There’s a range of interesting plants starting with T to discover, from common garden flowers to beautiful tropical plants.
Here are some familiar, and unusual, plants that start off with “T” for you to learn about. Make sure you also check out our list of 25 flowers that start with T afterward!
Plants Starting with T – Quick Look
- Tiger Flower
- Tea Rose
- Thyme
- Texas Ranger
- Tecoma
- Tomato
- Toad Lily
- Tree Mallow
- Trumpet Creeper
- Tulip
- Twinleaf
- Turtlehead
- Torch Ginger
- Thistle
- Tickseed
- Toadflax
- Tomatillo
- Terrestrial Orchids
- Tree of Heaven
- Tobacco Plant
- Tall Bearded Iris
- Tall Verbena
- Tail Flower
- Thorn Tree
- Tayberry
1. Tiger Flower
- Common Name(s): Tiger flower, Tiger lily, Jockey's cap lily, Mexican shellflower, Peaco*ck flower
- Scientific Name: Tigridia pavonia
- Native to: Mexico
This beautiful flower displays intense colors and distinctive markings. It is grown ornamentally, but the bulbs can be roasted and eaten. They have a lovely chestnut-like flavor.
2. Tea Rose
- Common Name(s): Tea Rose
- Scientific Name: Rosa × Odorata
- Native to: China
Some say that this rose has an aroma similar to black tea. After being cultivated in China their popularity soon grew across the Western World in the 19th century.
Historians speculate that their spread is as much due to good marketing as botany.
3. Thyme
- Common Name(s): Thyme
- Scientific Name: Thymus
- Native to: The Mediterranean Region
As well as a delicious herb, thyme contains an antiseptic oil called “thymol.” This was added to bandages before the invention of modern antibiotics, and can still be found in products like mouthwash today.
4. Texas Ranger
- Common Name(s): Texas Ranger, Texas rain sage, cCnizo, Texas silverleaf, Texas barometerbush, Ash-bush, Wild lilac, Purple sage
- Scientific Name: Leucophyllum frutescens
- Native to: Texas
The plant adopted the name Texas Ranger as it is native to Texas, but the unusual name “barometerbush” stems from the fact that it will bloom once the air starts to become humid after a long drought, indicating rainfall soon.
5. Tecoma
- Common Name(s): Tecoma, Trumpetbush
- Scientific Name: Tecoma
- Native to: Africa and the Americas
This plant contains antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties, it also contains a compound that lowers blood sugar levels. In Mexico, it is used as a folk remedy for type-2 diabetes.
6. Tomato
- Common Name(s): Tomato
- Scientific Name: Solanum lycopersicum
- Native to: Central and South America
Technically a berry, tomatoes have spread from Central and South America to become an important food in a huge amount of cultures worldwide.
They are a source of umami flavor and can be eaten in a huge range of ways. They are also a favorite for growing in gardens.
7. Toad Lily
- Common Name(s): Toad lily
- Scientific Name: Tricyrtis
- Native to: Asia
With their beautiful patterned flowers, many species of this flower are grown ornamentally across Asia.
8. Tree Mallow
- Common Name(s): Tree Mallow
- Scientific Name: Malva arborea
- Native to: Coastal Europe
This plant is highly tolerant of salt levels and grows commonly in coastal areas where this trait gives it a significant advantage over competitors.
9. Trumpet Creeper
- Common Name(s): Trumpet creeper, Trumpet vine, Yellow trumpet vine, Cow itch vine, Hummingbird vine
- Scientific Name: Campsis radicans
- Native to: Eastern United States
This vine grows readily in woodland areas as well as being a popular garden plant. It is sometimes known as the “cow-itch vine” as some people develop a slight allergic reaction after contact with its leaves.
10. Tulip
- Common Name(s): Tulip
- Scientific Name: Tulipa
- Native to: Asia
Although originating in Asia, tulips are commonly associated with the Netherlands. They began to be grown there in the 17th century and it led to a fascination and craze for them known as “Tulip Mania”.
However, they were quite rare and sold for astronomical prices. As the plants were further propagated, the price crashed. “Tulip Mania” is considered the first economic bubble and is still a term used for similar crazes in the market today.
11. Twinleaf
- Common Name(s): Twinleaf, Jeffersonia, Rheumatism root
- Scientific Name: Jefferson diphylla
- Native to: Eastern North America
This plant was used plentifully by Native Americans in medicine, treating dropsy, inflammation, and gall among other conditions.
It's a protected species in Minnesota and is often found growing among other uncommon woodland plants.
12. Turtlehead
- Common Name(s): Turtlehead, White turtlehead
- Scientific Name: Chelone glabra
- Native to: North America
This name comes from the fact that these funny little flowers remind people of tortoise heads. Seems everyone is in agreement as “chelone,” the scientific name of the plant, also comes from the Greek word for tortoise.
13. Torch Ginger
- Common Name(s): Torch ginger, Ginger flower, Red ginger lily, Torch lily, Wild ginger, Porcelain rose
- Scientific Name: Etlingera elatior
- Native to: Southeast Asia
As well as being grown for its showy pink flowers, this plant is also an important cooking ingredient across southeast Asia.
14. Thistle
- Common Name(s): Thistle
- Scientific Name: Cirsium spinosissimum
- Native to: Europe
The national flower of Scotland is known for the prickles which defend it against being eaten by animals.
It is these same prickles that, in the 13th century, caused invading Vikings to yell out as they stepped on them, alerting Scottish clansmen to their approach.
This is why the thistle was given its honor as a national flower and is the oldest known national flower on record.
15. Tickseed
- Common Name(s): Tickseed, calliopsis
- Scientific Name: Coreopsis
- Native to: North America
If you grow these in your home you will start to notice bees and other insects visiting as they are a great source of pollen and nectar.
16. Toadflax
- Common Name(s): Toadflax, Common toadflax, Yellow toadflax, Butter-and-eggs
- Scientific Name: Linaria vulgaris
- Native to: Europe, Siberia, and Central Asia
It takes larger insects, such as bumblebees, to pollinate this flower as its pollen is closed under a lip that requires opening.
17. Tomatillo
- Common Name(s): Tomatillo, Mexican groundcherry, Large-flowered tomatillo, Mexican husk tomato
- Scientific Name: Physalis philadelphica
- Native to: Mexico
This delicious plant has different tastes depending on when it’s harvested. It is common in Mexican cuisine and used to make many sauces.
18. Terrestrial Orchids
- Common Name(s): Terrestrial Orchids
- Scientific Name: Orchidaceae
- Native to: Worldwide
“Terrestrial orchids” encompasses any orchid that grows in the ground, while their counterparts “epiphytic orchids” grow in trees.
19. Tree of Heaven
- Common Name(s): Tree of heaven, Ailanthus, Varnish tree
- Scientific Name: Ailanthus altissima
- Native to: China and Taiwan
This tree boasts a long history in Chinese culture and can even be found mentioned in the first Chinese dictionary. The tree is often grown for silk production as it hosts the “ailanthus silkworm.”
20. Tobacco Plant
- Common Name(s): Tobacco Plant
- Scientific Name: Nicotiana
- Native to: The Americas
Well known for its leaves that are rolled up and smoked, the unfortunate spread and popularity of this plant have led to many preventable deaths.
21. Tall Bearded Iris
- Common Name(s): Tall bearded iris, German bearded iris
- Scientific Name: Iris × germanica
- Native to: Germany
This iris presents beautiful ruffled petals that are often covered in a colorful pattern making them a great addition to a stately garden.
22. Tall Verbena
- Common Name(s): Tall verbena, Purpletop vervain, Clustertop vervain, Argentinian vervain, Pretty verbena
- Scientific Name: Verbena bonariensis
- Native to: Tropical South America
This flower hates winter but is good in a drought. It blooms in late summer attracting many butterflies.
23. Tail Flower
- Common Name(s): Tail Flower, Laceleaf, Anthurium, Flamingo flower
- Scientific Name: Anthurium
- Native to: The Americas
With their distinctive, deep-colored petals, these flowers make great houseplants or outdoor plants in mild climates.
24. Thorn Tree
- Common Name(s): Thorn Tree, Acacia, Wattles
- Scientific Name: Acacia
- Native to: Angola and Australasia
The sap from this tree serves as food to many reptiles, such as the native house gecko in Australia.
25. Tayberry
- Common Name(s): Tayberry
- Scientific Name: Rubus fruticosus x R. idaeus
- Native to: Scotland
This berry is a cross between a blackberry and a raspberry. It’s named after the River Tay in Scotland. They can be eaten fresh or used to make jellies, jams, and pies.
