When you think about it, you’ll find that there are a lot of flowers that start with p. That’s why narrowing these options based on your preferences can be a little tricky.
Famous flowers that start with p include petunias, pansies, periwinkles, peonies, poinsettia, primroses, and peace lilies. Other less-common plants are the paperbush, plumbagos, pimpernels, pelargonium, phlox, and the parrot’s beak flower.
In this article, we go over 21 drop-dead-gorgeous flowers that begin with the letter p. Read on, take your pick, and watch the pretty blossoms form in front of your eyes!
21 Gorgeous Flowers That Start With P
Without further ado, let’s jump right into our list of top 21 flowers that begin with the letter p:
1. Plumbago
Although there are white plumbago flowering species, the ones in royal blue are simply irresistible. After all, there’s a reason why it got famous for being the sky flower!
We’d recommend using it for a hedge or a bushy border. It’ll take the sun with grace and remain presentable with little-to-no shearing or pruning.
With that being said, plumbago flowers might not be an ideal fit for colder regions. You want to keep it in warmer cities with USDA Hardiness Zones 8-11 for optimal growth.
2. Petunia
The beauty of growing petunias is that it comes in a range of varieties and colors. You can choose between purple, pink, red, white, or blue. You can even get a striped one!
No matter what color you go for, the delicate shape remains the same, and it’ll fill your garden with a lovely fragrance.
With minimal care, you’ll get to see the flower bloom every spring for two or even three years on end! However, in colder regions, the plant is almost strictly annual.
3. Pansy
If you’re looking for a companion to plant with petunias, look no further than the five-petaled pansy.
They also work perfectly well as solo potted plants, especially in hanging containers. It’s such a simple addition, but will make your garden pop!
Just make sure you’re giving them direct exposure to sunlight for at least 5-6 hours. You might need to protect them from afternoon burn if you live somewhere particularly hot, though.
4. Peace Lily
Most people opt to use peace lilies as an indoor plant for houses and office spaces. That’s because they don’t handle direct sun very well.
That’s not a serious problem, though. They have that iconic profile that can immediately make any room look all the more sophisticated. Odds are, you won’t mind keeping as strictly indoor houseplants.
Who could possibly resist the delicate solitary white petal engulfing a golden spadix? No one we know, especially not with a contrasting backdrop of dark green foliage!
5. Paperbush
As the name suggests, the paperbush plant was used to make a special type of paper in Japan, called the Mitsumata Washi. Its history traces back to 1600 CE!
You might think that the delicate petals are the parts that make up the paper since they’re both very similar in texture and color. However, it’s actually the bark.
In December, the foliage drops to make room for the silky-smooth buds. By spring, the flowers will cluster and gain their aroma.
The best part about the paperbush is that it still looks marvelous after its flower clusters fall off. Just take a look at the cinnamon-colored branches and the umbrella silhouette it leaves behind!
6. Primrose
Primroses make excellent flowering beds. After all, they don’t compete for attention visually, and they adore the shade.
However, it’s important to note that heat and primrose don’t mix well. Even if it tolerates dry and hot weather, it’ll probably grow for one season only.
Meanwhile, it thrives in zones 1-11 and can come back the following spring as a perennial flowering plant.
7. Pimpernel
Pimpernels are close relatives to the primroses, but their petals are more of a solid color instead of striated.
They often grow like wildflowers, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t use them to boost your garden collection.
Just be careful around these flower beds. Pimpernels can be potentially toxic to livestock and domestic animals.
8. Pincushion
With soft shades of pink and purple, the pincushion flowers are, hands down, a perfect fit for pastel-themed gardens.
If you want a maximum bloom period, opt for the Scabiosa variety. With minimal effort, they can flower all through the summer and into the early fall.
On the downside, the pincushions can become invasive, especially in windy climates. To reduce this effect, deadhead the plant regularly.
9. Peony
It’s not all that hard to see why peonies symbolize romance. After all, it has this typical flower beauty that you’d expect to see in an elegant bouquet or a vase.
Thankfully, keeping this classic bloom in your garden is fairly easy. You’ll mainly need good drainage and a bed that’s not too close to your home since they can attract ants.
The only serious problem you could face with peonies is botrytis fungus.
Spraying neem oil can help in prevention. However, once the infection takes over, it’s better to remove all the gray parts completely to control the disease transmission.
10. Passion Flower
The passionflower is one of the most unique-looking plants you’ll ever see. It’s a climbing vine, has spindly filaments, and looks like an intricate optical illusion.
Although the vine grows very rapidly, the flower only opens for a day. So, it might not be ideal for people looking for a long-lasting bloom.
On the upside, the small fruit that takes over is not only edible but also incredibly delicious!
When it dies back to the ground, you don’t have to deadhead it. The vine will bounce back in the following spring without intervention.
11. Poinsettia
If red happens to be your favorite color, you’ll love the poinsettia. Their January solid-red flowers form such a dense coat that you’ll hardly see the foliage underneath!
Some people like to spice things up by purchasing dried flowers with purple glitter. Yet, we’d rather stick to the holiday vibes of the original plant.
Interestingly, poinsettias are darkness-lovers. To get the brightest shade of red, you need to let it sit in the dark for 15 hours on end, right before its bloom season.
12. Periwinkle
The tiny periwinkle flowers are typically used as ground covers. That’s mainly because their faded blue and violet shades don’t clash with most garden surroundings.
As a plus, their scent is mostly neutral, with a very faint vanilla aroma. This means that you won’t have to worry about sensory overload.
Although it’s quite captivating, the periwinkle plant can cause a range of toxic side effects. This, unfortunately, applies to humans and pets.
13. Phlox
If you’re looking for a pink ground cover, the low-growing phlox might be just what you need. Although it spreads slowly, it’s not hard to get a full 4-6 inch carpet of flowers during the spring.
For the winter, you’ll still get the same needle-like foliage, but without the bloom. As long as the frost isn’t too harsh, the phlox flowers for another spring.
However, if you don’t deadhead, the plant could take a weedy appearance with no flowers to show.
14. Parrot’s beak
Yet another dazzling ground cover to consider is the evergreen parrot’s beak. It’s a tropical plant that thrives on full sun and moderate summer heat.
As the name implies, the flowers are triangular with an ombre of yellows, oranges, and reds. From a distance, it’ll look like you have a bunch of butterflies laying on silver-gray foliage!
Besides ground covers, it also works as a trailing plant in a hanging container or a shelf. You’ll need to put it outside in sunlight, though. Otherwise, the foliage loses its silvery sheen.
15. Penstemon
If you want something edgy with a long-bloom and minimal care requirements, the hooded penstemon would seem like an obvious choice.
It’s not particularly needy when it comes to watering or shade. However, they do need pruning above the new shoots that sprout in March and April. This not only keeps the whole thing tame but also prevents the plant from turning woody.
Of course, getting a sharp garden shear will make that job much easier for you!
Penstemons are also notorious for attracting bees. So, keep that in mind when you’re choosing the plant placement in your home garden.
16. Powder Puff
Nothing says “pretty but deadly” like the alluring powder puff tree. Its flowers are delicate, fluffy, and bright-colored, but they can be poisonous if ingested in large amounts.
In fact, saponin extracts from the bark and roots were used as a stunning agent for hunting fish. That’s where it got the name Fish-Killer Tree.
Sadly, the plant loses its firmness and sags if exposed to cool temperatures under 60°F. On the other hand, it handles heat and sun rather well.
17. Plumeria
Plumeria is a petite shrub that won’t demand much care from you. In most cases, you’ll only need to water it once every 2-3 weeks.
With flowers so pretty that they almost look plastic or painted on, it’s a guaranteed head-turner!
If you choose to pot the plumeria, make sure that the pot is strong enough. You need to have a sort of ballast to keep the tree from tipping over with the wind.
You might want to start with a smaller planter, around six inches. This way, the soil dries out faster, so the moisture doesn’t accumulate and mess up your watering schedule.
18. Paper Daisy
Yet another flower that looks too dainty and perfectly symmetrical to be true is the perennial paper daisy. The striations on the petals almost seem like paintbrush strokes, too!
You can get its seeds in white, pink, red, orange, or gold, but they’re all hardy. Hot and dry weather is not an issue at all for these daisies. They won’t even mind growing in gravelly soil. For them, it’s an extra boost in drainage capacity.
Keep in mind that the plump center will be a constant attractor for bees, though.
19. Protea
The protea (also called the sugarbush) is a national symbol in South Africa, where it represents fertility, wisdom, and strength.
As you might expect, the plant is rather hardy with high pest resistance, drought tolerance, and evergreen foliage.
From the leathery leaves, grows goblet-shaped flowers that thrive in direct sunlight. Expect to see the bloom from June to October. A lot of people like to use the proteas as a cut for their vases, too.
20. Pelargonium
Pelargoniums are a species of geraniums that make a great indoor houseplant. Their circular and layered flowers look stunning, and they’re not even that hard to maintain.
Ideally, you’ll need to put it near a window so that it gets a good amount of summer breeze and 5-6 hours of direct sunlight.
If you care for them properly, they’ll bloom from March to June. On average, their lifespan is about two full years, so it all seems like a good bargain!
21. Peanut Cactus
Cactus are generally pest-resistant and extremely low-maintenance. So, when you add a bright orange spring flower into the mix, you get an irresistible combo.
If you don’t like the look of bare cactus when the flowers drop, use ornamental pots that could work as a standalone feature.
Going for a decorated terracotta pot with bottom holes also boosts the drainage capacity. So, that’s a win on both sides!
Keep in mind that you need to re-pot the plant once it outgrows its current container. Ideally, you’ll want to go 2-3 inches up in size each time.
Wrap Up On Flowers That Start With P
It isn’t uncommon for people to find certain names auspicious, and that applies to people with green thumbs, too.
After all, there are several reasons why you might be interested in flowers that start with p. It could be your lucky letter or a loved one’s initials.
It could also simply be because they’re a lot of stunning flowering plants that begin with the letter p.
From the romantic peonies to the trailing parrot’s beak, the door for opportunities is wide open!
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