Flowers are universally admired. Flowers are the leading gift expressing love and respect. They prominently decorate our homes and cities, and they accompany all of the major events in human affairs, from birth through marriage and bereavement. Flowers are also of tremendous economic importance, representing billion-dollar industries in numerous countries. Hundreds of thousands of plant species produce flowers, but relatively few dominate the world of cultivated ornamental plants. Top 100 Flowers presents key information and illustrations of the world's most popular, beautiful, and commercially valuable ornamental flowering plants.Toward these goals, basic information is presented on the identification, appearance, names, history, growth requirements, economic aspects, and problem issues, as well as sources of additional library and online resources. Throughout the text, extensive photos, paintings, and diagrams are provided to illustrate the beauty and applications of the plants. Although the book is encyclopedic in nature, the information given is reduced to essentials and presented in non-technical language. The world's leading flowering plants are stunningly attractive, and the thousands of illustrations presented were chosen not only for their explanatory and educational value but also to reflect the beauty and charm of the plants. The text relates many of the wonderfully entertaining stories that reflect the intimate relationships of people and our beloved flowers.Features A unique compilation of authoritative, practical, and entertaining information and illustrations addressing the world's most gorgeous and popular flowers Text is accessible, user-friendly, concise, and well-organized, making numerous topics comprehensible and readable not only by students, but also by the average layperson Wonderfully illustrated: approximately a billion photos, paintings, and diagrams were surveyed and the more than 3,500 chosen for this book represent the finest floral art ever assembled The goal of Top 100 Flowers: The World's Most Popular, Beautiful, and Commercially Valuable Ornamental Flowering Plants is to provide basic knowledge of practical interest to the horticultural industry, especially students, to choose, develop, and market profitable floral crops, and the public, to choose, grow, and appreciate flowers in their gardens and homes.