Exotic red flowers

Red is a particularly vibrant color with very strong connotations. No other color can denote sin, love, hate and beauty at the same time (Ancient Greeks used it to symbolize both love and sacrifice), but red flowers are mainly tokens of love and passion. Roses are common gifts on Valentine’s Day, but year after year of them can get tiresome, and overexposure can dilute the special meaning behind the flower. However, there are plenty of exotic red flowers that serve as unique substitutes for common roses.

Cosmos are flowers that are native to Latin America and South America, named for the orderly proportions and balance between the petals (cosmos is Greek for “ordered universe”). Although cosmos come in a wide variety of colors, the crest reds are the most brilliant and have long leaves with hairy margins. They are used for highlighting bouquets or decorating formal weddings, but most common as ornamental flowers in decorative gardens.

Poinsettias are exotic red flowers that are native to Mexico. The Aztecs revered the flower because they used it to produce red dye and as antipyretic medication. Technically, the upper leaves are red (called bracts) while the actual flowers are yellow and grouped in the center of each bunch of leaves. Poinsettias can grow up to 10 feet tall and have become popular gifts in the US due to their size and abundance (they are the best-selling potted plant). They are also the most popular Christmas plant. Despite what their name implies, poinsettias are not poisonous¬; a rumor spread by an urban legend of a two year old dying after consuming a poinsettia leaf.

With thousands of subspecies (and new hybrids), orchids can be exotic red flowers. They live in every environment except glaciers and deserts, but they’re most common in the tropics–especially in Asia, South America and Central America. After being cut, the flower can live up to two and a half weeks, but they thrive with regular misting. Orchids are also very practical; Aboriginal Australians eat orchids due for a source of carbohydrates.

Anthuriums are popular exotic red flowers that are native to Columbia and Ecuador and they’re sometimes called the flamingo lily. They grow in many forms, but they commonly climb as epiphytes, meaning they grow on trees or other plants–their roots often hang down in the canopy of the rainforest. The waxy-red leaves usually have a yellow spike that juts out of the middle.

Red flowers used as wedding ornaments should be prominent enough to garner attention, but not overbearing. They work best when paired with blues and yellows. Since red is such an exciting color, hints of blue offer stability and create a nice balance. Be careful when choosing a bouquet because it’s easier to clash colors with red than any other color.

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Exotic red flowers