Animal Crossing: New Horizons provides an airbrushed reality with a variety of fun tasks to entertain players. One of the more quiet tasks is gardening. Though some may think gardening is unprofitable, cultivating flowers is a great way to make your island look fresh and beautiful. Additionally, flowers can be used in several DIY recipes, such as wreaths and crowns, that can be sold to Nook's Cranny or given to neighbors as gifts.
What's also exciting is that players can create hybrids by cross-pollinating flowers of the same species to create different colors. The base flowers are red, white or yellow (and orange for windflowers), but depending on how players arrange their garden, hybrid flowers can be orange, pink, purple, black and blue. Not only do hybrid flowers look unique and add gorgeous colors to your village, they can also attract rare insects like the peacock butterfly and can be used in DIY recipes.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons has eight different flowers: mums, hyacinths, tulips, windflowers, roses, lilies, pansies and cosmos. Each player starts out with one flower species growing on their cliffs and can buy a couple of other types at Nook's Cranny. Players will have to visit their friend's islands or go on Mystery Island tours to dig up the stems to bring back home. Flowers are planted via seed packets or planted from pilfered stems.
To begin crossbreeding, plant the flowers in a checkerboard pattern, leaving a space between each flower for the hybrid to grow. The diagonal flowers will cross-pollinate, so put some thought into how you place the colored flowers. Either plant the seeds and stems with the Y button, or dig holes to better control flower placement. Make sure to water the flowers daily, except for when it rains. The hybrid flower isn't guaranteed to grow the next day, but there will always be a chance for one to bloom.
Mums
Mum is short for chrysanthemum, so it makes sense why the game would abbreviated the name to avoid overwhelming its small chat bubbles. These flowers are made up of layers of petals for an aesthetically pleasing look, and they are often used in Chinese cuisine.
- White + Red = Pink
- White + White = Purple
- Purple + Purple = Green
Hyacinths
Hyacinths are made up of several flowering clusters on one stalk and are known for their sweet smell. The bulbs are poisonous, but luckily they won't hurt the player in the game.
- Yellow + Red = Orange
- White + Red = Pink
- White + White or Pink + Pink = Blue
- Orange + Orange = Purple
Tulips
Tulips are showy, colorful flowers with curved petals that resemble a teacup. Botanists have been obsessed with these flowers since their introduction, and players can continue their legacy by creating new colors.
- White + Red = Pink
- Yellow + Red = Orange
- Red + Red = Black
- Orange + Orange = Purple
Windflowers
Windflowers get their beautiful name from the smell of their musky leaves. But don't let their delicate appearance fool you. These full-petaled flowers are poisonous if eaten in the real-world.
- Orange + Red or White + Red = Pink
- White + White = Blue
- Blue + Pink or Blue + Blue or Pink + Pink = Purple
Roses
Roses have long held significance in our popular culture due to their unmatched beauty and elegance. Britain has adopted this flower as one of their national symbols, and it's not hard to see why.
Roses have more color options than other flowers in the game, as well as several special, unique options. Growing the elusive Golden Rose will require you to have the Golden Watering Can, so be sure to unlock that to help you grow the game's rarest flower.
- White + Red or Red + Red = Pink
- White + White = Purple
- Red + Red = Black
- Yellow + Red = Orange
- Purple + Orange or Orange + White or Red + Purple= Hybrid Red (different from regular red)
- Hybrid Red + Hybrid Red = Blue
- Black + Black + Golden Watering Can = Gold
Lilies
Lilies have a unique shape with their trumpet-like petals protecting the stamens within. They can be a wide variety of mixed and solid colors and are commonly used as funeral flowers.
- White + Red = Pink
- Yellow + Red = Orange
- Red + Red = Black
Pansies
Pansies are popular for the darker coloration on their uniquely arranged petals that resemble either a cat or dog face. These flowers are actually the product of centuries of hybridizing, and players can continue this tradition. Like roses, pansies have some special colorations that change the color of the darker part on the inside.
- Yellow + Red = Orange
- White + White = Blue
- Blue + Red = Hybrid Red
- Blue + Orange = Hybrid Orange
- Hybrid Red + Hybrid Red or Hybrid Orange + Hybrid Orange = Purple
Cosmos
Finally, cosmos are hardy flowers with slightly cupped petals. They don't need much tending, so they grow prolifically. Their bright yellow centers give them a cheerful look that will be sure to brighten up any garden.
- White + Red = Pink
- Yellow + Red = Orange
- Orange + Orange = Black
There are a lot of tasks to complete to maintain the perfect island, so take a break every now and then to garden. Gardening is one of the lowest stress activities, as the only mistake you might make is forgetting to water your flowers for a day. Placing flowers, hybrid of otherwise, is a sure way to add a bright pop of color to your front yard or public places on your island.