Mexican flowers are some of the brightest and most beautiful plants you’ll ever see! These different types of flowers don’t just look nice — they also have special meanings and stories from Mexico’s long history. From colorful marigolds used in celebrations to sweet-smelling flowers like tuberoses that bloom at night, each flower has something unique to share.
In this page, you’ll meet some of the most famous Mexican flowers. You can click on each one to learn more about what it looks like, where it grows, and why it’s so important to Mexico!
Mexican Flowers
Ageratum
Flower Type: Annuals
Ageratum (Ageratum houstonianum) is a soft, fluffy-looking flower native to Mexico and Central America. It’s prized for its small, fuzzy blooms that come mostly in shades of blue, lavender, pink, or white. The plant grows low to the ground and produces dense, colorful clusters perfect for borders and containers.
Amaranthus hypochondriacus
Flower Type: Annual
Known commonly as Prince's Feather or simply Amaranth, Amaranthus hypochondriacus is a striking ornamental and edible plant native to Mexico. It features bold, upright spikes filled with tiny magenta to red flowers and large, broad green leaves. Amaranth holds deep cultural significance in Mexico.
Apache Plume
Flower Type: Shrubs
Apache Plume (Fallugia paradoxa) is a hardy shrub native to the deserts of northern Mexico and the southwestern U.S. It produces simple, white, five-petaled flowers resembling small roses, followed by feathery pink seed plumes that look like a cloud.
Bouvardia
Flower Type: Shrubs
Bouvardia (Bouvardia ternifolia) is a genus of vibrant, tubular flowers native to Mexico, with species like B. ternifolia showcasing brilliant scarlet to coral-red blooms. The flowers grow in small, elegant clusters that attract hummingbirds. Historically, Bouvardia has ties to colonial Mexico, where it was cultivated for ornamental gardens.
Cosmos
Flower Type: Annuals/Perennials
Cosmos are annual flowering plants native to Mexico, characterized by brightly colored, daisy-like blooms borne on long, slender stems. Cosmos is a species of flowering plant in the Asteraceae (sunflower) family native to the meadowland and scrubland of Mexico, where most species are found.
Dahlia
Flower Type: Tender Perennial
Dahlia is available in various shapes, colors, and sizes, which makes it popular with florists and gardeners. Dahlias, along with sunflowers and daisies, belong to the Asteraceae family. Although more than 20,000 species in this family, Dahlias, Mexico's national flower, has become one of the most popular competition flowers today.
Four O’ Clock
Flower Type: Perennials
Four O'clock will delight both your eyes and your nose, with fragrant tubular flowers that come in a variety of patterns and colors. Often, you even get different colored flowers on the same plant. the flowers are tubular, red, pink, or white, up to 6.5 cm long and 3.5 cm wide with 5 to 6 stamens.
Gaura
Flower Type: Perennials
Attract butterflies and other pollinators to your garden with Gaura's long stems, which are made of delicate flowers. It is a Mexican perennial herb that grows to a height of 15 to 48 inches. The flowers are available in pink, white, or a combination of the two colors.
Polianthes tuberosa
Flower Type: Perennials
Polianthes tuberosa, commonly known as tuberose, is possibly native to Mexico. It's considered iconic and has a long cultural history dating back to pre-Columbian times. The Agave genus (Agavaceae) includes about 200 species.
