Types of Flowers: Focals, Fillers, and More!

Types of Flowers You Should Know

When it comes to creating bouquets and floral arrangements, the possibilities are endless. There are hundreds of types of flowers to choose from, and all of them fall into one of four groups: focal flowers, filler flowers, greenery, and line flowers. Knowing these flower types, and how they work together, is the key to choosing the right mix of flowers, and designing them like a pro.

Each of these types of flowers plays an important role in creating a balanced and beautiful arrangement. Focal flowers draw the eye while line flowers add height. Filler flowers fill in gaps, and greenery supports the entire bouquet. Keep reading to learn more about each category, and then discover our comprehensive list of flower types!

1.) Focal Flowers

Focal flowers are what stand out most in an arrangement. Your eye will immediately be drawn to them due to either their size or their eye-catching features! This type of flower usually features one large bloom per stem. You'll want to choose a total of one to four types of focal flowers for your arrangements.

Popular Focal Flower Types:

• Garden Roses
• Anemones
• Mums
• Ranunculus

2.) Filler Flowers

As the name suggests, filler flowers fill out your arrangements and make them look full and complete. In contrast to focal flowers, filler flowers feature clusters of smaller blooms. This type of flower is great for adding volume, texture, and variety to your designs, and for incorporating additional colors in your flowers.

Common Types of Filler Flowers:

• Baby's Breath
• Spray Roses
• Thistle
• Sweet Peas

3.) Greenery

Although greenery is technically not a type of flower, it is still an essential part of floral design. Greenery puts the finishing touch on your flower arrangements, giving them that lush, overflowing feel. Not only do they add texture and contrast, but they also provide structural support for your blooms.

Greenery Options:

• Ruscus
• Lily Grass
• Eucalyptus
• Leather Leaf

4.) Line Flowers

Line flowers are tall flowers that have multiple blooms per stem. This type of flower defines the shape of an arrangement and, of course, can help to add height. Whether you're wanting to give your arrangement chic structure, or are aiming to create whimsical movement throughout your flowers, line flowers can help you achieve your desired look.

Our Favorite Types of Line Flowers:

• Stock Flowers
• Larkspur
• Delphinium
• Snapdragons

Combining Different Types of Flowers

Now that you know these four flower categories, you may be wondering how to put your newfound knowledge into practice. Designing flowers is all about maintaining balance and contrast, while expressing your own unique style!

In general, we recommend picking out one to four focal flowers, and your greenery. From there, decide which filler and line flowers will add the right touches of color and detail!

The bridal bouquet below is a great example of various flower types coming together to create a final product! When you first glance at these blooms, what catches your attention first? You probably noticed the anemones, garden roses, protea, or the ranunculus. These are your focal flowers! After a closer look, you'll start to see the intricate details of the arrangement such as the delicate spray roses and the tall stock flowers.

Our Complete List of Types of Flowers

So how many types of flowers are there? It's hard to give a specific number! A single type of flower may have dozens, if not hundreds, of sub-varieties to choose from. For example, we offer over 100 types of garden roses alone! With that being said, we've done our best to consolidate and compile the most common types of flowers into a list of 152 blooms. We also included a bonus list of 32 types of dried flowers...

Click on any of the links below to see pictures, learn more, and order online.

Types of Focal Flowers:

1.  Amaryllis
2. Anemone
3. Anthurium
4. Artichokes
5. Bird of Paradise
6. Calla Lilies
7. Carnations
8. Daffodils
9. Dahlias
10. Garden Roses
11. Gardenia
12. Gerberas
13. Hydrangeas
14. Kale
15. Lilies
16. Mums
17. Peonies
18. Protea
19. Ranunculus
20. Roses
21. Spider Mums
22. Sunflowers
23. Tulips
24. Zinnia

Types of Filler Flowers:

1. Agapanthus
2. Ageratum
3. Allium
4. Alstroemeria
5. Asclepia
6. Asters
7. Astilbe
8. Astrantia
9. Baby's Breath
10. Berries
11. Bouvardia
12. Branches
13. Celosia
14. Cornflower
15. Cosmos
16. Craspedia Billy Balls
17. Daisies
18. Dianthus
19. Feverfew
20. Forget Me Not
21. Foxglove
22. Freesia
23. Gaillardia
24. Godetias
25. Gomphrena
26. Heather
27. Hellebores
28. Hyacinth
29. Iris
30. Kalanchoe
31. Kangaroo Paw
32. Lace
33. Lavender
34. Lilac
35. Lily of the Valley
36. Limonium
37. Lisianthus
38. Matsumoto
39. Monkshood
40. Narcissus
41. Nerines
42. Nigella
43. Phlox
44. Pods
45. Poms
46. Rice Flower
47. Safflower
48. Scabiosa
49. Sedum
50. Solidago
51. Solomio
52. Spray Carnations
53. Spray Roses
54. Star of Bethlehem
55. Statice
56. Stephanotis
57. Straw Flower
58. Sweet Peas
59. Thistle
60. Trachelium
61. Tweedia
62. Viburnum
63. Wax Flower
64. Yarrow

Types of Greenery:

1. Acacia
2. Air Plants
3. Aralia
4. Aspidistra
5. Banana Leaves
6. Bay Leaf Greenery
7. Boxwood Greenery
8. Calathea Leaves
9. California Redwood
10. Cedar
11. Clematis
12. Cocculus
13. Cypress Greenery
14. Dusty Miller
15. Elephant Ear
16. Emerald Palms
17. Eucalyptus
18. Feather Fern
19. Fiddlehead Fern
20. Foxtail
21. Grasses
22. Holly
23. Huckleberry Greens
24. Israeli Ruscus
25. Italian Ruscus
26. Ivy
27. Jasmine Vine
28. Leather Leaf
29. Lily Grass
30. Magnolia Greenery
31. Mint
32. Monstera Leaves
33. Moss
34. Myrtle Greenery
35. Nagi Greenery
36. Olive Branches
37. Oregano
38. Pennycress
39. Pepperberry Greens
40. Pittosporum
41. Plumosa Fern
42. Rosemary
43. Sage Herb
44. Sago Palm
45. Salal
46. Smillax Vine
47. Sprengeri
48. Succulents
49. Sword Ferns
50. Thyme

Types of Line Flowers:

1. Amaranthus
2. Bells of Ireland
3. Buddleia
4. Campanulas
5. Cat Tails
6. Delphinium
7. Eremurus
8. Gladiolus
9. Larkspur
10. Liatris
11. Orchids
12. Snapdragon
13. Stock
14. Veronica

Types of Dried Flowers:

1. Bell Cups
2. Broom Bloom
3. Bunny Tails
4. Canary Grass
5. Cleopatra Palm
6. Eulalia Grass
7. Eucalyptus Pods
8. Dried Baby's Breath
9. Dried Buttons
10. Foxtail Grass
11. German Statice
12. Ginger
13. Gorso Grass
14. Heliconia Flowers
15. Italian Ruscus 
16. Lavender
17. Linum Flax
18. Lunaria
19. Nigella Pods
20. Pampas Grass
21. Palm Caps
22. Platys Spiral Cones
23. Protea
24. Protea Crowns
25. Sago Palms
26. Straw Flower
27. Straw Palm
28. Sun Palms
29. Trumpet Pods
30. Wheat Grass
31. Wild Oats
32. Yarrow

Ordering Your Flower Online

Now that you know all of your options, you can start planning out and ordering your favorite types of flowers online. Our Make This Look page is a great place to look for inspiration, as is our Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube.

Want to try create beautiful floral arrangements but don't know where to start? We're here to help! Schedule a consultation with one of our in-house floral experts. They'll guide you through the process, answer questions, and help with design.

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Read More:

• Types of Filler Flowers and Greenery (And Their Meanings!)
• How to Make a DIY Wedding Bouquet
• 13 DIY Wedding Centerpieces Your Budget Will Love

Originally written by Thalia Basulto. Updated by Leah Britt 03/2022

Credits:

All Product Photos: FiftyFlowers

Bouquet Breakdown Picture: Photographer - Jon Sharman Photography, Dress Designer - Martina Liana from Maggie Louise Bridal shop, Caterer: Esplanade, Groom Attire: Jos A. Banks, Band: DNA Entertainment - Memphis