Trying to decide between roses and hydrangea for your wedding? Perhaps this latest research from gardening experts AllAboutGardening.com will help! The company analysed hashtag counts of over 100 different types of flowers, on Instagram to establish which flower is the most popular on the social media platform.
Roses were revealed as the most Instagrammable flower. To date, there are 79.6million posts using the hashtag 'rose' or 'roses', contributing to its status as the most Instagrammable flower. Roses, when cut, can typically last up to one week but to keep the flower fresh requires additional care tips. The best way to keep roses fresh is to remove all the leaves from the stem, as allowing leaves to be submerged in water can lead to your roses harbouring bacteria and will speed up the process of your roses wilting. Similarly, roses should always be kept in a cool spot with vase water that is regularly changed.
The second most Instagrammable flower is the sunflower. There are 9.7million posts using the hashtag 'sunflower' as well as 5million using the hashtag 'sunflowers', leading to a combined hashtag count of 14.7million – the second highest number for any flower. Sunflowers are relatively easy to grow due to the fact that they're heat tolerant, pest resistant and fast growing. To make your sunflowers grow perfectly, place them in fertile soil in a sheltered spot, ideally in the ground as opposed to a pot, if you want it to grow tall.
Tulips are revealed as the third most Instagrammable flower, amassing 11.4million combined hashtags on the platform. Tulips are prone to wilting and drooping – in order to prevent this and keep your tulips staying upright, it's best to always cut the stems at an angle before you place them in a vase which removes air and increases the water flow through the stem.
The fourth most Instagrammable flower is the orchid. There are approximately 8.9million hashtags using either 'orchid' or 'orchids' on the app. To best care for an orchid, it is ideal to position your orchid in a bright windowsill facing east or west as well as watering your orchid once a week. Be careful not to over water your orchid as they are prone to root rot.
The peony has 7.7million hashtags on Instagram, making it the fifth most Instagrammable flower. When broken down, this comes as a result of the hashtag 'peony' having 4.4million hashtags and 'peonies' having 3.3million hashtags. One unusual tip to keeping peonies fresh once they're on display is to keep them in the fridge overnight as they prefer a colder environment. This tip combined with changing vase water every 24 hours and re-cutting stems every 24-48 hours is the ideal way to keep peonies fresh.
The flower with the title of the sixth most Instagrammable flower is the daisy which has 7.6million hashtags on Instagram, just slightly below peonies. Shasta daisies are typically the most popular to grow with the flower requiring full sun in well-drained soil. To keep shasta daisies fresh, pruning and deadheading them is ideal to prevent an overgrown look.
Poppies are the seventh most Instagrammable flower. The hashtag for 'poppy' has amassed 3.8million hashtags whilst 'poppies' has 1.7million, leading to a combined hashtag count of 5.5million for the red flower. Spring is the optimum time to grow poppies and poppy seeds can be sown directly into well-prepared soil. They are relatively hassle-free to grow, contributing their popularity.
Hydrangeas rank eighth with a combined Instagram hashtag count of 4.6million hashtags. To maintain your hydrangeas, you should water them at a rate of one inch of water per week throughout their growing season as well as adding mulch underneath them to keep the soil moist as well as cool.
The ninth most Instagrammable flower is the dahlia. Dahlias had a combined hashtag count of 2.8million. Dahlias are relatively easy to take care of, being able to grow in most soil types, however the best time to grow them is in the summer months as they thrive in hot sun.
Rounding out the top ten is the hibiscus flower which has 2.7 million hashtags on the social media platform. Hibiscus plants should be watered daily if they are in a pot or container or every other day if it's a garden plant and should be placed in sunlight. Similar to shasta daisies, pruning and deadheading hibiscus flowers is the best way to encourage new flowers to bloom.
Commenting on the findings, a spokesperson from AllAboutGardening.com commented: "As we enter the peak of summer, many look to spend their time growing and displaying flowers. These findings offer an interesting insight into which flowers people consider the most aesthetically pleasing to post about and serves as a guide to some of the most gorgeous flowers that can be displayed in homes this summer."
The research was conducted by AllAboutGardening.com which offer in-depth information into specific varieties of plants which include perennials, annuals, edibles, ornamentals, trees, houseplants, shrubs and more.
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