A flower is the colorful, often fragrant part of a plant that produces seeds. Flowers come in thousands of shapes, sizes, and colors: roses, daisies, sunflowers, orchids, and countless others. Inside each flower, tiny grains of pollen must reach the right spot to create seeds that will grow into new plants.

Many flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds with bright petals and sweet nectar. As these creatures move from flower to flower drinking nectar, they accidentally carry pollen between plants, helping them reproduce. This partnership between flowers and pollinators has shaped life on Earth for millions of years.

People have always treasured flowers. We give them as gifts to show love or sympathy, plant them in gardens for their beauty, and use them in celebrations. Some flowers become food: broccoli and cauliflower are actually flower buds we harvest before they bloom.

As a verb, flower means to bloom or develop fully. The word flower can also describe the best period of something. When an athlete is “in the flower of their career,” they're at their peak performance. When a civilization reaches its flowering, it achieves its greatest accomplishments in art, science, and culture.