From Dahlia to Daffodil: 50 Beautiful Flowers That Start With The Letter 'D' (2024)

The impressive diversity of plant life, especially flowers and their unique features, fascinate florists, home gardeners, and nature lovers of all kinds. With hundreds of thousands of species and even more hybrids and cultivars growing worldwide, sifting through the options to find the best flowers for your garden can be overwhelming. So, to help you find a variety of fresh flowers in a new way, we’ve compiled a list (along with descriptions, pictures, native range, and interesting facts) of 50 dee-vine flowers that start with the letter ‘D’. Enjoy!

1. Daffodil

Daffodils have cheerful trumpet-shaped flowers that blossom in shades of sunny yellow, white, orange, and pink combinations. In the Victorian language of flowers, daffodils most commonly represent regard. These popular flowers that start with the letter D can also mean self-conceit and stand for the phrase, “In self-adoring pride securely mailed.” Today, daffodils symbolize new beginnings and rebirth since they are among the first flowers to blossom at the end of winter.

2. Dahlia

Dahlia is a genus containing 41 accepted species of plants that produce highly geometric flowers with symmetrical patterns of abundant petals. Dahlias bloom in various shades and combinations of pink, red, purple, peach, orange, yellow, and white. In the language of flowers, dahlias symbolize instability. They also mean “Thine to the last” and represent the phrase, “This was taught me by the dove, to die, and know no other love.” Today, these popular flowers that start with the letter ‘D’ symbolize royalty and dignity.

3. Daisy

Bellis perennis (the common daisy) is an herbaceous perennial that produces flowerheads composed of yellow disc florets surrounded by white or pink ray florets. In the Victorian language of flowers, daisies have several meanings, and some depend on the color and type of daisy:

Today, daisies symbolize cheerfulness, purity, innocence, and new beginnings.

4. Dame’s Rocket

Dame’s rocket is a biennial flowering plant that produces mounds of upright foliage and clusters of petite, four-petaled flowers. Dame’s rocket commonly blooms in shades of purple and lavender. Cultivars are available in pink, white, and bicolor forms. Dame’s rocket emits a strong fragrance during the evening and at night, but it has almost no fragrance during the day. For this reason, it symbolizes deceit.

5. Dancing Girls

Impatiens bequaertii is a perennial flowering plant with a trailing and climbing growth habit. The plants are relatively small, growing only to be about a foot tall and wide at maturity. These flowers that start with the letter ‘D’ are also small (1/2 inch), but they make a significant impact. As the plant’s common name suggests, the pink or white flowers of these plants resemble dancing girls. They have seven prominent petals that resemble two legs, two arms, either side of an a-line skirt, and a head in a “dancing” arrangement.

6. Dancing Lady Orchid

The Oncidium genus contains 336 accepted species of orchids, commonly called dancing lady orchids. These plants feature low-lying, thick, and strappy foliage and long stems from which sprays of flowers emerge. The blossoms move gently in the breeze, resembling small women dancing in full skirts. Dancing lady orchids commonly have yellow, orange, or brown flowers. Cultivars, however, are available in red, pink, purple, green, and white shades.

7. Dandelion

Dandelions are regarded as common weeds with their golden-yellow flowers that give way to fluffy globes of silver-tufted seeds. Although dandelions are the bane of most gardeners and those who wish to keep a well-manicured lawn, the plants actually have several uses as a leafy vegetable and in herbal medicine.

These flowers that start with the letter ‘D’ are quite pretty when considered objectively. In the Victorian language of flowers, dandelion symbolizes a rustic oracle, “faithful to thee,” and “thine, all thine only, like the one star above thee bright and lonely.”

8. Dark Blue Iris

This particular cultivar of Iris reticulata produces petite blossoms in the classic, tongued, iris shape in a deep shade of indigo and dark blue. This species of iris is also particularly hardy and resilient. It can be grown in USDA hardiness zones two through 10. In the language of flowers, irises symbolize a message, “my compliments,” and, “Where none admire, ’tis useless to excel; where none are beaux, ’tis vain to be a belle.”

9. Dayflower

Commelina is a genus containing 201 accepted species of flowering herbaceous annual and perennial plants commonly referred to as dayflowers or widow’s tears. These flowers that start with the letter ‘D’ are characterized by bright-green, lance-shaped foliage and their inflorescences, which typically feature two or three prominent, true-blue bracts surrounded by several, small, bright-yellow flowers. The flower blossoms of these plants usually last for only one day, and it’s to this feature that the common name, dayflower, refers.

10. Daylily

Hemerocallis is a genus containing 16 species and more than 35,000 cultivars of flowering plants commonly called daylilies. Members of the Asphodelaceae plant family, daylilies are not actually lilies. The showy flowers consist of six brightly colored tepals (three petals and three sepals). The throats of the flowers are sometimes a different or deeper color than the rest of the flowerheads. Daylilies come in almost every shade of yellow, from pale butter to vibrant orange and deep gold. They also bloom in shades of red, pink, and white, in addition to multicolored varieties. In the language of flowers, daylily represents coquetry.

11. Dead Nettle

Lamium is a genus of 36 accepted species of both annual and perennial flowering plants that are commonly called dead nettle that belong to the Lamiaceae (sage, mint, or dead nettle) plant family. The flowers are often double-lipped and are produced in clusters along racemes. These flowers that start with the letter ‘D’ blossom in pink, purple, red, or white, and the plant’s foliage is just as attractive. The heart-shaped leaves are often paired and feature showy patterns and variegation with colors like green mixed with silver, yellow, or purple. Dead nettle also offers several potential benefits in traditional plant medicine.

12. Death Camas

The Zigadenus plant genus contains only one accepted species, Zigadenus glaberrimus, which is commonly referred to as death camas or sandbog death camas. The genus formerly had 21 species, the rest of which are now distributed among four other genera of plants. Death camas plants typically reach between two and four feet in height at maturity, producing panicles of cream-colored flowers. Each flower features two green dots. Together, the petals surround two red-and-green tepals that twist around each other. As its common name suggests, death camas are highly toxic. The alkaloids it contains can be fatal to people and animals.

For more, see our in-depth guide to popular flowers that are toxic to cats, dogs, and other pets.

13. Deerweed

Deerweed is a perennial subshrub that belongs to the Fabiaceae (legume) plant family, and its pea-shaped flowers show it. These flowers that start with the letter ‘D’ first bloom in clusters in a bright yellow color with a red splotch and darken to orange as the blossoms mature. In its native region, deerweed is an important food source for wildlife, including deer, hummingbirds, butterflies, moths, bees, and certain species of larvae.

14. Delphinium

The Delphinium genus contains 524 accepted species of flowering perennials and annuals that belong to the Ranunculaceae plant family. Plants of this genus are commonly called delphinium and sometimes larkspur. It is important to note that species of the genus Consolida are also sometimes referred to as larkspur.

These flowers that start with the letter ‘D’ have profoundly lobed foliage and produce tall, ornate racemes of dolphin-shaped flowers in shades of blue, purple, lavender, pink, red, white, and sometimes yellow. Delphiniums are July’s birth flowers, and they symbolize lightness, levity, an open heart, and strong attachment.

15. Dendrobium Orchid

The Dendrobium plant genus contains 1,606 accepted species of flowering epiphytic and lithophytic flowering plants. Dendrobium flowers usually appear in groups along racemes. Species of the genus are pretty diverse in appearance and can be brown, purple, pink, orange, yellow, green, and white. The genus name, Dendrobium, comes from the Greek words for tree and life, translating to life in a tree. This name refers to the plant’s epiphytic growth habit, attaching its aerial roots to the bark of trees rather than growing in the ground.

16. Desert Dandelion

Malacothrix glabrata (commonly called the desert dandelion) is a species of flowering plant belonging to the Asteraceae (daisy or sunflower) plant family. These flowers that start with the letter D grow slightly over a foot tall and produce 1.5 to 2.5-inch flowerheads on branched stems. The ray florets are bright yellow or white with squared-off petals, and they often have a yellow, orange, or red-colored button of immature flowerheads at their centers.

17. Desert Lily

A member of the Asparagaceae (asparagus) plant family, Hesperocallis undulata is the only species within the Hesperocallis genus. Closely related to agave plants, desert lilies have long, slender, and spiny branches. Their flowers are produced in clusters atop erect, spiny stems. The flowers are white and lily-shaped, so these plants are commonly called desert lilies. With a taste similar to that of garlic, the bulbs of desert lilies are edible and have a culinary history in the native cultures of the region.

18. Desert Marigold

Desert marigold is a small, shrub-like plant with a mound-forming growth habit. It has silvery-green, slightly woolly stems and foliage and produces cup-shaped, golden-yellow, daisy-like flowers at the ends of almost leafless stems. These flowers that start with the letter D can commonly be seen growing along roadsides in the American Southwest, where they create fields of yellow. They also do well in Xeric gardens, where the plants create pretty half-globes of yellow flowers when they bloom.

19. Desert Evening Primrose

A member of the Onagraceae (evening primrose) plant family, Oenothera deltoides is a flowering plant species with five subspecies beneath it. The desert evening primrose is a fairly compact plant and produces large (3-inch diameter) flowers in a snowy shade of white that gently fades to pink as the flowers mature. The flowers open up in the evening and are spent by morning. In addition to desert evening primrose, common names include devil’s lantern, birdcage evening primrose, lion in a cage, and basket evening primrose.

20. Desert Rose

A member of the Apocynaceae (dogbane) plant family, Adenium obesum is a poisonous, flowering, evergreen, and succulent shrub that has a thick, woody stem that makes the entire plant look like a small tree. These flowers that start with the letter D are commonly called the desert rose, and it produces ornate, tubular, five-petaled flower blossoms in shades of red and pink, fading to white or yellow at the throat. Sap contained in the roots of the desert rose plant is commonly used to create poisonous arrows for hunting large games.

21. Desert Willow

A member of the Bigoniaceae (trumpet vine) plant family, Chilopsis linearis (commonly called desert willow) is not a true willow. The flowering plant, however, does grow into the form of a small tree or large shrub, reaching up to about 26 feet in height at maturity. It has spiny, green foliage and produces inflorescences containing two to four fluttery, trumpet-shaped flowers with crinkled margins. These flowers that start with the letter D can be either pink or purple in color with yellow throats.

22. Desert Zinnia

The desert zinnia is a low-growing, herbaceous perennial. It produces clumps of stems and branches and abundant blossoms during its long blooming period. The plants typically bloom once in spring and again during the rainy season in early summer. The flower heads appear in clusters with white ray florets surrounding a button of golden-yellow disc florets. These plants are native to the desert of the southwestern United States and Mexico, making them a good choice for a sunny garden in an arid climate. Plus, they’re a primary food source for native bees in the area.

23. Devil’s Claw

A member of the Pedaliaceae (sesame) plant family, the Harpagophytum genus contains two accepted flowering plants commonly called devil’s claw. Devil’s claw plants have a trailing growth habit. They produce dark-green foliage that is curled and wavy along the edges, similar to kale leaves. The flowers are trumpet-shaped and appear in rows along the branches of foliage. They tend to be red to pink in color. The plants, however, are most notable for their strange, claw-like fruit and their tuberous roots, commonly used in herbal medicine as an anti-inflammatory pain remedy.

24. Devil’s Trumpet

A member of the Solanaceae (nightshade) plant family, the Datura genus contains 14 accepted species of highly poisonous, night-blooming (vespertine) plants that are commonly called devil’s trumpets, moonflower, hell’s bells, devil’s weed, jimsonweeds, or thornapples. The plants are leafy and can reach about seven feet in height. The flowers are trumpet-shaped and large, blossoming about eight inches long and five inches wide. The flowers are often white but can also be purple, pink, red, or yellow. These plants are attractive when in bloom, but they should only be planted with extreme caution due to the severe toxicity of all their parts.

25. Dianthus

A member of the Caryophyllaceae (pink) plant family, Dianthus is a genus of 356 accepted species of herbaceous, flowering plants commonly referred to as dianthus, carnations, or pinks. The plants are primarily perennial, with a few annual and biennial exceptions.

These flowers that start with the letter D produce simple, linear foliage and flowers with frilled or “pinked” petal margins. They mainly blossom in shades of pink, red, purple, and white, and one species produces yellow flowers with purple centers. Certain species are well-loved for their spicy-smelling flowers.

The Victorian language of flowers assigned different meanings to several specific types and colors of dianthus flowers, such as:

Modern symbolic meanings associated with dianthus flowers include admiration, gratitude, affection, and love.

26. Digiplexis

A hybrid between foxglove and Canary Island foxglove, Digiplexis is a manmade hybrid that puts on a stunning floral display. In fact, Digiplexis received the Royal Horticultural Society’s Best New Plant Award in 2012. They produce stunning racemes (up to three feet tall) of bell-shaped flowers with spotted tongues in magenta, fuchsia, apricot, and peach combinations. The plants are sterile, meaning they put no energy into producing seeds. As a result, everything they have goes into creating their ornamental flowers.

27. Digitalis

A member of the Plantaginaceae (plantain) plant family, the Digitalis genus contains 27 accepted species of herbaceous, perennial, and biennial shrubs and plants that are commonly called foxgloves. Foxglove flowers are long and tubular (thimble-shaped) and produced in profusion along tall spikes. These flowers that start with the letter D bloom in shades of purple, pink, yellow, and white.

In the Victorian language of flowers, foxgloves symbolize treachery and are associated with the quote, “Comes o’er the counsels of the brave, and blasts them in their hour of might.”

28. Dill

A member of the Apiaceae (celery) plant family, Anethum graveolens is a flowering annual herb that is commonly referred to as dill. Dil produces spindly stems and branches that bloom copious umbels of small, yellow flowers. Although dill flowers aren’t much to look at, the plant’s leaves and seeds are intensely aromatic and commonly used as a spice or herb for flavoring foods like pickles, fish, and soups.

29. Dog Rose

A member of the Rosaceae (rose) plant family, Rosa canina (dog rose) is a species of wild rose that takes the form of a shrub but also has a climbing growth habit that can take it into the far reaches of the tree tops. Like other roses, its branches and stems are thorned, and its pinnate leaves have a sweet fragrance when bruised. The flowers have five petals and are pale pink to white in color with fuzzy, lemon-yellow fragrant centers. In the Victorian language of flowers dog rose symbolizes pleasure and pain.

30. Dogbane

A member of the Apocynaceae (dogbane) plant family, the Apocynum genus contains just four accepted species (in addition to several subspecies and hybrids) of herbaceous, flowering plants commonly called dogbane. Dogbane plants have reddish-brown stems and branches that produce deep-green, ovate foliage. The petite, bell-shaped flowers are born in terminal clusters that can be either white or white striped with a rosy pink hue. In the language of flowers, dogbane symbolizes deceit or falsehood.

31. Dogtooth Violet

A member of the Liliaceae (lily) plant family, Erythronium dens-canis is an attractively delicate bulbous, herbaceous, perennial plant commonly called dogtooth violet. These plants produce reddish-brown stems and bilateral, lanceolate leaves that appear in pairs along the stems. Above the leaves, solitary flowers are born. The flowers feature a unique, back-turned, shooting star-like shape and come in gentle shades of lilac, mauve, pink, or white. Dogtooth violets tend to grow in deciduous woodlands where the soil is damp, and the environment is partially shaded.

32. Dogwood

A member of the Cornaceae plant family, Cornus is a genus of 51 accepted species of woody, flowering trees and shrubs commonly called dogwoods. Dogwoods can be either evergreen or deciduous, depending on the species. Dogwoods are beautiful throughout the seasons. When in bloom, these flowers that start with the letter D feature typically white (sometimes pink) blossoms in proliferation.

Deciduous varieties have bright green foliage that gives way to vibrant orange or red leaves in the fall. In the language of flowers, dogwood flowers symbolize durability and pity, and the quote, “It yields no sweetness and conceals no thorn.”

33. Double Impatiens

A member of the Balsaminaceae plant family, Impatiens walleriana is an herbaceous perennial plant producing lanceolate leaves and abundant flowers. Some varieties, commonly called double impatiens, produce impressive double flowers. Double impatiens varieties have rose-like flowers that are much more visually interesting than their one-dimensional, single-flower counterparts. The flowers can be red, pink, orange, peach, purple, violet, lilac, white, and multicolored.

34. Douglas Aster

Symphyotrichum subspicatum, a member of the Asteraceae (aster) plant family, is commonly called Douglas aster. It has daisy-shaped flowers and spindly, light-green foliage. These flowers that start with the letter D have violet or lavender-colored ray florets that are skinny and rectangular in shape. The ray florets surround golden-yellow disc florets. At maturity, Douglas aster plants can reach about four feet in height.

35. Douglas Iris

A member of the Iridaceae (iris) plant family, Iris douglasiana (Douglas iris) is a wildflower that commonly grows in the grasslands along the Pacific Coast of the United States. They grow and spread in clumps of rhizomatic root systems and produce thick, leafy stems (up to about three feet in height) with several flowers blooming on each. The flowers are typically blue or purple but can also be white or yellow. Like the Douglas aster, the Douglas iris is named after the 19th-century botanist David Douglas, who first recorded it.

36. Draba

The Draba plant genus belongs to the Brassicaceae (mustard) plant family and contains 431 accepted species of flowering plants. They are commonly called draba or whitlow grasses, although they are not technically a type of grass. Draba plants do, however, produce small clusters of foliage that are shaped like blades of grass. Individual stems arise from the low-lying foliage, creating terminal clusters of flowers in shades of yellow and white.

37. Dragon’s Head

A member of the Lamiaceae (mint) plant family, the Dracocephalum plant genus contains 78 accepted species of herbaceous, flowering subshrubs and plants commonly called dragon’s head. The plants, with their lance-shaped foliage, grow about three feet in height at maturity. These flowers that start with the letter D are hooded, have a strong fragrance, and are deep blue, sky blue, or purple.

38. Drumstick Flower

Craspedia globosa (commonly called drumstick flower, billy buttons, and woollyheads) are rosette-shaped herbaceous plants. They produce erect stems without branches and have globe-shaped flowerheads that form on the ends of the stems and resemble fuzzy golf balls. The flowers are typically yellow or gold, but different Craspedia varieties come in several colors. Drumstick flowers are fun to grow in gardens. They also make lovely cut flowers and are prevalent in bouquets, boutonnieres, and dried floral designs.

39. Dusty Miller

Senecio cineraria (commonly called dusty miller or silver ragwort) is a bushy, herbaceous, perennial, evergreen subshrub that is beloved for its attractive, silvery-green, filigree-shaped foliage and its pretty clustered flower blossoms. These flowers that start with the letter D appear on dense capitula and are daisy-shaped and bright yellow in color with golden centers of spiky disc florets. Certain species of bees use these flowers not just as a food source but for nesting as well.

40. Dutch Crocus

A member of the Iridaceae (iris) plant family, Crocus vernus (commonly called Dutch crocus, spring crocus, or giant crocus) grows naturally at high altitudes in the Balkans, Pyrenees, and Alps. The four to six-inch tall plant produces clusters of cup-shaped flowers that can be deep purple to white and have orange or yellow centers. In the Victorian language of flowers, the crocus symbolizes youthful gladness.

41. Dutch Iris

Despite what you might surmise from this flower’s name, the Dutch iris has never grown wild in fields in the Netherlands. Instead, it is the hybridized creation of Dutch growers. Thanks to its artificial origins, the Dutch iris is a beauty to behold. The plants’ stalks have reed-like foliage in a silvery hue, and they are sturdy enough to support four-inch-wide flowers that feature a pretty, watercolor combination of yellow, orange, indigo, cornflower blue, and silvery shades. Thanks to their strong stalks, Dutch irises make lovely cut flowers in arrangements.

42. Dutchman’s Breeches

A member of the Papaveraceae (poppy) plant family, Dicentra cucullaria is a bushy, herbaceous perennial. Along slender peduncles, it produces clusters of white flowers that are shaped like old-fashioned breeches. The foliage is palmate and almost fern-like in its lightness. These plants are a primary food source for bumblebees in their native habitats, and the plants depend on the Bombus bimaculatus for pollination.

43. Dutchman’s Pipe Flower

A member of the Aristolochiaceae (birthwort) plant family, Aristolochia littoralis (commonly called Dutchman’s pipe) is an evergreen flowering vine with slender, woody stems can grow to be nearly 15 feet long at maturity. The vines have bright green, heart-shaped leaves and produce flowers shaped like pipes (when viewed from the side) and hearts (when viewed from the front). These flowers that start with the letter D have golden throats and are a deep purplish-brown with white markings throughout. These flowers attract flies with the unpleasant fragrance of carrion.

44. Dwarf Blue Baptisia

The dwarf blue baptisia (also called dwarf blue indigo and blue wild indigo) is a compact, upright, flowering, perennial shrub. Its flowers are born along erect racemes, and they are dusty blue to indigo to violet in color. A member of the Fabaceae (legume) plant family, baptisia flowers are notably pea-shaped and attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees.

45. Dwarf Iris

Commonly called the dwarf iris or pygmy iris, Iris pumila is a naturally occurring hybrid of Iris attica and Iris pseudopumila. As the name suggests, these irises are shorter than others, reaching just about four to eight inches in height. The flowers are large and showy in shades of purple, violet, and yellow. They also bloom in white, cream, blue, and various color combinations.

46. Dwarf Mountain Fleabane

Usually no more than 10 inches tall, Erigeron compositus is an herbaceous perennial with a clumping growth habit. The dwarf mountain fleabane grows in alpine and arctic regions. It produces grass-like clumps of foliage heavily decorated with daisy-like flowerheads that feature fat, yellow disc florets surrounded by a ring of white, pink, or purple ray florets.

47. Dwarf Nasturtium

A member of the Tropaeolaceae (nasturtium) plant family, Tropaeolum minus (dwarf nasturtium) is a compact yet bushy, perennial or annual with a mounding growth habit. They produce attractive leaves that resemble lily pads and showy trumpet-shaped, spurred flowers. These flowers that start with the letter D bloom in warm shades of red, orange, and yellow, attracting hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies.

48. Dwarf Poinciana

Caesalpinia pulcherrima (commonly called dwarf Poinciana or peaco*ck flower) belongs to the Fabaceae (pea) plant family, but its flowers do not resemble the typical pea plant’s flower blossom. Instead, these evergreen shrubs produce racemes of five-petaled flowers with prominent stamens in fiery red, orange, and yellow shades. The flowers and racemes often feature gradient colors, creating a stunning effect.

49. Dwarf Snapdragon

Members of the Plantaginaceae (plantain) plant family, the dwarf snapdragon is an herbaceous perennial plant featuring the typical dragon-shaped flower blossoms. Although they are a dwarf variety, these Fwplants blossom with large, showy, cone-shaped racemes in striking red, pink, orange, peach, and yellow shades. Some types even feature gradient color combinations that create a lovely sunset effect.

50. Dwarf Sunflower

Helianthus annus is a species of sunflower commonly called the common sunflower. They produce flowers in shades of gold, yellow, orange, red, burgundy, and brown. The species offers several different cultivars and hybrids, including dwarf varieties such as the elf sunflower, which only grows to be 14 to 16 inches in height. In the language of flowers, dwarf sunflowers symbolize adoration.

Flowers That Start With D FAQs:

Planting a ‘D’elightful Garden of Flowers That Start With the Letter ‘D’

When you explore flowers and plants through their place in the alphabet, you have the opportunity to find a completely new variety for your garden. You can plant the whole alphabet so that you have a veritable plant library in your front yard or stick to your favorite letter of the alphabet. Either way, you’ll find your home’s curb appeal even more appealing than before.

For more, see our in-depth guide to:

• 50 beautiful flowers that start with the letter ‘A’
• 50 beautiful flowers that start with the letter ‘B’
• 50 beautiful flowers that start with the letter ‘C’
• 50 beautiful flowers that start with the letter ‘E’
• 50 beautiful flowers that start with the letter ‘F’
• 50 beautiful flowers that start with the letter ‘G’
• 50 beautiful flowers that start with the letter ‘H’
• 50 beautiful flowers that start with the letter ‘I’
• 50 beautiful flowers that start with the letter ‘J’
• 50 beautiful flowers that start with the letter ‘K’
• 50 beautiful flowers that start with the letter ‘L’
• 50 beautiful flowers that start with the letter ‘M’
• 50 beautiful flowers that start with the letter ‘N’
• 50 beautiful flowers that start with the letter ‘O’
• 50 beautiful flowers that start with the letter ‘P’
• 50 beautiful flowers that start with the letter ‘Q’
• 50 beautiful flowers that start with the letter ‘R’
• 50 beautiful flowers that start with the letter ‘S’
• 50 beautiful flowers that start with the letter ‘T’