The Meaning of Flowers You Need to Know

Do you know that flowers have meaning and symbolic language? Yes, most of the flowers are associated with love, romance, and passion. However, there are types of flowers that mean and symbolize friendship, appreciation, honor, and gratitude. When you give the gift of flowers, you also express a specific message to the person receiving it. What do flowers mean? Check this list of flowers and their corresponding meanings and symbolisms:

·        Sunflower

Sunflowers are meant to express loyalty, longevity, and faithfulness. Although it is most often used to emphasize friendship and non-romantic relationships, Sunflowers are also symbolic of unconditional love. In the Greek myth, this flower follows the sun just as how Clytie, a beautiful nymph, followed Apollo, the god of the sun. Being a heliotropic flower, which follows the direction of the sun, it is associated with the radiance of the sun. Hence, it means joy and happiness, as well as positivity and hope.

·        Magnolia

Magnolia flowers are found in a wide array of colors and in more than 200 varieties. The meaning of Magnolia varies depending on the color of the flower. Most commonly, Magnolias represent purity, dignity, and femininity. During the Victorian Age, sending Magnolia flowers to a loved one meant a noble kind of love, while in ancient China, it meant the beauty and gentleness of a woman. Also, in South America, it is an ideal wedding flower because it speaks of purity.

·        Lily

Remembering the Greek mythology about Hera and Zeus, the flowers of Lily were associated with motherhood and rebirth. But for the Chinese, a bouquet of Lilies means a celebration of marriage. For modern Christians, it speaks of Mary’s sacredness. Lily flowers come in different colors and each color carries meaning and symbolism. White, for example, is symbolic of purity and virtue while the pink ones are meant abundance and prosperity. Red Lilies, on the other hand, are meant for passion and orange symbolizes wealth, pride, and confidence. Yellow Lilies express cheerfulness and thankfulness.

·        Daisy

Daisy is a type of flower that carries a lot of meanings. It is meant innocence, purity, a new beginning, true love, and keeping a secret. During the Victorian Age, the Gerber Daisy was a symbol of cheerfulness and sincerity, while the English Daisy was meant innocence. Sometimes a bouquet of Daisy, specifically the Michaelmas Daisy, was given to express goodbye or eternal farewell. Depending on colors, it also expresses various emotions and sentiments.

·        Tulips

In general, the flower of Tulip refers to perfect love or deep love. Also, this seasonal flower is the first to bloom in the spring season, just after the winter frost. Hence, it symbolizes rebirth. But during the Victorian Age, it was used as a symbol of charity Based on color, white Tulips mean purity, respect, honor, and forgiveness. Yellow Tulips symbolize joy and happiness, while the red ones express passion and eternal love. Pink Tulips are symbolic of affection, admiration, and sweetness and the purple Tulips convey wealth and royalty.

·        Iris

In Greek mythology, Iris was referred to as ‘rainbow’, which actually suited its genus with more than 200 varieties bursting in a rainbow of colors. Also, according to history, the purple Iris flowers were used to cover the graves to ask the goddess to guide the dead to their journey to eternity. The flower of Iris is symbolic of royalty, wisdom, faith, valor, and hope. In addition, the striking color and unique beauty of this flower express deep sentiments, too.

·        Carnations

Carnations were referred t as the flower of the gods. But there are several meanings and symbolisms associated with this flower, too. To the Christians, Carnations are regarded as the flower that grew from the ground where Mary’s tears fell down. Moreover, depending on the color of the flower, the meaning also varies. The white Carnations mean purity and innocence while the pink ones refer to a mother’s undying love. Red carnations symbolize love, fascination, and passion

·        Amaryllis

Amaryllis flowers are more than just beautiful flowers. They are meaningful flowers, too. They mean love, strength, and determination. Aside from the fact that Amaryllis is associated with the holidays, it has an interesting origin. According to Greek mythology, it means ‘to spark’ just as how Amaryllis, a beautiful maiden, sparked and won the love of Alteo, a handsome shepherd. Meanwhile, during the Victorian Age, this flower symbolized strength and determination. In the modern age, it is a flower that means hope, especially to people suffering from diseases and health issues.

·        Pansy

The beautiful flower of Pansy is also full of meanings and symbolisms. It means loving thoughts, beautiful remembrance, a cheerful greeting, and a secret courtship. During the Victorian Age, when a boy gives Pansies to a girl, it was a hint or a message that he wanted to court her. Interestingly, it is also a symbol of creativity or thinking outside the box. Pansies are available in different colors, and each color represents a meaning. The yellow pansy means positive energy and happiness, purple pansies mean royal beauty, red pansies mean love and romance, blue pansies mean loyalty and honesty, orange pansies mean joy and passion, and white pansies mean spirituality and innocence.

Flowers are naturally beautiful and unique, but behind the beauty, they carry a meaning or symbolism. It is an advantage to understand and know the meaning of flowers and make each flower-gifting an opportunity to convey sentiments and emotions.