This list covers 12 flowers, from “Ulmo” to “Ulmaria”, each one sharing the rare distinction of a name that starts with the letter U. You’ll find trees, shrubs, wildflowers, and houseplants here, ranging from fragrant blossoms prized for honey to carnivorous aquatic species. Many of these flowers are grown for their beauty, used in traditional medicine, or valued for the symbolism tied to their colors and shapes.

Flowers are the reproductive structures of plants, often colorful and fragrant to attract pollinators like bees, birds, and butterflies. Beyond biology, they carry deep cultural meaning: the Usambara Violet, better known as the African violet, remains one of the most popular houseplants worldwide since its discovery in Tanzania’s mountains over a century ago. Across history, flowers like these have shaped traditions, medicine, and even cuisine.

Below you’ll find the table with the flower, scientific name, growing region, color, meaning, and description for each entry.

Flower: the common name people use for each plant, making it easy for you to recognize and search for.

Scientific Name: the Latin name botanists use to identify the plant precisely, helpful if you want to research it further.

Growing Region: where the flower naturally grows in the wild, so you know the climate and conditions it prefers.

Color: the typical color or color range of the blooms, useful if you’re picturing the flower or planning a garden.

Meaning: the symbolism traditionally associated with the flower, handy if you’re choosing one for a gift or special occasion.

Description: a short overview of the flower’s appearance and characteristics, giving you a quick sense of what makes it unique.

Flowers

FlowerScientific NameGrowing RegionColorMeaning
UlmoEucryphia cordifoliaChileWhitePurity and renewal
Umbrella PlantEriogonum umbellatumWestern North AmericaYellowProtection and shelter
Unicorn PlantProboscidea louisianicaSouthern United States and MexicoPink to purpleUniqueness
Upright Prairie ConeflowerRatibida columniferaGreat Plains, North AmericaYellow and reddish-brownStrength and endurance
Urn PlantAechmea fasciataBrazilPink and blueHospitality
UrsiniaUrsinia anthemoidesSouth AfricaOrange and yellowJoy and cheerfulness
Usambara VioletSaintpaulia ionanthaUsambara Mountains, TanzaniaPurple, blue, pink, or whiteDevotion and faithfulness
Uva-UrsiArctostaphylos uva-ursiNorth America, Europe, and AsiaWhite to pinkEndurance
UvulariaUvularia grandifloraEastern North AmericaYellowModesty
UtriculariaUtricularia vulgarisWorldwide wetlandsYellow or purpleHidden strength
Ube FlowerDioscorea alataSoutheast AsiaWhite to lavenderAbundance
UlmariaFilipendula ulmariaEurope and Western AsiaCreamy whitePeace

Descriptions

Ulmo
A tall evergreen tree native to Chile’s temperate rainforests, prized for its fragrant white blossoms that bloom in late summer and produce some of the world’s most sought-after honey.
Umbrella Plant
Also called sulphur buckwheat, this low, spreading wildflower forms umbrella-shaped clusters of small yellow blooms and thrives on dry, rocky slopes across the American West.
Unicorn Plant
Named for its curved, claw-like seed pods, this sprawling annual produces trumpet-shaped, orchid-like flowers and is also known as devil’s claw.
Upright Prairie Coneflower
A hardy prairie wildflower with drooping petals surrounding a tall, thimble-like central cone, common along roadsides and grasslands of central North America.
Urn Plant
A striking bromeliad whose rosette of silvery-banded leaves holds a spiky pink flower head dotted with small blue blooms, popular as a houseplant.
Ursinia
A cheerful daisy-like annual native to South Africa’s Cape region, known for its bright, sunny blooms and finely divided, aromatic foliage.
Usambara Violet
Better known as the African violet, this fuzzy-leaved houseplant favorite produces velvety blooms almost year-round and takes its scientific name from its native Tanzanian mountains.
Uva-Ursi
Also called bearberry, this low evergreen shrub produces small, urn-shaped flowers in spring followed by red berries favored by bears and birds alike.
Uvularia
Commonly known as bellwort or merrybells, this woodland perennial nods with bell-shaped yellow flowers in early spring beneath dappled forest canopy.
Utricularia
Known as bladderwort, this rootless aquatic plant traps tiny prey underwater while sending up delicate, orchid-like flowers above the surface.
Ube Flower
The purple yam vine produces small, fragrant clustered blooms before forming the vibrant purple tubers used widely in Filipino desserts and cuisine.
Ulmaria
Better known as meadowsweet, this fragrant perennial fills damp meadows with frothy clusters of tiny white flowers once used to flavor mead and herbal remedies.
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