# flowering

/ˈfɫaʊɝɪŋ/ (US) · /flˈaʊəɹɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/flowering
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. producing flowers

adjective · CEFR B2

describes a plant that is currently in bloom or is the type of plant that produces flowers.

For teachers: denoting a plant that produces flowers as its reproductive structure; often used to distinguish angiosperms from other plant types.

- The flowering cherry trees in the park look beautiful every spring.
- Botanists classify these species as flowering plants because they produce seeds enclosed within a carpel, unlike gymnosperms.

### 3. a peak period

noun · CEFR C1 · Literary

the time when an idea, a style, or a person's work is at its best and most successful.

For teachers: the period of greatest development, output, or influence of a particular movement, individual, or culture.

- The city saw a great flowering of art and music during that decade.
- Historians often point to this era as the full flowering of Renaissance humanism, marked by a radical shift in educational priorities.

Usage: Often used with the preposition 'of' to describe the subject reaching its peak.

## Examples

- The flowering plants add color to the garden.
- We planted several flowering shrubs along the fence to attract bees.
- The distinction between flowering and non-flowering plants is fundamental to understanding the evolutionary history of terrestrial vegetation.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.