zone: 3 to 7
- Sunlight requirements: Full sun
The Black-eyed susan is the state flower of Maryland. This North American native is prevalent across the United States, especially thriving in open woods, gardens, and roadsides. Characterized by its golden-yellow petals and dark brown central cones, the Black-eyed Susan is a popular choice in gardens for its durability and long blooming period, typically from June to October.
This plant grows well in full sun and can adapt to a variety of soil conditions. It’s particularly valued for its ability to attract pollinators such as butterflies and bees, and its seeds provide food for birds in the winter, making it an excellent choice for wildlife gardens.
If you’re interested in planting Black-eyed susan in your garden, seeds are readily available online.
2. Begonia
- Scientific name: Begonia
- Bloom period: Late spring to frost
- Hardiness zone: Typically grown as annuals; perennial zones vary by species, often 10 to 11
- Sunlight requirements: Prefers partial shade; tolerates morning sun but needs protection from harsh afternoon light
Begonias are versatile plants popular for both indoor and outdoor gardening due to their colorful and varied flowers and foliage. Common throughout the United States, begonias thrive in environments that offer partial shade and well-drained soil. They bloom from late spring to frost, showcasing flowers that can be red, pink, orange, or white, which often contrast with their lush, sometimes ornate leaves.
Begonias are particularly noted for their asymmetrical, heart-shaped leaves and the fact that they can be propagated easily from leaves or stems.
3. Bird of paradise
- Scientific name: Strelitzia reginae
- Bloom period: September to May
- Hardiness zone: 10 to 12
- Sunlight requirements: Full sun
The Bird of Paradise flower is famed for its vibrant, crane-like flowers, which resemble a bird’s plumage. This plant thrives in warmer climates, particularly in states like Florida and California. Originating from South Africa, the bird of paradise requires full sun and well-drained soil to flourish.
It typically blooms from September to May, producing orange and blue flowers that add a tropical flair to any setting. The plant is robust, often reaching heights of up to 6 feet. It’s popular not only in gardens but also as a cut flower in floral arrangements due to its long-lasting and visually captivating blooms. Birds of Paradise are available for purchase at local nurseries or can be ordered online.
4. Bougainvillea
- Scientific name: Bougainvillea
- Bloom period: Year-round in optimal conditions; most vibrant during the warmer months.
- Hardiness zone: 9 to 11
- Sunlight requirements: Full sun
The Bougainvillea is a popular ornamental plant, known for its colorful display of papery bracts that surround small, inconspicuous flowers. It comes in shades of pink, purple, red, orange, white, or yellow. This hardy plant is commonly found in the warmer climates of the southern United States, including Florida and California.
Thriving in full sun and well-drained soil, Bougainvillea is often used to brighten walls, fences, and trellises with its climbing nature. Despite its lush appearance, the plant is drought-tolerant once established, making it a practical choice for water-conserving landscapes.
If you’re considering adding Bougainvillea to your garden, you can directly purchase it online.
5. Butterfly bush
- Scientific name: Buddleja
- Bloom period: Mid-summer to fall
- Hardiness zone: 5 to 9
- Sunlight requirements: Full sun
The Butterfly bush, also known as Buddleia is popular in many gardens due to its attractiveness to pollinators like butterflies and hummingbirds. Originating from Asia, this plant is now common across many states, particularly thriving in zones 5 through 9. Butterfly bushes feature long, conical clusters of flowers ranging in color from purple and blue to pink and white.
These plants prefer full sun and well-drained soil. They can grow quite large, often reaching heights of 6 to 12 feet. Due to their rapid growth and seeding ability, they are considered invasive in some areas, prompting gardeners to choose sterile varieties to prevent spread.
6. Bachelor’s button
- Scientific name: Centaurea cyanus
- Bloom period: Early summer to fall
- Hardiness zone: Typically zones 3 through 8
- Sunlight requirements: Prefers full sun
Bachelor’s button, also known as cornflower is recognized for its vivid blue flowers. These flowers are commonly found across the United States, especially thriving in fields and along roadsides. Bachelor’s buttons prefer full sun and well-drained soil, blooming from early summer to fall. The plant is drought-resistant, making it easy to grow and maintain.
It attracts pollinators such as bees and butterflies, contributing to local biodiversity while offering a simple yet vibrant aesthetic to gardens and wild settings.
7. Baby’s breath
- Scientific name: Gypsophila
- Bloom period: Late spring to early fall
- Hardiness zone: Typically zones 3 through 9
- Sunlight requirements: Prefers full sun
Baby’s breath is well-known for its delicate and airy clusters of small, white flowers, making it a popular choice in floral arrangements and weddings. This plant thrives in well-drained soil and enjoys full sunlight, commonly found in the wild across the Great Plains and other parts of the central United States.
Baby’s breath is also appreciated for its ability to attract pollinators like bees and butterflies while serving as a filler that enhances the appearance of bouquets and garden beds. Its blooms typically appear from late spring to early fall.
8. Beargrass
- Scientific name: Xerophyllum tenax
- Bloom period: Late spring to mid-summer
- Hardiness zone: Typically zones 4 to 8
- Sunlight requirements: Prefers full sun to partial shade
The Beargrass is common in the mountainous regions of western North America, particularly the Rocky Mountains and Pacific Northwest, beargrass is recognizable by its tall, dense spikes of creamy white flowers that bloom from a rosette of long, grass-like leaves. This perennial thrives in open forests and meadows, adapting well to both subalpine and alpine conditions.
The plant prefers well-drained soils and can be found at elevations from sea level to 10,000 feet. Beargrass flowers are especially important for pollinators like bees and butterflies, and its foliage is used by various wildlife species for food and shelter.
9. Beech
- Scientific name: Fagus sylvatica
- Bloom period: Spring
- Hardiness zone: 3 to 9
- Sunlight requirements: Prefers full sun to partial shade
The Beech tree is commonly found in the eastern United States, thriving in forests from Maine southward to Florida and west to Texas. The beech tree is recognized for its smooth, gray bark and lush, broad leaves. Its flowers are small and inconspicuous, typically blooming in spring. The male flowers are small, round, and yellowish, hanging from slender stalks, while the female flowers are slightly larger and found in pairs near the base of the male flowers.
The beech is important ecologically, providing food and habitat for wildlife through its nuts and dense foliage. Its wood is also valued for its strength and versatility in furniture making.
10. Bells of Ireland
- Scientific name: Moluccella laevis
- Bloom period: Summer
- Hardiness zone: Typically grown as an annual; can survive as a perennial in zones 2-11 with proper care.
- Sunlight requirements: Prefers full sun to partial shade
Bells of Irelands are distinctive for their tall, green, bell-shaped calyces that encase tiny white flowers. Despite their name, Bells of Ireland are originally from Turkey and the eastern Mediterranean region, not Ireland. They are often grown in the United States as annuals in gardens for their unique shape and the verdant splash of color they add to arrangements.
Thriving in cooler climates, they prefer full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil. The plant can grow up to 2 to 3 feet tall and is commonly used in floral displays and bouquets, particularly for celebrations due to its association with good luck.
11. Bittersweet
- Scientific name: Celastrus scandens
- Bloom period: Late spring to early summer
- Hardiness zone: 3 to 8
- Sunlight requirements: Full sun to partial shade
The Bittersweet is a climbing vine known for its vibrant orange and red seed capsules that open in the fall to reveal bright red seeds. Common in the eastern and central regions of the United States, this plant thrives along the edges of woods, prairies, and fields. American bittersweet prefers full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil.
It’s often used in fall decorations for its colorful berries. However, care must be taken to control its growth as it can become invasive, overwhelming trees and shrubs. Despite its beauty, it’s important to note that all parts of the plant are toxic if ingested.
12. Blue lace flower
- Scientific name: Trachymene coerulea
- Bloom period: Midsummer to early fall
- Hardiness zone: Typically grown as an annual; not rated for specific zones
- Sunlight requirements: Prefers full sun, but can tolerate partial shade
Originally from Australia, the Blue lace flower is a delicate annual appreciated for its intricate, lace-like clusters of small, light blue flowers. It thrives in cooler climates and is popular in gardens for its unique appearance and ability to bloom from midsummer to early fall.
Preferring full sun but able to tolerate partial shade, the Blue Lace Flower is versatile for various garden settings. Its round, flat flower heads attract bees and butterflies, enhancing pollination. Easy to grow from seed, it is often used in bouquets and as a bedding plant due to its charming and soft floral display.
13. Blue thistle
- Scientific name: Eryngium
- Bloom period: Mid-summer to fall
- Hardiness zone: Typically zones 5 to 9
- Sunlight requirements: Full sun
The Blue thistle is known for its globular blue to silvery flower heads with a thistle-like appearance, surrounded by spiny bracts. Native to a wide range of regions including Europe and the Americas, Blue thistle is admired in gardens for its unique texture and color, which also makes it a popular choice in floral arrangements.
It thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, and is particularly drought-resistant, making it suitable for xeriscaping. Blue Thistle blooms from mid-summer to fall and attracts bees and other pollinators, playing a role in local ecosystems.
14. Boronia
- Scientific name: Boronia
- Bloom period:
- Hardiness zone:
- Sunlight requirements:
The Boronia flower is known for its fragrant blooms and is available in various colors including pink, red, and yellow. The most commonly cultivated species, Boronia megastigma, is notable for its brownish-purple flowers with a contrasting yellow interior, which emit a strong, pleasant scent.
This plant thrives in well-drained, acidic soil and requires a cool, sheltered environment to prosper. Boronias are frequently used in perfumery and aromatherapy because of their intense fragrance and are valued in horticulture for their delicate appearance and aromatic qualities.
15. Bouvardia
- Scientific name: Bouvardia
- Bloom period: Late spring to fall
- Hardiness zone: 9 to 11
- Sunlight requirements: Prefers partial shade to full sun
Bouvardia is noted for its delicate clusters of tubular flowers, often found in shades of white, pink, red, and coral. This flower is native to Mexico and Central America but has become a popular choice in milder climates within the United States, such as in the southwestern states. Bouvardia prefers well-drained soil and partial shade to full sun, making it ideal for garden borders and as a cut flower in arrangements due to its long vase life and attractive floral display.
The plant blooms from late spring to fall, providing a continuous splash of color throughout the growing season. Its nectar-rich flowers are known to attract hummingbirds, adding an extra layer of dynamism to its garden presence.
16. Boxwood
- Scientific name: Buxus
- Bloom period: Spring
- Hardiness zone: 5 to 9
- Sunlight requirements: Full sun to partial shade
The boxwood, primarily known for its use as a decorative hedge and not for its flowers, is a staple in formal gardens across the United States, particularly prevalent in the northeastern states. Scientifically referred to as Buxus, this plant is valued for its dense, evergreen foliage which makes it ideal for topiary and privacy screens.
Boxwoods do produce small, inconspicuous flowers in spring, which are typically pale green or yellow but are rarely noticed among the lush leaves. These plants are adaptable to a variety of light conditions, from full sun to partial shade, and require well-drained soil.
Mary is an outdoor enthusiast, nature lover, and amateur birdwatcher that enjoys sharing her knowledge and experiences with others.