Definition of an Imperfect Flower

A black-eyed Susan.

For most people, flowers are grown in the garden or placed in a vase, to be tossed out when they have dried up and turned brown. Others, who are serious about their flowers, will know about complete flowers, imperfect flowers, and what makes them different. Not every flower is as simple as it looks from the outside.

Definition of an Imperfect Flower

An imperfect flower is a term that relates to the sex of the flower. Flowers need to reproduce, so they have sexual organs that either allow them to self-reproduce or not. The imperfect flower does not have the male and female parts on each flower blossom.

The four gender parts of the flower include pistil, stamen, petal and sepal. The stamen is the male reproductive part of a flower, while the pistil is the female portion. The sepal is the bud casing that protects the bud that is still developing or emerging. The petals are the outer coverings of the flower that attract bees, butterflies or other insects for pollination.

Types of Imperfect Flowers

Hop flowers.

Imperfect flowers are divided into two types. There are plants that have multiple flowers, with some flowers having male parts and some having female parts. These plants can reproduce easily because the males and females are on the same plant and within easy reproduction distance.

The other type of imperfect plant is one with a single bloom or those with male only or female only parts. They will need to be planted with the opposite male only or female only plant, so pollination can occur easily between the two.

Types of imperfect flowers include the hop plant, the persimmon bush, willow trees, poplar trees and box elder bush.

Planting and Care

The planting and care of an imperfect flower is not much different than any other type of plant or flower. The only care you need to take is if you have a species with male only or female only parts. Then there will need to be multiple plants of the same flower, so the plants will reproduce in the future. If you don't know what kind of plants they are, the label will state it in the directions. Most likely it will say to plant with one or more similar species within a certain radius to have the most success.

Identifying an Imperfect Flower

The serious flower lover will appreciate the smell and look of the flower, but will also consider other aspects of it. The stamen is the center of the flower that sticks out. For example, a lily has a long stamen in the center that is white, yellow or light brown. The pistils are the smaller tubes with the yellow pollen pods on the end that encircle the stamen.

A professional or even a seasoned gardener can look at a flower and tell if it is an imperfect species or a perfect species. The male parts and the female parts are usually visible to the naked eye. For those that don't know how to or don't care to identify a male or female plant, the planting instructions will explain what you need to do.

Perfect Flowers

A sunflower is a perfect flower.

A perfect flower is the opposite of an imperfect flower. It contains both gender parts-- the stamen and the pistil--and can self reproduce from one part to the other easily. Most flowers, vegetable plants and fruit trees are perfect flowers, which include lilies, rose bushes, tomato plants, sunflowers and cherry trees. Perfect flowers don't require any special planting directions, other than what is listed on their label or packaging.

References

• University of Maryland: Angiosperms
• Garden Guide: Types of Imperfect Flowers