5 FAMOUS FLOWERS IN THE PHILIPPINES

1. SUN FLOWER

                            Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is one of the few crop species that originated in North America (most originated in the fertile crescent, Asia or South or Central America). It was probably a "camp follower" of several of the western native American tribes who domesticated the crop (possibly 1000 BC) and then carried it eastward and southward of North America. The first Europeans observed sunflower cultivated in many places from southern Canada to Mexico.

Sunflower was probably first introduced to Europe through Spain, and spread through Europe as a curiosity until it reached Russia where it was readily adapted. Selection for high oil in Russia began in 1860 and was largely responsible for increasing oil content from 28% to almost 50%. The high-oil lines from Russia were reintroduced into the U.S. after World War II, which rekindled interest in the crop.

2. ROSE

                         A rose is a woody perennial of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae. There are over 100 species and thousands of cultivars. They form a group of plants that can be erect shrubs, climbing or trailing with stems that are often armed with sharp prickles. Flowers vary in size and shape and are usually large and showy, in colours ranging from white through yellows and reds. Most species are native to Asia, with smaller numbers native to Europe, North America, and northwest Africa. Species,cultivars and hybrids are all widely grown for their beauty and often are fragrant. 

3. WALING-WALING

  Euanthe sanderiana is a flower of the orchid family. It is commonly called Waling-waling in the Philippines and is also called Sander's Euanthe, after Henry Frederick Conrad Sander,^[ a noted orchidologist. The orchid is considered to be the "Queen of Philippine flowers" and is worshiped as a DIWATA by the indigenous people.

4. DAISY

 - Daisies belong to one of the largest families of plants in the world, that of "vascular plants", i.e. those which circulate goodness around their systems, making up almost 10% of all flowering plants on Earth. Daisies are found everywhere on Earth except Antarctica. The name "daisy" is thought to come from the Old English "daes eage", meaning "day's eye", for the way in which it opens at dawn.

5. CAMELLIA

 It is a genus of flowering plants in the family Theaceae. They are found in eastern and southern Asia, from the Himalayas east to Japan and Indonesia.

           Their leaves are alternately arranged, simple, thick, serrated, and usually glossy. Their flowers are usually large and conspicuous, one to 12 cm in diameter, with five to nine petals in naturally occurring species of camellias. The colors of the flowers vary from white through pink colors to red; truly yellow flowers are found only in South China and Vietnam.