When you think of flowers, you think of roses. A gift of roses is the go-to flower for many occasions. Cultures around the world hold the rose dear, and myths and customs about roses have existed since before Western civilization.
Because roses come in a wide variety of colors, giving roses of different hues tends to convey a different meaning. We're human beings, and it is natural for us to see different values for different colors. If you think the color of a rose is meaningless, try giving your mom a dozen black roses on Mother's Day.
There's a ton of symbolism in the color of a rose. Early Christian mythology taught that the rose turned red only after Eve kissed it, causing the flower to blush. The red rose is still a symbol of passion and love all these years later.
But what about other colors of roses? What color do you give a close friend or a couple on their wedding anniversary? Before you order a bouquet of roses (or an elegant single stem) you should know some basics about the meaning we associate with the different colors of roses.
Remember that all of these color interpretations are fluid -- what may be appropriate for one person may be inappropriate for another custom. If you aren't sure that the recipient of your roses will understand the symbolism, include a note so you know they got the message.
Red roses are the most common flowers used to express romantic feelings or feelings of love. Generally, giving someone a red rose shows that you love them. Red rose petals are often used in romantic situations both because of their sweet fragrance and the emotion associated with the passionate color red. Keep in mind that there are different shades of red -- traditional red is the "lover's rose", while a more stark "cardinal red" color stands in for sexual desire.
There's also an etiquette to the size or condition of the red rose bloom -- fully bloomed roses are usually only given after the first expression of love between two people. The first time you say "I love you" with flowers should be done with small red rose buds just peeking open.
The
color yellow doesn't always get a fair shake -- long the color of "jealousy"
or the color of sickness, yellow roses only recently began to stand for
friendship or a casual expression of love between two friends. In other
words, yellow roses are great gifts for secretaries, but not so great for a
lover. Yellow roses work in a few other situations too -- give a red and a
yellow rose together to symbolize happiness, or give a bouquet of yellow
roses for an expression of sympathy.
In the same vein as yellow roses are orange and peach roses. Both of these stand for expressions of amazement or pride, with a bouquet of both orange and peach symbolizing appreciation. Orange roses by themselves are perfect gifts for a graduate.
The second most popular rose choice after red is pink. Pink roses symbolize elegance, and the poetic side of romance. Pink roses are perfect for first dates or early romantic situations, as they express affection without the seriousness of red rose buds.
Pink roses are light-hearted ways to say "I like you", and stand for sweetness and admiration. As with most colors of rose, different shades of pink express different feelings. Light pink roses work well for sympathy or to give to a friend, while dark pink is generally thought to be more on the romantic side. A mixture of pink and red roses is a great stand in for a plain red rose bouquet, and still signifies serious romance.
The final of the "top three most popular rose colors" -- white. White roses are the standard "bride’s roses" -- wedding roses are traditionally white or extremely light shades of another color. White roses mixed into a bouquet generally add an element of "purity" to that bouquet's message, so a bouquet of red roses mixed with white would stand for "pure love" or "sincere passion".
White roses on their own stand for loyalty, purity, and traditionally represent a "love stronger than death". Because white roses represent pure love, they are often the traditional "father-daughter" gift rose, though white roses work in almost any occasion where purity or loyalty is an issue.
Purple and lavender roses are rarely used, especially compared to red or white. Purple roses symbolize majesty -- purple is the traditional color of royalty -- and purple shades of rose stand for things like eternal love and eternal trust. Lavender or even lilac covered roses are given to mean "love at first sight" or as a gift to symbolize the start of a lover's true feelings for their partner.
The purple rose is the wedding anniversary flower for any marriage that has lasted over twenty-five years. Purple roses are also the "go to" memorial flower for the funeral of a lost spouse. Be careful of the shade of purple rose you buy, as darker purple buds tend to be reserved for intimate love between two people.
I just wrote a blog post about what blue roses mean late last night. Check it out for all the details.
A final note on black roses. While many people give gifts of black (or
even dead) roses on occasions like 40th birthdays, black roses carry their
own twisted symbology. Yes, a wilted and dead (and thus "black") rose is a
symbol of death. And yes, since the color black is generally thought to
represent evil, people see black roses as an omen of something awful. In
many cultures, however, a black rose stands for a big change on the horizon.
There are many varieties of rose that appear black just before they bloom
into a beautiful red flower. Having said that, most people probably won't
understand this meaning, so giving a gift of a black rose should only be
done jokingly.
Don't neglect another great method of turning your gift of roses into a
symbol -- delivering a certain number of roses can have different meanings.
For instance, giving a single rose of any color stands for "absolute
devotion", while giving a gift of two entwined roses is a way of asking
someone to be married. In the past, a man would send a woman six red roses
to tell her he needs her love. A return gift of eleven roses means that the
woman who was sent the six roses is ready to fulfill that need. Last but not
least, a gift of thirteen roses implies that the receiver has a secret
admirer.
When giving a gift of roses, be sure to follow the proper etiquette. Match
the color of your rose to the occasion. Be sure you're not sending the wrong
message, but don't go too far with roses as symbols. A gift of a single red
rose can mean anything the giver wants it to mean.
It's important when buying roses that you pick up the right color. With any luck, this page has armed you with the information to do just that.
Deliver Roses © 2009 - 2010