Plants that look like roses are no doubt the most beautiful ones because these are one of the most iconic flowers to have existed. Weddings, parties, and other causes all call for it. But using it again and again can get repetitive.

Plants with an Uncanny Resemblance

Not to worry, we know just the flowers to give you a similar look and feel and make the entire experience more unique and memorable.

This article is one that will give you a greater knowledge into them.

List of Flowers That Resemble Roses

1. Persian Buttercups

Ranunculus asiaticus, sometimes known as Persian buttercups, are prized for their tall stems, ruffled petals, and extended vase life. They are a favorite in florist shops and bouquets because of their wide spectrum of colors, which range from vivid pink, crimson, and purple to cream, mild yellow, and orange. They look just like love roses, as they have clustered and overlapping, multiple petals. 

The Radiant Persian Buttercups

– Characteristics

The corms, which are straightforward to locate in nurseries, can also be planted in the spring or fall, depending on the climate. The plants should produce tissue-thin rose-like flowers with petals in the late spring to early summer atop lush foliage with fern-like leaves. The plants develop rather quickly, and you will see them thrive throughout the time, with their beautiful petals.

They appear very romantic, plump, plentiful, and beautifully ruffled. Their untamed stems will also offer your bouquet a charming, carefree appearance. Ranunculus are the ideal flower for a romantic or friendship arrangement because they also represent affection.

– Care Requirements

In drier areas, Persian buttercups can be planted outside in the fall. However, live in a colder region where temperatures regularly drop below freezing. As a result, either begin the corms indoors in pots eight to twelve weeks prior to the predicted final date of frost in your area or wait until early spring after the threat of frost has passed. 

The claw-like end of the bulbs should be planted downward, and one to two inches of soil should be placed on top of them. While corms sown in early spring typically begin to bloom by mid-spring and continue for four to six weeks, those planted in the fall typically bloom in early spring and produce flowers for six to seven weeks.

Persian buttercups can be grown as perennials in USDA hardiness zones eight to 11 if you leave them alone and let the foliage gradually fall back at the end of the summer. Also, you should remember that dry, chilly conditions are ideal for dormant corms because too much moisture can lead to decay them, and it will be almost impossible to bloom again.

On the other hand, remember that you can always try digging out the corms and storing them indoors for the winter under a dry medium, such as sand, in a cold place if you reside in an area where the plant is not hardy. However, many gardeners cultivate these plants annually and swap them out with fresh ones every year because successful storage of these plants is challenging.

Before planting, you should know that the bulbs don’t need to be soaked extensively in water so that they would promote growth. But if you decide to soak, don’t keep them in the water for a long time, in other words, one to four hours should be sufficient to prevent mold growth. 

Persian buttercups demand a planting area that receives full sun for the best development and blooming. In addition, these plants want sandy or loamy soil that has good drainage and a slightly acidic pH for their growth.

2. Peonies

The spring-blooming peonies in your yard are the show stoppers. They are full of personality and have big, spectacular flowers and strong scents. According to some estimates, the genus Paeonia, or “peonies,” contains up to 33 distinct species. 

A Bloom for All Seasons

– Characteristics

Although a few are woody shrubs, most are herbaceous perennials. Peonies are medium-sized flowers with tuberous roots that combine large storage roots with thin roots intended for nutrient and water absorption. When planting or transplanting peonies and dividing plants to increase their number, it is essential to handle their roots carefully.

There are various methods to classify slow-growing peonies, such as by blossom type or growth pattern. In addition, there are specific varieties of peony, such as fern-leaf peonies, a very delicate and treasured species, and tree peonies, which are woody, erect forms, in addition to the common garden-variety herbaceous peonies with all their floral variations. These species require certain planting techniques.

Depending on the variety, peonies bloom between late spring and summer, although it is preferable to plant them all in the fall, approximately six weeks before the ground freezes. This allows the plant enough time before winter to settle in and set down roots. This is especially true when transplanting or planting bare-root peonies, but fall planting produces better results than spring planting, even when planting potted peonies.

– Care Requirements

Peonies are traditional garden plants that can last for decades with little maintenance when planted in soil that matches their requirements. Peonies are one of the garden plants that live the longest, and they are frequently passed down through families. However, because peonies can be difficult to move once established, it is crucial to plant them correctly.

To thrive, peonies require wet, well-drained soil. They should ideally get one to two inches of water each week. In addition, peonies require a place with sunlight, and a full day of sunlight is preferable.

Although peonies are adaptable, their optimal soil is well-drained and somewhat acidic which is between 6.5 and 7.0 pH. Compost or a soil mixture designated for azaleas and rhododendrons can be added to heavy, clay soil to help your peony plant settle in more quickly.

3. Double Tulips

Looking for a good desert rose? Try double tulips. Tulips are an iconic spring flowering bulb, much like roses, adding colour to landscapes far before most other flowering plants have established themselves. They are among the earliest cultivated plants, and hybridization has allowed them to produce almost all colours except pure blue. Instead, two to six broad, strappy leaves with a waxy coating and a blue-green hue are seen on the plants.

The Charm of Double Tulips

– Characteristics

The majority of tulips only have one flower per stalk. However, some do. There are tens of thousands of different tulip varieties, divided into 15 groups according to the flower’s height, form, and blooming period. Although the flowers typically have three petals and three sepals and are cup-shaped, several varieties fall outside this broad description, including those with ruffled, fringed, and beautiful blooms.

Like other members of the Liliaceae or the lily family of plants, Tulip bulbs contain alkaloid and glycoside substances that are moderately harmful to people but extremely toxic to animals. Tulip bulbs can induce skin rashes, frequently referred to as “tulip fingers” when handled, in addition to stomach issues if the bulbs are swallowed.

– Care Requirements

In areas with damp, chilly-to-cold winters and warm, dry summers, tulips thrive as perennials. In a sunny area with well-drained soil, plant the bulbs four to eight inches deep in the fall which is approximately three times the size of the bulbs. 

Tulips can thrive beneath trees and bushes that will leaf out later in the season to provide shaded conditions because they sprout and bloom early in the spring. Depending on their size, place the bulbs two to five inches apart, with pointed ends facing up. Planting tulips in clusters of about ten bulbs tend to improve their presentation.

After planting the bulbs, give them a good quick soak in water. After that, save additional watering for prolonged dry periods. Don’t water your tulips if your area experiences rain every week or two. 

On another note, remember that watering every two weeks is advised in arid areas. Tulips of all types prefer direct sunlight. However, keep in mind that in the early spring, when tulips are actively growing, regions under deciduous trees that are gloomy in the summer are generally sunlit. Rich, draining soil with a pH of neutral to slightly acidic is what tulips prefer.

4. Camellia

The Camellia is a flowering evergreen shrub that blooms from the fall through early spring in warmer climates. It has enormous, rich blossoms that last for many weeks and dark, glossy leaves. 

The Graceful Camellia Flower

– Characteristics

This plant is widely utilized in much the same manner that northern gardeners use peony, where it is consistently hardy which is in the zone seven to nine. These beautiful flowers are ones that have some lushly petaled blooms and a propensity to survive longer than their owners.

Except for the hottest summer months, camellias can be planted at virtually any time from nursery plants cultivated in containers. They are extraordinarily long-lived plants that develop slowly. Camellias go perfectly as a wild rose in a posh rose garden.

– Care Requirements

Camellias grow best in deep, wet soil that is partially shaded. Space your camellia shrubs at least five feet apart if you’re planting several. They do not want to compete with nearby trees for water and nutrients. 

They should be planted with the top of the crown, barely exposed, at a somewhat shallow depth. If you’re planting your flowers close to a window or the foundation of a house, be aware of its mature size and make plans accordingly. When planting, you don’t need to amend the backfill soil; instead, you can mix in some compost or thoroughly composted manure into the top few inches of the soil.

Camellias are a low-maintenance plant that just needs pruning to remove dead branches under ideal growing circumstances. However, some gardeners could discover that they are prone to some pest and bug issues, particularly severe for neglected or sickly shrubs, which means you must take measures accordingly.

On the other hand, in order to care for this plant regularly, you may have to water these gorgeous blooms to maintain a constant moisture level. Fewer flowers with fewer petals are produced due to dry spells during bud development. 

Lastly, note that the camellias thrive in areas with partial shade or all-day dappled sunlight, such as the understory of large, airy trees. In addition, don’t forget that they need well-drained soil, and their optimal soil pH ranges from slightly acidic to alkaline.

5. Flowering Quince

Chaenomeles speciosa, sometimes the flowering quince, is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with a clumsy growth habit and stunning red, orange, white, or pink blooms to go with glossy, dark green foliage. They look like roses as some have more clustered and wrapped petals, whereas others when they open up, look like a rose that has matured.

Quince A Sign of Spring

– Characteristics

Flowering quince, related to roses, has a thorny habit and is simple to grow, making it a popular choice for plants along fences or borders. 

The shrub is a thicket of prickly, gray-brown twigs with around two semi-blooms with five petals. Yellowish-green fruits that can be used in jams and jellies follow the blossoms, which remain for 10 to 14 days, as its key characteristic. On another note, the maximum size of the oval, glossy, dark green leaves, which have serrated edges, are around three and a half inches.

Flowering quince is usually planted as a nursery container plant in the fall or winter, and it needs regular watering until the roots take hold. Due to its moderate growth rate, it can take several years to grow to its full six to 10-foot height.

– Care Requirements

The majority of gardeners believe blooming quince to be simple to care for. Except for alkaline clay, it grows well in most soil types, and pruning is only essential if you want to shape the shrub. If you wish to confine the shrub, you must remove the suckers because they will spread the plant slowly.

Flowering quince, a member of the rose family, are prone to fire blight, so keep an eye out for the stem dieback that denotes this bacterial disease. You can also start by mulching the plants’ bases to prevent weed growth and moisten the soil. Although fully established, these shrubs are relatively drought-tolerant; young plants will still require regular watering during dry spells.

One inch of water per week from a combination of rainfall and irrigation is optimal. Finally, grow quince shrubs that bloom in full sunlight. Although it can grow in partial sunshine, the plant’s flower show will be more impressive in full sunlight. 

On another note, remember that for the finest floral show, plant flowering quince shrubs in well-drained loam, so that the roots will be healthy enough to develop well. Maintaining a slightly acidic or neutral soil pH can prevent chlorosis issues from developing.

6. Anemone Canaria

Red De Caen anemones, which resemble poppies and are hardy to zone 7, can be planted in the spring for late summer blooming by gardeners in colder climates. Warm-weather gardeners should sow the corms in the fall for a spring display. Most De Caen anemones bloom in the spring and enjoy the full sun.

A Pop of Color in Your Garden

– Characteristics

Based on the Anemone coronaria species, the De Caen mix of anemones was created in France and introduced to North America in the 1800s. One of the major groupings of garden anemones also referred to as French anemones, are available and comprise a variety of cultivars. 

On another note, the Anemones are typically planted from bulb-like corms or bare roots in the fall, late winter, or early spring. Which adds significance to how they would quickly expand themselves and start to bloom during their first growing season.

– Care Requirements

Plant fall-blooming plants in the spring and spring-blooming ones in the fall. The planting technique varies a little depending on the type of anemone because different species have various root systems, as the anemones are typically grown from corms or bare roots ordered online or from mail-order vendors.

When weekly rainfall is less than an inch, water the plants frequently and maintain light moisture in the soil by watering gradually so that the soil may absorb as much water as possible, anemones should be grown in moist, well-drained soil. 

Compost, leaf mold, or other organic matter can be added to the soil to improve it before planting, hence they are necessities in their thriving period. Most anemone species need at least half of their planting space in direct sunlight.

7. Carnations

Carnation blossoms resemble roses very much. And they appear incredibly beautiful in a bouquet thanks to their lovely ruffled petals, which is fortunate because carnations stand for joy and love. They have also been employed as celebratory flowers since the Ancient Greeks. Look for pink and white carnations in our bouquets because those are the colours we adore the most.

The Versatile Carnations Flower

– Characteristics

Dianthus caryophyllus, also called carnations, is a perennial frequently planted for cut flower use. Due to its wide spectrum of natural pink, white, coral, and red tones, carnations are a kind of dianthus commonly referred to as pinks. 

For special occasions, such as Easter or festivals like St. Patrick’s Day, white carnations are sometimes coloured in different colours. Many people appreciate the distinctive, spicy, slightly clove-like perfume of true carnations, which also have a clustered looking appearance that stands out in floral arrangements.

Based on its mention in ancient Greek sources, the dianthus has been widely cultivated for over 2000 years. As a result, it is challenging to pinpoint its native region. However, some botanists believe it may have started in the Mediterranean. Dianthus is a Latin word that means “crown” or “garland,” whereas carnation is a Greek word that means “divine blossom.”

– Care Requirements

Dianthus are relatively simple to grow and maintain. Dianthus Calophyllum is not as cold-hardy as other variations of this types are ones that would perform best in USDA Hardiness Zones seven to 10. Despite having a reputation for being a perennial with a limited lifespan, as they can provide years of beauty and scent under the correct circumstances. 

With their brilliant colors and simple seasonal maintenance, they make a lovely choice for the cottage garden. After their initial bloom, deadheading them will assist in ensuring later in the season to bloom once more. 

They thrive without mulch, but if you must mulch, choose a natural mulch rather than one that has been colored. All dianthus, including carnations, are immune to deer; however, rabbits can like to nibble on the leaves.

Although Dianthus Calophyllum can tolerate some drought, plants require regular watering in the spring when their flower buds are developing. In the summer, they might require an additional drink of water during dry spells. 

Lastly, remember that carnations can tolerate some partial shadow even though they thrive in direct sunlight. In addition, they would require alkaline soil, commonly known as “sweet” soil, and great drainage. Calcium, magnesium, and salt concentrations are often somewhat greater in alkaline soil, and the soil that they are in will boost the roots.

8. Dahlias

Towards the end of the season, dahlias blossom. They bloom from the middle of summer until the first frost and come in a variety of colours, patterns, sizes, and flower types. From species with plate-sized flowers on 6-foot plants to little border versions, the plant size varies. 

Dahlias A Garden Standout

– Characteristics

Dahlias are one of those flowers that would come in a wide variety, frequently have long, upright stems that make the blooms stand out. The nearly 20,000 types and 30 species of dahlias, which are native to Mexico and Central America, are highly prized by both plant breeders and florists. Beware, though—this type of blossom is poisonous to dogs and cats.

Only in tropical areas is this plant a native perennial; in climate zones lower than eight, it is regarded as an annual. Due to this, dahlias can be demanding and fickle about their growing environments, while many of the more recent varieties are more dependable and simple to grow. 

After the last frost, dahlias can be planted outside after the soil has warmed up because they grow from tubers. However, in most zones, they are too delicate to be left in the ground; therefore, whether. When cultivated as annuals, dahlias must be dug up, their tubers stored indoors for the winter, and then replanted in the spring. After planting, the plants need eight to ten weeks to mature and flower.

– Care Requirements

Beautiful dahlias are actually quite simple to grow, because they can start to produce their blooms indoors in the early spring season and then when you start to see it grow, you can displace it outside once the risk of frost has gone. 

This is due to the fact of how they are grown from tubers rather than bulbs, which is what makes it significant. Alternatively, you may even have to wait until the soil of the plant has warmed up a bit more which happens during the spring season, before planting the tubers outdoors.

Of course, it would differ from the cultivar, in addition to the plant tubers that should be two to six inches deep. Place smaller kinds around 12 inches apart and larger cultivars up to three feet apart because the plants need sufficient air circulation to thrive. 

You can always place tubers in full sunshine, give them frequent watering and fertilize them as soon as new growth starts, whether you’re growing them in the ground or in pots.

These tubers should be planted in the spring and left to grow naturally until sprouting occurs. Dahlias need full sun to bloom profusely, preferably six to eight hours a day. 

Moreover, these flowers would prefer to be in a loamy and an organic soil with lots of nutritional content and are well-draining. Add some compost to your soil if you’re unsure if it’s rich enough.

Conclusion

Nowadays, it is easy to stick with classics like roses. So before you grow any of the flowers above, keep in mind the following:

  • Peonies are the ideal option for flowers that look like roses without thorns.
  • Tulips are best for beginner gardeners looking to start easy.
  • If you’re a bit more advanced in gardening know-how, then growing Persian buttercups is a good option s. It requires slightly more knowledge.

But trying something different with the abovementioned list can give you a more unique and personalized feeling. So, which rose lookalike will you grow? 

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