Flowers and Their Meanings

Different types of flowers mean different things. Here is a list of flowers and their possible meanings. You may use this as a guide in helping you decide which flowers to include (and maybe some not to include) in your wedding or other event. Or, just enjoy a little bit of interesting trivia.

Amaryllis – splendid beauty
Bluebells – constancy; humility
Bridal roses – happy love
Buttercup – riches
Camellia – gratitude; admiration; perfection; good luck
Carnation – fascination and love; pink – “I’ll never forget you; red – my heart aches for you; yellow – you have disappointed me
Chrysanthemum – friendship; cheerfulness; red – I love you; white – truth
Cyclamen – modesty and shyness
Daffodil – regard
Daisy – innocence; loyalty; purity; sharing of feelings; white – innocence
Fern – fascination and sincerity
Forget-me-not – true love and remembrance
Forsythia – anticipation
Gardenia – secret love; joy in a relationship
Holly – good luck
Honeysuckle – loveliness; generous and devoted affection
Hyacinth – blue – constancy; purple – I’m sorry; yellow – jealousy
Hydrangea – boastfulness; thank you for understanding
Iris – warmth of affection
Ivy – eternal fidelity; wedded love; everlasting life; friendship; affection; never ending love
Jasmine – amiability; yellow – grace and elegance
Lemon blossom – fidelity in love
Lilac – white – youthful innocence; a first sign of love in a relationship
Lily – majesty; chastity; innocence; purity; virtue; orange – hatred; white – purity and modesty
Lily-of-the-valley – return of happiness
Lime – joy in a relationship
Magnolia – nobility; dignity
Myrtle – love; Hebrew emblem of marriage
Nasturtium – patriotism
Orange blossom – purity and virginity; innocence; eternal love; marriage and fruitfulness; a world famous wedding flower; popular in Italian weddings; happiness and fulfillment; lucky when worm by the bride or used in decorations; loveliness
Orchid – love; beauty; refinement
Peach blossom – captive
Peony – happy marriage; a charm against the powers of darkness
Petunia – resentment; anger
Primrose – I can’t live without you
Rose – symbolizes the brevity of earthly existence; favored flower for weddings; love; red – love, desire; yellow – friendship, joy, gladness; coral – desire; peach – modesty; dark pink – thankfulness; deep pink – grace; light pink – admiration, sympathy; pale pink – grace; orange – fascination, enthusiasm, desire; white – innocence, reverence, humility, worthiness; red and white together – unity, warmth of heart.
Stephanotis – happiness in marriage
Sunflowers – adoration
Sweet pea – delicate pleasures; blissful pleasure
Tulip – love; perfect lover; red – declaration of love; yellow – “there’s sunshine in your smile”
Violet – faithfulness; modesty; blue – faithfulness; white – “let’s take a chance on happiness”
Zinnia – scarlet – constancy; white – goodness; yellow – daily remembrance