In history flowers have had certain meanings because the flower selections were not only limited, but people used more symbols and gestures to communicate, than they did words. Here you will find a listing of flowers and what they once meant. Today these meanings are not held to, however we decided to publish them here for those who are curious.
Acadia: Concealed love, chaste love
Agapanthus: Love letters, love
Alium: Strength
Alstromeria: Wealth, prosperity,fortune, aspiring
Amaryllis: Pride, dramatic
Ambrosia: Love is reciprocated
Anemone: Expectation, fragile, forsaken
Anthurium: Lover
Apple Blossoms: Good fortune, promise
Arbutus: Thee only do I love
Asparagus Fern: Fascination
Aster: Variety, elegance, daintiness, contentment
Azalea: Abundance
Baby's Breath: Innocence, festivity
Bachelor Button: Single blessedness, anticipation
Balsam: Ardent love
Begonia: Deep thoughts, beware
Bells of Ireland: Good luck
Bird of Paradise: Magnificence
Bittersweet: Truth
Blackeyed Susan: Encouragement
Blueblell: Humility, constancy
Bouvardia: Enthusiasm
Broom: Humility
Buttercup: Childishness
Cactus: Endurance
Calendula: Grief, jealousy *Also the birthflower for October
Calla Lily: Magnificent beauty * associated with 6th anniversary
Camellia: Gratitude, Graciousness
Camillia, Pink: Longing for you
Camillia, Red: You're a flame in my heart
Camellia, White: You are adorable
Carnation: Fascination, distinction, divine love, woman, yes. * Also the birth flower for January
Carnation, Pink: A woman's love, I'll never forget you, mother's love, graditude
Carnation, Purple: Capriciousness
Carnation, Red: Alas my poor heart, admiration, my heart aches for you, fascination, flashy
Carnation, Stripped: Refusal, no, sorry I can't be with you
Carnation, White: Innocence, faithfulness, sweet and lovely, pure love, ardent love, good luck, rememberance * These flowers have lasting qualities and are often handed out on Mother's Day to symbolize the purity and strength of motherhood. They were handed out at the first Mother's Day service in 1908.
Carnation, Yellow: Cheerful, rejection, disdain, you have disappointed me.
Cattail: Peace, prosperity
Chrysanthemum: Cheerfulness, optimism, rest, truth * Considered to be a noble flower in Asian culture, mums are used as an object of meditation by Confucius. ** Birth flower for November
Chrysanthemum, Red: I love you, sharing
Chrysanthemum, Bronze: Excitement
Chrysanthemum, White: Truth, loyal love
Chrysanthemum, Yellow: Secret admirer, slighted love
Clematis: Clever, intellectual *Associated with 8th wedding anniversary
Cornflower: Delicacy
Cosmos: Modesty *Associated with 2nd wedding anniversary
Crocus: Cheerfulness, abuse not, peaceful
Cyclamen: Resignation, good-bye
Daffodil: Regard, rebirth, new beginnings, unrequited love, you're the only one, chivalry. *Birthflower for March **Associated with 10th anniversary
Daffodil, Single: Misfortune
Daffodil, several: Joy, happiness
Dahlia: instability * Associated with 14th wedding anniversary
Daisy: Innocence, loval love, I'll never tell, purity * Associated with 5th wedding anniversary
Dandelion: Faithfulness, happiness, love's oracle
Day Lily: Coquetry, Chinese emblem for Mother * Associated with 20th wedding anniversary
Gladiolus: Strength of character, remembrance, infatuation, splendid beauty, give me a break, I'm really sincere, flower of the Gladiators, admiration, tells recipients that they pierce the heart like a sword. Because the gladiolus has blade-shaped leaves, the name comes from the Latin word gladius which means sword. *Also the birth flower for August.
Hyacinth: Sport, play, games, rashness, sincerity, flower associated with Apollo
Hyacinth, Blue: Constancy
Hyacinth, Purple: I am sorry, sorrow, please forgive me
Hyacinth, Red or Pink: Play
Hyacinth, White: Loveliness, I'll pray for you
Hyacinth, Yellow: Jealousy
Hydrangea: Thank you for understanding, frigidity, heartlessness, heartless, perserverance
Iris: Wisdom, your friendship means so much to me, faith, hope, valor, my compliments, Inspiration, Fleur-de-lis, emblem of France
Iris, White: Purity
Ivy: Fidelelity, wedded love, friendship, affection, marriage
Ixia: Happiness
Jack-in-the-pulpit: Associated with 7th wedding anniversary
Jasmine, White or Indian: Amiability, I attach myself to you, sensuality, attachment
Jasmine, Spanish: Sensuality
Jasmine, Yellow: Grace, elegance
Jonquil: Sympathy, love me, affection returned, desire
Lady Slipper: Capricious beauty
Larkspur: Fickleness, ardent attachment, levity, lightness, beautif spirit * Also the birth flower for July
Larkspur, Pink: Fickleness
Larkspur, Purple: First Love
Lavender: Devotioon, distrust
Leatherleaf Fern: Fasination
Lilac: Youthful, humility, confidence, first love
Lily: Majesty, wealth, pride, innocence,purity
Lily, White: Purity, modesty, virginity, majesty, It's heavenly to be with you. * The Lily is linked to Juno the queen of the gods of the Romans' mythology, by the story that while nursing her son Hercules, some excess milk fell from the sky creating what we know as the Milky Way, and lilies were created from the drops that fell to earth.
Lily, Easter: Known as a symbol of the Virgin Mary
Lily, Calla: Regal
Lily, Casablanca: Celebration
Lily, Day: Enthusiasm
Lily, Orange: Flame, I burn for you
Lily, Stargazer: Ambition
Lily, Yellow: I'm walking on air, false, gay
Lily of the Valley: Return of happiness, purity of heart, sweetness, tears of the Virgin Mary, you've made my life complete, humility, happiness. The legend of the Lily of the valley is that it sprang from Eve's tears when she was kicked out of the Garden of Eden. It is also believed that this flower protects gardens from evil spirits. **Also known as the flower of May.
Lotus Blossum: Estranged love
Magnolia: Dignity, love of nature, nobility
Marigold: Affection, cruelty, grief, jealousy, desire for riches. The marigold was called Mary's Gold by early Christians who placed garlands of marigolds by statues of the Virgin Mary.
Marigold, Pot: Grief, despair
Mimosa: Sensitivity
Mint: Virtue
Mistletoe: Kiss me, affection, to surmount difficulties, sacred plant of India.
Monkshood: Beware, a deadly foe is near, danger
Morning Glory: Loves you. ** Associated with 11th wedding anniversary
Moss: Maternal love, charity
Myrtle: Love, Hebrew emblem of marriage
Narcissus: Egotism, conceit, self love, self admiration, formality, stay as sweet as you are. ** Also known as the birth flower for December.
Nasturtium: Conquest, victory in battle, patriotism. ** Associated with the 40th wedding anniversary.
Oak Leaves: Bravery
Oleander: Caution
Olive Branch: Peace
Orange Blossum: Purity, innocence, eternal love, marriage and fruitfulness, fertility
Orange, Mock: Deceit
Orchid: Rare beauty, love, refinement, beautiful lady, Chinese symbol for many children, delicate beauty, mature charm, beauty, long life. ** Associated with 28th wedding anniversary
Palm Leaves: Victory, success
Pansies: Receipient is being thought about. The flower comes from the French word pensee which means thought or rememberance. ** Associated with 1st wedding anniversary
Paperwhite: Aphrodisiac due to it's intoxicating scent. The National flower of Wales because it often blooms on March 1st which is Saint David's feast day, Wales patron saint.
Peony: Bashfulness, shame, happy life, happy marriage, good health, prosperity, healing. ** Associated with the 12th wedding anniversary
Peppermint: Cordiality
Periwinkle: Friendship
Petunia: Resentment, anger, your presence sooths me
Phlox: Unanimity
Poppy: Eternal sleep, oblivion, imagination **Associated with 9th wedding anniversary
Poppy, Red: Pleasure, consolation
Poppy, White: Consolation, sleep, rest
Poppy, Yellow: Wealth, success
Primrose: I can't live without you
Primrose, Evening: Happy love
Queen Anne's Lace: Haven, delicate feminity
Ranunculus: You are radiant with charm, radiant charm
Rododendron: Caution, danger, beware
Rose: Love, passion, perfection. The rose was named for the Latin word rosa which means red. It has been a symbol of love since ancient times. **Associated with the 15th wedding anniversary. It is also known as the birth flower for June.
Rose, Burgundy: Beauty within
Rose, Coral: desire
Rose, Dark Crimson: Mourning
Rose, Hibiscus: Delicate beauty
Rose, Leaf: You may hope
Rose, Moss: Confessions of love
Rose, Orange: Fasination, display feelings of enthusiasm
Rose, Red: Love, passion, respect, courage, I love you, beauty, pure and lovely, prosperity
Rose, Deep Red: Un-selfconsious beauty
Rose, Single, Full Bloom: I love you, I still love you, new love
Rose, Bud, Small: Pure and lovely, beauty and youth, a heart innocent of love
Rose, Thornless: Love at first sight
Rose, White: Innocence, purity, secrecy, I am worthy of you, silence, friendship, truth, virtue, girlhood, humility, spiritual love, but of the soul, reverence, charm, happy love
Rose, White, Dried: Death is preferable to loss of virtue.
Rose, Yellow: Joy, friendship, true love, decrease of love, jealousy, try to care, freedom, slighted love, shows "I care", gladness, zealous
Rose, Bouquet, Mature: Gratitude
Rose, Red & White Together: Unity, flower emblem of England
Rose, Yellow & Red Together: Happiness, congratulations
