Check the Meaning Behind These Flowers Before Gifting a Bouquet
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Giving flowers is a thoughtful way to show someone you care about them. Whether you're looking to buy flowers for an anniversary, birthday or celebration or you simply want to surprise a loved one with a thoughtful arrangement, learning flower meanings can help you pick the right ones.
While most of us know red roses embody love, there are an array of beautiful flowers that symbolize romance and various rose colors represent different meanings. Be on the lookout for red blooms (think red camellias and red tulips) while shopping for Valentine's Day flowers to gift to your significant other. For someone who recently graduated or started a new job, gift an arrangement of dahlias and amaryllis to congratulate them. Or, gift scotch brooms and blue stars to symbolize strength and resilience to support someone going through a difficult time.
The meanings behind flowers becomes especially important when it comes to negative connotations or misunderstandings. Yellow roses may appear to be a bright alternative to red roses for a significant other, but they represent friendships and platonic love — not something you'd want to give on an anniversary! Even worse, some beautiful flowers, such as tansies, are deceiving, as they represent a declaration of war.
So, before you visit your local florist or order a flower delivery, be sure to consult our guide on flower meanings below. We've included details from A Victorian Flower Dictionary, The Farmer's Almanac and more, so any bouquet you choose shows exactly how you feel — good or bad!
Heather
Wish someone good luck with heather flowers. The Victorians saw these beautiful blooms as good luck because of the flower's rarity. Gift an arrangement of white or pink heathers for someone before a big exam, game or performance.
Lotus
Believe it or not, lotus flowers grow in the mud. Each night, they return to the mud, and then miraculously re-bloom in the morning. They're a symbol of rebirth, self-regeneration, purity and enlightenment in many Eastern cultures.
Bird's-Foot Trefoil
Another dainty flower with a dark meaning behind it, the bird's-foot trefoil flower symbolizes revenge. While revenge is never the answer in real life, writers can use this symbolization in their stories and movies.
Iris
These regal blooms have long stood for royalty as well as wisdom and respect. And their opulent-looking blooms sure suggest the same. It's certainly a compliment to be gifted an arrangement of irises.
Yellow Acacia
Whether you're secretly dating someone or simply enjoy keeping your love life private, forbidden or secret relationships can be exciting and difficult at the same time. Brighten the mood with yellow acacia flowers, which represent concealed love. White acacia symbolizes platonic love, so be sure to pick the right color!
Strelitzia
Also known as "Bird of Paradise," this uniquely shaped and colorful flower represents freedom. Gift this flower to someone who is embarking on an adventure, just ended a bad relationship or recently moved into their own place.
Balloon Flowers
Strengthen your apology to a friend by adding in an arrangement of balloon flowers as a gift. These purple and blue blooms represent the desire for a friend to return, honesty and endless love.
Pink Delphiniums
Gift pink delphiniums to your partner when renewing your vows as they represent youth and renewal. They're also a great option to include in bouquets for anniversaries to celebrate another year together.
Red Camellias
Tell your significant other you love them by gifting a bouquet of red camellias. Embodying passionate love, romance and desire, these flowers look gorgeous and have a beautiful meaning behind them.
Pink Tulips
Pink tulips symbolize well wishes, happiness and love — in a platonic sense. Save red blooms for a significant other and gift pink tulips to friends and family members to express how much they mean to you.
Blazing Star
Also commonly known as Liatris and Gayfeather, these blooms symbolize joy, happiness and blissfulness — especially in romantic relationships. Gift them to your significant other for their birthday, an anniversary or another celebratory moment.
Pink Azalea
Along with nostalgia for your childhood home, elegance and femininity, this bright pink flower can represent taking care of yourself and your family. Bring a bouquet of pink azaleas to your family when you visit or arrange them in your room to celebrate yourself.
Blue Star
Don't let this flower's dainty appearance fool you — blue stars represent strength, resilience and perseverance. Give these flowers to someone going through a difficult time or after a notable achievement.
Coral Roses
If your romantic relationship began as a friendship, consider gifting them coral roses. A blend between friendly yellow and romantic red, coral roses represent a mix of deep companionship and love.
Forget-Me-Not
Yes, it's all in the name! Forget-me-nots ask that you forget-me-not. A faraway friend or long-distance partner would surely appreciate these delicate blossoms, which also represent loyalty and devotion.
Tansy
Think twice before adding tansies to a bouquet for a loved one or a friend. These little yellow flowers represent resistance and a declaration of war or battle. So, unless you're leading a revolution, it's in your best interest to steer clear of tansies.
Yellow Roses
Spoil your best friend with yellow roses, which symbolize friendship and happiness. Whether it's their birthday, they need some cheering up or you simply want to tell them how much their friendship means to you, this shade of roses will do the trick.
Orange Tulips
Is there someone you've connected with spiritually and physically? If so, orange tulips are a thoughtful gift, as they symbolize understanding and appreciation.
White Camellia
Like other white flowers you might consider gifting, white camellias stand for purity and innocence. Other meanings include admiration and respect.
Yellow Tulips
Bring cheer to anyone's day with yellow tulips. Victorians even gave them the literal meaning, "there's sunshine in your smile," making them the perfect flower to convey happiness.
Two-Toned Carnations
Think twice before gifting anyone a two-toned carnation. They're a symbol of parting, so it's not the best choice if you'd like to keep your relationship intact.
White Lily
Often chosen as sympathy flowers, you'll typically find white lilies at funerals. Don't worry, though, they're also used at weddings to represent purity and rebirth.
Yellow Carnations
If you come across yellow carnations at the flower shop, don't be fooled by their beauty. They represent rejection and disappointment, making them far from a loving gesture or ideal for a happy occasion.
Scotch Brooms
These brilliant flowers were known for regulating the heart and circulatory system, leading them to represent strength and abundance.
Begonias
Give these to a family member or friend for their anniversary or as a way to say "thank you." They symbolize gratitude, uniqueness, and at times, caution.
Bee Balms
As members of the mint family, Bee Balms have been used to combat sore throats, bloating and nausea. So it's no wonder their meaning is protection and prosperity.
Bleeding Hearts
These heart-shaped blooms have a strong meaning of passionate love and romance, which makes them gorgeous bouquet additions for Valentine's Day.
Alyssum
In the Victorian language of flowers, Alyssums are known to mean "worth beyond beauty." Many wear them to repel negative emotions such as anger.
Bluebells
These bell-shaped blooms represent kindness. They're also the perfect gift to show someone how grateful you are for their friendship, love and support.
Aster
Based on Victorian culture, Asters embody daintiness and charm. Greek mythology lovers will also be interested to know that they can be a symbol of love (known for being placed on the altars for the Greek gods).
Cosmos
With its orderly arrangement of petals, it's only natural that cosmos be known for order and harmony. There are several colors to choose from, including different shades of pink, purple, red and orange.
Freesia
Freesias are popular for their citrus fragrance and long-lasting vase life. Gifting someone a bouquet of freesias may symbolize friendship, along with innocence, purity and trust.
Calla Lily
Do you find someone beautiful (inside and out)? Give them a bouquet of calla lilies to represent your attraction. Unknown to some, the true flower is the spike on the inside, while the outer petal is a leaf.
Hyacinth
This bloom is dedicated to the Greek sun god Apollo (also known for archery, truth and prophecy). They signify games, sports and play. You can give this flower to someone who loves to play sports as a way of encouragement for an upcoming game.
Gardenia
Have a crush on someone, but they aren't aware of your feelings? Gardenias represent secret love or a way of saying "you're lovely." Gifting them is a sweet and romantic gesture, and a great way to tell someone how you truly feel.
Pink Roses
Grace, happiness and gentleness are the meanings for these delicate blooms. If you know someone who represents these qualities — such as a motherly-figure in your life — gifting them pink roses is a thoughtful gift.
Gladiolus
Integrity, strength and victory are the meanings for these blooms (also known as one of the August birth flowers). Gift this "flower of the gladiators" to a recent graduate or game winner.
Marigold
Marigolds are beautiful gifts for someone in mourning or stricken by grief. They also have a hidden meaning of jealousy.
White Roses
Do you know someone looking to make changes in their life? White roses represent a new beginning. They also symbolize purity and innocence.
Pink Lily
Lily bouquets are some of the cheeriest ones available — and they have a bright symbolism too. Keep in mind that different colored lilies have different meanings: the pink ones signify prosperity, orange ones signify pride and yellow ones signify gratitude.
Pink Carnation
These ruffly flowers may be the stuff of high school secret admirers, but they work for a lover on a budget. If you pick up one of these blooms, choose pink to say "I will never forget you."
Magnolia
These stunning blooms often festoon the trees as spring arrives, getting everyone who sees them excited for the season to come. That's why it's only logical that they signify a love of nature.
Dahlia
When you hear the name, you probably think of the Black Dahlia. Well, never fear. These ruffled flowers stand for dignity and pomp, so they would feel right at home at a momentous occasion like a graduation or new job.
Red Roses
This probably comes as news to exactly no one, but red roses are some of the most romantic flowers out there. They're the perfect bloom for Valentine's Day, representing love and desire.
Daisy
Daisies are the first level of Girl Scouts, so it's only fitting that they represent innocence. And with their cheery, sunny little faces, the symbolism definitely makes sense.
Sunflower
Legend has it that when Spanish explorers reached the Americas, they thought sunflowers were made of real gold. Can you blame them? Of course, they were wrong. That's where the sunflower got its symbolism of "false riches."
Red Tulips
Red roses aren't the only flower with a romantic meaning, so you don't have to totally splurge to show your dedication. Red tulips are also considered a declaration of love, and they're especially gorgeous in the spring.
Salvia
Depending on its color, salvia can have several different meanings. Blue salvia (like this one) means "thinking of you," but in red, it means "forever mine." So if you're adding salvia to a sweetheart's bouquet, watch your colors!
Edelweiss
The Sound of Music fans already know the song, but did you know the meaning behind it? Edelweiss stands for courage and devotion, probably because they thrive in harsh Alpine conditions.
Amaryllis
These assertive blooms look like they're just bursting with excitement, which may be why they signify pride. They look like they just accomplished something and can't wait to share it.
Myrtle
If you need the perfect bloom to add to a wedding bouquet, look no further than myrtle. It stands for good luck and love in a marriage, so there's no better flower to carry down the aisle.
Rosemary
Rosemary signifies remembrance, perhaps because it's said to enhance memory. Folk medicine says to wear a sprig of rosemary in your hair to help your recall, or brew some rosemary tea to do the same. We'll drink to that!
Hibiscus
Not only does hibiscus taste delicious in teas and desserts, it also symbolizes delicate beauty. They're also commonly found in Hawaiian hula symbology, since they're the state's official flower.
Pansy
Derived from the French word "pansée," this bloom means thoughtfulness and remembrance. That may be why you often see them planted at funeral plots. They're also hardy little plants, so they work well for those of us who have less-than-green thumbs.
Lavender
From their wonderful scent to their beautiful purple hue, a bouquet of lavender is a message of devotion. It also has calming aromatherapy properties, so a bouquet of lavender may make an excellent gift for a student or anyone in your life who needs some relaxation.
RELATED: How to Grow Lavender Anywhere — Even Indoors
Chrysanthemum
It may be tricky to spell, but the chrysanthemum has a simple message: honesty. They also look lovely as part of a fall bouquet and because they can withstand cool temperatures, they often appear in autumn landscaping.
Black-Eyed Susan
The name of the flower likely comes from an Old English poem by John Gay about a woman by that name. It probably came over during Colonial times, when the settlers sewed the wildflower on the plains where it's now abundant today. The flowers stand for justice, which is a sentiment we can all get behind.
Daffodil
Gift these cheery yellow blooms to someone celebrating a new job, a new home, or a new addition to their family. Daffodils symbolize "new beginnings," so they couldn't be more perfect for any of these occasions.
Zinnia
While they are one of the bolder blooms in a garden, these flowers are actually sentimental. In fact, they serve as a reminder to never forget absent friends. Send them to someone you love who lives far away, for a nice thinking-of-you gift.
Lilac
The meaning of these gorgeous flowers varies depending on the hue. Purple lilacs represent the first emotions of love while magenta lilacs symbolize love and passion, perfect for a more serious lover.
Lily-of-the-Valley
These pretty little bell-shaped flowers carry a message that's just as innocent as they look. They stand for purity, happiness, luck and humility. Though they smell delicious, don't be fooled: These flowers aren't edible.
Morning Glory
These early risers greet the day with beauty, and they'll take over your yard entirely if you aren't careful. The clingers also represent affection. One look at their smiling faces and it's not hard to see why.
Peony
Oddly enough, these sweet, many-petaled blooms represented "anger" to Victorians. Today, however, peonies are linked to romance, marriage and even bashfulness.
RELATED: How to Grow Your Own Gorgeous Peonies
Purple Crocus
They're the first signs of spring, so it makes sense that crocuses symbolize youthful happiness. It's also the way we feel when we see them start peeking through the snow at the first bit of warmth.
Chamomile
Though a symbol of rest and relaxation today (think: chamomile tea), this flower signified "energy in adversity" in the 19th century. These days, maybe you can combine the two while enjoying your morning cup of tea and getting ready to face the day.
Snapdragons
Maybe it comes as no surprise, given the name, but the symbolism behind snapdragons isn't exactly friendly. They stand for deception, so you may not want to give these to your main squeeze for Valentine's Day.
Red Poppy
You probably already know this one because of Veterans Day: The red poppy represents "remembrance." That's why people wear poppies pinned to their lapels on that day.
Purple Hyacinth
The purple version of this bloom means "please forgive me," which originates from the myth of Apollo and Hyacinthus (the former accidentally killed the latter). The perfect "I'm sorry" flower, don't ya think?
Yarrow
Another quirky bloom with a traditional message that might surprise you: Yarrow symbolizes love. While the weedy appearance of this one might not look perfectly suited for a formal bouquet, remember the symbol next time your kid picks you some wildflowers.
Anemone
These blooms take their name from the Greek word for wind (anemos) since their lives are so short. In modern times, they symbolize fragility. Because they're so short-lived, these pretty little flowers are best appreciated in the garden.
Rhododendron
The Victorians labeled this flower "beware," — which is actually appropriate since they're quite poisonous. If you don't plan to eat them, they make a beautiful addition to your landscaping.
Verbena
Due to their prominent place in religious ceremonies throughout history, these petite purple flowers mean "pray for me." They can also represent protection against evil, which may be why they showed up in those ceremonies in the first place.
White Clover
Before you get out the RoundUp, take a second to look at the flowers sprouting from your clover. They frequently pop up in the yard, reminding you that others are always thinking of you.
Violet
Loyalty, devotion, faithfulness. What's not to love about the lovely little violet? Those are sentiments just about everyone can appreciate.
Pink Camellia
These impressive, lush flowers were beloved by the Victorians who gave them the meaning "my destiny is in your hands." Tailor the flower's color to your relationship: White camellia should be given to someone you like, pink camellia is for someone you miss, and red camellia is best for a significant other.
Hyssop
This blue-purple bloom represents cleanliness and sacrifice. Anyone who struggles to declutter knows that these two concepts are completely intertwined. Besides, don't they look just like a feather duster?
White Jasmine
This fragrant flower's scent is as intoxicating as its message: sweet love. White jasmine flower's can also symbolize beauty, love, purity and appreciation.
Cornflower
A cornflower (or "Bachelor's button") carries a fond single blessing with every blue bloom. Give these as a good-luck charm, because they're especially linked to wealth and good fortune.
Hollyhock
Don't let its delicate appearance fool you — this flower means ambition, perhaps because the flowers bloom on tall stalks stretching toward the sky. Perhaps we should rename it the Lean In flower?
Valerian
Though some of us know this herb for its calming properties, this bloom has a more active meaning: readiness. If you've got valerian in your wildflower bouquet, you're prepared for anything.
Sweetpea
Delicate, intricate and a little sensual, sweetpeas represent pleasure. They've also been used as a thank-you flower, or as a way to bid someone goodbye after a pleasant visit.
Honeysuckle
These sweetly-scented flowers are another sign of devotion, representing strong bonds of love. And with their intoxicating scent, sweet center and lusty tendrils, we can definitely see where the name comes from.
Goldenrod
It might not be ideal for the allergy-prone, but this bloom represents "encouragement." Maybe encourage your kids to leave this one out in the field, to avoid getting the sniffles.
Nasturtium
These unusual flowers carry a patriotic meaning, proving that pride can come in many shapes and colors. It can also represent conquest, perhaps because of its assertive celebratory color and leaves that look like shields.
Lobelia
Avoid gifting lobelia flowers to anyone — unless you have some enemies in your life. These blooms represent malevolence and arrogance. Lobelia has medicinal properties, but it was used in the 19th century to induce vomiting, giving it the nickname "pukeweed." Overall, it's not a flower you want to give or receive.
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