Nearly every sentiment can be expressed by flowers. It’s been said that, “Flowers are a perfect replica of human life: Planting, growth, bloom, withering.”
The following list includes some of the most common flowers and their meanings, realizing there are multiple sources with this information and sometimes flowers can have multiple meanings.
Next time you give flowers to someone, consider selecting particular ones to express your sentiment.
Quick Links to Popular Flowers | Roses | Mums | Carnations | Tulip | Hyacinth | Daffodil | Hydrangea | Lilac | Lily | Zinnia | Orchid | Violet
- Amaryllis—Pride, pastoral poetry
- Anemone—Forsaken
- Aster—Symbol of love, daintiness
- Azalea—Take care of yourself for me, temperance, fragile passion, Chinese symbol of womanhood
- Bachelor button—Single blessedness
- Begonia—Beware
- Bells-of-Ireland—Good luck
- Bittersweet—Truth
- Bluebell—Humility
- Cactus—Endurance
- Calla—Beauty
- Candytuft—Indifference
- Carnation—Fascination, women love
- pink—I’ll never forget you
- red—My heart aches for you, admiration
- purple—Capriciousness
- white—Sweet and lovely, innocence, pure love, woman’s good luck gift
- solid color—Yes
- striped—No, refusal, sorry I can’t be with you, wish I could be with you
- Cattail—Peace, prosperity
- Chrysanthemum
- red—I love you
- white—Truth
- yellow—Slighted love
- Cleome—Elope with me
- Coreopsis—Always cheerful
- Crocus—Cheerfulness
- Cyclamen—Resignation and good-bye
- Daffodil—Regard, unequalled love, you’re the only one, the sun is always shining when I’m with you (see also: Jonquil, Narcissus)
- Daisy—Innocence, loyal love, I’ll never tell, purity
- Dandelion—Faithfulness, happiness
- Daylily—Coquetry, Chinese emblem for mother
- Evening primrose—Inconstancy
- Fern—Magic, fascination, confidence and shelter
- Maidenhair Fern—Secret bond of love
- Fir—Time
- Flax—Domestic symbol
- Forget-me-not—True love, memories
- Forsythia—Anticipation
- Gardenia—You’re lovely, secret love
- Garlic—Courage, strength
- Geranium—Stupidity, folly
- Gladiolus—Give me a break, I’m really sincere, flower of the gladiators
- Gloxinia—Love at first sight
- Grass—Submission
- Heather
- lavender—Admiration, solitude
- white—Protection, wishes will come true
- Hellebore—Tranquilize my anxiety, anxiety
- Hibiscus—Delicate beauty
- Holly—Defense, domestic happiness
- Hyacinth—Games and sports, rashness
- blue—Constancy
- purple—I am sorry, please forgive me, sorrow
- red—Play
- white—Loveliness, I’ll pray for you
- yellow—Jealousy
- Hydrangea—Thank you for understanding, frigidity, heartlessness
- Iris—Your friendship means so much to me, faith, hope
- Ivy—Wedded love, fidelity, friendship, affection
- Jonquil—Love me, affection returned, desire, sympathy, desire for affection returned (see also: Daffodil, Narcissus)
- Larkspur (pink)—Fickleness
- Lilac—Old love
- Lily (see also: Tiger Lily)
- orange—Hatred
- white—Virginity, purity, majesty, it’s heavenly to be with you
- yellow—I’m walking on air, false and gay
- Lily-of-the-valley—Sweetness, tears of the Virgin Mary, return to happiness, humility, you’ve made my life complete
- Magnolia—Nobility
- Marigold—Cruelty, grief, jealousy
- Mistletoe—Kiss me, affection
- Mock orange—Deceit
- Monkshood—Beware, a deadly foe is near
- Moss—Maternal love, charity
- Myrtle—Love, Hebrew emblem of marriage
- Narcissus—Egotism, formality, stay as sweet as you are (see also: Daffodil, Jonquil)
- Nasturtium—Conquest, victory in battle
- Orange blossom—Innocence, eternal love, marriage, and fruitfulness
- Orchid—Love, beauty, refinement, beautiful lady, Chinese symbol for many children
- Peony—Shame, happy life, happy marriage
- Petunia—Resentment, anger, your presence soothes me
- Pine—Hope, pity
- Poppy—Eternal sleep, oblivion, imagination
- red—Pleasure
- white—Consolation
- yellow—Wealth, success
- Primrose—I can’t live without you
- Rosebud—Beauty and you, a heart innocent of love
- red—Pure and lovely
- white—Girlhood
- moss—Confessions of love
- Rose
- pink—Perfect happiness, please believe me
- red—Love, I love you
- dark crimson—Mourning
- yellow—Decrease of love, jealousy, try to care
- white—Innocence and purity, I am worthy of you, you’re heavenly, secrecy and silence
- white and red mixed—Unity, flower emblem of England
- white, dried—Death is preferable to loss of virtue
- white, withered—Transient impression, fleeting beauty, you made no impression
- tea—I’ll remember always
- damask—Persian ambassador of love
- thornless—Love at first sight
- leaf—You may hope
- bouquet of mature blooms—Gratitude
- Smilax—Loveliness
- Snapdragon—Deception, gracious lady
- Stephanotis—Happiness in marriage, desire to travel
- Stock—Bonds of affection, promptness, you’ll always be beautiful to me
- Sweetpea—Good-bye, departure, blissful pleasure, thank you for a lovely time
- Tiger lily—Wealth, pride (see also: Lily)
- Tulip—Perfect lover, fame, flower emblem of Holland
- red—Believe me, declaration of love
- yellow—There’s sunshine in your smile
- variegated—Beautiful eyes
- Violet—Modesty
- blue—Watchfulness, faithfulness, I’ll always be there
- Wisteria—Will you dance with me?
- Zinnia
- magenta—Lasting affection provider
- mixed—Thinking (or in memory) or an absent friend
- scarlet—Constancy
- white—Goodness
Other Symbolism
- Bouquet of withered flowers—Rejected love
- Dead leaves—Sadness
For More Information
The Language of Flowers (publication)
These books are great resources to learn more about the language of flowers.
- Darcey, Cheralyn. Flowerpaedia: 1000 Flowers and their Meanings. 2018
- Dietz, Theresa. The Complete Language of Flowers: A Definitive and Illustrated History. 2020
- Heilmeyer, Marina. The Language of Flowers: Symbols and Myths. 2001
- Hill, Thos. E. Hill’s Manual of Social and Business Forms 1883
- Robinson, Nugent. Collier’s Cyclopedia of Commercial and Social Information and Treasury of Useful and Entertaining Knowledge. 1892
- Roux, Jessica. Floriography: An Illustrated Guide to the Victorian Language of Flowers. 2020
- Tsang, Fu Ji. The Meaning of Flowers. 2004