A Bouquet for Your Enemy (2024)

Are you tired of stretching your cheeks in a smile when you don’t feel like it? I have literally ruined my teeth by grinding them while putting on a fake smile for the society’s favorites. After thinking for some time, I found a solution to this dilemma that you can try too.

Giving someone flowers and using different flowers in customs has been widely used since ancient times. Even in Greek mythology, flowers were given meanings to suit each god or goddess. Some flowers mean love and admiration, some mean friendship and respect. But, there are some flowers that are more known for their disapproving meanings.

So, here is a list of flowers to hide your true feelings of disdain and displeasure while giving to an enemy… and also to stay clear of if giving to a loved one.

Don’t be deceived by the beauty of this flower or by the reputation of its sisters, yellow carnations are not the flower to give to someone you love. They mean disdain, disappointment, and rejection. So, maybe give them to a not-so-favorite boss or colleague to hide your scoff of disdain and disinterest.

These bold and beautiful flowers live up to their name. The name Snapdragon doesn’t really convey something delicate and rightfully, the flowers mean deception. So these will be a perfect gift for someone who is always friendly in front but talks sh*t behind your back — we all know at least one person like that, admit it. Present this flower to them with a sweet smile to give them a piece of their own medicine.

No matter how beautiful and delicate they are, do not give them to a close friend or family member. Buttercups mean childishness and immaturity. So these may be better suited for that old friend who drifted apart because of some silly grudge from years ago. And maybe ironically, they’ll come around after receiving these.

These bold and eccentric flowers would be great for a person just as bold and confident. But orange lilies symbolize hatred and disdain. Thus giving them to a loved one is a big no. Maybe, if you have an archenemy or a relative you absolutely despise, this flower might just make them happy, all at the same time giving you the satisfaction of laughing behind their back.

This flower reminds me of Harry Potter’s Aunt Petunia. Well, J.K. Rowling did her research, no doubt about that, as these pretty flowers mean anger and resentment. So gather some of these up, wrap them in a bouquet and give them to someone who makes you want to tear off your hair — or theirs. Or maybe to someone who you know absolutely resents you. And when we’re on the topic, try refraining from subjecting any child with Petunia as a name.

Sunflowers mean adoration and happiness. But apparently, in Victorian times, they meant false riches. When Spanish explorers reached America, they saw these vibrant sunny flowers and thought they were made of real gold! Who knows what they were high on? So, you can give them to someone you love but not always like. I have just the person that fits this description.

To the Greek, basil meant hatred. When sowing the plants, they used to swear and rant because they believed that the plant wouldn’t grow otherwise. Though later in Italy, they associated it with love. But it's a good tidbit to know about. You should give a planter of basil as a housewarming gift to someone with whom you act civilly only because people are watching.

This is a fun one. These beautiful flowers scream ‘beware’ because they are quite poisonous! The whole plant is lethal. Ingesting a flower, stem, or leaf could lead to abdominal pain, difficulty breathing, paralysis, coma, and even death. So, it seems a bit extreme choice to give to someone. But this is a knowledge I’m keeping safely noted — who knows when it might be needed!