Flower Color Meanings: Understanding Flower Symbolism

Flowers can symbolize nearly anything. From true love to royalty to "can't we just be friends?" flowers have been mankind's way of saying what sometimes just can't -or shouldn't- be said. In addition to each flower having potentially dozens of meanings specific to the flower type, there can also be dozens of meanings due to each individual color. Therefore, a single flower can have hundreds of different meanings. Meanings of the flower can also vary by region, size or even due to historical beliefs. This guide will help you understand the many different color meanings of flowers.

What Do Red Flowers Mean?

Red flowers, like all flowers, have dozens of different meanings. They can mean love and desire, confidence, courage, beauty, vitality and strength. They can also mean courage and passion.

Popular red flowers include roses, carnations, morning glories, day lilies, hibiscus, peonies, mums, geraniums, poppies, tulips, and azaleas.

What Do Orange Flowers Mean?

Orange flowers are often used as a symbol of warmth, enthusiasm, endurance, confidence, energy, vitality and satisfaction. They are also a common symbol of passion for all things life.

Popular orange flowers include Gerbera daisies, pansies, day lilies, tulips, butterfly weeds, Chinese lanterns, poppies, lilies, impatiens, roses, chrysanthemums and Mexican sunflowers.

What Do Yellow Flowers Mean?

Yellow is most well-known as a symbol of friendship. However, yellow flowers can also represent joy, new beginnings, intellectual energy, happiness and lightheartedness.

Popular yellow flowers include daffodils, witch hazel, roses, marigolds, irises, day lilies, black-eyed susan, sunflowers, golden rods and azaleas.

What Do Green Flowers Mean?

It is no surprise that green flowers are a symbol of life, new beginnings, springtime, nature and youth. They can also represent health or resilience against illness as well as good fortune, fertility, well being, renewal and optimism.

Popular green flowers** include chrysanthemums, roses, carnations, hydrangea, cymbidium orchids and spider chrysanthemums. (**Author's Note: Some of these flowers are actually dyed green at local florists).

What Do Blue Flowers Mean?

Blue is the universal color of peace, so it is no surprise that blue flowers calm worries and represent peace. Blue flowers can also represent an open mind, youth, an overall feeling of peacefulness, truth and serenity.

Popular blue flowers include morning glories, lupines, salvias, balloon flowers, poppies, grape hyacinths, cornflower, and ageratum.

What Do Lavender Flowers Mean?

Though technically a shade of purple, lavender is in a league all it's own. Lavender flowers are a representation of adult or grown-up femininity. They are a symbol of grace, elegance, refinement, preciousness and delicateness.

Popular lavender flowers include English lavender, lavenders, irises, calla lilies, bell flowers, roses, and hyacinths.

What Do Purple Flowers Mean?

Purple is another color that is well-known as a symbol of royalty. Purple flowers can also represent dignity, mystery, success, magic and pride. Overall, this color represents admiration and accomplishment.

Popular purple flowers include irises, alliums, salvias, petunias, columbines, violets, hydrangeas, roses, lilies, orchids, magnolias, pansies, poppies and geraniums.

What Do Pink Flowers Mean?

Happiness, grace, and gentility are all associated with pink flowers. Pink flowers can also represent love, joy, beauty, youth and innocence.

Popular pink flowers include roses, petunias, foxgloves, begonias, primroses, hyacinths, cherry blossoms, cosmos, geraniums, and bleeding hearts.

What Do White Flowers Mean?

As with many other colors, white has a variety of meanings. White flowers are most famous as a symbol of innocence and purity. However, white flowers can also represent simple beauty, elegance, modesty and even cleanliness.

Popular white flowers include roses, calla lilies, geraniums, magnolias, daffodils, Queen Anne's Lace, baby's breath, petunias, begonias, hyacinths, poppies, pansies, daisies, and orchids.

Sources:

The Colors of Flowers

Color Symbolism, Color and Personality, Gemstone Color & Meaning