Green flowers: our guide

Green flowering shrubs

Green-flowering shrubs are relatively numerous and interesting to use in the garden, especially when paired with white or blue blooms… a refreshing and soothing effect guaranteed! Here are some of the most original green-flowering shrubs, which should always be used sparingly to highlight their beauty and create connections:

• Hydrangeas possibly have the most varieties with green flowers and are currently the subject of research in this trendy colour. Notable examples include the astonishing Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Magical Nobeless’ with its white and green variegated flowers at the edges, as well as ‘Schloss Wackerbarth’ and ‘Valvert’, which are strikingly bicoloured in pink and violet. Among the macrophyllas, ‘Green Ever Belles’ is undoubtedly the greenest. In reality, it is the Hydrangeas paniculata and arborescens that most frequently display hues ranging from cream to green, generally at the bud burst period, with flowers sometimes evolving into white or pink shades. They look stunning when planted in masses! The Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’ is a must-have cultivated for its green flowers, just like the famous Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’ and its little cousin ‘Little Lime’ with its aniseed green. For all Hydrangeas, the flowers will retain this greenish hue in shaded areas, but will tend to turn pink in autumn with more sunlight.
• Another graceful shrub, the Skimmia japonica has several points of interest, such as Skimmia x confusa ‘Kew Green’. It does not produce fruit (as it is male), but its greenish buds turning white are quite dense, and its compact habit is perfect for pots or borders. Other green Skimmias adding a modern touch include: ’Fragrant Cloud’, which is also compact but grows a bit wider, flowering slightly earlier in April, and ‘Finchy’. For these three Skimmias, the buds that remain closed for a long time before blooming offer a beautiful acid green colour, contrasting with the dark, glossy foliage.

• The Daphne laureola is known for its atypical colour, far from the romantic pinks usually associated with this shrub: the flower clusters are a very bright greenish yellow, absolutely stunning against the broad dark green foliage. This makes it even more attractive, inevitably drawing the eye in a shady border. A lovely cultivar features more star-shaped and highly fragrant flowers: Daphne laureola ‘Philippi’.
• The Cornus kousa ‘Samaritan’ is another gem for those who love these shrubs or wish to plant one that will make a statement in a Japanese or contemporary setting. This dogwood is surprisingly composed of pistachio green bracts edged in white, turning completely white at maturity. Stunning!
• The Chaenomeles speciosa ‘Kinshiden’: here is an absolutely delightful Japanese quince, also rare as its flowers display a very subtle pale green hue, magically standing out against the naked wood. It is of absolute grace, illuminating the early spring.
• Finally, the stunning tree peony, Paeonia suffruticosa ‘Yu Mu Ying Yu’ or ‘Green Jade’ is another divine spring surprise in the garden! Its tender green colour turns to cream.

Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’, Tree peony ‘Lu Mu Ying’, Hydrangea macrophylla Magical ‘Jade’, Daphne laureola, Skimmia confusa x ‘Kew Green’, Cornus kousa ‘Samaritan’ and Chaenomeles speciosa ‘Kinshiden’

Green-flowered perennials

Upon closer inspection, we find that there are a great number of green-flowered perennials!

• Among the most common are, of course, Alchemillas and Euphorbias. There’s nothing artificial about them; it is indeed green that Mother Nature has painted them, to our great delight! All display a green known as chartreuse: a hue that is almost a tangy yellow, very vibrant, beautifully contrasted by their often bluish foliage.
• Hellebores are certainly the green flowers most commonly found in gardens. And for good reason, as there are countless varieties. The Helleborus argutifolius or Corsican Spurge, Helleborus foetidus, Helleborus viridis, and Helleborus x sternii are the finest examples, showcasing their lovely pistachio green tones, soft and very natural. Among the many hybrids of Hellebores, you will surely find one that pleases you, such as Helleborus ‘Double Pistachio Green’ or the Oriental Hellebore ‘Anemone Green’, or even a green hellebore speckled with purple, the ‘Double Green Spotted’ Hellebore.
• The stunning Angelicas (the species archangelica) also offer their all-green umbels in natural or graphic gardens, as well as in the vegetable garden.
• Astrances are beautiful in green hues, often brought by their bracts, such as the Astrantia major ‘Alba’.
• Echinaceas also offer uncommon greens, such as the very original and graphic Echinacea ‘Green Jewel’ with its short apple-green petals. Not to mention the bristly all-green-orange cone of the Echinacea purpurea ‘White Swan’ or the greenish cone of Echinacea purpurea ‘Virgin’ and ‘Coconut Lime’, contrasting nicely with the white petals.
• Some Callas, like ‘Green Goddess’, proudly display white spathes curiously variegated with green…
• The Dianthus barbatus ‘Green Trick’ is a carnation that produces astonishing green globular inflorescences.
• The hybrid Aster ‘Ann Leys’ features small wine-coloured pom-poms and green ligules forming an unexpected collar.

Helleborus argutifolius, Angelica archangelica, Euphorbia myrsinites, Euphorbia characias, Callas ‘Green Goddess’, Alchemilla mollis, and Echinacea purpurea ‘White Swan’

Green-flowered bulbs

Bulbous plants are not to be overlooked when it comes to green colour; it’s truly a festival of greens, solid, variegated, and bicoloured, bringing a lot of freshness to the garden in spring or summer. Some flowers hover between cream and yellow, while others are quite bold! Here are our favourites in order of appearance in the garden:

• Before all others, in winter, Galanthus nivalis ‘Flore Pleno’, a stunning double bicoloured snowdrop
• Many tulips such as Viridiflora tulip ‘Spring Green’, the double ‘Brooklyn’, or the late ‘Evergreen’
• Magnificent fritillaries to rediscover, such as the botanical and Iranian Fritillaria olivieri, red and green striated, Fritillaria persica ‘Green Dreams’ with upright almond green and purple stems, the small yet sublime Fritillaria pontica, lemon yellow green, the pale green Fritillaria thunbergii with marbled petals, or the Fritillaria hermonis ssp. amana…
• The green heart daffodil ‘Sinopel’, another very soft bicolour effect in the garden
• Alliums, such as the hirsute Allium ‘Hair’ which is truly astonishing, or the roundness of Allium karataviense
• The Gladiolus ‘Green Star’, Kniphofia ‘Ice Queen’, or the apple green of ‘Green Jade’
• To finish summer beautifully, Eucomis bicolor, Eucomis pole-evansii and Eucomis montana

Eucomis bicolor, Alliums karataviense, Fritillaria, Tulip and double-flowered snowdrop ‘Flore Pleno’

Green flowering climbers

Less common in climbing plants, there are still several lovely varieties among clematis, in particular.

• The stunning Clematis ‘Green Passion’, with double flowers, is a gem to be planted alongside other white or deep blue climbing plants. Clematis florida ‘Taiga’ is even more surprising with its bicolour purple and green hue. Other green gems include Clematis florida ‘Alba Plena’, with large flowers of a very delicate pale green, and the stunning Clematis patens ‘Yukiokoshi’, with double flowers washed in green.
• Some passionflowers create an illusion of green with their prominent stigmas, such as Passiflora edulis, tinted purple, ‘Riverside Snow Queen’ or ‘Constance Elliott’, ivory. Their buds also form beautiful light green shapes on the foliage.
• Among kiwis, we mention the Actinidia arguta Kiwi ‘Nostino’ with very pretty pale greenish-white flowers.
• And let’s not forget the Hops and their lime green cone-shaped flowers, delightful in a plant arch in a romantic garden.

Clematis ‘Green Passion’ on the left, hops flowers on the top right, and Clematis florida ‘Taiga’ in bicolour green and purple on the bottom right.</caption]

Green-flowered roses

Often considered artificial, some green roses are worth a closer look:

Far from the sophisticated and soulless green roses found at florists, the botanical rose Rosa chinensis ‘Viridriflora’ is a small rarity… A hybrid tea, repeat flowering, it is not necessarily reserved for collectors. Why deprive yourself of its unique charm, with flowers composed not of petals but of green sepals, more or less flamed with red, which turn purple as they fade? Note that it remains a small rosebush of low growth.

For romantic gardens, the rose ‘Lovely Green’ is another more classic rose, yet still appealing, with its plump green buds that open to reveal rosy touches.

Rosa chinensis viridilflora, on the left in June (© HQ) and in September, tinged with purple (© Manuel m.v.)

Green-flowered annuals

Annual plants are subject to many hybridizations, resulting in numerous specimens with particularly ornamental green hues:

Zinnia elegans ‘Envy Double Green’, Zinnia elegans ‘Giant Lime’ and ‘Queen Lime’, and Petunia ‘Lime Green’. Tobacco flowers are well represented with Nicotiana alata and Nicotiana langsdorfii, as well as Nicotiana ‘Lime Green’. These are perfect for creating lovely pots or summer beds! Also consider the Irish bellflower with its large all-green spikes (Moluccela laevis).

Nicotiana alata and Zinnia ‘Lime Green’

Let's not forget...

In this whirlwind of green flowers, we could also mention certain cactus flowers, often yellow to cream infused with green, and… citrus trees with green fruits! They also bring that tangy touch to the garden, like the finger lime or the Poncirus trifoliata.

Some atypical turf moor plants like Arisaemas and Sarracenias often showcase sublime greens, striated or speckled with purple.

Finally, this is the case for many viburnums or bushes, where some inflorescences emerge in a beautiful green before turning white, like the famous snowball viburnum… Conversely, the faded inflorescences of certain plants, like Alliums, remain decorative for a long time, taking on a green hue before turning straw-like colours…

Faded Alliums, citrus trees like the fruits of Poncirus trifoliata, Sarracenias, Beschorneria bicolour and cactus flowers…