The short answer: A standard set has 8 flower tiles: 4 flowers (plum, orchid, bamboo, chrysanthemum) and 4 seasons (spring, summer, autumn, winter). Draw one and you set it aside, then draw a replacement right away. Some variants score them differently, and riichi plays without them.
Flower tiles are the odd ones out in mahjong. They never join a meld, yet almost every set ships with them. Here’s what they are and what to do when one lands in front of you.
Which tiles count as flowers?
The eight flower tiles split into two groups:
- Four flowers: plum, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum.
- Four seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter.
- In some traditions each season pairs with a flower of the same number, like spring with plum.
- Most sets number them 1 to 4 for scoring purposes.
What do you do when you draw one?
Simple rule, big effect on the game:
- Set the flower aside, in its own area or on your rack in American play.
- Draw a replacement tile immediately so your hand size stays correct.
- Flowers usually score a small bonus in variants that keep them.
- Riichi and several modern games leave them out entirely.
- In American mahjong, flowers match entries on your score card.
See how the flower count fits into the whole box in how many tiles in a mahjong set, and meet the joker version at American Mahjong.
Related Questions
Do flower tiles count in your hand?
No. They sit in a separate area and never form melds. Think of them as bonuses, not building blocks.
What happens if you draw a flower on your winning tile?
You still win. Draw the flower, set it aside, take the replacement, and if that replacement completes your hand, call the win.
Are seasons the same as flowers?
No, they’re a second set of four tiles. Together the flowers and seasons make the 8 flower tiles most sets include, though their scoring differs between variants.