If challenged to list off flowers that start with F, many people would struggle to get past the fingers on one hand. Even avid gardeners are rarely familiar with more than the most popular species and the specific plants growing in their own beds.
Learning about new plant species can help scratch that itch you have to expand your botanical knowledge. It can also be an excellent way to discover unique varieties you’d like to try growing yourself!
So, without further ado, here are 25 interesting plants that start with F for you to explore:
Quick Look
- Fairy Duster
- False Shamrock
- Fatsia Japonica
- Feather Reed Grass
- Fernbush
- Fetterbush
- Ficus Tree
- Fiddle Leaf Fig
- Firebush
- Firespike
- Firethorn
- Fishbone Cactus
- Fishtail Palm
- Fittonia
- Flame Vine
- Flaming Katy
- Flaming Sword
- Flannelbush
- Foamflower
- Forsythia
- Fountain Grass
- Foxtail Fern
- Foxtail Lily
- Franklin Tree
- Fringe Tree
1. Fairy Duster
- Scientific Name: Calliandra eriophylla
- Type: Evergreen perennial
- Hardiness Zone: 7 to 11
Many desert-dwelling plants keep their beauty close to the chest. But the North American wildflowers, known as fairy dusters, put their color and intrigue on full display.
The pink blossoms attract pollinators of all kinds while the fruit is a valuable food source for wildlife.
2. False Shamrock
- Scientific Name: Oxalis triangularis
- Type: Herbaceous perennial
- Hardiness Zone: 8 to 11
False shamrocks are not true clovers. But that certainly hasn’t hindered their popularity around St. Patrick’s Day.
They are also famous for their response to darkness. The leaves automatically fold up when exposed to dim or no light.
3. Fatsia Japonica
- Scientific Name: Fatsia japonica
- Type: Woody perennial
- Hardiness Zone: 7 to 9
Despite its limited hardiness, Fatsia japonica is an incredibly versatile tropical evergreen. It can be kept as a houseplant, grown as an ornamental annual, or planted in the landscape in appropriate climates.
4. Feather Reed Grass
- Scientific Name: Calamagrostis x acutiflora
- Type: Herbaceous perennial
- Hardiness Zone: 4 to 11
Feather reed grass is a popular ornamental hybrid because it retains an upright structure throughout the entire growing season. The tall, pink-hued flower stalks offer a beautiful contrast to the green grass below.
5. Fernbush
- Scientific Name: Chamaebatiaria millefolium
- Type: Semi-evergreen perennial
- Hardiness Zone: 4 to 10
Fernbush is a hardy shrub native to the western part of North America. Its flowers look like small, white roses — unsurprisingly, this plant is a member of the rose family. Fernbush is incredibly tolerant of drought and poor soil quality.
6. Fetterbush
- Scientific Name: Lyonia lucida
- Type: Evergreen perennial
- Hardiness Zone: 7 to 9
Fetterbush is a flowering shrub native to the bogs and wetlands of southeastern North America. Some people know this plant as a lily of the valley bush because of the drooping, bell-shaped blossoms.
Unlike the namesake, however, these flowers are bright pink.
7. Ficus Tree
- Scientific Name: Ficus benjamina
- Type: Woody perennial
- Hardiness Zone: 9 to 11
Members of the Ficus genus are infamous for being high-maintenance and extremely sensitive to environmental changes. Despite this, Ficus benjamina is ubiquitous as a standard houseplant and bonsai tree.
8. Fiddle Leaf Fig
- Scientific Name: Ficus lyrata
- Type: Evergreen perennial
- Hardiness Zone: 10 to 12
Growing a fiddle leaf fig indoors is a challenge for even the most green-thumbed of individuals. But this houseplant can’t be beaten in terms of what it brings to a room.
Fiddle leaf figs grow very quickly and often reach up to 10 feet tall in containers.
9. Firebush
- Scientific Name: Hamelia patens
- Type: Herbaceous perennial
- Hardiness Zone: 8 to 11
The firebush is native to Central and South America, as well as the southern portion of North America. It gets its name from the fluorescent orange-red flowers that attract beloved pollinators like hummingbirds.
10. Firespike
- Scientific Name: Odontonema strictum
- Type: Herbaceous perennial
- Hardiness Zone: 10 to 11
Another vibrant shrub that will draw hummingbirds and other pollinators to your garden is the firespike. Its elongated flowers offer a pop of color from late summer until frost.
Firespike can bloom non-stop in particularly warm climates.
11. Firethorn
- Scientific Name: Pyracantha coccinea
- Type: Woody perennial
- Hardiness Zone: 6 to 9
If you want to attract birds to your garden, especially in wintertime, consider planting a firethorn bush. This shrub’s flowers are fairly understated. But they’re quickly replaced by bright red berries that birds love to feast on!
12. Fishbone Cactus
- Scientific Name: Disocactus anguliger
- Type: Succulent
- Hardiness Zone: 10 to 12
The fishbone cactus behaves more like a low-light tropical evergreen than a traditional desert cactus. These cacti are native to Mexico, where they climb up large trees as epiphytes.
But they fare just fine in potting soil when kept as houseplants.
13. Fishtail Palm
- Scientific Name: Caryota spp.
- Type: Evergreen perennial
- Hardiness Zone: 9 to 11
The fishtail palm is a beautiful alternative to your typical palm varieties. Its leaves resemble the tails of fish — hence the name. While this tree rarely thrives as a houseplant, it is a wonderful candidate for a sunroom or well-lit porch.
14. Fittonia
- Scientific Name: Fittonia spp.
- Type: Evergreen perennial
- Hardiness Zone: 11
Fittonia are typically grown as foliage houseplants. Common names include nerve and mosaic plant (both inspired by the leaves’ dramatic veins). These plants need quite a bit of humidity, so consider growing yours in a terrarium or small greenhouse.
15. Flame Vine
- Scientific Name: Pyrostegia venusta
- Type: Woody perennial
- Hardiness Zone: 9 to 11
The flame vine is a fast-growing woody perennial that boasts bright orange flowers throughout fall, winter, and early spring. Its unique blooming time makes it a popular choice for warm-weather landscapes.
However, this vine is potentially invasive in many areas.
16. Flaming Katy
- Scientific Name: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana
- Type: Succulent
- Hardiness Zone: 10 to 12
Flaming Katy is an interesting succulent species that resembles an herbaceous annual or perennial. Unlike other succulents that bloom infrequently (if ever), flaming Katy readily flowers when it receives 10 hours or less of sunlight.
17. Flaming Sword
- Scientific Name: Vriesea splendens
- Type: Bromeliad
- Hardiness Zone: 10 to 12
The flaming sword plant is a bromeliad with a red, dagger-like flower that often sticks around for several months. Once the flower fades, the flaming sword sets off pups (baby plants).
At the same time, however, the original bromeliad dies.
18. Flannelbush
- Scientific Name: Fremontodendron spp.
- Type: Evergreen perennial
- Hardiness Zone: 8 to 10
There are three known species of flannelbush, the most popular of which is Fremontodendron californicum, or California flannelbush. These beautiful flowering shrubs are native to southwestern North America.
Flannelbush is incredibly tolerant of sun, drought, and poor soil conditions.
19. Foamflower
- Scientific Name: Tiarella cordifolia
- Type: Semi-evergreen perennial
- Hardiness Zone: 3 to 8
The foamflower is a North American wildflower with tall inflorescences reminiscent of soap suds. It’s an awesome, low-maintenance option for any native garden bed, especially since the flowers last for over a month.
20. Forsythia
- Scientific Name: Forsythia spp.
- Type: Woody perennial
- Hardiness Zone: 3 to 8
Forsythia shrubs are members of the olive family that show off each spring with vibrant yellow flowers on arching branches.
Forsythia branches are popular as home decor, largely because the flowers emerge before the leaves do. The blossoms also provide an excellent food source for pollinators early in the year.
21. Fountain Grass
- Scientific Name: Pennisetum spp.
- Type: Herbaceous perennial
- Hardiness Zone: 3 to 10
The Pennisetum genus, colloquially known as fountain grasses, is full of ornamental species that are frequently grown for their flower stalks.
Fountain grasses come in many different sizes and colors that are perfect for adding diversity to a shrub-filled landscape!
22. Foxtail Fern
- Scientific Name: Asparagus densiflorus
- Type: Herbaceous perennial
- Hardiness Zone: 9 to 11
Despite its common name, the foxtail fern is not a true fern. This asparagus relative is cultivated for its needle-like foliage that forms puffy cones from the base of the plant.
It’s popular as a container plant as well as a landscape feature in warmer climates.
23. Foxtail Lily
- Scientific Name: Eremurus robustus
- Type: Perennial bulb
- Hardiness Zone: 5 to 8
The foxtail lily is a woody tuber that produces spike-shaped flowers that can reach up to 6 feet tall. Its height makes it a wonderful candidate for planting at the back of a garden bed.
The flower stalks are also frequently cut for arrangements.
24. Franklin Tree
- Scientific Name: Franklinia alatamaha
- Type: Deciduous tree
- Hardiness Zone: 5 to 8
Franklin, or franklinia, trees are difficult but extremely rewarding to grow. Once native to the state of Georgia, Franklin trees are now completely extinct in the wild. But you can still get your hands on cultivated specimens for planting.
25. Fringe Tree
- Scientific Name: Chionanthus virginicus
- Type: Deciduous tree
- Hardiness Zone: 4 to 9
The fringe tree is a North American native that forms a dense shrub or small tree. Its name comes from the feathery, fragrant flowers that cover the branches in late spring.
Fringe trees are relatively hardy and remain small enough to fit into most landscapes.
