The short answer: An American mahjong set has 8 flower tiles: 4 flowers and 4 seasons. In American play they’re bonus tiles — you draw one, set it aside, and draw a replacement. The yearly card decides whether they add points to your hand.
Flowers are the prettiest tiles in the case and the most misunderstood ones. Beginners keep trying to play them like normal tiles, but flowers don’t work that way in American mahjong. There are eight of them, and they run on their own little system.
What are the four flowers and four seasons?
- Flowers: plum, orchid, chrysanthemum, and bamboo — one tile each.
- Seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter — one tile each.
- In American mahjong, flowers and seasons are usually treated the same: pure bonus tiles.
- In Chinese mahjong, matching a flower to your seat position can earn extra points.
What happens when you draw a flower?
- Draw the flower and set it aside face up, out of your hand.
- Draw a replacement tile from the wall so you keep 13 tiles in hand.
- Score whatever bonus the card or house rules give you.
Flowers are just one piece of the 152-tile American set — see the full breakdown in our article on how many tiles are in American mahjong and how many tiles are in a mahjong set. New to the game? What is American mahjong and how to play American mahjong cover the rest. Then play a few hands free with American Mahjong online, or chill out with Turtle Mahjong.
Related Questions
Do flowers count toward winning a hand?
No. Flowers never form part of a winning hand in American mahjong. They’re bonus tiles only: you set them aside, draw a replacement, and collect whatever points the card awards for them.
Are flowers and seasons worth different points?
In most American house rules, no — all eight are interchangeable bonus tiles. The yearly card is the final word, and some cards do separate flowers from seasons for specific bonuses.
What if I never draw any flowers?
That’s completely normal and costs you nothing. Flowers only add points when you draw them. A winning hand with zero flowers scores just fine — flowers are a bonus, never a requirement.