Flower

Flowers, or Flowering Plants, are seen in a variety of media across the How to Train Your Dragon Franchise.

Description
Flowering plants are a diverse and dominant group of plants collectively known as Angiosperms. They are unique because of their seed production within a fruit body, flowering parts, and endosperm tissue within the seed to provide nutrients to the plant embryo.

The flower structure is a reproductive organ system for flowering plants. Flowers typically have sepals and petals which are modified leaves that attract animals and provide protection, stamens which harbor male reproductive tissue, and the carpel which houses the female reproductive tissue.

In the Franchise, there is often little morphological variation between types of flowers depicted across various TV episodes. The only variation may be the color.

Function
Flowers have a variety of functions in both the Franchise and real life. Flowers are edible, have been used as herbal medicine, and are just pretty to look at. Flowers are widely used for household decoration, ritual and symbolism, personal decoration, and ornamental gardening. On the other hand, some flowers can be toxic and used as poison.

Additionally, in the Franchise, dragons eat flowers and are said to simply enjoy them, depending on the species, of course.

Alpha Toothless Plant
The Toothless plant is a wall decoration players of School of Dragons can use to place in their Hideouts. It is unknown if this flower is based on a real life plant.

Alpine Blue Thistle
The Alpine Blue Thistle is named in the School of Dragons quest "Fill the World with Flowers".

"These are Alpine Blue Thistles. Their thistles are very tall and usually stick out above other flowers. These flowers tower over other plant to get optimal sunlight. They really need to, since they grow in high elevation!"

- Phlegma in School of Dragons

There are two possible plants in real life that "Alpine Blue Thistle" might be referring to. Cirsium eatonii can be commonly called Alpine Thistle. This is a tall plant growing on mountains in the American West. However, the flowers don't particularly resemble those in the game. The other possibility is Cicerbita alpina or Alpine Blue Sow-Thistle, native to Europe. This plant is also fairly tall and occurs on cool higher latitudes. Its flowers are somewhat more similar to those seen in the game.

Alpine Gentian
Alpine Gentians (Gentiana nivalis) are named in the School of Dragons quest "Fill the World with Flowers".

"This is Alpine Gentian. It has bitter roots as a defense mechanism. Animals don't want to eat these flowers because it tastes so bad!"

- Phlegma in School of Dragons

Alpine Gentian - also called Snow Gentian - is native to Greenland, Iceland, and the cool mountains of the Alps, Norway, and Scotland. They are small plants with brilliant blue star-shaped flowers.

Arctic Gentian
Arctic Gentian (Gentiana algida), also known as Whitish Gentian is a small flowering plant of the Genus  Gentiana, native to high cold mountainous regions such as the Rocky Mountains, Alaska, and the Himalayas. The leaves are lance-shaped, and flowers are white and bell-shaped, often with some other markings on them.

The arctic gentian is a cultivable flower in School of Dragons. The Arctic Gentian can be bought from the shop after purchasing the Icestorm Island expansion pack. It gives 6 bunches in 6 hours.

"Arctic Gentians bloom beautifully in cool climates."

- School of Dragons

In a Farm Job in School of Dragons, Arctic Gentian is an ingredient required for a medicinal concoction to ease pain for pulling dragon teeth. Please note this is a fictitious use. Other Farm Jobs ask for Arctic Gentian for use as bookmarks (when dried) and to make a headdress.

Yet another Farm Job indicates that Groncicles will eat Arctic Gentian along with Pumpkins and Arctic Poppy.

"These ingredients make a strange flavored smoothie. Only Groncicles like it."

- School of Dragons

Arctic Gentian, Dragon Nip, and Toothache Plant is required to complete a Farm Job concoction to ease pain after Gobber pulls a tooth from Barf and Belch.

"Gobber had to pull one of Barf and Belch's teeth. This will ease the pain."

- School of Dragons

Another Farm Job asks for Puffin feathers and Arctic Gentian for Fishlegs to use as bookmarks.

"Fishlegs likes to use dried flowers and feathers as bookmarks"

- School of Dragons

Yet another asks for the flowers for head decorations.

"Phlegma is making an elaborate headdress made of these beautiful flowers."

- ''School of Dragons

Arctic Poppy
Arctic Poppy (Papaver radicatum), also known as the Rooted Poppy, grows in alpine and sub-alpine grasslands in North America, Scandinavia, and Greenland. It is one of the few flowers that can grow in extreme Northern latitudes.

"Arctic poppies look delicate but can survive freezing temperatures."

- School of Dragons

The Arctic Poppy can be bought from the shop after purchasing the Icestorm Island expansion pack. It gives 3 flowers after 30 minutes.

In School of Dragons Arctic Poppies are used to complete various Farm Jobs. These include medicinal uses such as a Farm Job including it to treat a dragon toothache, as a tonic to help dragons get through the harsh winters, or mixed with Yak milk to soothe a dragon's stomache. Other uses mentioned are for eating on salads.

"I just discovered the most delicious salad dressing recipe!"

- Trader Johann in School of Dragons

Arctic Poppies apparently can be eaten by dragons, as mentioned in three Farm Jobs. One indicates that Hiccup has used arctic poppies to find new paint sources, but Toothless likes eating them!

"Hiccup is trying out a new paint recipe, but Toothless keeps eating his flowers."

- School of Dragons

Another Farm Job indicates that Groncicles will eat Arctic Poppy along with Pumpkins and Arctic Gentian.

"These ingredients make a strange flavored smoothie. Only Groncicles like it."

- School of Dragons

The third mentions Arctic Poppy, along with Dragon Nip and Yak milk combined into a stew for dragons.

"Fishlegs has cooked up a popular stew for dragons. Time to restock!"

- School of Dragons

Azalea
Azaleas appear once in the movie short, Legend of the Boneknapper Dragon. Gobber is running from his Boneknapper Nemesis on an Unnamed Island, chopping through Bamboo. He comes across an azalea bush and stops to smell the flowers.

"Azalea" is a common name for some species in the Genus Rhododendron. Presently there is no azalea subgenus or other botanical classification for azaleas. Azaleas may refer to either evergreen or deciduous shrubs. Plants called azaleas can be found in Asia and North America. Whether the plant is an "azalea" or other Rhododendron species, all have beautiful flowers, commonly in pinks and white.

Bitterweed
Bitterweed is a small flowering plant with a purple five-petalled bloom at maturity. In the show, no leaves of any kind are seen, only a flower stuck in the dirt. It is not clear how this plant photosynthesizes.

In "Enemy of My Enemy ", a green variation is also seen. Dagur the Deranged indicates that the Bitterweed looks like that green flower, "only darker". It is possible the green variation is an immature flower that must still turn purple.

In actuality, there are a number of plants generically referred to as "bitterweed". Most commonly though, bitterweed refers to Ambrosia artemisiifolia (also called Common Ragweed) and Helenium amarum (also called Bitter Sneezeweed). Both of these species are native to the Americas and would not have been encountered by Vikings. Ragweed does have medicinal uses to some Native American Tribes. Ragweed is implicated in allergies in humans, while Sneezeweed is mildly toxic and has a noxious odor when crushed. Neither have purple flowers, but rather yellow ones.

In the How to Train Your Dragon Franchise, bitterweed is part of an herbal concoction for Dragons to combat the effects of Dragon Root. Other components include: fresh water, Fire Fern, and Purple Oleander. The ingredients are heated together to make a tea. The final product is purple in color and is fed directly to the affected dragon. In "Enemy of My Enemy", Toothless was hit by an arrow tipped with Dragon Root. It is not clear if this antidote is useful only on Dragon Root entering the blood stream or also for other means of delivery, such as aerosolized Dragon Root. It is also not discussed if bitterweed has use in human herbal medicine.

Bitterweed is seen only in one episode, "Enemy of My Enemy". Toothless is shot with a Dragon Root arrow by Dragon Hunters who set a trap for Hiccup and Toothless. The two barely make it to a nearby Unnamed Island. The Dragon Hunters pursue. Hiccup attempts to save himself and hide Toothless, who is extremely lethargic, but not unconscious from the Dragon Root. A mysterious man who is later revealed to be Dagur tried to help Hiccup. Because of the past, Hiccup has a hard time trusting him. Dagur recalls seeing Ryker Grimborn making an antidote for Dragon Root, and the two humans set out to find the ingredients.

Blue Anemone
Blue Anemones are seen in two player Quests in the game School of Dragons. In "Fill the World With Flowers", Phlegma asks the player to collect various types of flowering plants, including blue anemone. In "For My Son, Hiccup", Valka asks the player to obtain some ink from Heather the Alchemist. Heather in turn asks the player for blue anemone and fermented eel to make the ink.

"This is a Blue Anemone. It has thick roots that hold the flower in place. All parts of this plant can be poisonous, so it will be very painful if an animal eats this plant! This helps the flower survive longer."

- Phlegma in School of Dragons

Blue Anemone (Anemone apennina) is a plant with brilliant blue daisy-esque flowers native to Europe. The "blue anemone" depicted in "School of Dragons" actually looks more similar in appearance to another species of anemone, the Poppy Anemone (Anemone coronaria), in a blue variety.

Blue Oleander
Please refer to Blue Oleander for more information.

Buttercup Poppy
Buttercup Poppies are seen and named in the beginning of the Dragons: Race to the Edge, Season 5 episode "Snuffnut", in which Fishlegs and Meatlug are carrying the flowers. Tuffnut lurks nearby in camouflage dress to scare him. The buttercup poppies are butter yellow and are the same illustration as blue oleanders and many other flowers seen in the Franchise shows. Though both buttercups and poppies are flowers occurring in real life, none are called 'buttercup poppies'.

Chrysanthemum
During the expansion Return to Dragon Island of the game School of Dragons the player needs to find something that filtrates the air so that Hiccup can mame a mask to protect humans from the toxic fog around the school. Tuffnut then talks about some things he tested in the past, one of them being the chrysanthemum.

Dandelion
A dandelion is only seen once - in the Spring Version of a Maze for players in School of Dragons called "Loki's Mirage. The dandelion appears as part of a food chain that the player must utilize to figure their way past once portion of the maze.

Dandelions refer to most species in the Genus Taraxacum, though the most common and widespread species people are most familiar with are Taraxacum officinale] and Taraxacum erythrospermum. Both are native to Europe, but have naturalized in many places around the world. Dandelions are often viewed as "weeds" and are very tenacious plants. However, they have been used - all plant parts - as food since before recorded history. Dandelions are often used for various herbal remedies as well.

Dark Red Helleborine
The Dark Red Helleborine appears in the game School of Dragons during the quest "Fill the World With Flowers".

"This is a Dark Red Helleborine. It releases a vanilla scent that helps attract bees. The bees then help carry the flower's pollen to other flowers."

- Phlegma about the Helleborine

In reality, the Dark Red Helleborine (Epipactis atrorubens) is a plant of the family Orchidaceae. It can be found in dry and warm places, from the sea level to 2400m. It has purple flowers which bloom in the summer and multiple fleshy roots.

Dragon Bloom
The Dragon Bloom is a large flowering plant that is exclusive to the game School of Dragons expansion "Secret of the Leviathan".

The Dragon Bloom is very smelly, similar to a rotting carcass, and thrives in tropical habitats. In the Barbaric Archipelago, it only occurs in the cenote of Impossible Island. The large bloom sprouts fruit that are ovoid and pale with red spots. This plant is fictitious and exclusive to the School of Dragons game.

The fruits of the Dragon Bloom are edible to dragons. In addition, the fruit can speed growth of the Luminous Krayfin dragon, and can help it attain Leviathan size.

Fire Lily
Fire Lilies appear in the Expansion "Icestorm Island" of the game, School of Dragons. They populate a geothermal cave on the frigid Icestorm Island.

In reality, there are several groups of plants that may have the common name 'fire lily', including the Genus Gloriosa, Lilium bulbiferum, Genus Pyrolirion, and the Genus Cyrtanthus. None of these occur in Europe, except for Lilium bulbiferum, and this species flowers do somewhat resemble the School of Dragons plants, though the leaves do not.

Gronckle Plant
The Gronckle plant is a decoration players of School of Dragons can use to place in their Hideouts. It appears to be a sort of cactus

Cacti belong to the Family Cactaceae and are characterized by their extremely thick and fleshy stems. Many species lack the typical leaves, but have sharp thorns that are modified spines and some produce flowers, whose petals are modified leaves. Cacti are well adapted for life in desert environments with very low water levels. To combat this, they store what little water they recieve throughout the year in their center, releasing it when needed.

Hibiscus
Light peach-colored flowers appear in the School of Dragons player Quest, "The Very Best Friend". Late in the Quest, the flowers are identified as Hibiscus when the player is asked to give them to Phlegma the Botanist. In the game, these flowers are indicated as both being a favorite of Dragons and also used medicinally.

"We don't want those scented flowers to go to waste. Phlegma uses them to soothe upset dragons. Take these to her so she can help other dragons!""

- Hiccup in School of Dragons

In actuality, Hibiscus refers to any number of flowers in the large Genus Hibiscus. The flowers can come in a variety of colors from whites, reds, pinks, yellows, and anything in between. The plants and flowers, depending on species, have a wide range of uses including: medicinal, food, fibers, and even making bubbles.

Lavender
Lavender (Genus Lavendula) is a well-known herb used for a wide range of purposes from medicinal and aromatherapy, to decoration, to food. It leaves, flowers, and oil is utilized. Lavender has long spikes containing many small purple - or lavender - flowers. Though native to temperate climates, Vikings may very well have come across lavender during trade in the very least with other parts of Europe and the Middle east.

According to one School of Dragons Farm Job, Lavender is a favorite flower of dragons. Another Farm Job, as well as the Quest "Botany 101", indicates lavender tea is used to help Vikings get to sleep at night (the insomnia being caused by loud dragons). Another Farm Job asks for lavender to create an aromatherapy pillow for Eret.

"A lot of our Vikings suffer from insomnia. They can't get a good might's sleep because their dragons snore as loud as thunder! Take these lavender plants over to Heather to turn into tea."

- Phlegma in School of Dragons

Lobelia
Lobelia plant appears in "Icestorm Island" expansion pack in School of Dragons. When Fungus is paralyzed by a Speed Stinger, Hiccup suggest finding a cure to it as it would be useful in the future. Phlegma then sends the player to find a Lobelia plant and a Skullcap plant in the Wilderness so Heather can make an anti-venom solution.

"There are plants that have muscle-relaxing properties that can help. Please fetch me a Skullcap plant and a Lobelia plant from the Wilderness."

- Phlegma about a cure to Speed Stinger's venom

In reality, Lobelia is a Genus (Lobelia) of temperate to tropical plants with intense colored flowers of blue, purple, or red, depending on the species. These plants have been used medicinally, but care must be taken as they are considered generally toxic.

Milk Thistle
Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) is a large plant with long, thorned leaves and prickly red to purple flowers. Originally from Asia and Southern Europe, thistles have naturalized world-wide. Milk thistle has been inmpicated for herbal use to treat liver disease, cancer, and death cap Mushroom poisoning, but clinical studies are not conclusive.

Milk Thistle appears in the player Quest, "Going Berserker!", in School of Dragons as a remedy to mushroom poisoning. The Twins dupe Snotlout into eating toxic mushrooms, and he becomes ill and turns green. The player must collect milk thistle seeds to cure him.

Nightmare Plant
The Nightmare Plant is a fictitious flowering plant that appears in the game, School of Dragons. It is available for purchase as a decoration for the player's Hideout. The Nightmare plant roughly resembles an Orchid in growth habit, possibly those species and cultivars belonging to the Phalaenopsis Genus.

Purple Oleander
In "Enemy of My Enemy", Purple Oleander is a pink and purple flower with five distinct petals. It has fern-like even-pinnated leaves. It appears to prefer rocky areas, suggesting it has strong roots and tolerates little soil with low organic content.

In actuality, a plant called "Oleander" (Nerium oleander) belonging to the Dogbane Family does exist. It has been used as an ornamental plant for over a thousand years. There is no purple variant, however; flowers are various shades of pinks and also white or yellow. They are a small shrub with lance-shaped leaves.

All parts of Nerium oleander are toxic to humans and most other animals, though its effects on reptiles is not described. Birds and rodents are somewhat tolerant of its effects. Nerium oleander toxicity can affect skin, nervous system, heart, and gastrointestinal tract.

In the How to Train Your Dragon Franchise, Purple Oleander is part of an herbal concoction for Dragons to combat the effects of Dragon Root. Other components include: fresh water, Fire Fern, and Bitterweed. The ingredients are heated together to make a tea. The final product is purple in color and is fed directly to the affected dragon. In "Enemy of My Enemy", Toothless was hit by an arrow tipped with Dragon Root. It is not clear if this antidote is useful only on Dragon Root entering the blood stream or also for other means of delivery, such as aerosolized Dragon Root. It is also not discussed if Purple Oleander has use in human herbal medicine.

Purple Oleander is seen only in one episode, "Enemy of My Enemy". Toothless (Franchise) is shot with a Dragon Root arrow by Dragon Hunters who set a trap for Hiccup and Toothless. The two barely make it to a nearby Unnamed Island. The Dragon Hunters pursue. Hiccup attempts to save himself and hide Toothless, who is extremely lethargic, but not unconscious from the Dragon Root. A mysterious man who is later revealed to be Dagur tried to help Hiccup. Because of the past, Hiccup has a hard time trusting him. Dagur recalls seeing Ryker Grimborn making an antidote for Dragon Root, and the two humans set out to find the ingredients.

Red Oleander
Red Oleanders appear briefly in a quiz presented to players of Dragons: Rise of Berk.

Red Oleander is also mentioned by Viggo Grimborn in "Triple Cross", saying that if a dragon eats one, it has only two or three days to live. He also mentioned that it has a strong taste that can be masked by the taste of a fish. He later reveals that it was a trick to make Hiccup help him and that, in fact, Red Oleanders are completely harmless to dragons.

"You really don't know your oleanders, do you, Hiccup? Red oleander is harmless to dragons."

- Viggo in "Triple Cross"

Rock Blossom
Only the flowers of the Rock Blossom plant is seen, after Fishlegs collects them on Healer's Island. Growth requirements and habitat are unknown. The flowers, though, are five-lobed - and nearly identical to many other flowers seen in the Franchise. They do appear to come in a variety of colors: yellows, blues, pinks and oranges.

As seen in "The Eel Effect", Rock Blossom is a specific ingredient in the medicinal cure for Eel Pox, along with Dagga Plant, Buckthorn Root, Goat Weed, and Bloodvein Eel.

Rose
Roses are seen in both School of Dragons and Dragons: Rise of Berk, as parts of Quests or background decoration, particularly around Valentine's Day. Roses feature prominently in the School of Dragons quest "Flowers".

While members of the Genus Rosa are cultivated all over the world, most species are native to Asia, and smaller numbers in Europe, North America, and Northern Africa. In addition to the beautiful flowers, Roses and parts of the rose plant are edible, high in Vitamin C, has been used in traditional medicine, and in perfumes.

Scented Flowers
Scented Flowers are used in DreamWorks Dragons: Wild Skies as dragon food and can be found only at Wild Dragon Cliff.

Skullcap
Lobelia plant appears in "Icestorm Island" expansion pack in School of Dragons. When Fungus is paralyzed by a Speed Stinger, Hiccup suggest finding a cure to it as it would be useful in the future. Phlegma then sends to player to find a Skullcap plant and a Lobelia plant in the Wilderness so Heather can make an anti-venom solution.

"There are plants that have muscle-relaxing properties that can help. Please fetch me a Skullcap plant and a Lobelia plant from the Wilderness."

- Phlegma about a cure to Speed Stinger's venom

In reality, Skullcap is a common name given to species of the Genus Scuttellaria These plants with small purple flowers have been used medicinally for anxiety, inflammation, diarrhea, and muscle tension, while historically it was used to repel 'evils', treat rabies, and for women's health concerns.

Sunflower
Sunflowers are crops that a player can grow in the game, School of Dragons for use to complete Farm Jobs. There are assorted Jobs with many uses of Sunflowers, such as concocting paint. In actuality, sunflowers - particularly Helianthus annuus - have been used for natural dyes.