The Origins of 19 Flower Pokemon & Why So Many of Them Need the Sun

Flower Pokemon are a crowded group. A Grass type needs a plant to be, and a bloom is the quickest way to show it, so the Pokedex has roses, sunflowers, lilies and cotton plants. A flower does one job, which is to open when the sun is out, and that shapes how most of these Pokemon behave in the games.

See all 19 flower Pokemon in one list.

Here are the origins of the 19 flower Pokemon:

All 19 Flower Pokemon

#044

Gloom

Gloom, the Weed Pokemon, is a mandrake, a plant whose roots sometimes look like human figures, crossed with the budding stage of Rafflesia, a parasitic plant known for its large, foul smelling flowers. Its habit of giving off a foul odor when it feels threatened comes from the rotting flesh smell of Rafflesia.

What looks like drool is sweet honey, very sticky and clinging stubbornly if touched. Its Chlorophyll ability doubles its Speed in strong sunlight, and Speed decides who attacks first in a turn. It stands 0.8 m tall.

#045

Vileplume

Vileplume is the Flower Pokemon, based on a mandrake and on Rafflesia, and it is especially similar to Rafflesia arnoldii, which produces the largest single flower on Earth. Its habit of attracting prey with its petals before immobilizing and devouring them is similar to the behavior of various carnivorous plants.

The larger its petals, the more toxic pollen it contains, and its big head is heavy and hard to hold up. Vileplume weighs 18.6 kg, much of it petal.

#069

Bellsprout

Bellsprout is the Flower Pokemon, though it may be based on carnivorous pitcher plants of the Nepenthes genus. It has been depicted among bellflowers, and the Japanese name of Violet City, home of Sprout Tower, means Chinese bellflower. In Pokemon Red and Green it points to the mandrake, a plant known for its "man-shaped" roots.

Bellsprout prefers hot and humid places and ensnares tiny bugs with its vines and devours them. It stands 0.7 m tall and weighs 4 kg.

#182

Bellossom

Bellossom is a stereotypical hula dancer. The leaves around its body resemble a grass skirt, which tourism made popular in Hawaii, and the flowers on its head resemble plumeria, which are worn in the hair and used to make leis. Their shape matches Rafflesia keithii, which ties it back to Gloom. Its body shape and the ringing sound it makes also make it reminiscent of a bell.

Bellossom gather at times and appear to dance, and the dance is a ritual to summon the sun. Bellossom stands 0.4 m tall.

#191

Sunkern

Sunkern is a shooting sunflower seed. Sunkern tries to move as little as it possibly can, to conserve the nutrients stored in its body for its evolution, and it eats nothing and lives on morning dew.

Every one of its stats is 30. Its Solar Power ability raises its Special Attack to 1.5× during strong sunlight, at a cost of 1/8 of its HP each turn (HP is how much damage it can take before it faints). It stands 0.3 m tall and weighs 1.8 kg. A seed that saves its energy for evolution has a better plan than most Pokemon here.

#192

Sunflora

Sunflora is a sunflower and its close association with the Sun. Sunflora converts solar energy into nutrition, moves around actively in the daytime when it is warm, and stops moving as soon as the sun goes down for the night.

Its Solar Power ability raises that stat to 1.5× in strong sunlight. The Sun Pokemon weighs 8.5 kg and stands 0.8 m tall.

#315

Roselia

Roselia, the Thorn Pokemon, may be based on rose bushes. Its humanoid design, its link to flowers and one of its Egg Groups suggest it may also be based on fairies. Its red and blue roses could reference hydrangeas, which produce red or blue flowers depending on the pH level of the soil.

Though it is beautiful, it has highly poisonous thorns, and there is an old tradition of sending these thorns to an opponent to challenge them to a duel. Its Poison Point ability has a 30% chance of poisoning an attacker that touches it. It stands 0.3 m tall.

#345

Lileep

Lileep is based on crinoids, also known as sea lilies, which are living marine animals and relatives of starfish and sea urchins. Crinoid fossils are particularly abundant, which may have inspired Lileep's status as a Fossil Pokemon, and its tentacles may be based on those of the sea anemone.

Lileep clings to rocks on the seabed and entangles prey that come close with its petallike tentacles. Its Suction Cups ability prevents it from being forced out of battle by other Pokemon's moves. It stands 1 m tall, weighs 23.8 kg.

#406

Budew

Budew, the Bud Pokemon, may be based on a rose bud. When the sun's light strengthens, the bud atop its head opens, and this is a sign to people that the harsh winter is over and the season of budding has begun.

Its Natural Cure ability cures any major status ailment when it switches out, and its Poison Point ability can poison an attacker that touches it. It stands 0.2 m tall and weighs 1.2 kg.

#421

Cherrim

Cherrim, the Blossom Pokemon, is based on photonastic flowers, which react to light. In its Sunshine Form it is based on cherry blossoms, which are especially symbolic of Japan. Its Overcast Form resembles the bud of a fuchsia flower.

Cherrim stays motionless save for the occasional quiver, and a rich array of Pokemon gathers around it, drawn by the scent from its folded petals. Its Flower Gift ability raises the Attack and Special Defense of its friendly Pokemon to 1.5× in strong sunlight. It stands 0.5 m tall.

#548

Petilil

Petilil, the Bulb Pokemon, is based on the bulb of a plant in the lily family, most likely a tulip. Its Shiny coloration may come from yellow onion or golden garlic bulbs.

The leaves on its head are highly valued for medicinal purposes, and you can dry them in the sun, boil them and drink the bitter decoction for remarkably effective relief from fatigue. It stands 0.5 m tall and weighs 6.6 kg.

#549

Lilligant

Lilligant is based on a lily. Its crown and dress may come from Western high-class women's fashion, and its lower body resembles a ball gown, so it could also be a ballroom dancer. Several moves it learns by leveling up are dance moves.

Its well-developed legs are the result of a life spent on mountains covered in deep snow, and the scent from its flower crown heartens those nearby. It stands 1.1 m tall and weighs 16.3 kg.

#669

Flabebe

Flabebe, the Single Bloom Pokemon, is based on fairies and nymphs, in particular Antheia, because of the flower wreath crown on its head. It may also come from insect pollination, since it is small and grasps the stigma of the flower, and its wreath resembles the pollen that gathers on pollinators.

Flabebe wears a crown made from pollen it has collected from its flower, and the crown has hidden healing properties. It is 0.1 m tall and weighs 0.1 kg. Its Flower Veil ability protects friendly Grass Pokemon from having their stats lowered.

#671

Florges

Florges, the Garden Pokemon, is based on fairies and nymphs, in particular the Anthousai, because of its heavy connection to flowers. The flower arrangement around its neck may reference the 18th century pouf hairstyle, the fluffy flowers on its head look like lilacs, and its body structure resembles a hyacinth.

Its life can span several hundred years and that it devotes its entire life to protecting gardens. Its Special Defense of 154. It stands 1.1 m tall.

#753

Fomantis

Fomantis, the Sickle Grass Pokemon, may be based on the orchid flower along with the orchid mantis, which reverses the mimetic relationship between those two organisms. Fomantis basks in sunlight and sleeps peacefully during the day, and it wakes and moves around at night.

Its Leaf Guard ability protects it from major status ailments in strong sunlight, which makes it a sun Pokemon that sleeps through the sun. It stands 0.3 m tall and weighs 1.5 kg during the day.

#754

Lurantis

Lurantis, the Bloom Sickle Pokemon, may be based on the orchid flower along with the orchid mantis. Its appearance also resembles a kimono, specifically the kind worn by Obon dancers.

The petals on its arms are thin and super sharp, and it can fire laser beams if it gathers light first. It stands 0.9 m tall and weighs 18.5 kg. It has the same Leaf Guard ability as Fomantis, and it needs light to fire its lasers.

#763

Tsareena

Tsareena, the Fruit Pokemon, is based on a mangosteen and a queen, and the queen may reference the mangosteen being known as the "Queen of Fruit". The flower link is its gender ratio: mangosteen trees produce flowers of a single gender, and a male mangosteen tree has never been found, just as Tsareena is always female.

A kick from the hardened tips of its legs leaves a wound in the opponent's body and soul that will never heal. Its Queenly Majesty ability stops opposing Pokemon from using priority attacks (a priority move attacks first no matter the Speed).

#829

Gossifleur

Gossifleur, the Flowering Pokemon, is inspired by the cotton plant, specifically its flower. It also follows a legend that director Shigeru Ohmori had heard, in which catching cotton balls floating in the air may bring good luck, and it may reference the windflower, which is common in the British Isles.

Gossifleur whirls around in the wind while singing a joyous song, and this delightful display has charmed many into raising it. Its Regenerator ability heals it for 1/3 of its HP when it switches out. It stands 0.4 m tall.

#830

Eldegoss

Eldegoss, the Cotton Bloom Pokemon, resembles the seedpods of plants from the Anemone genus, like the windflower. It also resembles dandelions, a full-bloomed ball of cotton and the way cotton is used to make textiles. It may also be based on stereotypical depictions of elderly women, and its fluff may be based on an afro haircut.

The cotton on its head can be spun into a glossy, gorgeous yarn, a Galar regional specialty. It has the same Regenerator ability as Gossifleur, it stands 0.5 m tall and it weighs 2.5 kg.

14 of the 19 Have an Ability That Needs the Sun

Flowers open in the sun, and the games copied that. Chlorophyll doubles Speed in strong sunlight, Solar Power raises Special Attack, Flower Gift raises a team's Attack and Special Defense, and Leaf Guard blocks status ailments, and 14 of the 19 have at least one of the four. Only 54 of all 1,025 Pokemon do. The same pattern holds: Bellossom dances to summon the sun, Budew's bud opens when the sun's light strengthens and Sunflora stops moving as soon as the sun goes down.

Flower Pokemon FAQ

How many flower Pokemon are there?

There are 19 flower Pokemon, from Gloom and Vileplume in Generation I to Gossifleur and Eldegoss in Generation VIII.

What is the strongest flower Pokemon?

Florges, with a base stat total of 552. Tsareena follows at 510.

Is Sunflora based on a sunflower?

Yes. Sunflora is based on a sunflower and its close association with the Sun.

Is Tsareena a flower?

No. Tsareena is the Fruit Pokemon, based on a mangosteen and a queen, and its link to flowers is that mangosteen trees produce flowers of a single gender.