Photo by Suzy Hazelwood

With their bright yellow colour and star-shaped petals, daffodils are an icon of spring. As part of the Narcissus genus, daffodils have been highly cultivated over the years due to their popularity, resulting in a whopping 25,000 varieties and counting! They typically represent rebirth, hope and resilience. On the flip side, daffodils also have a darker association, as they are said to have bloomed where Narcissus drowned in Greek mythology.

With its many tiny, round petals, the marigold is often said to resemble a cute pom-pom. Uniquely, it is one of the two birth flowers for October. The other is Cosmos, which comes in complementary colours to the marigold’s bright orange, ranging in various shades of purple! It is considerably popular as they are easy to grow and thrive in Malaysia’s warm climate. Marigolds also play a central role in Mexico’s Day of the Dead celebrations, as their scent is believed to guide souls back home.

Although frangipani can bloom throughout the year, it reaches its peak around the springtime months as it gets more sunlight from longer days. Blooms ranging anywhere from white tinted with yellow to soft pink to deep, vivid red practically explode in large bunches from its branches. A unique feature of the frangipani tree is that its long, thin leaves contain small amounts of milky sap, which can only be seen when the leaf is broken or torn apart. This sap can be irritating to the eyes and skin, so if you come into contact with it, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly!

This flower gets its name from its method of seed dispersal. Once its seeds are ripe, the pods burst open easily, spreading them away from the parent plant—hence the name, derived from its “impatience.” Interestingly, it comes in almost every colour except blue. It grows readily in pots, flowerbeds, or even under trees, making it an extremely versatile and easy plant to grow for beginners.

Traditionally associated with love, purity, and rebirth, lilies are among the most popular flowers out there. People often gift them at weddings, funerals, and even the birth of children. There is a huge variety of lilies, including classic white types such as Madonnas and Asiatics, pink Robinas, and even striking orange Tiger Lilies. Unfortunately for those who love both lilies and cats, you may have to choose one over the other, as lilies are highly toxic to cats.

First cultivated in Japan, hydrangeas have spread around the world and become a widely popular flower due to how easy they are to grow. They come in a wide range of colours, which vary depending on the pH level of the soil they are grown in. Strong alkaline soil produces blue or purple blooms, weak alkaline soil results in white ones, and neutral to acidic soil leads to pink flowers. By planting them in soil with a mixture of different pH levels, you could cultivate multi-coloured hydrangeas all at the same time! This beautiful flower has a sinister side, however, as it contains highly poisonous cyanide. Thankfully, as long as you don’t eat them, they are perfectly safe.

As you can see, Malaysia has no shortage of beautiful flowers to enjoy during our “springtime” months of April and May. With a wide variety of blooms in every shade, you’re bound to find something in your favourite colour. If you keep a lookout, you’ll likely see some of the flowers on this list in the upcoming months. Have fun flower-spotting for your favourites!