Do certain flower colors have meaning? Flower color symbolism dates back centuries or more and can be found in cultures all over the world. What each color means depends on the culture and region, but there are some persistent symbolic meanings and messages in western culture. Know these meanings to make more of your next floral arrangement or gift bouquet.
Why Do Certain Flower Colors Have Meaning?
The history behind what flower colors symbolize is not perfectly clear. It certainly varies depending on culture, and some of the meanings reach so far back that no one knows for sure why they exist.
The various meanings of flower types and colors date back hundreds of years and are found worldwide. They are found in Shakespearean writings, ancient Greek and Egyptian texts, and in Asian folklore and mythologies.
What Do Flower Colors Mean?
The meaning of flower colors is not perfectly well defined. The symbolism varies a little, but there are some consistencies you can use to match your flowers to a special person, mood, or meaning you want to express in arrangements or beds:
- Red: Red flowers, especially roses, are most often associated with romantic love and passion. They can also mean desire, strength, courage, and respect.
- Pink: For more playful, platonic love, go with pink flowers. They represent happiness, innocence, gentleness, and grace.
- Yellow: Cheerful daffodils, tulips, and other yellow flowers mean joy, friendship, and health.
- Blue: Blue flowers, like hydrangea and cornflower, are peaceful and serene and used to promote openness, relaxation, and intimacy.
- White: White flowers symbolize purity and honesty and have long been traditional components of bridal bouquets. They can also mean sympathy and are used in memorials.
- Orange: Vibrant orange flowers, like marigolds and zinnias, represent joy, warmth, and enthusiasm. They can be used to cheer up anyone who is sick or going through a difficult time.
- Purple: The color purple implies royalty. In flowers, it means success, tradition, and admiration. Give purple flowers to a respected mentor.
- Green: Rare, green flowers symbolize rebirth, new life, renewal, good fortune, good health, and youthfulness. Give green Fuji mums or button flowers to someone you wish well.
Understanding flower color symbolism isn’t necessary for growing or gifting blooms, but the knowledge can help make your arrangements more meaningful.
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FAQs
Red: Red flowers, especially roses, are most often associated with romantic love and passion. They can also mean desire, strength, courage, and respect. Pink: For more playful, platonic love, go with pink flowers. They represent happiness, innocence, gentleness, and grace.
What do pink and purple flowers mean? ›
🌸 Pink flowers have grown to be closely associated with Valentine's Day symbolizing of love. They can also mean happiness, gentleness, and femininity. 💜 Purple flowers have consistently been associated with royalty, nobility, luxury, success, and ambition.
What do the flowers symbolize in the flowers? ›
The flowers symbolize Myop's innocence. In general, flowers symbolize life, purity, and childhood.
What do the different color petunias mean? ›
🎨 A Spectrum of Meanings
Each color of the Wild Petunia whispers a different sentiment. Purple stands for enchantment, pink echoes motherly love, and red shouts passion. They're not just plants; they're emotional storytellers.
What is the benefit of the different colors and types of flowers? ›
Researchers believe flowers evolve their features over time to better attract birds, bees, and other pollinators. To lure hummingbirds, for example, certain flowers produce red and orange colors, while certain plant species produce bright colored petals or ultraviolet patterns to attract bees.
What do sunflowers represent? ›
A sign of positivity, happiness, cheer, good luck, health and hope, these classic blooms will add a cheerful touch to any wedding bouquet, table centerpiece or flower arrangement. Sunflowers are perfect for happy celebrations.
What do the different colors of flowers mean? ›
Red: Red flowers, especially roses, are most often associated with romantic love and passion. They can also mean desire, strength, courage, and respect. Pink: For more playful, platonic love, go with pink flowers. They represent happiness, innocence, gentleness, and grace.
What do hydrangeas symbolize? ›
The hydrangea encompasses a broad spectrum of meanings, ranging from abundance, heartfelt emotion, gratitude, and boastfulness, with each interpretation rooted in cultural history, beliefs, and narratives. In Japanese culture, the association with apologies originates from a specific legend surrounding the flower.
What do marigolds symbolize? ›
Marigolds were often linked to the powerful strength of the sun and represent power, strength, and light that lives inside of a person. The marigold has also come to symbolize a feeling of despaired love. If someone has lost someone they love, whether it be by death or a broken relationship.
What do irises symbolize? ›
The most common meanings include hope, wisdom, trust and valour, making it a great flower to have around the house. The iris has also been known to mean nobility as it's been long associated with royalty all throughout history - especially in France and Italy.
Roses. Different colour roses have different meanings behind them, so for saying 'I'm Sorry', the best colours are Red or Yellow. Red roses are more suited to apologising to your other half, expressing your love and affection for them.
What does lavender flower mean? ›
Lavender flowers represent purity, silence, devotion, serenity, grace, and calmness. Purple is the color of royalty and speaks of elegance, refinement, and luxury, too.
What color flowers mean good luck? ›
Green Flowers: Harmony & Luck
The symbolism behind green flowers is good luck, good fortune, harmony, resilience, wellness, good health, optimism, rebirth or renewal, springtime, and youthfulness.
What does the pink 🌺 mean? ›
Pink flowers are often said to represent femininity, happiness and positivity, so the cherry blossom emoji would be perfect in a message for your friends, on Mother's Day or to welcome a new baby girl. Message examples: Happy Mother's Day to the best mum in the world 🌸💐 Thinking of you, I know you'll be great 😊🌸
What does purple flower symbolize? ›
Purple flowers hold meaning of royalty, opulence, honour, and wealth, while also representing mysticism and spirituality. Their luxurious symbolism makes purple florals a popular choice for formal events, occasions, and celebrations of all kinds.
What is the name of the flower that is pink and purple? ›
Hyacinth (Hyacinthus spp.)
With its clusters of fragrant, bell-shaped flowers, hyacinth is a popular spring bulb known for its vibrant purple, pink, or white blooms. It's perfect for borders, beds, or containers.
What does purple or pink roses mean? ›
Red Roses - Passion, True Love, Romance and Desire. White Roses - Purity, Innocence and Youthfulness. Yellow Roses - Friendship, Joy and Caring. Pink Roses - Femininity, Elegance, Refinement and Sweetness. Purple rose - Enchantment, Wonder, Splendor and Mystery.
