The Flowery Meanings, Languages and Sentiments – A to Z
Flowers have always held a certain mystique. They hold different meanings and honor, whether painted on a wall in an ancient tomb or etched onto a Grecian urn.
Delphinium, balloon flower/platycodon, bellflower/campanula together
Return of happiness
Lily-of-the-valley
The reward of literary merit
Tea olive
The reward of merit
Laurel
The reward of virtue
Rose
Rich in charms
Buttercup
Riches
Corn/wheat
Richness
Cream rose
Righteousness
Gentian
Risqué
Protea
Rivalry
Rocket
Role reversal
Perilla
Romance
Azalea
Royalty
Pomegranate
(The following flower meanings are taken from the glossary of the book “Tussie-ussies, The Language of Flowers” by Geraldine Adamich Laufer, which I highly recommend for its insightfulness and beautiful photography. This flower guide includes the meanings of different flowers and the symbolic meanings of flowers.)
Flower Meanings – S
Sadness
Dead leaves
Safe
Ginger
Safety
Broom, traveler’s joy
Scholarship
Coral bells, orchids, especially cymbidium
Self-esteem
Narcissus
Self-love
Narcissus
Sensibility
Sensitive plant
Sentimental recollections
-Aster, Silver King Artemisia
Separation
Carolina jasmine
Serenity
Willow
Showy
Lisianthus
Shyness
Peony, rose-colored rose
Silence
White rose
Silliness
Cockscomb
Simplicity
Daisy, English daisy, violet
Sincerity
Fern, satin flower, anemone, honesty
Skill
Purple coneflower
Sleekness
Glossy abelia
Sleep
Hops, poppy, especially white
Softness
Lamb’s ears
Softness, feminine
Peach
Solitude
Globeflower
Soothes the tremblings and passions of the heart
Lavender
Soothing
Dill
Sorrow
Primrose, purple rose, yarrow, yew
Speak your mind
Borage
Spectacular
Mexican sage
Spiritual energy
Pine
Splendor
Cardinal flower, Turk’s-cap lily
Sport
Hyacinth, especially blue
Steadfastness
Oak, bamboo
Stoicism
Box
Stratagem
Walnut
Strength
Fennel, garlic, lovage, oak, thyme
Strength of character
Gladiolus
Strength of mind
Walnut
Strengthens the memory
Rosemary
Studious pursuit
Olive
Stupidity
Scarlet geranium
Submission
Grass
Success
Laurel, lavender
The sun
Pot marigold
Superstition
St. John’s Wort
Support
Lamb’s ears
Surprise
Truffle, lamb’s ears
Suspicion
Mushroom
Sweet dreams
Phlox
Sweetness
Delphinium, lilac, magnolia, pinks, sweet violet
The sweetness of character derived from good works
Cherry, cherry-red rose
Sympathy
Lemon balm, sea statice, thrift
Flower Meanings – T
Talent
Oregano
Taste
Fuchsia, pinks
Temptation
Apple, quince
Tenacity
Ivy
The testes
Pinecone
Thank you
Daisy fleabane
Thanks
Parsley
Thinness
Fennel
Thoughts
Pansy
Thoughts, happy
Heartsease, Johnny-jump-up
Thoughts of absent friends
Zinnia
Thoughts of heaven
Viburnum
Thrift
Sea thrift
Thriving
Blackberry lily
Timidity
Four-lock, Violet
Tiredness prevents
Mugwort
A token of affection
Oxeye daisy, Viburnum
Thoughtlessness
Mandevilla
Too young to love
White rosebud
Tranquility
Stonecrop/Sedum
Transient happiness
Spiderwort
Transient impressions
Withered white rose
Transport of joy
Gardenia, Jasmine
Travel
Mugwort
Travelers luck
Sea holly
Tree of life
Arborvitae
Triteness
Quince
Trinity
Three-leaf clover
Truthfulness
Ivy
Trustworthiness
Honesty
Truth
Anemone, bittersweet, white chrysanthemum, oak
Flower Meanings – U
Unceasing remembrance –
Silver King Artemesia
Unchanged for eternity
Clematis
Unchanging friendship
Arborvitae
Unexpected meeting
Lemon-scented geranium
Unfaithfulness
Yellow rose
Unfortunate attachment
Pincushion flower
Unity
White or red rose, allium/flowering onion
Uprightness
Bamboo
Usefulness
Grape Hyacinth
Flower Meanings – V
Vanity
Rocket
Variety
Aster, Rosa Mundi
The varying course of life
Magnolia and red flowers together
Vengeance
Scot’s thistle
Victory
Red rose, Spirea
Vigilance
Spring starflower
Vigorous life
Pine
Virtue
Lemon mint, oak, rue, sage, especially pineapple
Virtuous, sweet
Bee balm
Vision
Rue
Vitality
Champagne rose
Voluptuousness
Cyclamen, tuberose, moss rose
Voraciousness
Lupine
Vulgar minded
African marigold
Flower Meanings – W
Wait for me
Evening primrose
Wantonness
Butterfly bush
War
Yarrow
Wards off evil
Lavender cotton
Warm friendship
Pine
Warm-hearted
Cyclamen, especially white
Warming
Ginger
Warmth
Feverfew, peppermint
The warmth of feeling
Mint
The warmth of sentiment
Spearmint
Wealth
Tiger lily
Wearisomeness helps against
Chamomile
Wedded love
Ivy
Wedding
Stephanotis
Welcome
Pineapple, pineapple mint, safflower, spurge
Welcome fair stranger
Wisteria
Welcome-home-husband-however-drunk-ye-be
Stonecrop
Welcome to a new home
Juniper
Well-being
Delphinium
Whimsy
Bells-f-reland
Widowhood
Pincushion flower
Will you accompany me to the East?
Stephanotis
Wisdom
Rosemary, sage, blue salvia
Wise administration
Pear
A wish
Foxglove
Wishes, best
Basil
Wishes come true
Dandelion, heather
Wishes granted
Gooseneck loosestrife
Wit, ill-timed
Wood sorrel
The womb
Fig
Womb plant
Creeping jenny
Work, hard
Coral bells, clover
Worldly goods
Wheat
Worldly pleasures
Astilbe
Worth beyond beauty
Sweet alyssum
Worthy of all praise
Fennel
Flower Meanings – Y
You are a prophet
St.-John’s-Wort
You are childish!
Geranium
You are dazzling but dangerous
Snapdragon
You are delicious!
Strawberry
You are lovely
Pink rosebud
You are rich in attractions
Ranunculus
You are unjust!
Gentian
You cannot deceive me
Japanese lily
You light up my life!
Feverfew
You occupy my thoughts
Pansy, purple violet
You pierce my heart
Gladiolus
You will always be lovely
Double pinks
A young girl
Pink rosebud
Your ignorance of love is sweet!
Rosebud
Your image is engraved on my heart!
Euonymus
Your looks freeze me!
Ice plant
Your presence revives me!
Rosemary
Your qualities, like your charms, are unequaled!
Peach rose
Your smile bewitches me!
Scarlet geranium
Your whims are quite unbearable.
Bee balm
Your wiles are irresistible –
Bergamot
Youth
Lilac, rosebud
Youth, early
Primrose
Youthful gladness
Crocus
Youthful innocence
White lilac
Flower Meanings – Z
Zeal
Elderberry
Zest
Lemon
Flowering Languages
When it comes to giving form to love – or hatred – nothing quite says it like flowers, writes Pamela Jane.
Poor old St Valentine – martyred in ancient Rome and, except for his name, apparently had nothing to do with the beautiful tradition of sending messages of love and admiration on February 14 every year.
One authority says the custom of sending Valentines began accidentally on that day because it coincided with a popular festival of feasting, dancing, and sacrificing goats.
Happy coincidence! St Valentine’s Day, a rather less bloody affair now, has grown in popularity to a worldwide celebration when millions of people reveal their feelings openly (or secretly) for somebody else.
It has become a profitable day, too, for newsagents selling cards, post offices selling stamps, newspapers printing weird and wonderful messages, and, of course, for florists who regard February 14 as one of their best days.
Flowers have been important for centuries in celebrations of all kinds, so it is not surprising that special meanings have developed around some of them.
You really should know – sending or receiving – how you might interpret your floral message.
Roses are the most traditional Valentine flowers, but different colors send different messages.
Red means pure and lovely, pink signifies grace, white says, “I am worthy of you,” and a combination of red and white means unity. Yellow roses suggest sunshine and ecstasy, though some believe they also indicate a dwindling affection.
The splendid waterlily says purity of heart, and the huge and fragrant summer magnolias bring a message of splendid beauty, love of nature, and magnificence.
White lilies are wonderful in flower arrangements, and their message is one of mystique, purity, and patriotism. Red lilies are a declaration of love.
Similarly, a red chrysanthemum says simply, “I love you.” A stem of heliotrope indicates that love is eternal, and cream honeysuckle illustrates the bonds of love.
Some Valentines might prefer to receive a bunch of forget-me-nots for faithfulness or ivy for fidelity and marriage.
To praise your loved one’s beauty, choose colored daisies and china roses. For more sensitive souls, hibiscus depicts a delicate beauty, while stock means everlasting beauty. A small sunflower spells adoration and wisteria says, “I cling to thee.”
Less committed Valentines might consider sending marigolds, marjoram, rosemary, and heartsease for a message of happiness and remembrance, or salad burnet for gaiety and a sprig of wattle for friendship.
Personally, I hope the man in this house will find a small bunch of crepe myrtle to tell me I am “extremely eloquent!”
No, thanks
For all the charm and beauty of flowers, they are not always romantic in what they represent. With flowers alone, it is possible to be positively rude and unpleasant.
Larkspurs, for example, signify infidelity and wantonness, and faithlessness is indicated with a bunch of white daisies.
Florists use a lot of dramatic lotus flowers, but their message renounces love.
Try sending a nasty neighbor a bunch of tansies, which means “I declare war against you.” Yellow carnations express total disdain. French marigolds signal extreme jealousy, and a small handful of lobelia is a message of malevolence.
Morning glory is for affectation, hydrangeas for heartless boasters, a capricious beauty deserves musk roses, and lavender says “distrust.”
You might consider sending a spray of stephanotis to a pompous boss – it means “you boast too much.” Another peculiar interpretation, however, says it asks, “Will you accompany me to the East?” Be careful.
Keeping Flowers Fresh
Summer heat and humidity can be lethal for flowers in vases. Picking or buying a pretty bunch one day and having to throw them away the next is frustrating and expensive. Fortunately, you can help them to live longer.
Always pick flowers in the cool of the evening or early morning. Keep them shaded as you pick and lie them flat.
Freshly picked flowers will last longer if their stems are recut underwater. Use a sharp knife – not scissors or secateurs – and slice at an angle. This gives a bigger surface through which they can absorb water.
The stems of some flowers quickly become soggy in a vase. If you spot this, recut it every two or three days.
Submerged leaves will turn the water sour – so off with them.
Many florists offer sachets of chemicals to put in the water. A little bleach or lemonade can help if you prefer not to use preservatives.
The old-fashioned remedies of dropping in a spoonful of sugar, two aspirins, or a copper coin are useless.
Christmas bush (Ceratopetalum gummiferum) is still blooming and lasts well if picked early in the day. Put the stems into water immediately, then recut. Keep the vase out of sunlight and draughts, and the flowers” should last at least 10 days. Even when they dry out, they are attractive.
You should put wattle stems into boiling water immediately after cutting. Leave until the water is cold, then put them into a clean, cold water vase with half a teaspoon of alum (from a chemist).
Agapanthus, those tall, elegant purple or white lilies which grow in clumps, last for ages if individual blooms are picked off as they die. The juicy, fat stems need trimming every second day to keep them fresh.
Ochna requires little treatment, and the bright red waxy calyx can be mixed cheerfully with other flowers.
Hydrangeas are always spectacular at this time of year – and they can fill a lot of space. Slit the ends of the stems about 2cm and submerge them in boiling water for five minutes. Alternatively, scorch them over a flame.
You can give dahlias the same treatment except that you should scald stems for 30 minutes. Daisies last better if their ends are burnt and the vase water replaced daily.
You should pick Roses early. Crush the base of each stem as you pick it and soak in the water right up to the base of the flower for a couple of hours or even overnight.
Carnations last well in a vase of lemonade.
Gladioli and lily spikes can be picked when the first flower opens and will last several weeks. Remove flowers as they die and snap off the top buds.
Did you find this post useful? Would you like to get back to it later? Save THIS PIN below to your flower and plant gardening boards on Pinterest! Thanks 🙂
