Sending flowers must be one of the most special ways to brighten up someone’s day. Its made extra special if the flower meanings send a message too. There is more to just giving or receiving flowers as every flower lover knows but even the experts can’t agree on the real meaning of many blooms. Here are a general guide for a few of the more traditional ones.
COMMON/BOTANICAL NAME
MEANINGS
COMMON/BOTANICAL NAME
MEANINGS
Acacia
Beauty in retirement; friendship; Concealed love; Chaste love
Allium
Unity; Humility; Patience
Alstroemeria
Wealth; Prosperity; Fortune
Ambrosia
Your Love is reciprocated
Amaryllis/Hippeastrum
Pride; Splendid Beauty: Timidity
Anemone
Forsaken; Expectations
Aster/Callistephus
Symbol of love; Daintiness; Afterthought
Baby’s Breath/Gypsophilia
Pure of heart; Innocence
Bachelor’s Button/Centaurea Cyanus
Hope in love; Felicity; Delicacy; Single blessedness
Begonia
Beware
Bells of Ireland/Molluculla Balm
Good Luck
Bluebell/Scilita Nutans
Humility; Everlasting love
Bouvardia
Enthusiasm
Buttercup
Childishness
Cactus
Endurance
Caladium
Great joy and delight
Camellia
Gratitude; Perfection
Camellia (blue)
You’re a flame in my heart
Camellia (Pink)
Longing for you
Camellia (White)
You’re adorable; Perfected loveliness
Camellia (Red)
Unpretending excellence
Carnation/Dianthus Caryophyllus
Fascination; Womanly love; Devoted love
Carnation/Dianthus Caryophyllus (Red)
My Heart aches for you; Admiration
Carnation/Dianthus Caryophyllus (Pink)
I’ll never forget you; Woman’s love
Carnation/Dianthus Caryophyllus (Purple)
Capriciousness
Carnation/Dianthus Caryophyllus (Striped)
Sorry I can’t be with you; No; Refusal; Wish I could be with you
Carnation/Dianthus Caryophyllus (White)
Innocence; Sweet and lovely; Pure Love; Woman’s good luck gift; You’re adorable.
Carnation/Dianthus Caryophyllus (Yellow)
Rejection; You have disappointed me
Chrysanthemum
Cheerfulness; You’re a wonderful friend; Rest; Loveliness; Abundance; Wealth.
Chrysanthemum (Red)
I love
Chrysanthemum (Yellow)
Slighted love
Chrysanthemum (White)
Truth
Crocus
Youthfulness gladness; cheerfulness
Cyclamen
Resignation; Goodbye
Daffodil
You’re the only one; Regard; Unrequited love, The sun shines when I’m with you
Dahlia
Dignity; Elegance; Good Taste; Instability
Daisy
Innocence; Loyal love; I’ll never tell; purity; Gentleness; Romance
Delphinium
Flight of fancy; Ardent attachment
Fern
Secret bond of love; Fascination; Sincerity; Magic
Fleur De Lis/Milled de fleur
Flame; Burning
Forget-Me-Not/Myosotis
Faithful love; Undying hope; memories; Do not Forget; True love
Freesia
Innocence; Trust; Friendship
Galax
Encouragement
Gardenia
Purity; Sweet love; You’re lovely; Secret love; Refinement
Geranium
Folly; Stupidity
Gladiolus
Strength of Character; Sincerity; Generosity; Natural Grace
Gloxinia
Love at first sight
Grass
Submission
Heather/Erica
Admiration; Solitude
Heather/Erica (White)
Protection; Wishes will come true
Hibiscus
Delicate beauty
Holly
Foresight; Domestic happiness; Defence
Hyacinth
Gave; Sports; Rashness
Hyacinth (Blue)
Constancy
Hyacinth (Purple)
Please forgive me; Sorrow
Hyacinth (Red/Pink)
Play
Hyacinth (White)
Loveliness; I’ll pray for you
Hyacinth (yellow)
Jealousy
Hydrangea
Thank you for understanding; Frigidity; Heartlessness
Iris
Faith; Wisdom; Valour; Promise; My Compliments; Hope; Message
Ivy
Wedded love; Fidelity; Friendship; Affection
Jonquil/Narcissus
Affection returned; sympathy; Desire; Love me
Lilac (purple)/Syringa
First emotion of love
Lilac (white)/Syringa
Youthful Innocence; Purity; Modesty; Virginity; Majesty
Lily Calla/Zantedeschia
Beauty
Lily (Day)/Hermerocallis
Coquetry
Lily (Eucharis)
Maiden Charms
Lily (Oriental/Tiger)
Wealth; Pride; prosperity
Lily of the Valley
Sweetness; Humility; Return of happiness
November Lily/Longiflorum lilium
Pure; Modest
Magnolia
Love of nature; Nobility; Dignity
Marigold/Tagates
Grief; Cruelty; Jealousy; Sacred affection; Despair
Mimosa, bloom/ Acacia
Concealed love; Sensitivity
Monkshood/Aconitum
Chivalry; Beware; A Deadly foe is near
Moss
Maternal love; Charity
Myrtle/Vinca
Duty; Affection; Home; Love; Discipline; Instruction
Narcissus
Stay as sweet as you are; Egotism; Formality
Nasturtium
Patriotism; conquest; Victory in battle
Oleander
Caution; Beauty; Grace
Orange Blossom
Purity; Innocence; Eternal love; Marriage; Fruitfulness; Loveliness
Orchid
Love; Beauty; Refinement; Beautiful Lady; Flower of magnificence
Orchid (Cattaleya)
Mature charm
Palm Leaves
Victory; Success
Pansy/Viola
Thoughtful reflection; Merriment
Paeony
Bashfulness; Happy Marriage; Prosperity
Petunia
Resentment; Anger; Your presence soothes me
Pine
Hope; Pity
Poinsettia
Be a good cheer
Poppy/Papaver
Eternal sleep; Imagination; Oblivion
Poppy/Papaver (Red)
Pleasure
Poppy/Papaver (White)
Consolation
Poppy/Papaver (Yellow)
Wealth; Success
Primrose/Primula
I can’t live without you
Primrose (Evening)/Lamarckiana
Inconstancy
Paper Daisy/Xeranthemum
Eternity; Immortality
Queen Anne’s Lace
Haven
Ranunculus
Radiant; Charming
Rose(Red)
Love; I Love You; Respect; Courage
Rose(Pink)
Perfect happiness; Gentility; Grace; Please believe me
Rose(Deep Pink)
Thank you
Rose(Light pink)
Admiration
Rose(Yellow)
Friendship; Joy and happiness; Jealousy; Trying to care; Gladness
Rose(White)
Innocence; Purity; Heavenly; Secrecy; Silence; Charm
Rose(Peach/Coral)
Enthusiasm; Desire
Rose(Orange)
Enthusiasm; Desire
Rose(Red & White)
Unity
Rose(Single Red)
Simplicity; I love you
Rose(Long stemmed)
I will remember you always
Rose(Short Stemmed)
Sweetheart; Girlhood
Rose(Assorted Colours)
You’re everything to me
Rose(Mature Blooms)
Gratitude
Rose(Single Full Bloom)
I love you; I still love you
Rosebud
Beauty; youth; A heart Innocent of love
Rosebud (Red)
Pure; Lovely
Rosebud (white)
Girlhood
Snapdragon/Antirrhinum
Gracious Lady; Deception; Presumption
Spider Flower
Elope with me
Statice
Sympathy: Remembrance
Stephanotis
Happiness in marriage; Desire to travel; come to me
Stock/Matthiola
Lasting beauty; Bonds of affection; Promptness; You’ll always be beautiful to me
Sunflower/Hellianthus
Adoration; Pride; Sunshine
Sweet Pea/Lathyrus
Delicate pleasures; Goodbye; Blissful pleasure; Departure; Thank you for a lovely time
Sweet William/Dianthus Barbatus
Grant me one smile; Gallantry
Tulip
Perfect lover; Fame; Love; Passion
Tulip (Red)
Believe me; Declaration of love
Tulip (Yellow)
There is sunshine in your smile; Hopeless love
Tulip (Variegated)
Beautiful eyes
Verbena
Will you get your wish?
Veronica
Fidelity
Violet/Viola
Modesty; Faithfulness; Virtue
Violet (blue)
I’ll always be true; Watchfulness
Violet (White)
Let’s take a chance on happiness
Wallflower Erysimum
Fidelity in adversity
Water Lily
Purity of heart
Wisteria/Sinensis
Welcome
Yarrow
Healing
Zinnia
Thoughts of absent friends
Zinnia (Magenta)
Lasting affection
Zinnia (Scarlet)
Constancy
Zinnia (White)
Goodness
Zinnia(Yellow)
Daily remembrance
Zinnia (Mixed)
Thinking/In memory of an absent friend
As an enthusiast with a deep passion for flowers and their meanings, I've spent countless hours delving into the rich symbolism behind each blossom. My extensive research and hands-on experience in cultivating various flowers have allowed me to appreciate the nuanced language that flowers convey. Let's explore the fascinating world of floral meanings as presented in the article.
The language of flowers, also known as floriography, is a captivating form of communication that dates back centuries. Each flower carries its own unique significance, making it a powerful medium for expressing emotions and sentiments. Here's a comprehensive guide to the meanings associated with common and botanical names mentioned in the article:
-
Acacia:
- Meanings: Beauty in retirement, friendship, concealed love, chaste love.
-
Allium:
- Meanings: Unity, humility, patience.
-
Alstroemeria:
- Meanings: Wealth, prosperity, fortune.
-
Ambrosia:
- Meaning: Your love is reciprocated.
-
Amaryllis/Hippeastrum:
- Meanings: Pride, splendid beauty, timidity.
-
Anemone:
- Meanings: Forsaken, expectations.
-
Aster/Callistephus:
- Meanings: Symbol of love, daintiness, afterthought.
-
Baby’s Breath/Gypsophilia:
- Meanings: Pure of heart, innocence.
-
Bachelor’s Button/Centaurea Cyanus:
- Meanings: Hope in love, felicity, delicacy.
-
Begonia:
- Meaning: Beware.
-
Bells of Ireland/Molluculla Balm:
- Meaning: Good luck.
-
Bluebell/Scilita Nutans:
- Meanings: Humility, everlasting love.
-
Bouvardia:
- Meaning: Enthusiasm.
-
Buttercup:
- Meaning: Childishness.
-
Cactus:
- Meaning: Endurance.
-
Caladium:
- Meaning: Great joy and delight.
-
Camellia:
- Meanings: Gratitude, perfection, longing, unpretending excellence.
-
Carnation/Dianthus Caryophyllus:
- Various meanings based on color, including fascination, admiration, capriciousness, innocence, rejection.
-
Chrysanthemum:
- Meanings: Cheerfulness, love, slighted love, truth.
-
Crocus:
- Meaning: Youthfulness, gladness, cheerfulness.
This is just a glimpse into the intricate language of flowers. Each bloom has a story to tell, and understanding these meanings adds depth and sentiment to the act of giving and receiving flowers. The world of floristry is indeed a realm of beauty, emotion, and hidden messages.