Winners at the Beijing Olympics will receive a bunch of flowers as well as their gold medal. This is a Flame Nettle Coleus one of the top ten plants to be used at the Olympics but there are said to be 1500 different plants and flowers going to be used. The Chinese have even built a special flower market to support the Olympic effort.

Official Olympic Flowers

• Chrysanthemums are a symbol of dignity in Chinese culture and will feature strongly. How about the golden colour of Golden Standard, Golden Charm or the aptly named Golden Rival’s Rival.
• Chinese roses are on the top ten list of the Beijing Olympic flowers thanks to their status as ‘flowers of the city’.
• Gerbera will be used for the Paralympics with mascots fashioned out of the flowers.
• Add to this list the Peony a flower well associated with China and you are building up a picture of the floral colour that will be on display.
• In olden Greece it would have been a Laurel wreath for the winner and a long walk home for the loosers

Olympic Fun to Try

• Name your favourite flower for each main event - the triple jump would be some weed I guess but my Wisteria may be for the High Jump
• Plants that you have grown from home grown seed can be given a family name like the Paula Radcliffe in the same way that Roses are often named after celebrities. Water Lilys would be reserved for swimming winners I guess
• Give the A.O.P. to anyone you think has won unfairly. A.O.P. is my Award of Opium Poppy.
• Let us have your suggestions for Olympic plants or flowers