An art icon represented a flower (9)
I believe the answer is:
carnation
'a flower' is the definition.
(carnation is a kind of flower)
'an art icon represented' is the wordplay.
'represented' is an anagram indicator.
'an'+'art'+'icon'='anarticon'
'anarticon' is an anagram of 'CARNATION'.
(Other definitions for carnation that I've seen before include "Feature of many a wedding" , "Anoint car with the strange flower" , "Pink - garden flower" , "Not in a car (anag) - plant" , "Pink/white/red flower" .)