Discover the meaning of 40 flowers. Every day we send flowers as gifts, use them in our weddings, give them for anniversaries, graduations, sympathy, funerals, holidays and weddings. Read explore more about what a flower symbolizes and the meaning of its specific color.
40 Flower Meanings
From alstroemeria, peonies, roses, sunflowers learn about what the flower means or symbolizes. Say it with flowers and send your friends, family, or loved ones a message with flowers.
Alstroemeria
Alstroemeria flowers come in a variety of two-toned colors with freckles in the center in shades red, pink, white, orange, yellow, and purple. The delicate trumpet-shaped flower represents the meaning of fortune, devotion, and friendship. These versatile flowers are long-lasting and can be used as a focus flower in a wedding bouquet or used as a flower filler.
Anemone
The anemone flower symbolizes protection against evil and ill wishes. It can also mean excitement for something in the future. Anemones take their name from the Greek word for wind “anemos”ย since, sadly, their lives are so short. They also have the meaning of forgotten love and affection. In modern times, they symbolize fragility.
Anthurium
The common name known for anthurium is Flaming Lily or Tail Flower. It is known as a symbol of hospitality and openness. Anthurium has a unique texture with heart-shaped bloom with a reputation for bringing happiness into your home. They come in eye-popping colors; they can be very versatile and used with a wide array of themes and color schemes. Pair anthurium with tropical flowers and greenery, orchids, or combine them with hydrangeas for a soft subtle flower arrangement.
Aster
Greek mythology says theย “aster“ was created by the tears of the Greek goddess-ย Astrae. The aster flower was named after her meaning- Star. The daisy-like wildflower has a star-shaped flower head with a unique texture. Asters have long been considered enchanted flowers. Today, they symbolize the sense of patience with a talisman of love.
Bird of Paradise
The tropical bird of paradise will stop you dead in your tracks! It symbolizes joy and heaven with the graceful form of a bird’s head and beak. Bird of Paradise is the most unusual looking flower. It carries multiple meanings to include freedom, and the ability to travel due to the flower’s resemblance to birds in flight, magnificence, excellence, and success. This flower is perfect for a summer wedding or a tall centerpiece.
Calla Lily
Who does not love calla lilies! This trumpet shape bloom represents a symbol of marriage and has a meaning ofย innocence and purity. The stem grows straight with a trumpet-shaped delicate curled flower and comes in a variety of bright colors.ย The name originates from a Greek word, beauty.
Carnation
Why does carnation flowers get a bad rap? We love these ruffled flowers that come in many colors and fit into any budget! If you want to send flowers for someone sweet and pure, send white carnations. Red carnations express a feeling of admiration and love. A pink carnation means you are unforgettable with unconditional love and understanding. All carnations in all colors have three common meanings; love, fascination, and distinction.
Celosia
Another name for celosia is “coxcomb.” This fan-shaped bloom has velvet frills and grows in white, red, yellow, pink, purple, orange, green and multi-colored varieties. It symbolizes boldness, passion, or to wish someone courage. The name comes from the Greek word “keleos,” which means “burning.” These unique blooms are perfect for a gift or mixed in your wedding bouquet.
Chrysanthemums
This humble flower has a simple message of loyalty, devotion, and honestly. Chrysanthemums are the world’s most famous flower and very popular in the florist industry. The word chrysanthemums are from Ancient Greece, meaning “golden flower.” These beautiful flowers are not just for the fall season; they are a favorite year-round. They are perfect in wedding bouquets and boutonnieres throughout the year.ย There are 30 species of mums in a variety of colors, textures, and forms.
Daffodils
![Daffodil Flowers](https://www.bloomsbythebox.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/anton-darius-150x100.jpeg)
Photo by Anton Darius
Daffodils bloom early Spring and symbolize new beginnings, rebirth unrequited love, and eternal life. In the United States, the daffodil is the official symbol for the American Cancer Association, expressing hope for a cure. It is also the flower for March and the symbol of the 10th wedding anniversary. Daffodils have trumpet shape bloom with a slender stalk. Celebrate the beginning of Spring with this uplifting, bright yellow flower.
Dahlia
![Dahlia Flowers](https://www.bloomsbythebox.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/shutterstock_210469408-150x100.jpg)
Photo by Shutterfly
Did you know Dahlias are the most beautiful flowers in the world? These flowers are a wedding favorite and have many symbolic meanings. These ruffled flowers convey elegance, dignity, and convey good taste. They come in a wide variety of bold colors representing royal manners and graceful nature. It is the symbol of lasting bond and commitment.
Daisy
Daisies make everyone smile! Gerbera daisies add cheerfulness to any space and symbolize sincerity. Pompon daisies and gerbera daisies have many meanings. The overall sense of daisies is innocence, purity, new beginnings, and true love. Gerbera daisies express cheerfulness and grow in assorted varieties with big blooms.
Delphinium
You may know this flower as larkspur, knight’s spur, or bird’s claw. Delphinium flowers resemble the curves of a nose of a dolphin and get its name from the Greek word “delphis,” which means dolphin. This humble flower symbolizes deep emotion and concepts. Exchange these flowers for encouraging someone to reach their goals.
Freesia
Freesia flowers are a bride’s favorite! Multicolor freesia bouquets symbolize friendship, trust, and thoughtfulness. Perfect for your bridesmaids! Are you looking for a flower with fragrance? Freesia has a sweet, airy scent with a citrus twist. Freesia comes in an abundance of colors such as white, purple, orange, yellow, and more. Perfect for all occasions or as a gift.
Garden Roses
![Garden Rose Flowers](https://www.bloomsbythebox.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Stephanie-Mulrooney-113x150.jpeg)
Photo by Stephanie Mulrooney
What is the difference between a garden rose and a standard rose? Garden roses are far more abundant in size than standard roses. They are softer and have a puffier look with a range of mild to bold hues. The conventional rose has pointed petals. Garden roses have the same meaning as standard roses but a more significant price tag and do not have the same vase life. You will not be disappointed putting these beauties in your flower arrangements!
Gerbera Daisy
The gerbera daisies hold the meaning of cheerfulness in all colors. The Egyptians believe the purpose of the gerberas is closeness to nature and devotion to the sun. The Celtic legend conveys that God sprayed the daisies over the earth when a child would pass, to give the parents hope and joy. But some believe Freya, the goddess of love, fertility, ad beauty, is her sacred flower symbolizing childbirth.
Gypsophila
This tiny white flower is known as Baby’s Breath, which represents purity and everlasting love. This filler flower is a symbol of long-lasting love and the most popular filler flower used for any event. Baby’s breath can also make a statement on its own by filling mason jars or galvanized buckets. It fits with any wedding theme from the vintage, modern, and rustic. You can easily make a dried baby’s breath arrangement for home dรฉcor or a keepsake from your special event.
Hypericum Berries
Hypericum berries are well known as St. John’s Wort and healing properties to fight depression and calm anxiety and associated with good health. This foliage filler adds texture and a burst of color to any flower arrangement! Hypericum berries come in various colors and are available all year round. The lush foliage is dark green with tear-shaped leaves with colorful round berries.
Hyacinth
![Hyacinth flowers](https://www.bloomsbythebox.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Annie-Spratt-150x100.jpeg)
Photo By Annie Spratt
This highly fragrant, bell-shaped hyacinth flower means sincerity and represents playfulness and engagement in sport. Hyacinth comes in an array of colors with clusters of multiple star shape blooms forming a bell shape head. Each color has its particular meaning, purple โ means asking for forgiveness or symbolizes sincere regret. Yellow โ implies jealousy.ย White โ means loveliness or prayers for someone. It’s playful or sportive
Hydrangea
Hydrangeas symbolize heartfelt emotion as well as gratitude for being understood. Victorians thought of the hydrangea as a negative flower to represent boastfulness, bragging, or vanity. Hydrangeas have many meanings and are accessible and used for all kinds of occasions.
Iris
These striking unique blooms have three petals that stand straight up and primary significances faith, hope, wisdom, courage, and admiration. Purple iris symbolizes royalty. When iris’ bloom in your garden, it is Springtime! The iris represents the 25th wedding anniversary flower. The traditional shades of Iris are purple and blue, but they also bloom in a variety of colors. This bloom is available year-round.
Red Rose
![Red Roses](https://www.bloomsbythebox.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Jorge-Gardner-150x100.jpeg)
Photo by Jorge Gardner
We all know the classic red rose means, “I Love You.” This flower is the most popular on Valentine’s Day, expressing romantic love. Red roses convey love and passion and have over thousands of years. The shade of the rose conveys emotions. A deep red rose expresses deep feelings. The red rose is universal and expresses love. The giving of a single rosebud represents ‘love at first sight”.
Lilac
![Lilac flowers](https://www.bloomsbythebox.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Rodion-Kutsaev-150x100.jpeg)
Photo by Rodion Kutsaev
Lilacs symbolize confidence, youthful innocence and are associated with the Easter holiday. White lilacs represent innocence and purity, field lilacs express charity, and purple lilacs signify first love. They have an incredible fragrance!
Lavender
![Lavender Flowers](https://www.bloomsbythebox.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Janine-Jobles-150x100.jpeg)
Photo by Janine Joles
These tiny purple florets cluster together in a spike-like fashion to form the lavender flower. Lavender has natural calming aromatherapy properties. A bouquet of lavender represents love and devotion to spirituality. The fragrant of lavender is popular during meditation with moments of self-reflection, thoughts, and emotion, making a perfect gift. Add to your wedding bouquet for a pop of color and sweet smell.
Lily
![Lily Flowers](https://www.bloomsbythebox.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Arie-Wubben-150x84.jpeg)
Photo by Arie Wubben
Lillies express beauty, pride, humility, virginity, purity, wealth, and sweetness. This star-shaped bloom averages 3 to 5 blooms per stem and is available year-round in several colors. They have a sweet scent and are associated with funerals symbolizing the soul of the departed. White lilies in a bride’s bouquet convey the purity of their love and commitment in marriage.
Lily of The Valley
![Lily of The Valley](https://www.bloomsbythebox.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Valeria-Bold-100x150.jpeg)
Photo by Valeria Bold
These pretty bell-shaped flowers are a symbol of good luck and happiness. The belief is the bell shape bloom can call the good spirits. The lily of the valley represents innocents, sweetness, and “return to happiness.” They have a sweet aroma and are known to be used in floral arrangements for traditional celebrations throughout the world. It is a favorite of royal brides in their bouquet and wedding arrangements.
Lisianthus
Lisianthus flowers resemble a rose. This flower symbolizes an outgoing nature and gratitude. The bloom has ruffled petals that are delicate, and the stems have oval-shaped leaves. It ranges in colors from pink, white, purple, and lavender. Pick this flower for elegant bouquet and boutonniere or as a gift to someone special.
Magnolia
![Magnolia Flower](https://www.bloomsbythebox.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/magnolia-150x113.jpeg)
Photo by HGTV
Magnolias symbolize dignity, nobility, beauty, and love of nature. These stunning blooms start budding and blooming on the trees as Spring arrives. This flower arrival gets everyone who sees them excited for the Spring by representing the love of nature. The strength of the bloom is symbolic, represents self-respect, and self-esteem. Each variety of flower has beautiful large fragrant blooms. White magnolias symbolize purity and are prevalent in wedding bouquets.
Orchids
![Orchid Flower](https://www.bloomsbythebox.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Tatiana-150x120.jpeg)
Photo By Tatiana
This exotic, graceful orchid represents luxury, beauty, love, strength, and femininity. Orchids are far set apart from other flowers with grace and perfection. Every orchid species has a unique look and comes in a variety of colors. There are over 20,000 species orchid existence! Use them to bring a tropical flair to a summer wedding or as a special gift. Whatever you use these beautiful orchids for, they’re sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
Peony
The full Peony is breathtaking and symbolizes prosperity, good fortune, and happiness. Peonies have a great deal of meaning for a couple. The reason why it is so popular at weddings is that it represents “happy marriage” andย “great honor.” Pink is the most common color given as a gift representing love at first sight. Peonies come In a wide range of romantic hues and have a soft scent and are irresistible. Come Spring, they are very hard to keep them in stock!
Protea
The protea flower certainly stands out in a crowd! It has a powerful message which symbolizes diversity, courage, and transformation. This flower comes in over 1,400 varieties in many shapes, sizes, colors, and textures. Use protea flowers as a stamen piece in your bridal bouquet paired with garden roses, veronica, and mixed greenery or use smooth texture flowers and solid colors to accent this vibrant bloom.
Queen Anne’s Lace
This filler flower was named after “Queen Anne,” who loved to make lace. The central purple flower represents the blood she shed when pricked with the needle. The weird thing about this flower is that it is a wild carrot. This white rounded flat top flower looks beautiful in wedding bouquets or centerpieces. Queen Anne’s lace is an excellent filler flower or for any rustic or vintage theme paired with all color flowers. It symbolizes โ a sanctuary.
Ranunculus
![Ranunculus Flowers](https://www.bloomsbythebox.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Mikhail-Vasilyev-150x100.jpeg)
Photo by Mikhail Vasilyev
Ranunculus‘s name comes from the Latin word “Rana,” meaning frog, and “unculus,” which translates as “little”. This flower is also called “Buttercups.” This amazing flower represents radiant charm, telling someone they are charming, and attractiveness. The petals are delicate thin ruffled together and the stem is hollow.
Rose
Roses are the most popular flower in the world. Each color has a special meaning. Red roses symbolize beauty, romance, and love, pink roses signify elegance, grace, joyfulness, and admiration. Yellow roses symbolize friendship. White roses represent honor, purity, and innocence, and orange roses express passion and desire.
Snapdragon
Snapdragons have the meaning of grace and strength, but on the negative side, it symbolizes deviousness. They are available in a variety of colors, and will vary in size from 5″ inches to 3′ tall and is excellent for tall floral arrangements or mixed in a bouquet. Here is a fun fact about snapdragons-ย gently squeeze the bloom, and it makes the flower look like a dragon’s head.
Statice
This popular filler flower comes in many colors but is known for the purple and blue color. Statice is very popular in dried floral arrangements, memorial wreaths, and floral bouquets. The bloom has an airy ripple appearance that appears to be velvet and represents remembrance, sympathy, and success.
Stock
![Stock Flowers](https://www.bloomsbythebox.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Felicity-Mikellides-108x150.jpeg)
Photo by Felicity Mikellides
Stock flowers are a symbol of a happy life.ย It is a popular flower filler flower with a spicy sweet-clove scent for wedding bouquets, bridal showers, and baby showers.ย Stock flowers come in a variety of colors symbolizing an everlasting beauty, a lasting love bond, and a joyous, happy life.
Sunflower
Who does not love this cheery bright yellow flower! Sunflowers symbolize loyalty, adoration, longevity, pride, sunshine, and cheerfulness. Sunflowers resemble the sun and are considered a symbol of good luck and bring good fortune. The well-known artist, Van Gogh, was inspired by sunflowers. If you want to make someone smile or show them, you adore them, send vibrant sunflowers. They can have yellow or brown centers. Add them to your wedding bouquet for a pop of color!
Tulip
![Tulip Flowers](https://www.bloomsbythebox.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/libby-Penner-150x84.jpeg)
Photo by Libby Penner
The one thing all tulips have in common is deep love. Tulips are the first flowers to bloom the beginning of Spring, giving the meaning rebirth. Pink tulips symbolize happiness and friendship, and purple tulips symbolize leadership and royalty. White tulips symbolize forgiveness and purity. Yellow tulips symbolize happy thoughts, and red declares LOVE and romantic expression.
Yarrow
![Yarrow Flowers](https://www.bloomsbythebox.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Markus-Winkler-150x100.jpeg)
Photo by Markus Winkler
Yarrow is a quirky bloom with a traditional message that might surprise you! Some people think yarrow has a weedy look. Yarrow is suited for a formal bouquet that symbolizes love or a whimsical wildflower floral arrangement.
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