Flowers and Their Meanings

Human beings are bound by images. We listen to music that elicits a certain mood, read books and poetry that are stuffed with images and associations, and even eat foods that carry a meaning well beyond the ingredients. When you’re sick, you probably want some kind of hot and hearty soup. When you’re down, you probably want to listen to the blues or some other sad or nostalgic music.

We do the same thing with flowers. Colors is associated with meaning, and because flowers come in so many varieties of color, it is only natural that we pump meaning into the flowers we find in nature and those grown in our gardens and greenhouses.

Flowers and their meanings come from a complicated gumbo of ideas. Literature, history, and good old-fashioned traditions have infused flowers with meanings way beyond their simple form. Here are some thoughts on various flower meanings from cultures all over the world.

Roses and Their Meanings

The beauty, variety, and scent of roses make them some of the most evocative flowers in the natural world. Roses can grow in the wild in most of North America–the only places in the world where wild roses have a hard time growing are in a 1,000 mile wide belt around the equator, and even in those parts of the world, there are some wild roses that thrive. Because roses can be found in the wild all over the world, there’s a long history of associating roses with various meanings and emotions.

The delicate appearance and smell of roses means that in almost every culture exposed to these beautiful plants, they stand for love, romance, or affection. Depending on the culture and the color of the rose, a rose can mean romantic love, friendship, or just plain old romantic curiosity.

In America, the black and wilted rose has come to be a traditional parting gift to a lover after a breakup, especially if the black rose recipient cheated or otherwise harmed the relationship. Some florists even sell black roses or wilted and dead roses for this purpose.

Orchids and Their Meanings

Like roses, orchids grow all over the world, are very delicate and beautiful, and thus have many different meanings and associations across cultural boundaries.

Orchids get their name from the root structure, which is shaped like a testicle. The word orchid in Greek means testicle. Because of this association, ancient Greeks believed that eating the root or drinking a tea made from the root of an orchid would grant a woman a male baby. The Greeks associated orchids with all things masculine, even though their above ground appearance is very delicate.

Because orchids are difficult to care for and are some of the most expensive flowers to buy and send, they are now associated with luxury. Sending someone an orchid is a way to say you care for them, and to express the depth of your feeling. Some orchid varieties sell for hundreds of dollars, so the gift of an orchid is the diamond ring of flower delivery.

Flowers with Negative Associations

Not all flowers stand for beauty, truth, respect, and love. Throughout history, some flowers (like the black or wilted rose in America) have come to have negative associations. Here are some examples:

In some parts of the world, flowering aloe plants are sent as a message of suspicion. In parts of Mexico, for instance, villagers leave aloe plants on the doorsteps of men in the village who are cheating on their wives.

In Italy, a dead basil plant is a message of hatred, usually sent back and forth between jilted lovers or relationships that are broken up because of cheating.

In Shakespeare’s day, coxcomb flowers were left at the doorstep of men suspected of engaging in homosexual acts or men who were just a little too feminine. That same English culture used a gift of nuts along with flowers to indicate that the recipient is stupid.

There are many examples of flowers with negative meanings throughout history, some that remain true today. A gift of an orange lily is still seen as a sign of hatred, and a gift of dried roses is still seen in some countries as a death threat.

Other Flowers and Their Meanings

AZALEA – Worry, Modesty, Passion, Womanhood (in China)

BEGONIA – Caution, Used to indicate danger in Eastern Europe

BLUEBELL – Humility

CACTUS – Enduring love or friendship

CARNATION – Fascination, Love between friends

CATTAIL – Peace and prosperity

WHITE CHRYSANTHEMUM – Honesty, Truth, Goodness

CROCUS – Happiness, Cheerfulness, Congratulations

DAFFODIL – Unrequited Love, Regret over a lost love

DAISY - Innocence, Purity, Secrecy

DANDELION – Faith, Religious love, Purity

GARDENIA – A flower to send to your secret crush

GERANIUM – Apology, Stupidity, Mistakes

IRIS – Emblem of France, Faith, Charity, Wisdom, Thank You

LILY - Virginity, Purity, Royalty, First date flower

MAGNOLIA – Nobility

MARIGOLD – Cruelty, Grief, Jealousy

MISTLETOE – “Kiss me!”, Affection, Sacred plant of India

MOSS – Maternal Love, Faith, Charity

MYRTLE – Love, Jewish flower of marriage

OLEANDER – Caution, Concern

PALM LEAVES - Victory and Success

PEONY –  Happiness, Happy Marriage

PETUNIA - Resentment, Anger

PINE - Hope, Faith

POPPY – Imagination, Healing, Get well soon

PRIMROSE – Undying love

ROSEBUD - Beauty and youth, Innocent love

SMILAX - Beauty, Shyness

SNAPDRAGON - Grace, Mature beauty

SPIDER FLOWER - Flowers that indicate that you want to elope

TULIP - Perfection, Sexual love, The flower emblemd of Holland

VIOLET - Modesty, Sincerity, Virginity

ZINNIA - Long lasting affection, Mature love

Flowers are a natural fit for meaning. Their beauty and our long fascination with them make them perfect symbols, for both positive and negative emotions.

Don’t assume that people all have the same associations with flowers. Sending a certain flower to a person hoping they’ll understand the flower code is a great way to send a confusing message. Instead of counting on a flower to do the talking, you should always send along a note with the flower.

Still, even if someone doesn’t understand the symbolism behind a flower, using this code is a good way to get things off your chest. After all, no one has to know that the orange lily you sent them is really a spiteful message.